Design and Decorating Glossary of Terms - F
Facing Bricks:
Bricks of a decent colour and texture used for the visible parts
Facing:
A piece of fabric used to keep a raw edge of main fabric hidden, often used on unlined curtains.
Faille:
(fabric) Plain weave (flat rib) with filling yarns heavier than warp.
Fair-Faced Brickwork:
A neat and smooth, unpainted brick surface.
Fair-Faced Concrete:
A neat and smooth unpainted concrete surface.
False Ceiling:
Ceiling built with a gap between it and the floor above to provide space for cables and pipes or to lower height of room.
Fascia Board: Wide board, which trims the edge of the roof and carries the gutter round the eaves.
Faux Finishes:
These are finishes that give the impression of a surface rather than the real thing, e.g. graining and marbling with paint.
Felt Underlay:
It is constructed by needling fibres – jute waste textiles, wool, mixed fibres or combinations of these into a Hessian scrim. This produces a dense and firm underlay. It is not very popular today as the new products are far more resilient and long lasting and it is now rarely seen in domestic carpet installations.
Festoon:
A design often appearing on renaissance and neo-classical furniture that depicts a loop of drapery or a garland of fruit or flowers.
Fascia Board, painted red
Fibre Blends:
(textiles) Two or more fibres can be combined in one yarn to maximize the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of each. For example, natural and artificial fibres can be combined to retain the texture and appearance of the natural yarn while gaining the durability and dirt resistance of the synthetic. Many man made and synthetic fibres are made to imitate natural fibres as their processing can provide similar properties usually at a reduced cost.
Fibreboard:
Stiff boards of compressed vegetable fibre used often for flooring and joinery construction. Often known as MDF (medium density fibreboard.) The range is extensive and the boards have many specialist uses.
Fibreglass:
Glass fibres made into yarn and woven in various weights. Fireproof. Poor abrasion-resistance.
Fibreglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP)
This is plastic which, during the moulding process has glass fibres or glass fabric incorporated into the product which adds strength and durability to the finished plastic product.
Fibres and Yarns:
Yarns are threads, which are made up of fibres. These may be from animal, vegetable or man made fibres. All fibres must go through a spinning process to produce the yarn, during which they may be blended together providing options for different fabric types. Some fabrics are named after the yarn, silk or cotton, while others may be named referring to their make up or weave/pattern type, damask or twill.
Figure:
(timber) seen on the surface of dressed timber, figure is the name given to pattern or colour markings of the timber, providing one of the most valuable properties of timber. One factor or a combination of several can cause figure.
Figured Fabric:
A fabric in which the pattern is formed by the weave.
Figured Fabric
Filigree:
The lacy effect produced by twisting and curling wire together or the open work in porcelain.
Fillet:
A narrow horizontal strip separating the larger curved mouldings in a cornice or base.
Finial:
Pointed staff or similar set on the end of the gable of a building or newel.
Finial:
(drapery) Finials are the decorative fixing at the end of the poles. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, some simple, some complex, from the traditional fleur de lies, and arrowhead to the fruity pomegranate and pineapple, and back to nature with acorns, scallop shells, along with the simple colonial turned wood balls.
Finish:
In furniture, a finish is any material which protects or aestheticcaly improves a surface. They can be hard or soft, permanent or temporary.
Finishing Coats:
(paint) as the name suggests, these are the finishing or final coats. They provide the final colour and gloss level required, They are the protection layer from weather, moisture, knock and chips. They are the aesthetic layer of the paint system.
Fire Retardant Paints: Intumescent
This type of paint works as heat causes the paint to swell on the painted substrate, which forms a barrier insulating the surface from the flames. Other forms incorporate materials for example chlorinated paraffin or chlorinated rubber which on application of heat they fuse together preventing combustion.
Flaking:
(paint) is paint or varnish lifting away from the surface in flakes because of a breakdown of the adhesion. It occurs when painting damp surfaces, especially timber, or painting powdery surfaces. To prevent this ensure that all the surfaces are completely dry and that the correct sealer and preparation has occurred.
Flashing:
(paint) is patches of uneven sheen with semi gloss finishes. It is caused by not keeping a wet edge while applying the paint. To prevent this keep a wet edge and ensure that the air temperature and movement meet the specifications and the correct equipment, brushes etc are being used and the coating system is as required.
