Some Wood Terms For Ya.

10 Mil paper back Veneer

10 mil paper is applied to a stitched sheet of wood veneer. Generally comes in 4'x8' and 4'x10'. Useful for larger applications.

2 ply/WOW back Veneer

A crossgrain wood back is applied to a fully stitched sheet of wood veneer. Generally comes in 4x8 and 4x10. Good for non smooth surfaces. Can be used with contact cement.

Birds Eye

A natural occurrence, generally found in maple trees due to growth patterns within the rings. When cut rotary, birds eye patterns can occur and create elongating round circles.

Beeswing

A type of block mottled figure that is similar in look to the wing of a bee. It is primarily found in Anigre, bubinga, eucalyptus, african mahogayny, movingui, santos rosewood, and satinwood.

Book Match

When two sequential veneer leaves are opened like a book. By far the most common matching. In some species a light and dark patter can occur.

22 mil Paper Back Veneer

While very common for contact cement use, a wood backer is ideal when using contact cement.

Burl

A naturally occuring wart of a tree. When sliced open, it produces some of the most unique and stunning wood figures.

Cathedral

A common name for flat sawn or plain sliced wood. The resulting pattern is similar to a cathedral.

Center Match

When putting leaves together into a sheet, the center point is used to create a symmeterical look. It also uses the same number of leaves on each side and is always even.

Core

All veneer must be laid on a substrate. There are hundreds of different core. MDF, plywood and particle board are the most common.

Crotch

The area of tree below the fork. Is very twisted and is some of the most beautiful paterns.

Curly

A natural occuring curl that is primarily found in maple or birch, but can be found in other species.

Cut To Size

When dealing with large project, cut to size veneer and panels are created from the same lot and are made to exactly match a blueprint.

Face

When veneer leaves are stitched together.

Fiddleback

A natural occurrence of many fine or wavy lines.

Flexible Wood Veneer Sheets

A common process of joining leaved into a 4x8 face and backing with special paper.

Flake

Most common in oak, the wood develops blotches or finger lines. Can be very heavy to very light.

Flitch

A slab of timber cut from a tree trunk.

Heartwood

The inner circles of the tree. Usually darker that the outer sections.

Herringbone

A matching that is created by angling leaves at a center point that results in a herringbone pattern.

Live Edge Slab

Trees that are cut into thick pieces lengthwise, leaving the bark.

Pommele

An apple-like figure that naturally occurs in certain species.

Quarter Slice

Logs are cut into quarters and then sliced. The grain lines are generally straight.

Quilt

A pillow figure that can occur in some species such as maple and mahogany.

Plank Match

Matching the face of a veneer sheet by randomly selecting leaves.

Reconstituted Veneer

A man-enhanced product. Generally uses a common wood such as popplar that is ground and reconstituted to create consistent 4x8 sheets.

Ribbon Stripe

A very common occurrence in mahogany and sapele during the quartering process.

Rift

Similar to quarter, but the log is cut to produce very straight lines.

Rotary

A very common method of peeling a log. Creates very swirly figuring.

Running Match

Generally with veneer faces, the leaves run consistently from one sheet to the next. You may end up with an uneven number and width of flitch.

Sapwood

The outer portion of the tree. The wood is generally lighter in this area.

Sequence Match

Specifically refers to veneer or slabs created from the same flitch or log.

Sketch Face

Creating a unique veneer face via laser, sharp knife, or other method of matching.

Slip Match

Creating a veneer face by flipping every other leaf. The grain pattern all goes in one direction.