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Glossary
Renovation terms, explained
Short, plain definitions of the words you'll see on product pages and spec sheets. Each one links to a guide when there's more to know.
A
- AC rating
- The abrasion class of laminate flooring, from AC1 to AC5. Read the guide →
- Air sealing
- Closing gaps that let air bypass insulation. Read the guide →
C
- Capped composite decking
- Composite decking with a protective outer cap; construction varies by product. Read the guide →
- Carpet cushion
- The layer installed beneath broadloom carpet to support the finished floor; thickness and density should match the carpet requirements. Read the guide →
- Cementitious grout
- A tile-joint filler made with cement and other ingredients, with product requirements for mixing, joint width and curing. Read the guide →
- CFM
- Cubic feet per minute, a measure of airflow volume. Read the guide →
- Change order
- A written change to a contract's scope and price. Read the guide →
E
- Engineered quartz
- A countertop made mostly of crushed quartz bound with resin. Read the guide →
- Epoxy grout
- A tile grout made with epoxy components and filler, with use and cleanup requirements set by the exact product. Read the guide →
F
- Flatness tolerance
- The allowed variation in a floor surface over a specified distance, as set by the flooring product instructions. Read the guide →
- Full-frame replacement window
- A replacement method that removes the existing window and frame before installing a new frame and unit. Read the guide →
G
- Ground-contact rating
- A treated-wood use designation for lumber intended to contact soil under its listed exposure conditions. Read the guide →
I
- Insert replacement window
- A replacement window installed within a retained existing window frame when the opening and product requirements allow it. Read the guide →
L
- Level loop
- A carpet construction in which loops are made at a similar height across the surface. Read the guide →
- Lien waiver
- A document confirming a contractor or supplier has been paid. Read the guide →
- Liquid-applied membrane
- A waterproofing coating applied as a liquid and installed to the product instructions for coverage and curing. Read the guide →
- Low-E
- A thin coating on glass that reflects heat. Read the guide →
P
- Porcelain tile
- Ceramic tile with water absorption of 0.5% or less under the applicable standard. Read the guide →
- Prehung door
- An entry door supplied with its frame as a matching assembly. Read the guide →
- Premixed grout
- A ready-to-use tile grout whose allowed joint widths, locations and cure instructions depend on the exact product. Read the guide →
- Pressure-balance valve
- A shower mixing valve that responds to hot or cold supply pressure changes. Read the guide →
- PVC decking
- Deck boards made from synthetic polymer, with profile and reinforcement varying by product. Read the guide →
R
- R-value
- Resistance to heat flow; higher insulates better. Read the guide →
- Ready-to-assemble (RTA)
- Pre-manufactured cabinetry shipped knocked down for assembly at the project site. Read the guide →
S
- Sanded grout
- Cementitious grout containing aggregate; check the tile surface and the product's allowed joint range. Read the guide →
- Sheen
- How much light a paint finish reflects, from flat to gloss. Read the guide →
- Sheet-applied membrane
- A flexible waterproofing sheet bonded to an approved substrate with seams and transitions sealed as the system specifies. Read the guide →
- SHGC
- Solar heat gain coefficient: how much of the sun's heat a window lets through. Read the guide →
- Silica dust
- Fine crystalline dust from cutting stone and concrete, hazardous to breathe. Read the guide →
- Sone
- A unit used to describe the perceived loudness of a sound. Read the guide →
- SPC
- Stone-plastic composite, the dense rigid core used in many vinyl plank floors. Read the guide →
- Standing seam
- A metal roof with raised interlocking seams and hidden fasteners. Read the guide →
- Stock cabinets
- Pre-manufactured cabinets offered in a set range of sizes and finishes. Read the guide →
- Subfloor
- The structural surface beneath the finished floor covering. Read the guide →
- Subfloor moisture test
- A measurement used to check moisture in a flooring substrate against the selected floor system's installation requirements. Read the guide →
T
- Thermostatic valve
- A mixing valve that senses water temperature and adjusts the hot and cold mix. Read the guide →
U
- U-factor
- A window's rate of heat loss; lower is better. Read the guide →
- Unsanded grout
- Grout without sanded aggregate, used only where the tile and product instructions allow it. Read the guide →
V
- VOC
- Volatile organic compounds released as paint and finishes dry. Read the guide →
W
- Wear layer
- The clear top layer on vinyl flooring, measured in mils, or the wood veneer on engineered hardwood. Read the guide →