Glossary

American Wood: 
Wood types demographically found in the North American region and ranges from softwood, hardwood and plywood. American wood is typically used for cabinet making, flooring, furniture, sculptures and can also be used to make toys, tool handles among a list of numerous things.

American White Walnut:
Has an uneven but hard straight grain with a coarse texture. It is used for making cabinets, flooring and furniture. And has a creamy white color as opposed to the American Black Walnut which has a red to dark brown tone.

Applicator:              
An instrument used for applying something like a cleaner or solution on a regular and/or irregular surface. See our applicators used in cleaning here. Safe to be used on all types of surfaces like cars, floors, furniture, walls, cabinets, bathrooms and any household surface you can imagine.

Ash:

Ash wood is extremely light and is nearly white in color. It has a hard, straight grain with a course texture. It is used in a variety of ways like flooring, cabinet making, tool handles among other things. Due to its hard layer, it may be difficult to work with but the end results are very lasting.
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Balsa:
 
Balsa tree is a fast-growing wood that is native to South America. Even though balsa is soft, it is classified as a hardwood and is the softest commercial hardwood. It is also lightweight but is remarkably strong for its weight. It is a construction material used for building airplanes, gliders, furniture and other wooden structures.

Boxwood:
A hard, dense and heavy wood with a yellow creamy color which matches its fine texture. It is used essentially in sculptures, cabinetry, furnishings, tool handles and as accent pieces. This type of wood is very difficult to sand and finish.

Bubinga:
A hardwood with an irregular grain pattern and has a reddish brown appearance. It is an exotic hardwood that is primarily used as a veneer for cabinetwork, furniture, and paneling.

Cement:

Consists of stony aggregates like gravel, limestone or granite and sand, and when mixed with water and other chemicals, it solidifies into concrete through a process called hydration. It is generally used in construction and civil engineering, its main function being a binder. Types of cement include portland cement, non-portland hydraulic cement, masonry cement, puzzolanic cement, among countless others.

Chestnut tree:
Produces a hardwood with a clear brown color with spiral grains. It is used for multitude of purposes including carpentry and cabinetry and objects like furniture, windows and coffins.

Cherry tree:
Cherry trees belong to the Rosaceous family of plants and are native to regions around the Northern Hemisphere. American Black Cherry lumber is known as one of the best types of cherry lumber and it is distinguished by the aroma it gives off whether it’s the sapwood, a light pink to white color, or the heartwood, a reddish brown color which can both take a high polish. It is very versatile and it is used to manufacture luxurious furniture, doors, musical instruments, crafts, winch, charts, sculpture etc.

Cleaner:
 A liquid or solid product used to sanitize and recover a surface to its original appearance.

Corian:
Corian is a trademarked brand that is manufactured by DuPont. Inc. only. Its fundamental use is a surfacing material in kitchens and baths. It is a solid surface that comes in an assortment of colors and three different finishes including matte, semi-gloss and high gloss. A solid surface is a welded plastic formed into various shapes.Corian comes manufactured in three different widths: 6 mm, 12, 7 mm and 19 mm. Care should be taken when cleaning a corian surface.

Concrete:
See Cement.

Elm tree:
A hardwood that is very lasting. Elm wood is respected for its interlocking grain, and consequent resistance to splitting and humidity with considerable uses in wheels, ceilings, chair seats and coffins.

Eucalyptus:
 The tree has a straight trunk and is known for its strong aromatic scent. It is characterized by its yellow flowers and can also reach very high altitudes. The eucalyptus tree is used in forest repopulations because of its fast growth rate. The eucalyptus tree is native to America and is highly prized. The leaves are valued for their medicinal properties; its crust is used in tanning and it wood makes paper as well as lumber for constructive purposes.

European walnut:
A single grain wood somewhat of a coarse texture. People commonly use the lumber to build furniture and gun stocks because of its ease of use, strength and distinctive grain.

Finish:
Diverse finishes are used in home restoration and can be applied to surfaces such as floors and walls to create a desired look like matted, glossed or semi-glossed.

Formica
Formica is also known as plastic laminate. It is a surfacing material and has been covering surfaces in bedrooms, kitchens, countertops and cabinets. It consists of several materials bonded together under high amounts of pressure. Materials often include a plywood or fiberboard core with a high resolution photographic plastic covering the top layer. Formica comes in an assortment of colors, designs and shapes and is ideal for use in environments where durability and appearance are key factors. It gives a luxurious feel to pieces like counters, cabinets, bars among other things. 

Granite:
 Granite is a type of natural stone which forms under deep layers of the earths continents. Its chief mineral components are Quartz and Feldspar. These minerals are very hard which makes granite a durable surface that does not fade easily. Granite also has a sparkling effect and this can be attributed to it consisting of crystals which make it visually appealing. The material is largely used on kitchen countertops and on floor tiles, because it is hard-wearing and the designs and colors of granite countertops are limited to one’s imagination with the variety of choices available to consumers. See Care of Granite

Igneous rocks:
There are over 700 types of igneous rocks and it is one of three rock types, the two others being sedimentary and metamorphic. It is formed when lava or magma solidifies. Igneous rocks can be found above or below the earths surface. The nature of an igneous rock is determined by temperature and pressure levels during the solidification process.

Laminate (floor):

Laminate floors come in styles that look like wood or ceramic tile. It usually locks or taps together. Even though laminate floors may look like wood flooring, it is actually made of plywood or a fiberboard core that has a plastic laminate covering the top layer.

Linden tree:

Linden is popularly used as an ornamental tree and is native to the northern hemispheres of America, Asia and Europe. The lumber of linden trees is soft with a small grain. It has a yellow tone that darkens to clear brown when exposed to air and is used to manufacture toys, musical instruments, floor panels, window shutters and furniture.

Mahogany:

The mahogany tree is part of the Meliaceae family of trees. It is a dark-colored hard wood known for its durability and beauty. It is a highly sought after wood type because of its rarity and it is largely used as a construction material for floors and furniture. Mahogany comes from numerous countries including Brazil, Peru, Honduras, Costa Rico, Venezuela, Africa and Central America.

Maple:
Maple Trees are part of the Meliaceae family of trees. Its high quality grade lumber is strong, hard, and heavy with a high wear- resistance and good steam-bending properties. This wood has a closed, subdued grain and a uniform texture. Maple surfaces are extremely durable and available in a variety of colors and grades. It has an unmatched durability and finishing touch.

Marble: 
Most marbles were formed when the calcium created from shells & bones combine with carbon dioxide from water. It is a form of Limestone and contains crystals of calcite or dolomite. It is then altered from its natural limestone state by being re-crystallized and hardened under heat and pressure. Marbles are typified by colored veins running through them making it visually appealing and very unique. Marble is often associated with lavishness because of its use in royal places like palaces and historical buildings around the world.

Metamorphic rocks:

Metamorphic rocks start out as other rock types. Igneous and sedimentary rocks slowly undergo profound physical and chemical changes to become metamorphic rocks through heat, temperature and pressure which cause them to erode along with other factors like wind, water and weather.
  

Microfiber:

Microfiber is a synthetic fiber mainly composed of polyester or nylon. It is exceptionally soft and is often used as a cleaning tool. The use of microfiber as a cleaning tool occurs for many reasons; one of which is that it is extremely precise with great attention to detail. When used to clean a surface, it reduces bacteria by up to 99% versus conventional cleaning materials like rags that only reduce bacteria by 33%. It is also electrostatic by nature; which means that it attracts dusts, and ultimately eliminates the need for additional cleaning poducts.

Oak:
 
Oak is a common species of wood developed mostly in North America. Because of its abundance in supply, Oak is one of the most affordable line of lumber. Oak trees produce a strong, beautiful looking wood and have been used for furniture, flooring, boats, and artifacts for centuries. Because of oak wood's natural properties, proper care can make the wood last for decades without losing its beauty. See Oakwood Care and Details

Pine:
 Many Pine trees were near extinct during the end of the industrial revolution as a result of it being the main material used to build expansive amounts of textile factories, warehouses, farmhouses, barns, homes and other industrial factories. They are still being harvested today in many pine forests in the United States; however, they are now reaped at an early stage, which gives it just enough time to be used as lumber. Pine wood requires no difficult sanding and is dense in nature. It comes in a variety of widths and grades for use as a flooring material. It can be clear with a tight, straight grain and may have small or large knots depending on the type of pine.

Polymer:

 Polymers can be man-made plastics like polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride which are used in everyday life for homes, schools and hospitals and there are also natural polymers like rubber and cellulose used widely in numerous instances like tires and rayon. Polymers are formed through monomers, single molecules, like hydrocarbon and amino acids that bond together through the process of polymerization. The physical properties of a polymer are strongly dependent on the size or length of the polymer chain.

Remover:
A solution, generally liquid, that is used to soften and to eliminate solid deposits found in surfaces like paint, wax, dirt, oils, fats and other elements that stain and damage the finish on a surface. Removers that can clean all types of messes from oil, gasoline, diesel, tar, grease, and tire mark on surfaces like driveways, backyard patios, garages and workshop floors should be checked to meet US Federal Storm Water regulations.

Resin:

 Resin is a natural or synthetic product that is gluey by nature but hardens with treatment. Natural resins come from plants and are used as components in varnish, lacquer, inks, perfumes, jewelry, and many other objects whereas synthetic resins are the polymerization of substances like polyvinyl, polystyrene, and polyethylene and thermosetting materials such as polyesters, epoxies, and silicones that are used to make paint and plastics.

Sedimentary rocks:
Sedimentary rocks are rocks that form by an accumulation of sediments. Sediments are deposited and are solidified in layers through a process known as lithification. They can form on the earth’s surface and in bodies of water like lakes, seas, and the rivers. Common examples include limestone, chalk and sandstone.

Slate

 It is a natural stone product mostly formed in riverbeds and is sourced from all over the world. The stone is metamorphic and is made up of quartz, mica, calcite, chlorite and other types of rock. These features contribute to its durability and its resistance to high traffic. It is extremely beautiful when used on surfaces like floors, countertops and bathrooms, however, it can sometimes take a lot of diligence to keep it in great shape making it hard to maintain.

Steatite:

Also known as soapstone, steatite is a metamorphic rock composed mainly of the talc mineral which is smooth and soft to the touch. This rock type can be millions of years old depending on what geographic location it is found. It has been used for many years in sinks for classrooms and labs as well as on tables and countertops. Steatite exudes a rich deep color that darkens with age.

Stoneware:

Stoneware is heavy, nonporous clay that is fired at high temperatures creating a strong, chip resistant substance suitable for use in cooking and baking.

Sycamore:
A straight grain wood of yellowish or yellow white color with a fine and smooth texture. Its main uses are for furniture, furniture parts (drawer sides), millwork, paneling and moldings, flooring, kitchenware, butchers blocks, toys and fruit crates. Sycamore trees have the largest leaf of any tree native to North America.

Substrate:

 A substrate is a substance that reacts to enzymes. It is a reactant which means that it goes through chemical changes to yield a product.

Surfactant:

A liquid substance that lowers the tension of combined liquids to allow easier spreading.

Teak:
Teak is an extremely durable wood that requires very little care or treatment. Its favorable properties make it suitable for a wide variety of purposes and it has a very distinctive appearance. This exquisite imported wood will gradually grow into a silver gray color if left outdoors for more than three months. If indoors, and away from natural sunlight for six months to a year, the color of the wood will deepen to a darker shade of brown. 

Terrazzo:
Terrazzo is made of marble and cement set in mortars. The marble chips are usually sprinkled on the surface during its setting so that the majority of its surface is marble. It is then polished and cleaned. Protective coatings are not completely necessary on terrazzo tiles but a protective coating is recommended to protect the marble chips and prevent the surface from being slippery.