Materials of Decoration

Pattern Repeat

• The interval between the repetitions of the same pattern.

Pleating Tape

• Pre-made and evenly spaced fabric tape sewn onto a drapery heading for stiffness to receive and conceal drapery hooks.

Polonaise

• A bed set lengthwise against the wall and surmounted by a small dome.

Projection

• A hardware term, the rod Projects into the room, measuring the distance from the wall to the front of the rod.

Puddle

• A term used to describe long draperies that are lying on the floor in a puddle fashion.

Railroading

• Refers to using fabric horizontally rather than vertically, suitable for fabrics without a nap or a directional design.

Return

• Distance from the front of a window treatment to the wall.

Right Side

• The printed side of the fabric that is used as the finished side of an item.

Stackback

• The area required and used by pleated curtains when they are open on either side of the window.

Stagecoach Valance

• A panel of fabric mounted on a board, and attached to the inside frame of a narrow window.

Tester

• Canopy framework over a four-poster bed.

Trouser Break

• A more contemporary option to puddling, where 1-2" of extra fabric is used beyond what's needed to reach the floor.

Turkish Bed

• A narrow bed set into a draped recess.

Velcro

• Hook and loop tape used for attaching fabric to a mounting board.

Wadded Edge

• A rolled fabric border, stuffed to create a sausage shape.

Wadding

• A soft, bulky material for stuffing shapes.

Wrong Side

• The back of the fabric, the less finished side that may have stray threads or a rougher look.

Flashing

• A thin material used to waterproof joints and other vulnerable points in a roof or wall.

Sealants

• Used to seal joints and gaps between materials to prevent the passage of air, water, or other substances.

Insulation

• A material used to reduce the transfer of heat or sound, installed between the roof deck and the roofing membrane.

Cover Board

• A material used to protect the insulation from the elements.

Roofing Membrane

• The final layer of the roofing system, protecting the roof from the elements.

Hard Flooring

• Resembles elements found in nature, such as wood, stone, or clay.

Resilient Flooring

• Combines the comfort of textile floor coverings with the imperviousness of hard floorings.

Classification of Floors

• Nonporous Floors: waterproof and impervious to most household liquids.
• Semi-porous Floors: waterproof and resistant to oil and grease.
• Porous Floors: not waterproof or greaseproof and likely to stain.

Materials for Floors and Walls

• Adobe: a natural building material made from sand, clay, and water, with some kind of fibrous or organic material.
• Brick: a block of ceramic material, used in masonry construction.

Ceramic Tile

• Made from clay or a mixture of clay and ceramic materials, pressed into tiles and fired at a high temperature.
• Can be glazed or unglazed.
• Porcelain tile is fine-grained and smooth.

Categories of Ceramic Tile

• Wall tiles
• Ceramic mosaic tiles
• Quarry tiles
• Paver tiles
• Special purpose tiles

Ceramic Tile Finishes

• Unglazed tiles: composed of the same ingredients throughout and derive their color and texture from the materials of which the body is made.
• Glazed tiles: have a glassy surface of ceramic materials fused upon their face to give them a decorative appearance and to make the surface impervious to moisture.

Concrete Tiles

• Made of cement and aggregate.
• Suitable for patios, terraces, and showers.

Stamped Concrete

• Patterned, textured, or embossed concrete.
• Made to look like natural materials, patterns, and textures.

Cork

• A natural resilient flooring.
• Offers excellent acoustic and thermal insulation.

Laminates

• Constructed by uniting two or more layers of material together.
• Used to add properties to a surface.

Stone

• One of the oldest materials used for floors.
• Types of stone: granite, marble, and sandstone.

Solid Surface

• A man-made material used for countertops, sinks, and wall panels.
• Composed of a blend of acrylic resins and minerals.

Linoleum

• A natural material made from linseed oil, wood flour, and cork powder.
• Durable, easy to clean, and has a long lifespan.

Classes of Rocks

• Sedimentary rocks: formed by the deposition of sediments.
• Metamorphic rocks: have undergone a change in structure, texture, or composition.
• Igneous rocks: formed by the crystallization of molten magma.

Classification of Stone

• Fieldstone: loose, unfinished stones found on the surface or in the soil.
• Rubble Stone: consists of quarried stone of various shapes and sizes, but having irregular mortar joints.
• Dimension Stone: quarried and squared stones, cut into specific sizes, squared to dimensions, and of specific thicknesses.

Natural Stone

• Igneous: granite, a hard, durable, low-maintenance stone.
• Metamorphic: marble, a softer and more brittle stone, prized for its distinctive variegated appearance.### Marble
• Has bolder and more dramatic veining compared to Carrara, and is rarer.

Sedimentary: Organic Remains

• Limestone: a sedimentary rock formed by the accumulation of organic remains such as shells and corals.
• Limited to a neutral palette of buff and gray.
• Susceptible to staining and should not be exposed to excessive soil.

Metamorphic

• Slate: a fine-grained metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock.
• Historical use for roofing, now commonly used for interior floor or wall finishes.
• Dense, non-porous, and varies in color from dark blue to heather colors and Grey-green.
• Has two lines of breakability, cleavage and grain, making it easy to split into thin sheets.
• Can have a cleft, sand-rubbed, or honed finish.

Sedimentary: Precipitate of carbonate minerals

• Travertine: a natural precipitate of carbonate minerals, typically aragonite.
• Deposited from mineral springs, hot springs, or streams saturated with calcium carbonate.
• Characterized by pitted holes and troughs in its surface.
• Color range from white to brown to yellow due to impurities.

Sedimentary

• Sandstone: a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-size mineral rock grains.
• Varies in color through gray, yellow, red, and white.
• Some sandstones are resistant to weathering, yet easy to work with, making it a common building and paving material.
• Excellent material for making grindstones, used for sharpening blades and other implements.
• Onyx: a cryptocrystalline form of Quartz, with a unique rock texture made up of crystals.
• Colors range from white to almost every color.
• Color created through impurities which seep into the rock as it forms.

Engineered Stone

• A composite material made of crushed stone bound together by a polymer resin.
• Related materials: geopolymers, cast stone, engineered quartz, or engineered marble stone.
• Actual application depends on the use of the original stone.
• Engineered Marble: used in wall and floor finishes.
• Engineered Quartz: mainly used as a kitchen countertop.
• Unlike terrazzo, factory-made in slabs, cut and polished by fabricators, and assembled at the worksite.
• Typically stronger in flexibility and hardness, and less porous, than natural stone, but not in all cases.

Quartz Stone Surface

• A composite made-up of 93% quartz, 7% polyester resin, and pigment.
• Non-porous, polished surfaces don't need to be sealed.
• Practically indestructible and maintenance-free.
• Resists stains caused by fruit juices, wine, food coloring, and more.
• Hygienic, doesn't harbor bacteria, making it a safe choice for food handling in the kitchen.

Sintered Stone

• A new material created by mimicking the process of creating natural stones.
• Minerals and stone particles are selected for quality, color, and texture, then subjected to extreme heat and pressure.
• Bonded together permanently, without using resins or bonding agents.
• Can be used for any number of uses that natural stone is used for.

Terrazzo

• A flooring material.
• Derived from the Italian terrassa, meaning "terrace."
• Originally used by 15th-century Venetian stone cutters for patio terraces.
• Embedded small stone pieces in concrete and polished to a level finish.
• A low-maintenance, seamless floor finish with a luxurious look of stone mosaic and durability comparable to concrete.

Rubber Flooring

• Composed of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, or both, in combination with mineral fillers and pigments.
• Highly resistant to a wide variety of harsh chemicals and solvents.
• Durable and natural resistance to cigarette burns, making it a good choice for high-traffic public areas.
• Natural rubber is difficult to lay, reacts badly to grease, fruit juices, and spirits.

Test your knowledge of various materials and terms used in decoration, including pattern repeat, pleating tape, and more. Learn about the different concepts and hardware used in decoration.