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Flooring, Siding, and Roofing Glossary

Carpet Terminology

Construction: The main carpet construction is identified as tufted, woven, or needle punch. The “finish” of the carpet is also identified. Examples of finish include Saxony, Textured Saxony, Level and Multi-level Loop, Graphics Saxony, etc.

Fiber Type: The most common fiber types used today are Nylon, Polyester, Olefin (polypropylene), and wool. The term BCF or Staple will be noted by the fiber type. BCF (Bulk Continuous Filament) indicates that the yarn was constructed from continuous strands of fiber that can be several miles long. Staple fibers are pre-cut into strands several inches long and twisted to form a continuous yarn and is the only construction used for natural fibers such as wool.

Fiber Ply: The number of plies found in the yarn bundle. If the yarn is not plied it is referred to as a velour carpet. Most carpets are constructed of two-ply yarn that is twisted together and heat set to hold the twist in the yarn.

Stitch Rate: The stitch rate is the number of stitches per inch in a tufted carpet.

Gauge / Pitch: Gauge is the distance between needles on the needlebar that produced the carpet. Gauge is expressed in fractions of an inch. Pitch is the number of yarns per 27 inches of the width of a woven carpet.

Pile Height: The height of a finished carpet tuft from the top of the primary backing to the tip of the exposed tuft is measured in inches.

Backing Material: This refers to the secondary backing of the carpet. The backing is usually made of synthetic fiber. Jute, a natural fiber, is rarely used today.

Face Weight: The weight of the fiber, measured in ounces, in one square yard of carpet.

Tufts/ SQ inch: The number of individual tufts in one square inch of carpet.

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Vinyl Terminology

Product Form: The product form of the vinyl sample will be listed as sheet, tile, or plank.

Tile / Plank Size: If available, the size of a complete tile or plank will be listed.

Construction: The construction type of the sample is listed. Possible types are:

  1. Inlaid: The pattern is created through placement of vinyl granules, chips, or cubes that are fused under heat and pressure.
  2. Printed: The most common method. The pattern is printed on a core layer and covered by a wearlayer.
  3. Homogenous: The flooring is manufactured by mixing chips or particles throughout the product. The pattern is visible on both sides of the product.
  4. VCT: The flooring is created from vinyl particles fused under heat and pressure. No backing material or wearlayer will be present.
  5. Solid: The sample is constructed of a solid piece of vinyl with no wearlayer.

Backing: Sheet vinyl products have a felt, vinyl or fiberglass backing. Residential tile products have a dry-back or self-adhesive backing.

Wearlayer Type: Wearlayer is a thin protective layer on top of the flooring surface. The two basic wearlayers are vinyl and urethane, with urethane found on higher-end products. The new, enhanced urethane wearlayers may significantly affect price and will be noted as found in the analysis.

Wearlayer Thickness: The average thickness of the wearlayer, measured in mils (thousandths of an inch.)

Overall Thickness: The overall thickness of the sample, measured in mils.

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Laminate Terminology

Product Form (Construction): The product form of the sample will be High Pressure Laminate (HPL), Direct Pressure Laminate (DPL), or Particle Board. HPL is constructed under 1400 psi while DPL is 1200 psi. Approximately 75% of the US laminate market is Direct Pressure Laminate.

Surface Texture: Evaluated as Smooth, Tic, Embossed, or Embossed in Register. Embossed In Register is when the wood grain embossing matches the wood grain pattern identically.

Locking System: The edges of the plank’s width that connects each board. Locking system names are unique to each manufacturer. Various locking systems currently used are Swiftlock, Uniclic, Duraloc, Surelock and M Lock.

Class: Class refers to the laminate’s impact resistance. The class of flooring will be listed as residential only, residential/ light commercial, moderate commercial, or heavy commercial.

Width: The overall width of the flooring sample.

Core Density: Core Density is how compressed the laminate core is, measured in kilograms per cubic meter.

Core Thickness: The overall thickness of the core of the sample is measured in millimeters.

Abrasion Resistance (AC Rating): Also referred to as the wear rating, it is the European Standard AC Rating. The range runs from the least resistant rating of AC1 To AC5, the most resistant to abrasion.

Attached Pad: Indicates if the laminate flooring is manufactured with an attached pad.

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Wood Terminology

Product Form (Construction): The product forms of wood are described as engineered, solid, or hybrid.

Board Thickness: The overall thickness of the sample is measured in inches

Cut: The direction of the grain in the veneer.

Engineered Wood: Sometimes referred to as laminated wood. Engineered wood is constructed with 3-12 plies of wood compressed together.

Hybrid: Hard surface flooring with a laminate core and a thin veneer of wood on the surface.

Locking Type: The method of installation is evaluated as self-adhesive, glued, stapled, nailed, or floating (glueless.)

Ply: Number of layers of wood on engineered and hybrid flooring samples.

Visual: The physical appearance of the wood sample.

Width: The overall width of the flooring sample.

Species: The wood type of the sample. In an engineered wood sample, the species of the veneer is typically different then the inner plies.

Veneer Thickness: The thickness of the veneer in an engineered or hybrid wood sample measured in inches.

Surface Finish: The application of the finish. On-site finished are applied after the wood floor has been installed. Factory finishes are applied during the manufacturing process.

Ply Composition: For engineered wood, the type(s) of wood used in the layers.

Stained Finish: Indicates if the received sample had a finish applied (either on-site or pre-finished).

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Siding Terminology

Gable: In house construction, the portion of the roof above the eave line of a double-sloped roof.

Nail Hem: The top of the edge of a panel that gets nailed to the wall.

Lock: Where two siding panels join, or lock together.

Profile: Side view of a siding panel.

Rake: Trim members that run parallel to the roof and form the finish between the wall and a gable roof extension.

Shadow Line: The shadow pattern cast by a particular siding in the sunlight. Shadow line is influenced by the style and butt height of the siding.

Soffit: Usually the underside of an overhanging cornice.

Square: Unit of measure of siding equal to 100 SF.

Beading: This architectural term refers to a narrow, half round molding.

Butt Edge: The section of vinyl siding that projects from the wall. As a rule of thumb, a larger butt edge creates a more pronounced shadow line and a stiffer panel.

Casing: Molding of various widths used to trim door and window openings at the jambs. Also referred to as: lineal, box post, window and door surround.

Clapboard: This architectural term refers to a thin, narrow board with one edge thicker than the other and is used as siding.

Dutchlap: This architectural term refers to a flat, horizontal band. In the vinyl business it refers to the wide trim that runs along the roof line.

Exposure: The width of each board of siding. Also referred to as a reveal.

Fascia: This architectural term refers to a flat, horizontal band. In the vinyl business it refers to the wide trim that runs along the roof line.

Finish/Pattern: Refers to the texture (and sometimes to the gloss level) of a siding panel.

Frieze: The horizontal member connecting the top of the siding with the soffit.

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