| Timber Terms | Explanation |
| Architrave |
A moulding used as a surround to an opening to cover the gap between joinery and adjoining work
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| Board |
A piece of sawn or dressed timber of greater width than thickness
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| Clear Timber | Timber free of imperfections |
| Cubic Metres |
Is a measure of volume calculated by multiplying the thickness by the width by the linear length of the timber. All dimensions in metres.
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| DAR |
Timber that has been dressed all round ie on all surfaces
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| Dressed |
Timber finished to a smooth surface on one or more surfaces
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| End Matched |
End Matched boards that have Tongue & Groove on the end of the board as well
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| Face |
The wide surface of the board on which the grade or quality is judged
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| F Grades |
‘F’ stands for force in megapascal (MPa), and is the amount of force a piece of timber can withstand without bending beyond an acceptible limit – A stress grade of timber for which the specific suite of design properties is given by Australian Standards
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| Finish Size | The actual dimension of a piece of timber after it has been dressed |
| FJ |
Finger Jointed timber comprises lengths of timber joined end to end, utilising a micro-sized finger (joint) employing an adheshive whose strength and potential overall length is increased through glue bonds
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| Flooring |
Boards prepared for use in flooring by machining to a standard thickness and usually profiling a tongue along one edge and a matching groove along the other edge
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| Framing | Timber used to form the basic structure of a building |
| Green Timber | Colloquial term for timber which is newly cut and still has a high moisture content. Technically known as unseasoned timber |
| Gum Veins or pockets | Gum production is a natural protection response to injury especially in hardwoods and eucalypts |
| HWD | Hardwood – Woods from trees classed as ‘flowering’ plants as opposed to conifers. The timber known as conifers is known as softwoods |
| Kiln | A chamber used for drying timber, in which the temperature and humidity of circulating air can be suitably controlled |
| Kiln Dried | Of timber seasoned in a kiln usually to a specified or selected moisture content |
| Knot | A section of a branch which is embedded in the wood of a tree trunk or of a large branch |
| Laminated | Glued |
| LM | Linear Metre is a measure of length that ignores the thickness and width of a piece of timber |
| LVL | Laminated Veneer Lumber – Structural Engineered Timber |
| MGP |
MGP stands for machine graded pine – Determines the stress grade of Pine by mechanical methods – MGP is a measure of its modulus of elasticity (MOE)
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| Moisture content | A measure of the available water in a piece of timber. Wood normally increases in strength with drying |
| MDF | Medium Density Fibreboard (also known as Craftwood) |
| OB | Ordinary Builders |
| Random | Supplied in varying lengths – Sometimes straight off the pack |
| Rough Sawn | Surface condition of wood as it leaves the saw |
| Rougher Header | Timber that is dressed down with a fine rippled finish |
| Sawn | Timber that has not been gauged or dressed |
| T & G | Tongue & Grooved flooring where boards are joined along the length, one with a tongue and the other with a groove |
| Timber Treatments | |
| H1 | Inside, above ground – Completely protected from weather and well ventilated and protected from termites |
| H2 | Inside, above ground – Protected from wetting. Nil leaching |
| H2F | Inside, above ground – Protected from wetting, Nil leaching |
| H2S | Inside, above ground – Protected from wetting. Nil leaching |
| H3 | Outside, above ground – Subject to periodic moderate wetting and leaching |
| H3A | Outside, above ground – Products predominantly in vertical exposure situations and intended to have the supplementary paint coat system that is regularly maintained |
| H4 | Outside, in ground contact – Subject to severe wetting and leaching |
| H5 | Outside, in ground contact, contact with or in fresh water – Subject to extreme wetting and leaching and/or where the critical use requires a higher degree of protection |
| H6 | Marine waters – Subject to prolonged immersion in sea water |
| Colour Variation | All timber species have colour variation |