Timber Terms

Timber Terms              Explanation
Architrave
A moulding used as a surround to an opening to cover the gap between joinery and adjoining work
Board
A piece of sawn or dressed timber of greater width than thickness
Clear Timber Timber free of imperfections
Cubic Metres
Is a measure of volume calculated by multiplying the thickness by the width by the linear length of the timber. All dimensions in metres.
DAR
Timber that has been dressed all round ie on all surfaces
Dressed
Timber finished to a smooth surface on one or more surfaces
End Matched
End Matched boards that have Tongue & Groove on the end of the board as well
Face
The wide surface of the board on which the grade or quality is judged
F Grades
‘F’ stands for force in megapascal (MPa), and is the amount of force a piece of timber can withstand without bending beyond an acceptible limit – A stress grade of timber for which the specific suite of design properties is given by Australian Standards
Finish Size The actual dimension of a piece of timber after it has been dressed
FJ
Finger Jointed timber comprises lengths of timber joined end to end, utilising a micro-sized finger (joint) employing an adheshive whose strength and potential overall length is increased through glue bonds
Flooring
Boards prepared for use in flooring by machining to a standard thickness and usually profiling a tongue along one edge and a matching groove along the other edge
Framing Timber used to form the basic structure of a building
Green Timber Colloquial term for timber which is newly cut and still has a high moisture content. Technically known as unseasoned timber
Gum Veins or pockets Gum production is a natural protection response to injury especially in hardwoods and eucalypts
HWD Hardwood – Woods from trees classed as ‘flowering’ plants as opposed to conifers. The timber known as conifers is known as softwoods
Kiln A chamber used for drying timber, in which the temperature and humidity of circulating air can be suitably controlled
Kiln Dried Of timber seasoned in a kiln usually to a specified or selected moisture content
Knot A section of a branch which is embedded in the wood of a tree trunk or of a large branch
Laminated Glued
LM Linear Metre is a measure of length that ignores the thickness and width of a piece of timber
LVL Laminated Veneer Lumber – Structural Engineered Timber
MGP
MGP stands for machine graded pine – Determines the stress grade of Pine by mechanical methods – MGP is a measure of its modulus of elasticity (MOE)
Moisture content A measure of the available water in a piece of timber. Wood normally increases in strength with drying
MDF Medium Density Fibreboard (also known as Craftwood)
OB Ordinary Builders
Random Supplied in varying lengths – Sometimes straight off the pack
Rough Sawn Surface condition of wood as it leaves the saw
Rougher Header Timber that is dressed down with a fine rippled finish
Sawn Timber that has not been gauged or dressed
T & G Tongue & Grooved flooring where boards are joined along the length, one with a tongue and the other with a groove
Timber Treatments
H1 Inside, above ground – Completely protected from weather and well ventilated and protected from termites
H2 Inside, above ground – Protected from wetting. Nil leaching
H2F Inside, above ground – Protected from wetting, Nil leaching
H2S Inside, above ground – Protected from wetting. Nil leaching
H3 Outside, above ground – Subject to periodic moderate wetting and leaching
H3A Outside, above ground – Products predominantly in vertical exposure situations and intended to have the supplementary paint coat system that is regularly maintained
H4 Outside, in ground contact – Subject to severe wetting and leaching
H5 Outside, in ground contact, contact with or in fresh water – Subject to extreme wetting and leaching and/or where the critical use requires a higher degree of protection
H6 Marine waters – Subject to prolonged immersion in sea water
Colour Variation All timber species have colour variation