Glossary
Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Above grade slab |
suspended concrete slab above ground level |
Acclimatisation |
see 'conditioning' |
Alkali |
having a pH or more than 7 |
Below grade slab |
concrete slab below ground level |
Conditioning |
process of placing floor covering products in the room they are going to be installed in so that their moisture content and temperature can find a balance with the surrounding environment |
Equilibrium |
having a moisture content that is in balance with the surrounding air |
Feather edge |
edge that tapers back to a minimal thickness, avoiding a 'step' in the thickness. |
Fill |
underlayment with extra aggregate used to fill low spots and depressions in a subfloor |
HVAC |
abbreviation for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning |
Impact Resistance |
degree to which a floor covering recovers from an indentation created by dropping an object onto the material or placing a static load on top |
Laitance |
a milky deposit on the surface of concrete, often caused by over-watering the fresh concrete |
Non porous surface |
substrate surface that is not porous and therefore will not absorb water |
On grade |
concrete slab at ground level |
Patch |
fast setting compound used to fill joints, holes and cracks in sub-floors |
Porous surface |
surface that will allow water and other liquids to seep through and absorb into the material underneath (or above) |
Plank |
resilient floor covering with an aspect ratio greater than 2: 1. |
Resilience |
measure of a floor covering's ability to return to its original shape and gauge after heavy foot traffic, dropped objects or static loads. |
Ripples |
uneven surface appearance in a floor covering |
Rosin |
translucent resin obtained from the oleoresin or dead wood of pine trees |
Symmetrical |
patterns with matching halves that are the same or 'mirror images' of each other |
Underlay |
a board laid on top of the subfloor to provide a smooth, even surface for the floor covering to be installed on top |
Underlayment |
a smoothing compound or levelling compound applied to the surface of the subfloor to provide a smooth, even surface for the floor covering to be laid on top |
Undulations |
wave-like ridges and troughs in the floor surface |