Glossary Of Terms V

(Page 5 of 6)

Lumber and Plywood Terms and Abbreviations

Pleasing Matched (Plywood Term) - A face containing components which provides a pleasing overall appearance. The grain of the various components need not be matched at the joints. Sharp color contrasts at the joints of the components are not permitted.

Plywood - An assembly made of layers (plies) of veneer, or of veneer in combination with a solid core, joined with an adhesive. The grain of adjoining plies is usually laid at right angles and almost always an odd number of plies are used to obtain balanced construction.

Pulp - Wood fibers, ground and suspended in water, from which paper is made. Note: Hardwood pulp makes the best paper.

Quarter-Sawn (Lumber Term) - In commercial practice lumber cut with rings (see either and end of board) at angle of 45° to straight up 90°...i.e., parallel or almost parallel with medullary ray. In Oak it produces spotted figure; in Mahogany a ribbon-stripe. Advantages in Quarter-Sawing: Shrinks, twists, cusps, and splits less.

Quarter-Sliced (Veneer Term) - A straight grain appearance achieved through the process of quarter-slicing or through the use of veneer cut in any fashion that produces a straight grain effect., cut is radial to the pith to the extent that ray fleck is produced and the amount of fleck is not limited.

Radial - Coincident with a radius, from the axis of the tree or log to the circumference. A radial section is a lengthwise section in a plane theat extends from pith to bark.

Random Matched (Mismatched) - A panel having the face made up of specially selected dissimilar (in color and grain) veneer strips of the same species and generally V-grooved at the joints between strips to stimulate lumber planking.

Random Width and Length (RW & L) - The fact that hardwoods are almost always offered in a random width and length assortment can present something of a mystery. On is included to wonder, "Why aren't Birch, Oak and Walnut produced in convenient dimension sizes and Pine, Redwood, and Fir?" Answer: Hardwood lumber is cut to yield the maximum of usable material and minimize waste. Both widths and lengths are, therefore, random and even the best grades allow occasional defects.

Rate of Growth - The speed at which a tree increases in size. This may be measured radially in the trunk, or in the lumber cut from the trunk, or in the dimension of the crown or other tree part. One unit of measure in wood is in the number of annual rings. (years of growth)

Repairs (Plywood Term) - A patch, shim or filler material inserted and/or glued into veneer or a panel to achieve a sound surface.

Repairs, Blending (Plywood

Term) - Wood or filler insertions

similar in color to adjacent wood so

as to blend well.

Rift-Cut (Veneer Term) - A straight grain appearance achieved through the process of cutting at a slight angle to the radial on the half-round stay log or through the use of veneer cut in any fashion that produces a straight grain with minimal ray fleck.

Rift Sawing (Lumber Term) - Rift sawing is midway between quarter-sawing and plain-sawing. It offers the same figure consistency as quarter-sawing but develops a more subtle grain figure. (no medullary ray effect)

Rotary Cut - Veneer produced by centering the log in a lathe and turning it against a broad cutting knife which is set into the log at a slight angle.

Rough Cut (Plywood Term) - Irregular shaped areas of generally uneven corrugation on the veneer, differing from the surrounding smooth veneer and occurring as the veneer is cut by the lathe or slicer.

Running Match - The panel face is made from components running through the flitch consecutively. Any portion of a component left over from a face is used as the beginning component or leaf in starting the next panel.

Sapwood - The lighter colored wood growing between the heartwood and bark.

Selects - A NHLA Hardwood Grading Rule that parallels the FAS 1 Face grade with different minimum size board requirements. The kiln dried Selects minimum board size is 3-1/2" x 6'. Most other FAS 1 Face rules apply.

Shake - A lengthwise separation of the wood occurring before the timber is cut into lumber, usually resulting from violent storms or in felling the log.

Sharp Contrasts (Plywood Term) - For purposes of this Standard, this term means that face veneer of lighter than average color shall not be joined at the edges with veneer of darker than average color and that two adjacent pieces of veneer shall not be widely dissimilar in grain, figure, and other natural character markings.

Sidebend - A distortion of a board in which there is a deviation edgewide from a straight line placed from end to end of the board. Once referred to as "crooked".

Silica - The chemical compound silicon dioxide which is present in some woods. It imparts a hardness to the wood and dulls the cutting edges of tools used in machining. Especially with Teak and some exotic species.