Comb Grain - a quality of rift cut veneer with exceptionally straight grain and closely spaced growth increments resembling the appearance of long strands of combed hair.

Component (Of Face) - A individual piece of veneer that is jointed to other pieces to achieve a full length and width face.  Terms used interchangeably with components in the context of the face and piece and leaf of veneer.

Conditioning in Kiln Drying - Obtaining the same moisture content in the "shell" or outside surface of the board as there is in the "core" or center of the board.

Core - The inner part of plywood between face and back, usually veneer. Sawn lumber, particleboard, MDF, and hardboard are also used as core.

Crossbanding - Veneer used in the construction of plywood with five or more plies. Crossbands are placed at right angles to the grain of the faces and typically placed adjacent to the face and back. Also refers to all inner layers of veneer whose grain direction runs perpendicular to that of the outer plies and includes parallel laminated plies.

Cross Bar - Irregularity of grain resembling a dip in the grain running at right angles, or nearly so, to the length of the veneer.

Cross Break - Separation of the wood cells, often appearing as barely distinct fine irregular lines across the grain.  Such breaks are often due to internal stains resulting form unequal longitudinal shrinkage or to external forces. (Shake).

Cross Figure - A series of naturally occurring figure effects characterized by mild or dominate pattern across the grain in some faces. For example, a washboard effect occurs in fiddle-back cross figure; and cross wrinkles occur in the mottle figure (decorative design of grain).

Cup - The distortion in a board that deviates flatwise from a straight line across the width of the board.

Cutting - A portion of a board or plank obtained by cross-cutting or ripping or by both. Diagonal cutting are not permitted (NHLA rules)

Cutting Unit - Concerning NHLA Rules, a cutting unit is 1" x 12" or a "Foot Long Hotdog" or it's equivalent of 12 square inches.

Decay - Disintegration of wood substance due to the action of wood-destroying fungi...wood turns white in color.

Deciduous - The term given to broad-leaved trees which shed leaves annually. Examples: Ash, Oak and Walnut. (Hardwood trees).

 failure of the adhesive.

Density - Wood weight per, unit volume. Durability, hardness, and toughness usually increase with density (the weight of one cubic foot of a lumber product.)

Dimension Lumber - Lumber cut, or S4S, to predetermined specific width (sometimes also to length). 1" x 4", 2" x 4", 2" x 6", 4" x 4" - 8, etc. (Note: both hardwood and softwood dimension lumber are piece tallied and not measured with a board rule.)

Discolorations - Stains in wood substances, Common veneer stains are sap stains, blue stains, stain produced by chemical action caused by the iron in the cutting knife coming in contact with the tannic acid  of the wood, and those resulting from exposure of natural wood extractives to oxygen and light, to chemical action of vat treatments or the adhesive components, and/or to the surface finish.

Doze - (SYNONYMOUS WITH DOTE) - A form of incipient decay characterized by a dull and lifeless appearance of the wood, accompanied by a loss of strength and softening of the wood substance.

End Check - Separation of the wood fibers at the end of a board.

End Grain - Lumber grain as seen from one end of a board.

End Matched - Tongue and grooved on ends of boards as well as the sides (as in Oak flooring).

Even Texture - Uniform texture showing little contrast between spring growth and summer growth.

Equalizing in Kiln Drying - Obtaining the same moisture content from board to board in a kiln charge of lumber. This process is after lumber is kiln dried.

Face - The better side of any plywood panel in which the outer piles are of different veneer grades.  Also, either side of a panel in which there is no difference in the veneer grade of the outer piles.

FAS - First and Seconds is the top grade recognized by the NHLA.  This is the Face grade of FAS 1 Face and must yield a minimum of 83-1/3% clear face cutting. NOTE: This is not a "Clear" grade.

FAS 1 FACE - This NHLA grade requires a FAS Face on the "best side" of the board with the "poorest face" grading #1 Common or Better.

F.E.Q. - First European Quality is the top grade purchased in Europe. This grade mainly applies to the species the United States imports from other countries  The F.E.Q. grade is superior to our FAS grade as far as lumber quality.