Rabbet
A rectangular recess cut into the edge of a board, creating a step or L-shaped profile. Used in cabinet joinery and case construction.
Read the definitionThe glossary
The trade terms you'll come across.
Plain-English definitions for the words that turn up when you're buying, specifying or working with timber.
Radial
Direction from the pith outward to the bark, crossing growth rings at right angles. One of the main axes used to describe wood movement and properties.
Read the definitionRaised grain
A condition where the hard latewood stands above the softer earlywood after planing, creating a textured surface caused by dull tools or high moisture content.
Read the definitionRay fleck
Ray fleck is the shimmering or ‘flake’ figure seen on the face of some quarter-sawn hardwoods (especially oak), caused by large medullary rays being cut and exposed. It’s a visual indicator of a radial surface and is often associated with improved stability.
Read the definitionRay parenchyma
Horizontal wood tissue extending radially from the pith toward the bark, responsible for lateral transport and storage of nutrients. Visible as flecks and rays in quarter-sawn timber.
Read the definitionRays
Radial sheets or ribbons of cells running from the centre of the tree outward. On end grain they appear as fine radial lines, and on quarter-sawn faces they can produce ray fleck figure.
Read the definitionReaction wood
Wood with abnormal structure formed by a leaning or stressed tree to correct its posture. It can have unusual shrinkage and internal stress behaviour.
Read the definitionReconditioning
A kiln process applied after drying to relieve internal stresses and case hardening by reintroducing some moisture through steaming or controlled humidity.
Read the definitionReforestation
The replanting of trees on land where forests have been cut down or destroyed, restoring forest cover and ecological function.
Read the definitionRegeneration
The process of renewing a forest stand through natural seeding, planting, or artificial means. Essential for sustainable forest management.
Read the definitionRelative humidity (RH)
Relative humidity (RH) is the percentage of water vapour in the air compared with the maximum the air could hold at the same temperature. RH strongly controls wood’s equilibrium moisture content (EMC), and therefore moisture content and movement.
Read the definitionResin canals
Specialised tubular channels in some softwoods (and a few hardwoods) that contain and transport resin (oleoresin).
Read the definitionResin duct
A specialised tubular structure in softwoods (conifers) that produces and stores resin. Normal resin ducts are anatomically consistent; traumatic resin ducts form in response to injury.
Read the definitionReticulate parenchyma
Parenchyma cells arranged in a net-like or reticulated pattern, forming an interconnected system within the wood structure.
Read the definitionRibbon stripe
Alternating bands of light and dark caused by cutting interlocked grain on a quarter, revealing the alternating grain direction as parallel stripes.
Read the definitionRift-sawn
Boards cut so the growth rings meet the face at roughly 30–60° (often aiming near 45°), producing very straight, uniform grain.
Read the definitionRing shake
Complete separation of adjacent growth rings, creating a gap in the wood. Weakens the board and creates potential failure points.
Read the definitionRing-porous
A hardwood where the pores (vessels) are much larger in earlywood and smaller in latewood, forming a distinct pore band each growth ring.
Read the definitionRipping
Cutting wood along the grain (parallel to the fibres), typically separating fibres and following the board’s length direction.
Read the definitionRot
Advanced wood decay caused by wood-destroying fungi, classified as brown rot, white rot, or soft rot. Each type attacks different wood components (cellulose, lignin, or both).
Read the definitionRough milling
Rough milling is the process of machining wood slightly oversize (in thickness/width) and then letting it rest so stresses can redistribute and moisture can equalise before final milling to finished dimensions.
Read the definitionRough sawn
Lumber that has been sawn to size but not been surfaced or planed, retaining the rough texture from the saw.
Read the definitionRouting
Machining decorative profiles, grooves, or shaped edges using a router with a cutting bit. Common for mouldings, dados, and custom edges.
Read the definitionRunout
Grain deviation where wood fibres are not parallel to the length of the board, causing fibres to ‘run out’ of the face or edge.
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