• a – z
• area rugs
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• hardwood
• laminate
• linoleum
• stone
• tile
• vinyl

All Glossary Terms

Damp Proofing

A coating that is applied to a surface to prevent migration of moisture.

Darby

A long narrow tool pushed over wet concrete to create a smooth, level surface.

Decay

Decomposing of wood or other material.

Deciduous

Hardwood trees that are considered angiosperms. They produce seeds that have a covering such as apple or acorn seeds and lose their leaves in cold weather.

Decorative Aggregate

Various colored stones or other materials laid in the surface of wet concrete as a decorative layer.

Decorative Concrete

Concrete that has color, texture, or decorative aggregate to enhance its appearance.

Decorative Layer

A term used in floors with printed designs like laminate and vinyl. It refers to the decorative layer or high-resolution image printed on the surface of the floor that gives it its appearance.

Decorative Tile

Tile that has been decorated for aesthetic reasons using one of a number of different methods.

Degreaser

A solution applied to a flooring surface which removes contaminates such as grease and oil.

Delamination

A term that refers to failure in the adhesive of laminate flooring, causing separation in the layers.

Densifier

A liquid chemical that penetrates and solidifies the surface of concrete when applied, which provides moisture and stain resistance.

Density

A term used to describe how tightly yarn is stitched in carpet.

Depression

An indentation in the surface of your flooring.

Diamond Grinding

A process of grinding cement or stone to a polished finish using a floor polisher with diamond embedded abrasives.

Diffuse - Porous Woods

A type of hardwood with pores that are uniform and equally distributed throughout each annual ring or get gradually smaller toward the outer border of the ring.

Digs

Another term for gouges made by an edger.

Dimension Stone

Natural stone this is cut to a specified dimension and may or may not have a finished surface.

Dimensional Stability

The structural integrity of a floor and its ability to maintain its original dimensions.

Dining Room

An area in the house that is often used for eating meals.

Direct Glue-Down

An installation method where the flooring is glued directly to the subfloor.

Direct Laminating Flooring

A type of laminate flooring that has resin impregnated into the surface layer.

Dispersed

The finely divided or colloidal solid material in finishing products.

Distressed

A texture applied to wood to give it a worn and antique look. It is gouged or scraped by hand or by machine.

Ditra

A layer of material used as a foundation for a tile installation which protects the subfloor and allows the tiles to move slightly without being damaged. It is also known as an underlayment.

Do it Yourself (DIY)

Work done by homeowners without the use of a contractor.

Dolomitic Limestone

Limestone with large amounts of dolomite, often crystalline in character. It is available in a variety of colors and textures.

Door Jam Saw

A tool used to cut a portion of a door casing off, allowing the flooring to fit underneath.

Double Glue-Down

An installation method where the underlayment or cushion is glued to the subfloor. The flooring is then glued to the cushion or underlayment.

Drier

A material often made of organic salts of manganese, cobalt, lead, zinc or iron, which speeds the drying of oil or varnish.

Drum Sander

A floor sander similar to a lawn mower that's pushed along the floor's open areas.

Dry Polishing

A method of diamond grinding where the polishing machine is attached to a dust vacuum that sucks up dust from the floor.

Dry Set Mortar

A cement based mortar used in applications which are usually not greater than 3/16th of an inch.

Dry Tack-Free

See Dry to Touch

Dry Time

The amount of time it takes a finish or other product to become solid enough to apply another coat.

Dry to Sand

The amount of time it takes a finish or other flooring product to solidify enough to the point where it can be properly sanded.

Dry to Touch

When the film of a finishing material has dried to the point where it can be lightly touched without leaving a mark or sticking to fingers.

Dry Wall

A material generally used to cover walls and ceilings which comes in sheets or panels and generally consists of gypsum between two heavy layers of paper.

Dry-Shake Color Hardener

A dry, powdered product that is broadcast over wet concrete which draws in moisture and binds together creating a strong, dense finish.

Drying

The process of a liquid becoming a solid by evaporation, oxidation, polymerization or a combination of these.

Drying Room Film

Linoleum flooring develops a yellowish film when hanging in a drying room after being manufactured. It will return to its natural color when exposed to sunlight for a couple of hours up to a couple of days.

Drying Shrinkage

Used to describe the shrinking of concrete as it dries.

Durability

The ability of a floor to withstand destruction.

Dust

Tiny particles of matter. Also a name for a grading or size of natural resin.

Dust-Free

The point where a finishing product has dried sufficiently to the point where dust that settles on the surface will not stick.

Dyes

Water or solvent based solutions used to apply a variety of different colors to a flooring surface.

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