Glossary of Wood Flooring Terms

Joanne Lee

• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-

The Forest Stewardship Council is a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world's forests. The FSC has identified bamboo product as "Non-Timber Forest Products" and considers these products outside its scope of interest.

• Janka ball test- 

A standardized test used to indicate hardness of wood flooring by measuring the force required to embed in the wood a .444-inch steel ball to a depth of half the ball's diameter. 

• LEED®, LEED Green Building Rating System™, LEED credits-

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, is the national standard by which green building is judged. Buildings are awarded LEED certification by earning credits for performance in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

• VOC, VOCs- 

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic chemical compounds that under normal conditions significantly vaporize and enter the atmosphere. Organic chemicals are widely used as ingredients in household products. Paints, varnishes and was all contain organic solvents, as do many cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing and hobby products. Fuels are made up of organic chemicals. All of these products can release organic compounds when in use and, to some degree, when stored. Some of these chemicals have short- and long- term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently up to ten times higher indoors than outdoors.