GLOSSARY

Acclimation: The process of allowing flooring materials to adapt to their environment, usually in terms of humidity and temperature, before installation.

Adhesive: A substance used to bond flooring materials to a subfloor or underlayment.

Area Rugs: Removable and versatile floor coverings, typically made of woven materials, designed to cover a specific area of a floor.

Berber Carpet: A loop-pile carpet style characterized by a dense arrangement of fibers. It’s known for its durability and timeless look.

Carpet Padding: A cushion placed under carpeting to enhance its comfort and lifespan.

Ceramic Tile: Made from clay and then hardened by heat. It’s typically more affordable than porcelain and comes in various designs.

Commercial Flooring: Flooring specifically designed for business settings, often focusing on durability and ease of maintenance.

Cork Flooring: A sustainable, resilient flooring material made from the bark of the cork oak tree, offering a unique look and a soft, cushioned feel.

Distressed: A style and treatment of flooring that gives it an aged or weathered look.

Engineered Hardwood: A type of flooring made of real wood on top with multiple layers of other materials underneath. It offers the appearance of hardwood with increased durability and resistance to moisture.

Floating Floor: A method of installation where the flooring is not directly attached to the subfloor but instead rests on top.

Grout: A dense fluid which is used to embed rebar in masonry walls, connect sections of pre-cast concrete, fill voids, and seal joints.

Hardness Rating: A measure of the resistance of wood or other materials to denting and wear.

Hardwood: Solid wood flooring milled from a single piece of timber, like oak, maple, or cherry.

High-Pile: Carpets with longer fibers, plush and soft in texture.

Laminate: Multi-layer synthetic flooring that simulates wood, tile, or stone with a photographic layer beneath a clear protective layer.

Linoleum: A type of durable flooring material made from linseed oil, cork, limestone, and other natural components.

Low-Pile: Carpets with short, tight fibers, ideal for high-traffic areas.

Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT): A high-quality vinyl flooring that replicates natural materials.

Parquet: A geometric mosaic of wood pieces used for decorative flooring.

Porcelain Tile: A type of ceramic tile known for its strength, resistance to moisture, and durability.

Residential Flooring: Flooring designed specifically for homes, balancing style, comfort, and durability.

Subfloor: The foundational layer over the floor joists and beneath the final flooring material.

Terrazzo: A composite material made by embedding pieces of marble or other aggregates in concrete and then polishing it.

Tile: Typically made of ceramic, porcelain, or stone, used for covering floors, walls, or other surfaces.

Underlayment: A layer placed between the subfloor and the flooring material to provide a smooth surface, sound reduction, or moisture barrier.

Vinyl: A synthetic, durable, and water-resistant flooring option.

Waterproof Vinyl Flooring: Vinyl specifically designed to repel water, suitable for moisture-prone areas.

Wear Layer: The top layer of flooring materials like laminate and vinyl, which provides resistance to wear or damage.

Wood Grain: The pattern resulting from the arrangement of wood fibers in hardwood flooring, often enhancing the material’s aesthetic appeal.