Angie's LIST Guide to
Glossary: Flooring

Backing: The bottom layer of a vinyl sheet is called the backing and is made of felt or fiberglass. This is the layer that sticks to the adhesive.

Berber: A type of carpet made from thick, tufted yarns that are woven into a loop pile.

Carpet backing: Yarns and fabrics that form the back side of carpet and help to preserve the appearance and longevity.

Carpet pile: The upper layer of fibers or pile that forms the surface. It is attached to the backing.

Cove: A type of trim used to give a finished appearance between the floor and the wall, or the wall and the ceiling.

Decorative layer: This is the layer that contains the decorative design of the vinyl. It is often printed on the vinyl with a rotogravure process. It is situated between the foam inner core and the wear layer.

Laminate: A type of hard surface flooring that is manufactured from a medium or high density fiber core. It varies in thickness and comes in many different finishes including ceramic tile, stone or wood.

Linoleum: A material used in flooring that is made up of natural materials like linseed oil, and powdered cork or wood flour. It may be bonded to a canvas or jute backing.

Mosaic: A pattern or picture that is created from small pieces of a hard substance such as glass, stone, marble or tile.

Mud: A soft, sticky substance that may be used in place of other types of flooring or as a subfloor. It may also act as a mortar or binding agent.

Parquet: Flooring made from wooden blocks which are arranged in a geometric pattern. The wood may be identical or contrasting.

Perimeter adhered: Only the outer edges of the vinyl sheet are glued to the subfloor in a perimeter-adhered installation.