click icon following
glossary term for image
Not looking for tile terms visit our main
glossary
GO TO 
S
- Sample/Sample Board
-
A small piece of flooring that acts as a representation of the final product.
- Sampling
-
Using a small piece of a product as a sample.
- Sand Mix
-
A mixture of sand and cementious material applied not more than 2" thick to patch or level mortar beds.
- Sandblasting
-
Propelling sand at a high speed onto a surface to clean or roughen it.
- Screed
-
aka:
Using a straightedge or other tool to level mortar in a mortar bed.
- Sculptured Tile
-
Tile that has been sculpted or molded for decoration.
- Sealant Coating
-
aka:
See Sealer
- Sealer
-
A coat that is applied to the surface of a floor before applying finish or other coats, which prevents the finish from being absorbed into the flooring itself. Also may be applied as a final finishing step to a flooring surface to add protection and moist
- Self-Spacing Tile
-
Tile that has built in spacers or lugs.
- Semi-Rubbed Finish
-
A finish obtained by rubbing high areas of a surface down while leaving some lower areas with their natural texture.
- Semi-Vitreous Tile
-
Semi glass-like tile with a water absorption rate between 3% and 7%.
- Shear
-
Applying the stress of two forces acting in opposite directions on an object.
- Shot-Sawn Finish
-
A rough finish obtained by using a gang saw to saw random, textured markings with chilled steel shots.
- Sill
-
A flat finishing piece often installed horizontally under windows and other openings.
- Slab
-
A rectangular or square cut of stone from a quarry which has two parallel surfaces.
- Slip Resistance
-
A measurement of the frictional resistance of an object from moving across a surface.
- Smooth Finish / Smooth Planer Finish
-
A finish obtained using a planer machine with any tool marks removed after use.
- Soffit
-
The visible underside of an arch, portico, or other piece generally installed over a door way.
- Spacer
-
Small device in a cross, T, or Y shape that is used to evenly space tiles during installation.
- Special Purpose Tile
-
Tile that has been specially made to fit a certain requirement. This can range from a specific color, size, shape, decoration, strength, or other physical property.
- Straight 90° Edge
-
An edge of a tile that forms a right angle, creating a clean look.
- Straight Joint
-
Joints installed in alignment with each other.
- Structural Defects
-
A defect in the body of flooring, which diminishes the overall appearance or structural integrity.
- Subfloor
-
The base floor of a structure on top of which the flooring is installed. Typically this is made of wood or concrete.
- Substrate
-
The surface that the flooring is installed on. Generally it is the subfloor.
GO TO
