The Slab and Dimentional Milling Glossary that no one asked for ;)

Sometimes there is a term or phrase that eludes us. Maybe you are new to the whole Milling thing. In any case here is a nowhere-near exahustive list of Milling Terms for Slab and Dimentional Lumber that we created for our Canada Wood Slabs website. You can visit it at canadawoodslabs.com

		SLAB Milling Glossary
A
	Air Drying	The process of drying lumber by exposing it to air, usually in a covered, well-ventilated area.
	Ambrosia Maple	Maple wood that has been infested by the Ambrosia beetle, characterized by streaks and spots.
	Anvil Marks	Marks left on wood by the anvil of a chainsaw or mill during cutting.
B
	Board Foot	A unit of measurement for lumber volume, equivalent to 144 cubic inches (1 foot long by 1 foot wide by 1 inch thick).
	Bookmatching	The process of matching two wood slabs so that they mirror each other like an open book.
	Burls	Rounded outgrowths on a tree trunk, often valued for their unique grain patterns.
	Butt Log	The first log above the stump, usually the most valuable part of the tree.
C
	Characters	Natural features in wood, such as knots, grain patterns, and color variations.
	Crotch	The part of the tree where a branch meets the trunk, often resulting in interesting grain patterns.
	Cookies	Cross-sections of a tree trunk, often used for tabletops or decorative purposes.
	Crosscutting	Cutting wood across its grain to achieve a desired length.
	Curly Grain	Wood grain with a wave-like appearance, often seen in maple.
D
	Defects	Any imperfections in wood, such as knots, cracks, or discolorations.
	Dimension Lumber	Wood cut to standardized widths and depths, but of varying lengths, commonly used in construction.
	Drying	The process of reducing the moisture content of wood to prevent shrinkage and warping.
E
	End Grain	The grain of wood seen when it is cut across the growth rings.
	Epoxy Fill	The use of epoxy resin to fill cracks, knots, or voids in wood for stabilization and aesthetic purposes.
F
	Figure	The pattern produced on the surface of the wood by the arrangement of its fibers.
	Flare	The widening of the tree trunk at the base, often included for aesthetic appeal in slabs.
	Flat Sawn	Lumber cut tangent to the growth rings, resulting in a flat grain pattern.
G
	Grain	The arrangement and direction of wood fibers, affecting appearance and workability.
	Green Wood	Freshly cut wood that has not yet been dried.
H
	Heartwood	The dense, inner part of a tree trunk, usually darker and more durable than the outer sapwood.
	Humidity Control	Managing the moisture levels in wood to prevent warping and cracking.
I
	Inclusions	Foreign materials such as bark or dirt embedded in the wood, sometimes adding to its character.
J
	Janka Hardness Test	A measure of wood's resistance to wear and denting, determined by pressing a steel ball into the wood.
K
	Kiln Drying	The process of drying wood in a controlled, heated chamber to reduce moisture content quickly and uniformly.
	Knots	The areas where branches were once connected to the trunk, creating circular patterns in the wood.
L
	Live Edge	The natural edge of a slab that retains the tree’s original shape and bark.
	Logs	Whole tree trunks or large branches prepared for milling.
M
	Maximum Width	The widest measurement of a slab, used to determine suitability for specific projects.
	Minimum Width	The narrowest measurement of a slab, important for calculating usable wood.
N
	Natural Edge	See Live Edge.
	Nominal Size	The rough dimensions of lumber before it is planed or finished, commonly used in trade.
O
	Off-Cuts	The pieces of wood left over after cutting slabs to size, often used for smaller projects or scrap.
P
	Planing	The process of smoothing and leveling the surface of wood using a planer.
	Plain Sawn	See Flat Sawn.
Q
	Quarter Sawn	Lumber cut at an angle to the growth rings, producing a straight grain pattern.
R
	Rift Sawn	Lumber cut at a slight angle to the growth rings, creating a tight, linear grain pattern.
	Rough Cut	Lumber that has been sawn but not yet planed or finished.
S
	Sanded	The process of smoothing wood with sandpaper to prepare it for finishing.
	Sapwood	The outer, usually lighter, part of the tree trunk, more prone to decay than heartwood.
	Sawyer	A person who operates a sawmill or is skilled in cutting logs into lumber.
	Seasoning	The process of drying wood to reduce its moisture content.
	Slabs	Large, flat sections of wood cut from a log, often with natural edges.
	Species	The specific type of tree from which the wood is sourced, such as oak, maple, or walnut.
	Specialty	Unique or rare wood types or cuts, often with distinctive patterns or features.
	Surfacing	The process of making wood smooth and even, typically involving planing and sanding.
T
	Thickness	The measure of how thick a slab or piece of lumber is, crucial for various woodworking applications.
	Timber	Wood prepared for use in building and carpentry.
U
	Undersize	Lumber cut slightly smaller than the nominal size for a better fit in specific applications.
W
	Warping	The bending or twisting of wood due to uneven drying or moisture content changes.
	Width	The measurement of the wood slab from one edge to the other, important for project specifications.
Y
	Yield	The amount of usable wood obtained from a log after milling.
Z
	Zero Clearance	A saw blade setup that reduces tear-out and provides cleaner cuts by minimizing the gap between the blade and the table insert.
		Dimentional Milling Glossary
A
	Actual Size	The true dimensions of lumber after it has been planed and finished, which are typically smaller than the nominal size.
B
	Band Saw	A saw consisting of a continuous band of metal with teeth along one edge, used to cut wood into dimensional lumber.
	Beam	A large, long piece of wood used to support heavy loads in construction.
	Board Measure	A system of volume measurement for lumber, typically expressed in board feet.
	Boxed Heart	Lumber that contains the pith or center of the tree, which can be prone to splitting.
C
	Cant	A log that has been squared on one or more sides, intended for further processing.
	Clear Cut	Wood that is free of knots, defects, and blemishes, often used for high-quality finishes.
	Common Board	A grade of lumber that contains more knots and defects than select or clear grades, often used for general construction purposes.
	Construction Grade	Lumber graded based on its strength and suitability for structural use in building.
D
	Decking	Lumber intended for the construction of outdoor decks, typically pressure-treated for durability.
	Dressed Size	The actual dimensions of lumber after it has been planed or surfaced on all four sides (S4S).
	Dry Rot	Decay of wood caused by fungal growth, which can occur even in dry conditions.
E
	End Sealing	The application of a sealant to the ends of lumber to reduce moisture loss and prevent splitting.
F
	Finger Joint	A method of joining two pieces of wood end-to-end using interlocking fingers of wood and glue.
	Framing Lumber	Lumber used in the construction of the structural framework of buildings, typically including studs, joists, and rafters.
G
	Glue-Laminated Timber (Glulam)	Engineered wood product made by gluing together layers of dimensional lumber.
	Grade Stamp	A mark on lumber indicating its grade, species, and moisture content, usually applied by a grading agency.
H
	Header	A beam placed over openings like doors or windows to support the load from above.
I
	I-Joist	An engineered wood product shaped like an "I," used for floor and roof joists due to its strength and lightweight.
	Incising	A treatment process where small cuts are made in lumber to improve the penetration of preservatives.
J
	Joist	Horizontal structural member used in framing floors or ceilings, designed to support a load.
L
	Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)	An engineered wood product made from thin wood veneers glued together, used for beams and headers.
	Lumber	Wood that has been processed into beams and planks, a stage in the process of wood production.
M
	Moisture Content	The amount of water present in wood, usually expressed as a percentage of the wood's oven-dry weight.
	Millwork	Finished wood products such as doors, molding, and trim produced in a mill.
N
	Nosing	The rounded edge of a stair tread.
O
	Oriented Strand Board (OSB)	An engineered wood particle board formed by layering strands of wood in specific orientations, commonly used for sheathing and flooring.
P
	Parallel Strand Lumber (PSL)	An engineered wood product made from parallel wood strands bonded together with adhesive.
	Plywood	A panel made from thin layers of wood veneer glued together with adjacent layers having their wood grain rotated up to 90 degrees.
R
	Rough Sawn	Lumber that has been cut but not planed, retaining a rough texture.
	Rafter	Structural members of a roof that slope from the ridge to the wall plate, providing support for the roof deck and its loads.
T
	Timber	Large dimension lumber used in heavy construction and framing.
	Tongue and Groove	A method of joining two pieces of wood where a protruding "tongue" fits into a corresponding "groove" to create a flat surface.
U
	Utility Grade	A lower grade of lumber suitable for uses where appearance is not critical, often used for crates, pallets, and non-structural applications.
W
	Wane	The presence of bark or lack of wood along the edge of a piece of lumber, typically a defect.