Design and Decoration Terms Glossary - K

Kauri:

A type of timber from New Zealand and also Fiji. New Zealand Kauri is the largest conifer in New Zealand and some trees are thought to be over three thousand years old.

KD (Knocked Down):

This refers to furniture, which is in a packaged state (disassembled) and can be transported flat and assembled on arrival at the destination.

Key:

the roughness of a surface the texture allowing the plaster to grip it as a mechanical bond.

Keystone:

The top stone used in the forming of an arch. It acts as the lock (hence the word key) at the top of the arch used to complete the arch. The surrounding stones either side of the keystone forming the arch being the voussoirs.

Kingpost:

the middle or chief post of a roof standing on a tie beam

Knee:

A sharp right angle in a pipe. Also a crooked piece of wood or iron fixed in the manner of a corbel under the ends of a beam.

Knobbling:

To dress stones roughly at the quarry by taking off protruding humps.

Knocked Down:

A description of building components delivered to a job cut and in shape ready to be assembled.

Knot:

A place in a tree from which a branch has grown. They appear in timber and if they reduce the strength of the timber they are called loose or dead if they don’t they are called live or sound.