F - K wood flooring terms

F
Fading - the loss of color due to exposure to light, heat or other destructive agents.

Feature strip - a strip of wood used at a threshold or to border a room or to otherwise serve as an accent. Usually of a contrasting color or species.

Figure - inherent markings, designs or configurations on the surface of wood produced by annual growth rings, rays, knots and deviations from regular grain.

Filler - substance used to fill holes and irregularities in planed or sanded surfaces before applying finish coatings.

Finish - protective coating applied to a wood floor. (See 'Types of Finishes')

Fish eyes - round or elliptical areas lacking adequate finish - also called cratering, crawling, holes, spots or flow marks. May be caused by failing to properly agitate (stir) a finish prior to application.

Flag - a heavy dark mineral streak shaped like a banner.

Flag wormhole - one or more wormholes surrounded by a mineral streak.

Flecks - the wide irregular, conspicuous figure in quartersawn oak flooring (see 'Medullary Rays').

Floating floor - a floor that does not need to be nailed or glued to the subfloor. Typically, the flooring panels are connected together by adhesive or mechanical connectors.

Floor protectors - screw-on attachments for the bottom of chair and table legs to distribute the weight of furniture evenly to reduce indentations in resilient floors. Abrasions can be prevented with replaceable felt pads on the floor protectors.

Flow - the characteristic of a coating that allows it to level or spread into a smooth film of uniform thickness before hardening.

G
Gloss - the luster, shininess or reflecting ability of a surface.

Grade - the construction level relative to the ground around it. Below grade is below ground level, on grade is at ground level, and above grade is above ground level.

Graininess - the appearance of small, grain-like particles in a finishing material or in the dried film thereof.

H
Hand scraped - a process used to undulate the surface of wood floors to create an uneven surface which replicates foot traffic and wear characteristics of an old floor.

Hardness - the property of a wood species or finishing material that causes it to withstand denting or being marked.

Hardwax oil - surface finishing treatment made from natural vegetable oils, mixed with wax.

Hardwood - one of the botanical groups of deciduous trees that have broad leaves, in contrast to conifers or softwoods.

Heartwood - the wood extending from the pith to the sapwood, the cells of which no longer participate in the life processes of a tree - usually darker than sapwood (see 'Pith' and 'Sapwood').

Heavy streaks - spots and streaks of sufficient size and density to severely mar the appearance of wood.

Herringbone - a traditional pattern used to create an interlocking pattern of blocks of around eight inches long.

High solids - a term used to denote the presence of a higher than average percentage of solid ingredients and a lower percentage of solvents.

Honeycombing - checks often not visible at the surface that occur in the interior of a piece of wood, usually along the wood rays.

High Pressure Laminate (HPL) - an extra-hard fusing process used to manufacture laminate flooring. The surface, inner layers and backing layer are fused in a multiple step press operation to create the most durable laminate construction.

Humidity - the amount of water vapor in the air (see 'Relative Humidity').

Hygrometer - an instrument for measuring the degree of humidity or relative humidity of the atmosphere.

Hygroscopic - a substance that can absorb and retain moisture, or lose or throw off moisture. Wood and wood products are hygroscopic.

I
Intensity - the purity or degree of hue of a color as seen by the eye.

J
Joist - one of a series of parallel beams used to support floor or ceiling loads and supported in turn by larger beams, girders or bearing walls.

K
Kiln - a chamber having controlled air flow, temperature and relativehumidity for drying lumber, veneer and other wood products.

Kiln-dried - dried in a kiln with the use of artificial heat.

Knot - the portion of a branch or limb that has been surrounded by subsequent growth of the stem.