BATTEN
A strip of thin, narrow lumber used to cover or reinforce the joint between two pieces of lumber.

BEAD (beaded panel)
A projecting narrow molding with 180 degree radius often used to outline a door or panel.. (Triple bead would be a "stack" of 3 beads usually routed in one piece.) A beaded appearance can also be achieved by routing a thin line with the same 180 degree radius.

BEVEL
The slant of a surface, as on a beveled edge door.

BUTT JOINT
Joint formed by butting the ends of two pieces of wood together. Usually attached by glue or staples or both.

CAPITOL
An architectural term for the crown or top element of a column.

CATHEDRAL ARCH
An arch shape reminiscent of church windows, often used in cabinet doors.

CLASSIC CROWN (molding)
A wide, intricately carved piece of molding usually used on top of wall cabinets or furniture.

CONCEALED HINGE
A hinge that is attached to the door and the inside end panel of a cabinet, making it not visible from the exterior of the cabinet.

DADO
A groove recessed in the length or width of a board into which another board edge is inset to form a joint, usually with glue to secure it. Used to join cabinet backs to cabinet floors or sides to front frames.

DENTIL
A pattern of tooth-like cuts often used on trim moldings.

DOVETAIL
Joint formed by inserting a projecting member into a correspondingly shaped cutout member. True dovetail has wedge shape of a dove's tail.

DOWEL
a wood peg or pin is inserted into corresponding hole. 

EXPOSED HINGE
A hinge attached to the door and the front frame of the cabinet, making it visible from the exterior.

FLUTE
Routed vertical indentations in a linear pattern with 180 degree radius at each end of each line.

FRETWORK
Ornamental carving or fancywork.

FRIEZE
Decorative running design or cutout running along the top of a cabinet.

FULL OVERLAY (door style)
Door style which leaves very little reveal around the perimeter. (In framed construction, the face frame is concealed.)

KERF
A saw cut on the surface to relieve stress. Used to create a curve, as with toe kick around a curved base cabinet.

KILN DRY
The removal of moisture from lumber using a heat chamber (kiln).

KNOT
A naturally occurring whorl in lumber created where a branch extended from the tree.

LAMINATE (verb)
To cover with one or more thin layers; to make by building up in layers. (noun) A thin layer or layers over a sub base of material. The layers may be made up of any variety of materials, but in cabinetry is usually melamine, plastic laminate (either high pressure or low pressure), or foil applied by a thermal process.

MELAMINE
Low pressure laminates are called melamines. Melamine is generally used for vertical surfaces such as interiors, end panels and some door styles.

MILLWORK
Machined woodwork.

MINERAL STREAK
Discoloration in lumber caused by chemical oxidation of minerals naturally occurring in the wood.

MITER (mitre)
Cut at angle that bisects the angle of junction.

MULLION
The vertical member dividing a window or glass door. Often used to describe glass doors divided evenly into rectangular panes.

MUNTIN
The short bar extending from stile to stile. As in a tall cabinet door divided by a horizontal muntin.

NOSE
Rounded edge on a wood member.

OGEE
Edge trim or cut characterized by one 180 degree radius bead extending further out than another below it.

ONLAY (applique)
An  intricately carved wood decorative element installed on the surface of a cabinet.

PEDIMENT
Low-pitched triangular head or cap. "Broken pediment" is not solid and often contains additional trim in open area.

PILASTER
A column. May refer to vertical strips into which shelf supports are inserted.

PLYWOOD
Layers of wood veneer bonded by adhesive, forming a panel.

RABBET
Rectangular cut of two surfaces.

RAIL
The horizontal members of a rectangular frame.

RACKING
The twisting out of square of a cabinet or door caused by uneven installation

REVEAL
The measurement between the face of a stile or rail and the surface of a raised panel or the area of a stile or rail not overlaid by the door.

ROUT
To hollow out with a tool called a router.

SCRIBE (verb)
Trim to fit exactly to a wall. (Usually done with scribe molding where a cabinet back meets a wall that is out of square.

SCRIBE (molding)
Used to cover joints of paneling or where a cabinet meets a wall or soffit that is out of square.

STILE
The vertical members of a rectangular frame.

TENON
A projection at the end of a piece of wood. When inserted into a mortise (carved or dadoed area) forms a "mortise and tenon" joint. Usually joined with glue.

TOEKICK
Sometimes called toe board or kick board. The cover strip for the area resulting when sides of a base cabinet are cut out and front frames are shorter than sides, allowing a person to stand close to the work counter. This material is shipped loose and is applied in long strips after the floor covering is in place. It provides a finished, "seamless" look to the completed installation, and adds support to the floor of the cabinet. Our toe kick fits snugly against the floor of the cabinet rendering the cabinet "mouse proof".

TONGUE & GROOVE
A projection along the edge of a board inserted into a corresponding groove.

V-GROOVE
V shaped routed vertical line on a panel.

VENEER
Thin layer of wood applied with glue to a substrate.

WAINSCOT
Lower portion of an interior wall that contrasts with the wall surface above it. a wall composed of two different surfaces, one above the other.

WARP
To bend or twist a piece of lumber or door from a straight line. Caused by introduction of excessive heat or moisture.