You may
come across new terms when managing home flooring tasks like installation or
upkeep. Flooring contractors and installation guides can all spew out a lot of
jargon. This also helps you choose the right words to describe your goal.
Master new flooring vocabulary with our handy glossary, which is perfect for
your upcoming project.

Abrasion

This
explains how the finish of a hardwood floor wears away, damaging the wood.

Acclimation

Hardwood
flooring must adjust or acclimate to the indoor environment of your building.
The indoor environment includes humidity and moisture levels. For best results,
acclimation should take approximately three days.

Aluminum
Oxide

Aluminum
oxide finish is a durable coating applied to some bamboo and hardwood floors.

Backing and
Back Layer

The
bottom-most layer of many flooring types is often known as backing. This layer
of fiberglass or felt adheres to the subfloor and provides protection that
helps extend your floor’s lifespan.

On the
other hand, the back layer is another term used for the base or bottom later of
certain flooring types, including laminate. This is usually made of a strong,
moisture-resistant material such as melamine.

Berber and
Baseboard

Berber is a
type of thick, tufted yarn woven carpet. The yarn is woven in a loop pile
connecting directly to its back. This is popularly known for its ability to
withstand high foot traffic and easy cleaning. The Berber tribes of North
Africa and Morocco commonly make it.

A baseboard
is a molding installed at the base of a wall, providing a decorative, finished
look. Common styles include quarter-round and beaded baseboards.

Carpet Pile

The pile is
a carpeted surface formed by a top layer of fibers attached to the carpet
backing. The pile can be low, medium, or high depending on its fibers’ length.
High-pile carpets are softer but tricky to clean.

Coir and
Cut and Loop

In some
communities, rugs and mats are made from coconut husks, hence the coir. A
carpet with a mix of cut fibers and loops for texture is known as cut and loop.

Density

This value
shows how closely knit the carpet’s fibers are. Higher density means denser
carpet, which can withstand wear and tear and heavy traffic. To get the
density, multiply the carpet’s pile by 36 and divide the results by the pile
height.

Decorative
Layer

The
decorative laminate or vinyl flooring layer is between the inner foam core and
the transparent top wear layer. This layer features a design resembling marble,
wood, or ceramic tile.

Distressed
Hardwood Flooring

This
category features intentionally scraped, gouged, or scratched planks for an
antique look. Some experts create unique, natural-looking distressed styles by
hand scraping. However, you can also find machine-scraped styles in the market.
The scraping helps to hide scratches and marks in high-traffic rooms.

Engineered
Timber Flooring

This
consists of three layers, and it is designed and manufactured specifically for
flooring. Therefore, many people use it in place of solid timber floors. The
top layer is hardwood with a vinyl backing, and the core is hardwood, plywood,
or HDF. The three materials are compressed against each other from opposite
sides, merging into a single piece of wood.

Expansion

This is a
term used to describe the enlargement of wood-based floors due to moisture or
humidity. Therefore, expansion gaps are an essential part of flooring
installation.

Foot
Traffic

Foot
traffic is a term commonly used to describe the rate at which people or pets
travel on a specific spot.

Glaze

The glaze
is a tile coating made of silica, subjected to high temperatures to create a
glassy surface.

Herringbone

Herringbone
is a highly adaptable European floor design that can be installed using various
methods. The most popular pattern is the French or Chevron herringbone.

Janka
Rating

The
industry standard measuring the hardness of bamboo or timber flooring is the
Janka rating. It also measures the bamboo or timber’s ability to withstand
denting. The higher the rating, the more complex the wood.

Linear
Meter

This
describes the width in which you produce a carpet. Generally, most people use
3.66 meters or four meters. Most of the time, the carpets are sold in linear
meters. However, it is promoted in square-meter pricing to make the shopping
process easier.

Understanding
key flooring terms enhances your ability to enjoy various flooring options.
However, working with flooring experts like Paragon Flooring makes all the
difference. Contact us today for unique flooring solutions that turn your home
into a haven!