Glossary
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | K | L | M | P | R | S | T | U | V | W | X
A
Accessibility:
Refers to features of buildings or spaces that enable use by people regardless of their level of ability.
Acoustic Panel:
An office furniture panel with acoustic properties to absorb sound within the panel structure providing a higher STC rating for the overall workspace.
ADA:
Americans with Disabilities Act (Used on Office Furniture Installations for California)
Adjustable Arms:
Refers to the adjustability of an office chair armrest, typically on a task chair. They can be adjustable (vertical), width adjustable (height), rotating and/or have a sliding arm pad.
Adjustable Glides:
Support device for leveling or stabilizing office systems furniture on uneven flooring. also referred to as “levelers” or “height adjusters”.
ANSI:
American National Standards Institute. ANSI/BIFMA Safety and Performance Standards are developed by the BIFMA Engineering Committee. These standards are reviewed every five years and intended to provide manufacturers with a common basis for evaluating safety, durability, and the structural adequacy of office installations furniture items nationwide.
Approach Side:
The front side of the desk where the visitors or guests would sit.
Area Takeoff:
The tabulation of are in square feet or yardage. This information is used to qualify office spaces in planning and budgeting efforts.
Assemble Furniture:
The process of building modular office systems furniture from separate components by professionals, commercial furniture installers, and modular furniture installations nationwide.
As-Is (Used) Furniture:
Used furniture ready for resale, without cosmetic improvements. Usually your best value, as-is furniture can be put to use immediately, or we can re-paint and refurbish to your specifications.
Asynchronous Control:
Allows the backrest and seat to move simultaneously but independently for the user, to maximize his/her comfort.
B
Base Power Infeed (BPI):
The flexible electrical wire harness that connects the buildings power supply to the electrical system in the panels of cubicles. (Also known as a “whip”)
BBF:
Abbreviation for Box/Box/File pedestal. Refers to a 3-drawer pedestal having 2 six inch high drawers (box drawers) on top, and 1 twelve inch drawer (file drawer) below.
Beltway Power:
In systems office furniture, this refers to a horizontal strip above work surface that allows for power and data capability and access. The standard location for most systems is at the base of the panel.
BIFMA:
Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association. A non-profit organization that provides an effective forum for office and institutional furniture manufacturers to collaborate on appropriate industry issues.
Boat Shaped:
A rectangular shaped table top design that, in plan view has 2 short sides that are flat and 2 long sides that are bowed outward in a convex shape, so as to allow for better person to person vision around a long office conference table.
Bridge:
A worksurface that connects a desk to a credenza, or the middle worksurface that connects 2 worksurfaces together.
Bullet Top:
Usually used in place of a standard desk in “L” or “U” configurations, a bullet top is essentially a writing table that gets its name from its shape. Viewed from above, it’s shaped like the cross section of a bullet, with the rounded end typically supported by a cylindrical metal post. Bullet tops are also sometimes referred to as an island conference top.
C
C-Leg:
A support leg that allows knee clearance for the user underneath the worksurface.
Cantilever:
A panel system component. A long bracket that hangs on a panel or wall track, and is used as a support to hold up one side of a work surface.
Case Goods:
Office furniture that is usually pre-assembled in factories, generally not modular, and includes items like desks, credenzas, file cabinets etc.
Casters:
Wheels or rollers which are fitted to a chair base to provide mobility.
Control:
The metal mechanism mounted beneath aa chairs seat that controls the chairs various functions.
Credenza:
A long storage cabinet that generally matches, and is used with a desk in a private office.
Cubicle:
A semi-enclosed work area built from office panels, normally containing work surfaces, storage units, provisions for electric, telephone and data service. Cubicles can be constructed in a wide range of sizes, heights, and configurations.
D
Data Solutions:
Channels or tracks that allow for multiple data lines to be routed through multiple workstations, usually in a computer-networked workspace.
Design Consultation:
Everything from space layout and furniture selection to color specifications.
Desk:
Primary piece of furniture found in an office serving as a work surface for the end user. Typically desks will come in 3 standard sizes: 30"d x 60"w, 30"d x 66"w, or 36"d x 72"w. "Executive Desks" are typically 36"d x 72"w, but often manufacturers will make an alternate size executive desk of 42"d x 84"w.
Desk Height:
29”-30” High from floor to the top of the work surface.
Desk Shell:
Typically associated with modular furniture, the desk shell is the desktop, modesty panel (front of the desk), and the end panels (sides of the desk) only. There are no drawers in a desk shell.
Directional Fabric:
A fabric with a pattern that must be carefully matched to be aesthetically pleasing.
E
End Panel:
An office furniture component, vertical, and used as the piece holding up one side of a desk or work surface.
Ergonomics:
The science of designing the workplace, equipment, office furniture, and office furniture accessories to meet the needs of workers' safety, comfort, wellbeing, and productivity.
Executive Chair:
A high back chair designed for the person who spends much time seated at a desk. Usually sets upon a 5-prong base which is fitted with casters.
Executive Desk:
As a general rule an executive desk is typically 36"d x 72"w and can be rectangular, bow front, or peninsula style.
F
File Cabinet:
A cabinet, usually made of wood or painted steel, with 2 or more drawers, used for storing file folders, papers, small office supplies etc.
File Drawer:
A drawer that is generally 12" to 13" inches in height. This drawer is deep enough to support hanging file folders.
FF (File/File):
Term used in the industry to refer to a 2 drawer pedestal (small cabinet mounted under a desk or work surface) - it has 2 twelve inch drawers (file drawers).
Flipper Door:
Refers to the door on an overhead storage unit in a systems workstation. These doors are typically hinged at the top and lift up either on top of or into the storage unit for installation.
Freestanding:
Refers to freestanding office furniture systems installations.
G
Glide:
Round feet on bottoms of desks, file cabinets, office panels etc. used for leveling the item.
Grommet:
A plastic or metal covering for an opening primarily in casegood tops for routing wires and cords away from the worksurface.
Guest Chair:
Often referred to as Guest Conference or Side Chair, is a chair used by those who visit an office for the purpose of a meeting or conference. Design possibilities include a fixed base with glides, four-leg model, sled base, or cantilever base.
H
Half Height Pedestal/Hanging Ped:
A short stack of drawers, typically box/file that hangs underneath the desk top. It does not reach the floor.
Hutch:
Storage unit or cabinet that is mounted to the top of a lower unit, usually a credenza, - it can either have open shelves, or have doors enclosing it.
High Pressure Laminate (HPL):
Produced by taking several layers of phenolic resin impregnated kraft paper, overlaid with either a woodgrain or solid color paper and a plastic cap sheet, sandwiched together and pressed in a heat-up and cool-down cycle at approximately 300 degrees F and 1,200 psi. and is then adhered to core board.
I
Installation:
The construction of furniture including assembly and integration into the office space.
K
Keyboard Tray:
An accessory mounted under a desk or work surface that holds a computer keyboard, and allows it to remain under the surface or pulled out for use.
Knock Down (KD):
The dismantling of office furniture or cubicles, usually for the purpose of moving or reconfiguring it. (Also known as Tear Down).
Knee Tilt Mechanism:
A control mechanism that allows a chair to move vertically from the front portion of the seat.
Kneespace Credenza:
A credenza with drawer pedestals on both left and right sides, leaving the center open for someone to sit and work.
L
Laminate:
A material made by uniting two or more layers of material together. Used in the office furniture industry, typically for covering work surfaces, desks etc...
Lateral file:
An office filing cabinet that is wider than is deep to allow for side-to-side, or front-to-back filing. Standard widths are 30”, 36” and 42”.
Lead Time:
The amount of time needed for production and delivery of a piece of furniture after ordering.
Liquidation:
Selling a large quantity of used furniture.
L-Post:
The corner connector used when two panels meet at a 90 degree angle. Also referred to as a 2-way connector
L-Shape Desk:
The footprint of this desk or workspace forms the shape of a "L". Consists of a single pedestal main desk and a return on either the left or right side. If a desk is referred to as a right L-shape, it means the return is on the right hand side; a Left L-shape has the return on the left side.
Lumbar:
The vertebrae section between the thoracic vertebrae and sacrum. The “small” of your back.
M
Management Chair:
A midback chair designed for the person who spends much time seated at a desk. Usually sets upon a 5-prong base fitted with casters.
Managers Desk:
As a general rule manager's desks are typically 30"d x 60"w or 30"d x 66"w and will most likely be rectangular. Some manufacturers may offer a bow front or peninsula style in this size.
Mechanism:
The part of a chair that connects the seat assembly to the base. The mechanism allows adjustments such as tilt, swivel seat height, etc., to provide the user with optimum comfort and productivity.
Melamine:
A plastic resin used to coat direct pressure laminate, and used between the layers of high density laminate. Melamine may also refer to direct pressure laminate, which is less durable of the two laminates available for office furniture.
Modesty Panel:
Front panel on a desk, may be ¾ height or full to the floor, allowing wires and occupant's legs to be concealed.
Modular Office Furniture:
A term that is used interchangeably with "Systems", both terms refer to office furniture, typically cubicles (or workstations) that are flexible as far as installing, making changes, moving, rearranging etc.
Mobile Pedestal:
A small storage unit that has casters to allow for mobility. Typically used for office files and/or personal storage. Most can be ordered with a cushion on top to allow for informal seating.
P
P-Top Desk:
Similar to a bullet desk with the exception that the rounded end of the desk is deeper than the main desk depth forming a circle on the approach side of the desk - creating a "p-shape".
Panel Cart:
A piece of moving equipment with 4 rubber wheels (approx. 6") and high sides, used to move flat items such as cubicle panels, work surfaces, tables etc.
Paper Management:
Various systems of different shaped trays, made by some office furniture manufacturers, to manage paper in the office, - some systems hang on office panels, others sit on desks or work surfaces.
Pedestal:
A small cabinet with 2 or 3 drawers, that sits under, or is attached to the bottom of a desk or work surface.
Peninsula Top:
Also called a p-top, it is a primary work surface designed with one rounded end to provide a comfortable meeting space with multiple users gathered around.
Pneumatic Lift:
A lever located beneath the seat that utilizes a gas cylinder to quickly raise or lower the seat height.
Post Consumer Recycled Content:
Material that has been recovered after its use as a consumer product and is used to make another product. Examples include tennis shoes used to make playground surfaces or aluminum soda cans recovered to make more.
Post Leg:
A type of metal support leg used on tables that is a single column post. Four post legs are required on a typical rectangular table.
Power Pole:
A metal vertical pole that brings the building's electrical service from above a dropped ceiling to connect to the electrical system of a cubicle or group of cubicles.
Power Whip:
The flexible electrical wire harness that connects the buildings power supply to the electrical system in the panels of cubicles. (Also known as a “BPI”)
Pre-consumer Recycled Content:
Left-over or scrap material generated by a manufacturing process that is collected and reused to make new products. An example is fabric scraps from an upholstering process that are used to make automotive insulation.
Punch List:
The list that is generated after the project’s completion to indicate any items that are missing or damaged. Applies to architecture as well as to office furniture stems installations.
R
Raceway:
The channel provided within a systems furniture panel to run electrical wiring and telephone cabling to the outlets.
Reconfiguration:
Dismantling office cubicles and rearranging them into different sizes and shapes, using only the existing components, or with a combination of other compatible components.
Refurbishing:
The process of adding value by painting or otherwise “touching up” used furniture.
Remanufactured Furniture:
The reuse of core components in a workstation/cubicle that can be returned to a new condition with OEM warranties and safety assurances renewed as well. By utilizing components of a past carbon footprint an average savings of 30% to 50% can be realized over the purchase of products with a new carbon footprint.
Recycled Product:
A product made in whole or part from material recovered from the waste stream.
Relocation:
A complete or partial office move of office furniture.
Return:
A smaller work surface that is attached to a desk or larger main work surface at a right angle and serves to provide additional work space.
S
Schematic Plan:
A preliminary office space plan showing the proposed form and location of the primary components of the space. It provides, in plan view, a graphic depiction of the architectural elements, the systems furniture, and their interrelationship.
Space Plan:
A preliminary layout which graphically illustrates basic needs, future growth and adjacencies as defined by the project statement. It is drawn as if the building were “sliced” horizontally, the room and ceiling removed and view above.
Spine:
The Common center cubicle panel running down the middle of a systems workstation pod that all perpendicular modular panels connect into.
Stackable:
Items, typically chairs, which can be stacked to store many in a small area, thus offering extra space when necessary for big events.
Suspended Pedestals:
When pedestals only extend three/quarters below the work surface.
Swivel Tilt:
A mechanism that allows the chair to rotate or swivel side-to-side as well as tilt back.
Synchronous Control:
Allows the back and seat to move in a synchronized 2 to 1 ratio motion.
Systems:
Cubicle workstations created using various components such as moveable panels, worksurfaces, peds and other storage, overheads, etc.... Capable of running electric through the workstations, in addition to voice/data cabling.
T
T-Leg:
A type of metal support leg commonly used on tables, which resembles an upside down “T”. T-legs may come with casters or without and may have 1 column or 2.
T-Mold:
A plastic edge band surrounding a surface edge.
Tackable Panel:
A systems furniture panel with a built in tackable surface
Tackboard:
A fabric covered board that allows the user to tack notes, photos or important documents onto the surface for easy viewing. Tackboards can be mounted directly to a sheetrock wall, inside the back of hutches or onto panel systems that do not have tackable surfaces built into the cubicle walls.
Tailgate Delivery:
Typical delivery method whereby the trucking company is only required to deliver the furniture to the back of the truck. The customer must take it from there.
Task Chair:
The type of an office or desk chair. It is generally comfortable and adjustable and can swivel 360 degrees.
Task Light:
The additional light source commonly provided at a desk, workstation or cubicle. Can be freestanding or mounted under an overhead storage cabinet on systems furniture.
Tension Control:
A mechanical feature usually adjusted by a knob located under the seat of a chair that controls the degree of resistance the chair provides when leaning.
Tiled Panel:
A systems office furniture panel with a segmented lock housing multiple panel inserts. These inserts can be of varying materials to create an easy installation.
Top Cap:
The finished piece of the top of a workstation panel.
Transaction Top:
A small worksurface usually mounted to the top of a medium height panel, often used at a reception station or cubicle, for the purpose of assisting in conducting transactions between people on both sides.
Typing Height:
26” to 27” high to the top of the worksurface.
U
U-Shape Desk:
The footprint of this desk or workspace forms the shape of a "U". Consists of a single pedestal main desk, a bridge and a single pedestal credenza. Specifying right or left determined on which side of the main desk the bridge is located.
V
Veneer:
Thin sheet of wood sliced or sawn from a log, bolt or flitch. Veneer may be refferred to as a ply when assembled into a panel.
Vertical File:
An office filing cabinet that is deeper than it is wide, in which records can only be stored front to back.
Vertical Raceway Panel:
A systems panel with an interior vertical cavity to bring power and data above worksurface height.
W
Wall Mount:
To attach office furniture or accessories to a wall by using various pieces of hardware.
Wall Track:
A metal unit of hardware mounted to the wall for the purpose of hanging office components or accessories.
Waterfall:
Term used for the design of the front of a seat cushion. The waterfall shape avoids restriction of circulation of blood in the thighs and lower legs.
Whip:
An electrical component used with panel systems (cubicle workstations) to connect the power supply from the building to the electrical components in the cubicles. Whips must be hardwired to a junction box in the wall, floor or ceiling by a licensed electrician. The other end of the whip simply plugs into the electrical components in a panel run.
Whiteboard:
Another term for a dry-erase marker board typically used in offices or conference rooms. Some whiteboards are freestanding easels, some have doors that close, others can be wall mounted and some can even be incorporated in panel systems (cubicle workstations).
Wire Management:
Characteristics of a piece of office furniture that conceals wires and power cords from view.
Workstation:
An enclosed work area, generally constructed from systems furniture, most often comprised of panels, worksurfaces, and storage components.
Worksurface:
The top of the desk.
X
X-Post:
The office systems connector used when four panels meet at 90 degree angles. Also referred to as a 4-way connector.