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Terminology

Terminology

In an effort to facilitate costumer interaction, find a list below of the terms most commonly used in our literature, details and specifications, and by our team.

A • B • C • D • E • F • G • H • I • J • K • L • M • N • O • P • Q • R • S • T • U • V • W • X • Y • Z

B


Backer: Strip of wood attached to the back of panel that allows panel to be installed/fastened into drywall.
Backing: The material that abrasive particles are attached to in coated abrasives. Paper, cloth, and fiberboard are common backings.
Blocking: Structural framework behind drywall that panel backing may be fastened into.
Book Match: Alternating pieces of veneer are flipped over so they face each other as do the pages within a book. This creates a pleasing, symmetrical pattern.
Burl: A knotty growth from a tree with complex grain.

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C


Cantilever: An unsupported overhang acting as a lever.
Close Grain: Wood species that have fine fibers and are not visibly porous.
Crook: Longitudinal bending to one side.
Crossgrain: Woodwork done perpendicular to the grain.
Crosscut: A cut made perpendicular to the grain.
Cup: Transverse bending, convex or concave.

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D


Dado: A slot made across the grain.
Drill: The process of making holes in a material.
Drop: Part of a panel that is leftover after the panel is cut.
Dowel: A cylindrical length of wood often used as a pin to reinforce a joint.

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E


Edgebanding: Used to cover the exposed sides of materials such as plywood, particle board or MDF, increasing durability and giving the appearance of a solid or more valuable material. Comes in long rolls.

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F


Face: The front of the panel.
Field Cut: Panels that must be cut during installation to accommodate the true dimensions of the space.
Figure: Natural decorative patterns that occur in wood.
Finish Face: The actual surface of a feature (wall, ceiling) after it receives all product that may be installed onto it.
Flitch: A board in which the round of the trunk is visible.
French Cleat: Hanging method popular in cabinetry.
Furring: The application of thin wood, brick, or metal to joists, studs, or walls to form a level surface (as for attaching wallboard) or an air space.

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G


Grain: The pattern in wood resulting from the arrangement of the tree’s growth rings. Typical grain direction for ASI Architectural panels is along the length.
Grid: Structural system of main beams, cross tees, and associated hardware which hangs from the deck above and supports lay-in, concealed or surface attached ceiling panels.
Groove: A flat bottomed recess cut into the face of a board with the grain.

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H


Hardwood: Wood from an angiosperm tree. Not necessarily a hard or dense wood, though typically harder than softwoods.

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K


Kerf: Gap left when material is removed by a saw.
Knot: A circular pattern caused by a dead branch.

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M


Miter: A joint made by fastening pieces with the ends cut at an angle.

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P


Planer: A machine that reduces the thickness of sheets.
PB: Particle Board.

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Q


Quarter-Sawn: A type of cut in the rip-sawing of logs into lumber.

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R


Rabbet: A groove cut parallel to and at the edge of a panel.
Rail: Horizontal slats.
Reveal: A feature resembling a rabbet, but constructed of separate pieces of wood at a typical distance.
Rip: A cut made parallel to the grain.
Route: To cut channels or grooves.

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S


Scribe: To shape the end of a framing component so that it fits the contours of an adjoining member.
Slip match: A veneer pattern created by aligning successive pieces side by side vertically but offsetting them horizontally.
Spline: A thin strip of wood set into opposing slots of wood being joined; when used on the outside corner of a miter joint, it is called a miter key a strip of metal or fiber inserted in the kerfs of adjacent acoustical tile to form a concealed mechanical joint seal.

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T


T-Bar: Any metal member of “T” cross section used in ceiling suspension systems.
Trim: End piece of ceiling system that turns upward (vertical).

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V


Veneer: Very thin slices of wood used for inlay. A thin decorative covering of fine wood applied to a coarser wood or other material.

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W


Warp: Distorted lumber, either twisted, cupped or bowed.
Waste: Wood that will be removed in the finished work. A percentage to be added to product especially in custom, complex designs.

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