Glossary of Terms

Glossary of Terms

Burl -

a hard, woody outgrowth on a tree, more or less rounded in form usually resulting from the untwined growth of a cluster of latent buds. Burls are a source of highly figured veneers.

Butterfly Key -

a bow-tie shaped piece of wood used to join 2 boards together or reinforce a check or crack. Its purpose is both structural as well as decorative.

Crotch Grain -

figure produced by cutting centrally through a tree crotch in the common plane of both branches.

Dovetail -

A fan shaped tenon that forms a tight interlocking joint when fitted into a corresponding mortise. A dovetail joint is when one or more such tenons and mortises are interlocked.

Dovetail Spline-

A fan shaped piece of wood fit into a groove cut into the surface to add strength and leveling properties.

Flame Grain-

Applied to figure produced on flatsawn boards or rotary-cut veneer.

Quartersawn
Grain -

also edge grain. Referring to boards that are cut so that the growth rings in the wood are at 45 to 90 degrees to the wood surface

Slab -

A broad, flat, thick piece of wood.

Spalted wood -

Partially decayed wood characterized by irregular discolorations appearing as dark zone lines on the surface.

Stringer -

A strip of wood joined between 2 pieces of wood to accent.

Treenail -

A wooden peg used to hold a mortise and tenon joint together.