Furniture & Construction Questions

Armoire

Also known as wardrobes, these are large movable cupboard with doors and shelves for storing clothing or is used commonly as an entertainment cabinet

Slip Seat

Also referred to as "loose seat", it is detachable cushion separate upholstered or wooden frame of the chair seat

Wicker

General term for furniture woven of various natural or synthetic materials, such as willow, reed, rattan, or spiral twisted paper

Tufting

Groove or fluting cut into a surface as a decorative accent. In upholstery, term applied to vertical tufting

Chamfer

Groove, splayed or beveled-off corner of a post or a molding

Intarsia

Form of wood inlay, especially of other materials, such as ivory and metal, derived from Oriental

Mariposa

It is a cane seat settee named after its graceful butterfly shaped backrest. Common style are adaptation from the Victorian horsehair sofa

Andamyo

It is the vernacular term for 'scaffolding'

Pasimano

It is the vernacular term for 'window sill'

Figure Pattern

It refers to the general pattern or design of timber produced on smooth longitudinal surfaces as a result of structural features like rays, growth rings, and changes in texture of variations in colors; certain characteristic marking other than the customary straight grain. These are spoken as crotches, burls, butts, curls, mottles, feathers, waves, crossfire, etc

Interior Trim

It refers to wood used as baseboard, railing, chair rail, molding, and door or window trim

Ladrillo

It's the vernacular term for 'cement tile'

Savonarola

Italian Renaissance X-Shaped chair of interlacing curved slats and wooden back, carved or inlaid with certosina work

Knuckle Joint

Joint as at separable leaves of a drop-leaf table, resembling a finger joint

Miter Joint

Joint in the molding where it changes direction, usually at 90 degrees. An angle joint formed by two members each of which is cut to 45 degree angle

Random Joint

Joints in either veneer or solid board walls or floors, in which there is no attempt at matching either grain or width of boards

Mate's Chair

Same as captain's chair, without arms

Allen Head

Screw head with a recess requiring a hexagon shaped key or driver

Sanding Sealer

Wood finishing material thinned with solvents so that they penetrate the wood and harden the surface to resist penetration of succeeding coats of finishing materials

Varnish

Wood-finishing material of gum dissolved in linseed oil, applied in films or skins, by brush or spray to protect and beautify wood surfaces

Taper

Diminishing toward a point, characteristic of furniture legs, round, or square

Eight-Way Hand Tied Springs

Each coil spring is placed in the seat by hand and tied into place with twine using a series of interlocking knots

560 - 600 mm

Elbow Room or width allowance occupancy per seater for dining and conference table

Translucent

Wood finishes that allows light to pass through but not clear enough to see through

Transparent Finishes

A clear finish that allows the natural characteristics and color and appearnce to show through in the final finish

Barrier Coat

A coat applied which separates the substrate from contact with the topcoats

Primer

A coating which is first applied to a bare surface

Modular System

A collection of units designed for various purposes (including seating, storage, display, and shelving) which are manufactured in standard sizes and provides easy assembly and provision for different arrangement configurations

Pigment

A finely ground, insoluble powder which contributes color to a coating - usually very color fast

Shellac

A finishing material made from processed lac mixed with alcohol

Escutcheon

A fitting over a keyhole or the back plate of a handle. They are usually of metal, but sometimes ivory, bone or inlaid veneers

Bergere

A french armchair with closed upholstered sides and back

Patina

A green film formed on copper or bronze by long exposure or by chemical which are often valued aesthetically

Morris Chair

A large, straight - lined wood framed easy chair with adjustable back and loose cushions named after its supposed inventor who is regarded as the leading proponent of the Arts and Crafts Movement

Band Saw

A machine tool with endless blade that travels around two pulleys and is used to cut thin or thick stock in curve or straight form

Canterbury

A small portable magazine rack

Dado Joint

A square groove cut with or across the grain or wood

Vinyl

A supple polymer or elastic resin derived from ethylene that can simulate an assortment of materials like wood, leather, silk, etc

Wood Preservative

A treatment solution that prevents decay in wood

Burl

A tree knot or portruding growth that shows up as a pattern in the grain when sliced; a figured veneer secured from a tree at a place where an abnormal growth of some kind has produced a figure of unusual beauty in the grain

Kuna

A vernacular term for 'baby crib'

Dovetail Joint

A wedge-shaped tenon that fits into a corresponding cut-out space to form an interlocking joint. This wood joint has a fan-shaped tongue that project from one member and fits into corresponding fan-shaped slot cut into the second member

Glue Block

A wood block usually triangular in cross section, securely glued to an angular joint between two members to ensure greater glue bond area

Corner Block

A wooden bracket used to reinforce the joints of chair seats and similar structures on the inside. It is used to strengthen the corners of seat frames. Can be glued, screwed or both

Casework

All parts that constitute a finished case or cabinet inclusive of doors, drawers, and shelves

Particle Board

Also called as "chipboard", it is wood sheet or panel made of small wood chips milled, glued, and pressed to form under high pressure and temperature. It is also described as mat-formed flat panel consisting of particles of wood bonded together with synthetic resin or other suitable binder pressed under high temperature

Coating

Any material applied to a surface leaving a protective layer on that surface. e.g. Lacquer, polyurethane, vinyl, acrylic, butyrate, danish or drying oils, and shellac are all types pf coating

Flush

Any surface with an adjacent surface

Cant

Bevel or chamfer, as on an edge

Recamier

Chaise lounge named after the lady painted by Jacques Louis-David. It is shaped like an ancient Roman bed or reclining couch with graceful curved high end

Countersink

Conical boring in wood to receive a screw head so that the surface of the scree is lower than the wood surface

Fluting

Decoration of parallel grooves, concave and semi-circular in section on classical columns and friezes

Routing

Decorative engraved lines made by a portable revolving spindle

Intaglio

Design carved or cut below the surface of a material; opposite of cameo

Opaque Finishes

Finishes that hides the natural characteristic, color and appearance of the material in the final finish

Rule Joint

Hinged Joint, as between a table top and flap, which leaves no open space when the leaf is down

Mortise

Hole in wood, into which the tenon or tongue fits

Velcro

Hook and loop tape used for attaching fabric to another fabric or mounting board

Herringbone

Inlay banding in which the alternately slanting grain produces a chevron or herringbone effect

Vetrine

It is a cabinet with a glass door, sometimes glass sides and top, for the storage and display of china, curios, etc

Webbing

Linen or jute bands, rubber or plastic woven to form support for spring and filler in upholstered furniture

Lathe Machine

Machine for shaping turned parts by the application of cutting edges against the revolving wood

Quilting

Means of anchoring the cover on upholstered furniture or mattress by sewing through the filler, often with buttons; arranged to form a pattern

Quarter Sawn

Method of cutting the log into four quarters through the center, and then into parallel boards in order to produce a grain having a cross section of the rays

Rotary Cut

Method of slicing veneer; log of wood cut so it resembles paper coming off a roll

Ready-To-Assemble Furniture

More commonly called "RTA". This furniture are sold unassembled or partially assembled

Birds-Eye Figure

Mottled figure wood grain suggesting a bird's eye; markings of small spots that resemble bird's eyes. Often found in the wood of the sugar maple. Prized as a decorative feature in veneer

Medium Density Fiberboard

Particle board made by breaking down wood chips into fibers, mixing the fibers with glue, and fusing the resulting mixture under heat and pressure and compressed to a density of 31lbs to 50lbs per cubic feet in hot press

Graining

Process of painting to resemble the color and figure of wood

Marbling

Process of painting wood to stimulate the color and markings of marble

Millwork

Ready-made products that are manufactured at a woodmill or woodworking plant

Knife Edge

Single seam on pillows, as distinguished from box edge with two seams

Knock Down Furniture

Sometimes called "KD" furniture, this furniture are sold unassembled or partially assembled

Oil Stain

Stain made by dissolving oil aniline colors in turpentine, benzine, naptha or similar solvents

Underbracing

Strengthening a piece of furniture by means of stretchers

Wood Cleat

Strip of wood fastened to a flat surface to brace or strengthen or to prevent from warping

Boullework

Term loosely applied to a form of marquetry wherein veneers of tortoise shells and brass and sometimes combined with other materials are applied

Fading

The loss of color due to exposure to sunlight

Heartwood

The older and harder usually darker colored portion of the woody stem; part of a tree trunk that is being produced into lumber

Midribs

The part of buri palm tree that are made into furniture product

Nominal Size

The rough-sawn size of a piece of lumber usually slightly smaller than specified size

Bevel

The sloping of the edge of a panel of glass in cabinet work, so as to diminish the apparent size of the surface, and to provide a play of light and shade; a sloping edge, planed or chiseled on the edge of any surface

Intuitive Technique

This design technique is based on the principle of free association and gives no restrictions to imagination

Substrate

The surface or material to be coated

Butt Joint

The term refers to a joint on which the squared end of the one member is butted against the side or end of another member

Viscosity

The thickness of a coating material in its liquid form

Board Feet

The unit measure for lumber

Sapwood

The younger and softer sap-containing and usually light colored portion of the woody system

High Pressure Laminate Plastic

Thermoset laminated sheets intended as decorative surface finishes

Water Gilding

Thin deposits of gold and mercury on ormolu mounts

Wood Veneer

Thin sheet of wood glued to the carcase of furniture for refinement or decorative effect; a thinly-cut slice of decoratively-marked wood glued to a stronger, thicker, solid wood or plywood backing

Tenon

Tongue or projecting part of the wood that is fitted into a corresponding hole or mortise

Full-Sizing

This refers to an actual size pattern or elevation for use as comprehensive guide for production

Prototyping

This term refers to producing three-dimensional sample of designed item, either in full size or reduced scale

Gloss / Sheen

This term refers to shininess or reflectablility of a surface

Fiber Saturation Point

This term refers to the theoretical point or limit reached by wood when only its hygroscopic water remains

Moisture Content

This term refers to the weight of the water contained in wood and is expressed as percentage of the weight of oven dry wood

Router

This tool is a portable shaper that is moved over the work instead of the work being moved through the cutter as in the regular shaper

1800 x 750 x 400 mm. sh

Three seater sofa with armrest