A

Acid

A substance which releases hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. Most acids will dissolve the common metals and will react with a base to form a neutral salt and water. An acid is the opposite of an alkali, has a pH rating lower than 7.0, will turn litmus paper red, and has a sour taste.

Acidity

The quantitative capacity of a water or water solution to neutralize an alkali or base. It is usually measured by titration with a standard solution of sodium hydroxide, and expressed in ppm or mg/L of its calcium carbonate equivalent.

Activated Silica

A negatively charged colloidal substance generally formed by combining a dilute sodium silicate solution with a dilute acidic solution (or other activant). Generally used as a coagulant aid.

Aesthetic

Concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.

Aesthetics

A set of principles underlying and guiding the work of a particular artist or artistic movement.

Alkali

A substance which creates a bitter taste and a slippery feel when dissolved in water and will turn red litmus paper blue. An alkali has a pH greater than seven and is the opposite of an acid. Highly alkaline waters tend to cause drying of the skin. Alkalis may include the soluble hydroxide, carbonate, and bicarbonate salts of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. A hydroxide alkali may also be called a base.

Alkalinity

The quantitative capacity of water to neutralize an acid; that is, the measure of how much acid can be added to a liquid without causing a significant change in pH. Alkalinity is not the same as pH because water does not have to be strongly basic (high pH) to have high alkalinity. In the water industry, alkalinity is expressed in mg/l of equivalent calcium carbonate. There are three kinds of alkalinity: carbonate, bicarbonate, and hydroxide alkalinity. Total alkalinity is the sum of all three kinds of alkalinity. Different tests are used to determine the quantity of the different kinds of alkalinities present in water.

Ambient Lighting

Ambient lighting means that the general lighting in a room is diffused, so as to create a particular mood or atmosphere within the kitchen space.

Ambient Temperature

Temperature of the surrounding environment.

ANSI

American National Standards Institute

Antique Finish

A finish that replicates rustic or distressed textures. Produced through mechanical or chemical means to simulate the naturally occurring effects of the aging process.

Apex Stone

Uppermost stone in a gable, pediment, vault or dome.

Apron

A trim piece under a projecting stone top, stool, etc.

Arch

The curved or pointed construction over a doorway or opening. Arch shapes range from flat to semicircular or semielliptical to acutely pointed.

Architectural Symmetry

A characteristic (particularly of classical architecture) by which the two sides of a facade or architectural floor plan of a building present mirror images of one another.

Architrave

The beam or lowest division of the entablature in the classical orders, spanning from column to column. The decorated surrounds of a window or door at the head and jamb.

Arris

A slight, although measurable, chamfer where two surfaces meet.

Arrowslit

A thin vertical aperture in a fortification through which an archer can launch arrows.

Atria

Plural of atrium.

Atrium

Inner court of a Roman or C20 house; in a multi-story building, a toplit covered court rising through all stories.

B

Backsplash

A material which offers a water guard between the countertop and the wall.

Binder

A component of an adhesive composition that is primarily responsible for the adhesive forces that hold the two bodies together.

Blueprint

The copy of a room rendering that is drawn to scale; including the dimensions and configuration of a floor space.

Bridge Cabinet

A bridge cabinet is a kitchen cabinet that is placed does not need to be used on a daily basis. It can often be found above the refrigerator or a stove and stores items that are needed less frequently.

Buffer

A chemical which causes a solution to resist changes in pH, or to shift the pH to a specific value.

Bullnose

A specific style of edge treatment used on countertops.

Butcher Block

A wooden countertop used for cooking and cutting. It is typically made of a hardwood, such as oak or maple.

C

Cabinet Scraper

A rectangular piece of steel that has been rounded into a hook used to remove shavings and to bring finishes to a high gloss without damaging the wood of a kitchen cabinet.

Cam And Bolt

A structure that connects the sides and top of a kitchen cabinet to the bottom of the cabinet.

Canopy

A projecting roof structure that shelters an entrance.

Cantilever

When a supporting element in construction extends beyond the element that it is supporting.

COncealed Cabinet Hinge

A hinge that is invisible from the outside of a kitchen cabinet, especially when the cabinet door is closed.

Cornice

The projecting moldings that form the top band of an entablature or wall.

Crown Molding

Decorative borders along kitchen cabinetry.

D

Dormer

A small structure that projects from a sloping roof, with a window in the facade face.

Drain Board

Depressions in a countertop which allows water to run into the sink.

Drop-in Sink

A sink that features a rim that fits over the countertop; holding it in place.

E

Eaves

The projecting overhang at the lower edge of the roof.

Edge Treatment

Treating the edges of countertops so they are shaped in a particular way, such as rounding them.

F

Facade

The exterior faces of a building, often used to refer to the wall in which the building entry is located.

Fluted Rail

An ornamental moulding used to highlight the space between kitchen cabinets.

G

Gables

An expression referring to exposed cabinet ends.

Glue Gun

A device used to dispense adhesives (single or bi-component) onto a material so it can be bonded to another surface.

H

Hip Roof

A roof type of which all sides slope downward from the ridge to the eaves.

I

Integral Sink

A sink that is built directly into the countertop or other surface and that is constructed out of the same material as the surface.

M

Metamorphic Rock

Rock altered in appearance, density, crystalline structure, and in some cases, mineral composition, by high temperature and intense pressure. Includes slate derived from shale, quartz based stone from quartzitic sand, and true marble from limestone.

Metamorphism

The change or alteration in a rock caused by exterior agencies, such as deep-seated heat and pressure, or intrusion of rock materials.

N

NSF

NSF International was formerly known as the National Sanitation Foundation. It is a not for profit organization that provides public health and safety safety risk management solutions.

P

Particle Sintering Technology

A process that sinters mineral particles so that they link up and change their internal structure.

Profiling

Edge treatments applied to stone surfaces for adding style.

S

Sintering

Sintering is the process of compacting and forming a solid mass of material by heat or pressure without melting it to the point of liquefaction.

U

UL (Underwriters Laboratories)

An organization primarily dedicated to product safety that develops safety standards dealing with design, electrical, materials, components, and manufacturing.