Our Glossary:
Abrasion
The act of wearing away at the finish of a hardwood floor, thereby damaging the wood, is called abrasion.
Acclimation
The process of allowing flooring materials to adjust to the temperature and humidity of a space before installation to prevent expansion or contraction after installation.
Adhesive
A bonding agent used to secure flooring materials to a subfloor, selected based on the type of flooring being installed.
Aluminum Oxide Finish
Aluminum oxide finish is a strong material used as a hard protective coating for certain species of hardwood and bamboo flooring.
Backer Board
A rigid panel installed over subfloors to provide a stable, moisture-resistant surface for tile or stone installations.
Backing
The bottom-most layer of many types of flooring, including vinyl, is often called the backing. This layer of felt or fiberglass adheres to the subfloor and provides protection that helps extend the life of the floors.
Back Layer
Another term for the bottom or base layer of certain types of flooring, including laminate, the back layer is typically made of a sturdy, moisture-resistant material such as melamine.
Baseboard
Molding, also called a baseboard, is installed at the base of a wall to provide a decorative, finished look. Common styles include beaded and quarter-round baseboard.
Berber
Named for the woolen, textured carpet made by the Berber tribes of Morocco and North Africa, Berber is a type of carpet made from thick, tufted yarns woven into a loop pile that connects directly to the backing. It is known for being easy to clean and for its ability to withstand heavy foot traffic.
Beveled Edge
Hardwood flooring with a beveled edge features a distinct, deep “V” shape groove between planks. This type of edge style is commonly used for informal room designs or in spaces where subfloor imperfections or slight differences in plank thicknesses need to be concealed.
Buffing
A floor cleaning method that uses a machine and pad to restore shine and smooth out minor surface imperfections.
Carpet Backing
The backing of carpeting is formed by yarns and fabrics that help to preserve the appearance and longevity of the carpet’s surface.
Carpet Padding (Underlayment)
A cushioning layer installed beneath carpet to improve comfort, extend lifespan, and enhance insulation.
Carpet Pile
The surface of a carpet, called the pile, is formed by a top layer of fibers that are attached to the carpet backing. A carpet’s pile can be low (fibers less than ¼-inch), medium (¼ to ½-inch fibers), or high (fibers more than ½-inch) depending on the length of its fibers. High-pile carpets tend to be softer but also more difficult to clean.
Ceramic Tile
A durable flooring material made from clay and kiln-fired, commonly used in kitchens, bathrooms, and high-moisture areas.
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Cove Molding
Cove molding is a type of decorative trim used to create a finished appearance between either the floor and a wall or a wall and the ceiling.
Cut Pile
Cut pile carpet features fibers that are cut, rather than looped into the backing, for a much softer feel than loop pile carpets such as Berber. Different types of cut pile include plush and shag carpet.
Deep Cleaning
An intensive cleaning process that removes embedded dirt, stains, and allergens from flooring surfaces beyond routine maintenance.
Delamination
The separation of layers within a flooring material, often caused by moisture intrusion or adhesive failure.
Density
Density is a value that refers to how close together the fibers of a carpet are. If a density number is higher, the carpet is denser, which means it can withstand heavy foot traffic and wear. This is calculated by multiplying the weight of a carpet’s pile by 36, then dividing the result by the pile height.
Distressed Hardwood
Distressed hardwood refers to a broad category of plank styles with intentional scratching, scraping, or gouging of the surface to create an antique look. Unique, natural-looking distressed styles are created by hand scraping, although machine-scraped styles are also available. This style is useful for hiding marks and scratches in high-traffic rooms.
Efflorescence
A white, powdery residue that can appear on stone or tile surfaces due to moisture drawing minerals to the surface.
Engineered Hardwood
Sometimes referred to as cross-ply or multi-ply construction, this type of wood flooring consists of multiple layers of wood pressed together. Compared to solid wood, engineered hardwood flooring costs less and can better resist moisture damage.
Epoxy Grout
A highly durable, stain-resistant grout used in tile installations, ideal for areas exposed to moisture or heavy use.
Expansion Gap
A small space left around the perimeter of flooring installations to allow for natural movement due to temperature and humidity changes.
Fiberboard Core
The middle layer of a laminate floor is the fiberboard core, which is made from softwood fibers. This layer gives laminate greater stability and impact resistance.
Fiberglass
Often used as a backing for vinyl floors, fiberglass is a thicker, durable loose-lay backing. It can be installed with non-permanent adhesive, making it easy to replace tiles should they become wet or damaged.
Finish (Floor Finish)
A protective top coating applied to flooring to enhance appearance and provide resistance to wear, stains, and moisture.
Floating Floor
A type of installation where flooring planks are not glued or nailed down but instead interlock and “float” over the subfloor.
Foam Inner Core
Layered products such as vinyl may have a foam inner core between the backing and the decorative layer. Its thickness determines the product’s resiliency and cushion levels.
Frieze
Pronounced “free-ZAY,” frieze is a cut pile carpet with high-pile fibers. These fibers are twisted multiple times to give them a distinctive texture and better resistance to heavy foot traffic.
Glaze
A type of finish, Glaze is a clear, glass-like substance applied to the surface of tile to add color, smoothness, and shine.
Gloss
A floor’s gloss level refers to the reflection from its finish. Standard gloss levels include satin or matte—which have little or no reflection—semi-gloss, and high gloss.
Grade Level
Grade level refers to the level of construction in comparison to the ground surrounding it. On-grade flooring installation is at ground level. Below-grade is below ground level, and above-grade is above ground. Certain types of flooring have limitations on which grade they can be installed. For example, solid hardwood should not be installed below grade.
Grain
The visible, vertical patterns on a wood plank are known as its wood grain.
Grout
A material used to fill the joints between tiles, helping to secure them in place and prevent moisture penetration.
Hardness
A wood floor’s hardness is its ability to withstand the pressure that would result in visible denting, marks, and wear.
Hardwood
Hardwood flooring is the wood harvested from broad-leaved deciduous trees. Common species used to make flooring include cherry, poplar, oak, maple, beech, walnut, and ash.
Hardwood Refinishing
The process of sanding down hardwood floors and applying new stain and finish to restore their original beauty.
HEPA Filtration
High-efficiency particulate air filtration used in cleaning equipment to capture fine dust, allergens, and particles.
Impact Resistance
Impact resistance measures how well a flooring material can withstand the force of dropped items. Floors with high impact resistance can withstand regular dropped or dragged items and continue to remain intact.
Joist
Under many floors or ceilings are parallel lengths of timber or steel called joists. These help support the building’s structure. You can often see them exposed in the ceilings of unfinished basements.
Lacquer
Lacquer is a very shiny type of finish used on hardwood flooring.
Laminate Flooring
A multi-layer synthetic flooring product designed to mimic the appearance of wood or stone while offering durability and affordability.
Linoleum
Also called lino, linoleum flooring is fully recyclable and made from 100% natural materials such as linseed oil and powdered cork, wood, or stone. It has a very similar appearance to vinyl flooring.
Loop Pile
Uncut carpet fibers that attach to the backing on both ends create a loop pile. One popular style of loop pile carpet is Berber.
Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP)
A high-performance vinyl flooring designed to replicate the look of hardwood with added water resistance and durability.
Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)
Vinyl flooring that mimics natural stone or ceramic tile, offering durability, water resistance, and design versatility.
Marble
Sometimes used as a flooring material, marble stone is a natural stone with a distinct swirl or colored vein appearance. Marble tends to be a higher-budget, high-maintenance flooring material.
Melamine
Melamine is a resin used to form part of the back layer of laminate flooring. This helps support and reinforce the laminate tiles or planks. It can also provide a tough and durable finish as part of the floor’s wear layer.
Moisture Barrier
A protective layer installed beneath flooring to prevent moisture from damaging materials or affecting performance.
Mosaic
A pattern or picture created from small pieces of glass, stone, marble, tile, or another hard substance form a mosaic.
Natural Stone
Flooring materials such as granite, marble, and slate that are quarried from the earth and cut into tiles or slabs.
Overlap Reducer
Sometimes simply called the reducer, this provides a transition to another floor with a lower height. For example, an overlap reducer would be used to transition from a hardwood floor to bare concrete in a doorway leading to a garage.
Overlap Stair Nose
Fitted on the edge of the top stair, an overlap stair nose is a piece of molding that transitions the material used on a set of stairs to the one on the floor below.
Parquet
Parquet floors are a type of hardwood flooring installation involving an angular geometric mosaic of wood small wood pieces. Parquet patterns can consist of squares, triangles, herringbone layouts, and more. This style became popular in the United States in the 1960s and is now experiencing a resurgence in popularity.
Perimeter Adhered
When vinyl sheet floors are installed with only the outer edges glued to the subfloor, this is called perimeter adhered flooring.
pH-Neutral Cleaner
A cleaning solution formulated to safely clean floors without damaging finishes or leaving residue.
Plush
Plush carpet features a very soft, high-cut pile in which all fibers are the same height and arranged very close together. This popular carpet type is also sometimes called velvet carpet.
Porcelain Tile
A dense, highly durable type of ceramic tile that is resistant to moisture, stains, and wear.
Radiant Heating
In-floor radiant heating is a heating system installed below flooring designed to keep floors at a comfortable temperature while also improving a home’s energy efficiency—especially during colder months.
Refinish
You can minimize the appearance of scratches, scuff marks, and other signs of wear or damage on your hardwood floors by refinishing, which involves adding a new topcoat of finish.
Remnant
When you purchase carpet, it is cut from rolls into the size you need for your space. The end of a roll is called a carpet remnant, and can be used as a throw rug or to carpet a small portion of a room.
Resilient Flooring
Flexible flooring materials such as vinyl or linoleum that provide comfort underfoot and resistance to moisture.
Sealing
The application of a protective coating to stone, grout, or other porous surfaces to prevent staining and moisture absorption.
Slip Resistance
A measure of a floor’s ability to reduce the risk of slipping, especially important in wet or high-traffic areas.
Solid Wood
If a hardwood flooring plank is made from a single, solid piece of wood, it is referred to as solid hardwood. This type of floor is one of the most durable options as well as one of the most expensive. Solid hardwood is also more susceptible to moisture damage than engineered hardwood flooring.
Subfloor
The structural surface beneath the finished flooring that provides support and stability for the installation.
Tile
Tile is a floor, wall, countertop, and shower covering made from ceramic clay or stone and then cut into squares or other geometric shapes. Tile is often treated to provide resistance to moisture, stains, and slipping.
Tile Layout
The planned arrangement of tiles prior to installation to ensure a balanced, visually appealing design.
Tongue and Groove
Laminate or hardwood planks manufactured with this type of edge protrude in a tongue on one side and a groove on the other. Here, the tongue of one plank fits into the groove of the next for a seamless installation that offers flexibility and movement.
Underlayment
A layer installed between the subfloor and finished flooring to provide cushioning, sound absorption, or moisture protection.
Vapor Barrier
A material used to prevent moisture vapor from passing through floors, protecting against damage and mold growth.
Veneer
Coarse hardwood floors often receive a thin application fine wood covering called a veneer for decorative purposes. A veneer of a luxury wood species can enhance the appearance of a less expensive wood plank without sacrificing quality.
Vinyl
Vinyl flooring consists of multiple layers of synthetic materials, which provide resilience and resistance to scratches, stains, and other wear. You’ll find vinyl plank that imitates wood, vinyl tile that mimics ceramic or stone, and vinyl sheet that can cover wide areas of the floor. Sheet vinyl can feature solid colors, patterns, or wood and stone looks.
Wear Layer
The top protective surface on flooring materials, particularly vinyl and laminate, designed to resist scratches and wear.
Wet Extraction Cleaning
A professional carpet cleaning method that uses hot water and suction to remove dirt, stains, and cleaning solution from fibers.
