| Term |
Description |
| Log
trailer |
Built
with permanent stakes to carry sawlogs or pulp logs. Log trailers may have
a grapple loader mounted front or rear in which case the operator can load
himself. The increased cost of a loader on a log trailer means the trucker's
rate will likely be much more. Without a loader, the logger must use his equipment
to load the log trailer. |
| Longitudinal |
Generally
parallel to the direction of the wood fibres. |
| LOSP |
Light
organic solvent preservative. A wood preservative. |
| Lumber |
A
wood product manufactured from a log and sawn on all
four sides. |
| Lumber |
A
North American synonym for timber. |
| Lumber |
Logs
which have been sawn, planed, and cut to length. |
| Lumber |
Lumber
is simply solid wood that has been sawn to a particular
size. Traditionally produced from very large diameter
logs, lumber is now often made from logs as small as
8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) in diameter. A variety of
equipment is used to produce lumber. Newer mills that
process softwood logs combine scanners, computers to
calculate optimium sawing sequences, and high speed,
thin-kerf saws designed to obtain maximum lumber yield.
The newest "lumber" products are not lumber at all in
the traditional sense, but composite products created
from veneers, thin flakes, or other materials such as
plastic. Such products have more uniform strength properties
than solid-sawn wood and can be made to large sizes even
when using small trees as raw material. Lumber is always
measured, bought, and sold based on nominal, rather than
actual, sizes. Measurements are affected by moisture
content and, in the case of hardwoods, by whether boards
are surfaced or unsurfaced. Also see Yield. |
| Lumber
ruler |
A
tool resembling a ruler with a handle at one end and
a hood at the other which is used to calculate the board
footage of a piece of lumber. |
| Lumber-Core
Plywood |
Plywood
where thin sheets of veneer are glued to a core of narrow
boards. Lumber-core plywood differs from regular plywood
in that regular plywood is made up of successive layers
of alternating grain veneer. |
| Luster |
The
property of wood that enables it to reflect light. It
depends partly on the angle at which the light strikes
the surface and the type of cells exposed on that surface. |
| LVL |
Laminated
veneer lumber. |
| Lyctid
borer |
a
wood borer, sometimes known as the powder post borer,
that can attack some hardwoods. |
| Lyctid
susceptibility |
Timber
is classified according to its susceptibility to attack
by lyctid borer. Legislation governs the sale and use
of lyctid susceptible timber in NSW and Queensland; Australian
Standards limit the use of lyctid susceptible sapwood
throughout Australia. |
| Market
pulp |
White
pulp from hardwood trees that is dried into thick blotter-like
sheets and baled for shipment to a paper mill for repulping
to make paper products. |
| Marquetry |
Decorative
inlay and veneer work. |
| Maximum
Crushing Strength |
A
measure of the ability of a piece of wood to withstand
loads in compression parallel to the grain up to the
point of failure. |
| MBF |
See
thousand board feet. |
| Mechanically
laminated timber |
Laminated
timber where the laminations are joined with mechanical
fasteners. |
| Medium
Density Fiberboard (MDF) |
A
panel product manufactured from wood fibers combined
with a synthetic resin or other suitable binder. The
panels are manufactured by the application of heat and
pressure by a process in which the inter-fiber bond is
created primarily by the added binder. The typical density
range for MDF is 31-50 lbs/cubic ft. |
| Medium
density fiberboard (MDF) |
A
special type of tempered hardboard characterized by a
very fine, smooth finish. MDF is used in cabinet making. |
| Medium
density fibreboard (MDF) |
A
panel product manufactured from ligno-cellulosic fibres
combined with a synthetic resin or other suitable binder. |
| Medium-Density
Fiberboard (MDF) |
A
panel product manufactured from ligno-cellulosic fibers
combined with a synthetic resin or other suitable binder.
The panels are manufactured to a density of 31 pounds
per cubic foot (0.50 specific gravity) to 55 pounds per
cubic feet (0.88 specific gravity) by the application
of heat and pressure by a process in which the interfiber
bond is substantially created by the binder. Other materials
may have been added in the manufacturing process to improve
certain properties. |
| Merchantable
timber |
A
tree or stand that has attained sufficient size, quality
and/or volume to make it suitable for harvesting. |
| Mill
chips |
After
debarking and before a sawmill cuts lumber, it saws off
the outer four slabs to reduce the log to a square or
rectangular cant. The slabs are mostly the sapwood portion
of the log and may be resawn to save low quality boards
(e.G., Pallet boards), or the slabs are sent to the chipper.
Most chippers pass their chips over a two-deck vibrating
screen to separate the "overs," "accepts" and "fines."
The "overs" are re-circulated through the chipper again
and the "fines and sawdust" are blown into their own
pile. The chip "accepts" are blown into a chip van trailer,
blown into a pile on the ground to be loaded over the
top of an open top trailer with a front-end bucket loader,
or they are conveyed into an overhead bin which drops
chips into an open top trailer. |
| Millwork |
Building
materials made of finished wood that have been specially
manufactured by a plant or mill. Millwork includes molding
and trim, doors and windows and their frames, staircases,
cabinets, and other specialty items. |
| Minimum
weight |
The
minimum weight that will be charged for, regardless of
the weight being hauled. |
| Miter
gauge Ñ |
A
tool that slides in a slot on a power tool such as a
table saw, router table, bandsaw, etc. A miter gauge
can be adjusted to different angles and is used to slide
the stock past the blade. |
| Miter-and-spline
joint |
A
joint with two mitered surfaces connected by a spline.
(See spline) |
| MMBF |
A
million board feet. |
| Modulus
of Rupture (MOR) |
The
maximum load that can be applied, in bending, to a member
before it fails. |
| Moisture
content |
The
weight of moisture contained in a piece of timber expressed
as a percentage of the oven dry weight. |
| Moisture
Content |
A
measure of the amount of water in a piece of lumber. |
| Moisture
Content |
Weight
of the water within a piece of lumber measured as a percentage
of the weight of the dry wood. Typical moisture content
for kiln dried construction lumber is 15%. Wood absorbs
or gives off moisture depending on the ambient moisture
in the air. The percentage of wood that is not moisture
is referred to as "dry solids," that is, dried construction
lumber would be 85% dry solids. Product standards for
lumber manufactured in the United States are developed
under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Commerce
and administered by the American Lumber Standards Committee
(ALSC). Members of the ALSC are representatives of various
softwood lumber trade associations. As specified in the
ALSC American Softwood Lumber Standard, softwood lumber
is sold as "dry" if at a moisture content of 19% or less.
Most hardwoods manufactured in the United States are
produced to standards developed by the National Hardwood
Lumber Association (NHLA). No single moisture content,
however, is specified for hardwoods because the uses
are more specialized. The moisture content must be specified
by the buyer and agreed to by the seller; a 10% moisture
content specification is common. |
| Moisture
Content (MC) |
The
weight of moisture in wood or the amount of water contained
in wood, usually expressed as a percentage of the weight
of the ovendry wood. |
| Moisture
gradient |
A
progressive decrease (or increase) in moisture content
between the core and the surface of a piece of wood. |
| Molding |
A
trim piece of millwork used either strictly for decoration
or for both decoration and to finsih a joint. |
| Mortice
and tenon joint |
A
joint where a hole or slot known as a mortice (a) is
formed in a piece of timber to receive the reduced end
of similar size or tenon (b) from another piece. The
joint is often secured with wedges, dowels or steel plates. |
| Mortise |
A
rectangular hole cut into a piece of wood to accept a
tenon. (See tenon) |
| Mortise
and Tenon joint |
A
joinery technique where the tenon from one board fits
into the mortise of another. |
| Movement |
The
extent of expansion and contraction which occurs with
dried wood as its moisture content responds to changes
in relative humidity in service. |
| Movement
in Service |
The
changes in dimensions that accompany the usual fluctuations
of relative humidity and temperature after wood is placed
in service. It reflects the sum of the percentage of
shrinkage in the tangential and radial directions in
response to a change in relative humidity from 90 to
60 percent at room temperature. The classification below
is from Tropical Timbers of the World, USDA Agric. Handbook
No. 607.
Classification Percent Movement
Small Under 3.0
Medium3.0 to 4.5
LargeOver 4.5 |
| Mud
Season |
The
period of weeks between winter and spring or summer and
fall when the ground in a forest is largely mud, thawing
or freezing between warmer days and colder nights. During
mud season, heavy logging equipment is not permitted
in the woods nor are trees cut during this time. Industry
professionals that depend on a continuous supply of logs
must account for these seasons and stockpile sufficient
quantities to process during mud season. Truckers are
usually available during mud season to haul logs from
distant concentration yards which may have accumulated
logs for mud season. |
| Nail |
A
sharpened piece of metal or plastic driven into timber
to fasten a joint. |
| Nail
gun |
A
hand-operated tool powered by compressed air which drives
nails. |
| Nail
plate connector |
Sheet
metal plates stamped so that nails are formed on one
side and pressed into timber to make a joint. |
| Nail
ring |
A
generally rectangular pattern of nails used to join timber
elements. |
| Net
terms |
The
total amount of an invoice that is due if the discount
is not taken. |
| NetÑ |
net
A futures market invoicing term meaning that no cash
discount is given for prompt payment. |
| Nominal |
The
name for the size of a piece of lumber, not the actual
measurement of that piece (i.E., What we call a 2x4 is
actually a piece of lumber measuring 1 1Ú2Ó x 3 1Ú2Ó). |
| Nominal
Size |
The
rough-sawn size of a piece of lumber. When purchasing
planed lumber it is sold by its nominal, rough-sawn,
size. For example a 2"x4" is the nominal size for a board
whose actual dimension is 1.4" X 3.25". |
| Non-piloted
bit |
A
router bit without a guide bearing. (See piloted bit) |
| nosing |
The
rounded front edge of a stair tread that extends over
the riser. |
| Off
grade |
Lumber
that does not conform to the grade it was represented
as being. |
| Off
the market |
A
trading term meaning that a seller is not currently soliciting
business. |
| Ogee |
A
decorative molding profile with a S shape. |
| Old
growth |
A
forest of mature or over mature timber that is beyond
its peak growing period. |
| Old
Growth (Virgin Timber) |
Old,
naturally established trees often characterized by dense
straight grain and a lack of knots and defects. |
| On
hand |
A
rolling unsold railcar that has stopped at a diversion
point pending further orders from the shipper. |
| Open
Coat |
A
piece of sandpaper with abrasive particles that are spread
out to prevent clogging. See also closed coat. |
| Open
grained |
Common
classification for woods with large pores in the grain.
Also known as coarse textured. |
| Oriented
strand board (OSB) |
Structural
panels made of narrow strands of fiber that are oriented
lengthwise and crosswise in layers and bound together
with resin. Depending on the resin used, OSB can be suitable
or interior or exterior applications. Plywood and OSB
are also referred to as structural panels and used in
applications where strength and stiffness are required,
e.G., Roofs, walls, floors, etc. |
| Outfeed |
The
side of a power tool where the board exits. (See infeed) |
| Oven-dried
weight |
The
weight of a piece of lumber that has been dried, under
high temperatures, in an oven until it is devoid of all
water. |
| Ovendry
Weight |
Weight
obtained by drying wood in an oven at 102 degrees F.
(plus or minus 3 degrees F) until there is no more weight
loss. |
| Ovendry
Wood |
Wood
that has been dried to its ovendry weight. |
| Overstorey |
That
portion of the trees, in a forest of more than one storey,
forming the upper or uppermost canopy layer. |
| Pallet |
A
low wood platform on which material can be stacked to
facilitate mechanical handling, moving, and storage. |
| Paper
wrap (PW) |
Heavy
paper, wrapped around the top and four sides of a unit
of lumbr, to protect it during transit and outside storage.
Often a condition of sale. |
| Paperboard |
Grades
of paper whose thickness is more than 0.012 inches and
which are heavier and more rigid than ordinary paper. |
| Parabolic
arch |
An
arch whose curve is a parabola. |
| Parallel
strand lumber (PSL) |
A
type of engineered wood product. |
| Parquetry
flooring |
Flooring
of small matching pieces of timber laid on a substrate
in a geometric patterns. |
| Partially
air dried (PAD) |
Lumber
that has been stickered and allowed to air dry for some
time, but still containing a moisture level above the
19% required for a dryÓ designation. |
| Particle
board |
A
pressed sheet material made from particles of timber
or other ligno-cellulosic material bonded with synthetic
resin and/or other organic binder |
| Particleboard |
A
generic term for a material manufactured from wood particles
or other ligno-cellulosic material and a synthetic resin
or other suitable binder. Particles The aggregate component
of particleboard manufactured by mechanical means from
wood. These include all small sub-divisions of wood,
such as chips, curls, flakes, sawdust, shavings, slivers,
strands, wafers, wood flour, and wood wool. |
| Particleboard |
A
type of manufactured plywood that is made from ground
up and glued scrap wood. Particle board is very dense,
heavy, and flat. |
| Particleboard-core
plywood |
Plywood
that is made by gluing a thin layer of veneer to a piece
of particleboard. |
| Party
wall |
A
wall between two adjoining living quarters in a multi-family
dwelling. |
| PEC |
Pigmented
emulsified creosote, a wood preservative. |
| Peel |
converting
a log into veneer by rotary cutting. |
| Permanent
set |
A
change in the properties of wood which can occur during
drying when stressing exceeds the elastic limit. Permanent
set prevents normal shrinkage of the timber and can lead
to more obvious defects such as casehardening and honeycombing. |
| Petrograd
Standard |
Measurement
unit for softwood lumber volume equal to 165 cubic feet,
1,980 board feet, or 4,672 cubic meters. |
| Phloem |
The
inner part of a tree's bark that delivers water and other
nutrients. |
| Photosynthesis |
A
process that plants use to synthesize nutrients from
water and minerals using sunlight. |
| Phylum |
A
class or group of plants. Phylum is a botanical term
used by botanists to classify plants. |
| Phytosanitary
Certificate |
A
certificate issued by the USDA to satisfy import regulations
of foreign countries indicating that the shipment has
been inspected and is free from harmful pests and plant
diseases. |
| Pier |
A
column or post supporting a superstructure such as floor
bearers, beams, etc., Or an internal support for a bridge. |
| Pile |
A
structural timber driven deep into soil or rock to provide
a secure foundation for structures. |
| Pilot
Bit (Pilot Bearing) also Piloted Bit |
A
router bit fitted with a bearing above the cutter which
rides on the edge of a board or template keeping the
bit a fixed distance from the edge. (See Non-piloted
bit) |
| pin
joint |
A
connection free to rotate like a hinge. |
| Pin
Router |
A
router that is fixed above a table with its bit point
down. A pin in the table is aligned with the bit and
used to route the workpiece. |
| Pitch
Pocket |
A
pocket of resinous sap confined within the grain of many
conifers. |
| Pitch
Pocket |
Lens-shaped
opening extending parallel to the annual growth rings
in certain coniferous woods. May be empty or may contain
liquid or solid resin. |
| Pith |
The
soft core in the center of a tree trunk. |
| Pith |
The
small soft core occurring in the centre of a tree trunk,
branch, twig, or log. |
| Plain-sawn |
Also
referred to as flat-sawn, it describes wood that is sawed
so that the tangential face is exposed on the surfaces
of boards. |
| Plain-sawn
timber |
Timber
converted so that the growth rings meet the face in any
part at an angle of less than 45 degrees. Also called
backsawn timber. |
| PlainÑ |
Sawn
Lumber A method of sawing lumber where the log is cut
tangential to the growth rings. Also called flat sawn
when referring to softwoods. |
| Planer |
A
piece of sawmill equipment that planes rough lumber,
leaving it smooth and uniform in size. |
| Planer
mill |
Although
sometimes a separate facility,
the planer mill is usually
that part of a sawmill where
lumber is planed, graded,
and sorted. |
