ASTM D1038-83(1993)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: D 1038 – 83 (Reapproved 1993)
Standard Terminology Relating to
1, 2
Veneer and Plywood
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 1038; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
adhesive—a substance capable of holding materials together sticking, to facilitate press loading, or to impart a desired
by surface attachment. surface texture or finish, and to provide uniform pressure
distribution.
NOTE 1—adhesive is the general term and includes, among others,
cement, glue, mucilage, and paste. All of these terms are loosely used
NOTE 2—Cauls may be made of any material such as aluminum,
interchangeably. Various descriptive adjectives are applied to the term
stainless steel, hardboard, fiberboard, or plastic, with the length and width
adhesive to indicate certain characteristics as follows:
generally equal to the platen size of the press in which they are employed.
(1) Physical form, that is, liquid adhesive, tape adhesive
center—inner layers whose grain direction runs parallel to that
(2) Chemical type, that is, silicate adhesive, resin adhesive
(3) Materials bonded, that is, paper adhesive, metal-plastic adhesive, can of the outer plies; may be of parallel laminated plies. (See
label adhesive
also core.)
(4) Conditions of use, that is, hot-setting adhesive
clipper—the shearing machine used to dimension dry or green
veneers to width.
back—the side reverse to the face of a panel, or the poorer side
compreg—synthetic resin-treated, compressed wood with re-
of a panel in any grade of plywood calling for a face and
duced swelling and shrinking characteristics and increased
back.
density and strength properties.
balanced construction— See under construction.
construction—details of arrangement or thickness or both, of
banding (railing)—a portion of wood or other material
veneers and other components used in the fabrication of
extending around one or more edges of a plywood panel.
plywood.
bleed through—glue or components of glue that have seeped
all-veneer construction—plywood in which all plies are
through the outer layer or ply of a glued wood product and
veneer. Ordinarily no single ply of veneer will exceed ⁄16 in.
that show as a blemish or discoloration on the surface.
(7.9 mm) in thickness.
blemish—anything marring the appearance of the veneer that
balanced construction—a construction such that the forces
is not classifiable as a defect.
induced by uniformly distributed changes in moisture con-
blister—in plywood, an elevation of the surface of an adherend
tent will not cause warpage.
(separation between plies), somewhat resembling in shape a
composite construction—a panel assembly consisting of
blister on the human skin; its boundaries may be indefinitely
veneers and other wood-based materials. Normally the
outlined and it may have burst or become flattened.
non-veneer component is identified in describing the con-
bolt (veneer)—a short log cut to length suitable for peeling in
struction.
a lathe; also block.
lumber core construction—plywood in which the center ply
bond, n—the attachment at an interface between an adhesive
or core is of lumber rather than of veneer. Ordinarily cores
and an adherend.
that are ⁄8 in. (9.5 mm) or greater in thickness will be of
bond, v—to attach materials together by means of an adhesive.
lumber.
borer holes—voids made by wood-boring insects.
symmetrical construction—plywood panels in which the
broken grain (shelling, leafing, grain separation)—a sepa-
plies on one side of the panel center line are essentially equal
ration on veneer surface between annual rings.
in thickness, grain direction, properties, and arrangement to
cauls, n—sheets of material employed singly or in pairs in hot
those on the other side of the center line.
or cold pressing of assemblies being bonded. Cauls are
core—(1) in decorative or hardwood plywood, the center most
employed usually to protect either the faces or the press
ply. It may be of lumber (either edgeglued or closely
platen or both against marring and staining, to prevent
assembled) or other wood-based panel material, or of one or
more thicknesses of veneer.
(2) in construction plywood, all plies or layers between the
This terminology is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-7 on Wood
and is the responsibility of Subcommittee D 07.03 on Panel Products.
face and back.
Current edition approved Feb. 25, 1983. Published April, 1983. Originally
core block—in cutting rotary veneer, the portion of the bolt
published as D 1038 – 49 T. Last previous edition D 1038 – 82.
2 remaining after available veneer has been removed.
These definitions are specific to veneer and plywood. Other definitions relating
to timber appear in ASTM Terminology D 9, Relating to Wood, Annual Book of cross band, n—inner layers of veneer whose grain direction is
ASTM Standards, Vol 04.10.
Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D 1038
usually perpendicular to that of the face plies, applied an insufficient quantity of glue.
particularly to plywood of five or more plies and lumber- sunken joint—in the case of plywood, a depression in the
core panels.
surface of the face ply directly above an edge joint in a
cross band, v—to place the grain of the inner layer of veneer lumber core or crossband. Usually the result of localized
at right angles to that of the face and back.
shrinkage in the edge-jointed layer.
delamination, n—the separation of layers in a laminate
jointed—veneer or other ply components that have machined
because of failure of the adhesive, either in the adhesive
edges for tightest possible layup.
itself or at the interface between the adhesive and the
knotholes—voids remaining after removal of knots.
adherend.
lap—a condition in which adjacent veneers overlap one
dryer—a kiln or chamber, or machine through which the green
another instead of making a smooth edge joint.
veneers are passed to remove excess moisture.
lathe—the machine on which rotary, half-round, and rift
durability—(1) as applied to wood, its lasting qualities or
veneer is cut.
permanence in service with particular reference to decay.
layer—a single veneer ply or two or more plies laminated with
( 2) as applied to the glue bond, its resistance to
grain direction parallel. Two or more plies laminated with
deterioration related to exposure conditions. (See also delami-
grain direction parallel is a parallel laminated layer.
nation.)
loose side—in knife-cut veneer, the side of the sheet that was in
exterior type plywood—a term applied to plywood that is
contact with the knife as the sheet was being cut, and that
capable of withstanding prolonged exposure to severe ser-
contains cutting checks. (See tight side.)
vice conditions including prolonged and repeated wetting
matching—in plywood, the arrangement of strips of veneer to
without failure in the glue bonds; the commercial classifi-
obtain a particular repetitive pattern.
cation is a function of veneer grade as well as glue durability.
book matching—turning alternative adjacent strips of veneer
face—the better side of a panel in any grade of plywood calling
of a flitch over.
for a face and back; also either side of a panel where the
mismatching— making sheets of face veneer from specially
grading rules draw no distinction between faces.
selected dissimilar (in color or grain or both) strips of veneer.
flitch—a portion of a log sawed on two or more sides and
reversed matching—turning alternate adjacent strips of ve-
intended for remanufacture into sliced or sawn veneer. The
neer of a flitch end for end; also called “swing matching.”
term is also applied to the resulting sheets of veneer stacked
slip matching—laying adjacent strips of veneer tight side up
together in sequence of cutting.
without turning; also called “slide matching.”
gap—an open joint o
...