FACE-MOUNTED TILE: See Mounted Tile.
FACE SEAMS --Seams, either sewed or cemented, that are made without turning the entire carpet over or face down. They are made during installation where it is not possible to make back seams.
FACIAL DEFECT: That portion of the tile's facial surface which is readily observed to be nonconforming and which detracts from the aesthetic appearance or serviceability of the installed tile.
FADEOMETER--Standard laboratory device for testing a fabric's resistance to sunlight.
FADING -- Loss of color usually caused by exposure to sunlight or atmospheric gases.
FAIENCE TILE: Glazed or unglazed tile, generally made by the plastic process with characteristic variation in the face, edges and glaze. These variations produce a handcrafted, decorative effect.
FAN or FANNING: Spacing tile joints to widen certain areas so they will conform to a section that is not parallel.
Fancy Jasper - an opaque multi-colored stone; colors are muted and range from green-blue to pinkish to orange-yellow frequently in the same stone
Fascia --A broad and well defined continuous horizontal band of material at least header high. A flat, horizontal band, esp. one of two or three making up an architrave 
FASTNESS --Property of dye to retain its color when cloth is exposed to sun, perspiration, atmosphere, washing, or other color-destroying agents. The term fastness is a relative one. A dye may be reasonably fast to washing and only moderately fast to light. Fastness of color is tested by standard procedures.
Feather Edge --A thin edge with an arris considerably less than ninety degrees. It is so named because of its frailty when handled (see quirk miter).
FEATURE STRIP (CERAMIC)-(Decorates Lines): A narrow strip of tile that has a contrasting color, texture or trim.
                        (WOOD)- A molding accessory for parquet wood floors utilized to separate
squares into patterns larger than the individual parquet units. It is available in widths from 5/16" to 2", the same thickness as the parquet, and is available in various lengths. The strip is flat and may have grooves on both sides to match the tongues of adjacent
plank or parquet.
Feldspar - a common mineral composed of silica (Si), aluminum (Al), and calcium (Ca), potassium (K), or sodium (Na): CaAl2Si2O8,KAlSi3O8,NaAlSi3O8
FELTING -- The process of pressing or matting together various types of hair or fibers to form a continuous fabric, known as felt.
FIBER -- Any substance, natural or man-made, strong enough to be used in thread or yarn form for processing as a textile.
FIBERBOARD- A broad generic term inclusive of sheet materials of wisely varying
densities manufactured of refined or partially refined wood (or other vegetable) fibers. Bonding agents and other materials may be added to increase strength, resistance to moisture, fire, or decay, or to improve some other property.
FIBER CUSHION -- A term used to describe carpet cushion made by the needlepunch process out of animal hair, jute, other materials, or a blend. Some constructions are made with a rubber face and backed by hair or fiber.
FIBER RUGS -- Rugs made of specially prepared paper yarns in combination with cotton and wool yarn. Fiber rugs are reversible, come in plain or twill weaves, and are often sized.
FIBER SATURATION POINT- The stage in drying or wetting wood at which the
cell walls are saturated with water and the cell cavities are free from water. it is usually taken as approximately 30% moisture content, based on oven dry weight.
FIELD TILE: An area of tile covering a wall or floor. The field is usually bordered by tile trim.
FIGURE- Inherent markings, designs, or configurations in the surface of the wood produced by the annual growth rings, rays, knots and deviations from regular grain.
FILAMENT YARN -- A yarn made of two or more continuous monofilaments held together by twist or otherwise.
Filler- In woodworking, any substance used to fill the holes and irregularities in cleaned or standard surfaces to decrease in the porosity of the surface before applying finish coatings.
    wooded filler -- for cracks, knot holes, worm holes, etc. Usually a commercial wood putty, plastic wood, or other materials mixed to the consistency of putty. A wood filler may also be mixed on the job using sanding dust from the final sanding, or other suitable material, mixed with sealer, or finish.
Fillet --Continuous raised lug at the top back edge of a window sill. It serves as a moisture barrier and as a seat for the window sash.
FILLING YARN -- Yarns, usually of cotton, jute, or kraftcord, running across a woven fabric and used with the chain yarns to bind the, pile tufts to the backing yarns.
FILM YARNS -- (Cut-film or slit-film yarns) Yarns composed of one or more continuous narrow strips of man-made film (usually slit-film, but strips may be extruded), or incorporating one or more strips as a major component.
Fines --Aggregate passing a #4 sieve.
FINISHING --A final process through which fabrics are put, such as: shearing, steaming, application of secondary back or cushion, application of soil retardant or anti-static material, etc.
fire resistance -- the property of a material or assembly, to withstand fire or give protection from it.
Fire retardant -- a chemical or preparation of chemicals used to reduce a flammability or to retard spread of a fire over the surface.
FIRING: The controlled heat treatment of ceramic tile in a kiln during the process of manufacture, to develop the desired properties.
flag -- a heavy dark mineral streak in wood shaped like a banner.
Flag worm hole -- one or more worm holes in wood surrounded by a mineral streak.
Flame spread -- the propagation of a flame away from the source of ignition across the surface to the light or a solid, or through the volume of gaseous mixture.
flecks -- the wide irregular conspicuous figure in quarter sawn oak wood flooring. ( Also, see rays, wood)
FLEXIBILITY -- The property of bending without breaking.
FLOAT -- 1. A planned part of the design in which the face yarn is carried over two or more wires. 2. A defect in the face of carpet resulting from a long loose end of face yarn that is not securely fastened into the back.
FLOAT COAT: The final mortar coat over which the neat coat, pure coat or skim coat is applied.
FLOAT STRIP: A strip of wood about 1/4 inch thick and 1-1/4 inches wide. t is used as a guide to align mortar surfaces.
FLOATING: A method of using a straight-edge to align mortar with float strips or screeds. This technique is used by specialists when they are setting glass mosaic murals.
FLOCKED CARPET -- Velvety pile carpet composed of short fibers embedded on an adhesive-coated backing.
Fluorite - a transparent stone; green and purple with clear areas or bands.
FLUFFING -- Appearance on the carpet surface of loose fiber fragments left during manufacture. This characteristic of carpet diminishes after carpet use and vacuuming.
Form --See Mould.
Fossil - remains or trace of a plant or animal preserved in a rock from some past, prehistoric time
FRAMES -- Racks at the back of a Jacquard loom, each holding a different color of pile yarn. In Wilton carpets, two to six frames may be used and the number is a measure of quality as well as an indication of the number of colors in the pattern, unless some of the yarns are buried in the backing.
Frieze --Flat unit of an entablature located between the architrave and cornice.
FRIEZE YARN -- A tightly twisted yarn that gives a rough, nubby appearance to the pile. In addition to use in plain colors, it is employed to form designs against plain grounds and thus gives an engraved effect.
FROST-PROOF TILES: Tile manufactured for use where freezing and thawing conditions occur.
FREEZE-THAW STABILITY: The ability of a tile to withstand the cycle of freezing and thawing without cracking.
Full Bed --A horizontal joint completely filled with mortar.
FULL ROLL -- A length of carpet, described in the carpet industry as being over 30 feet of a standard width.
FURAN GROUT: An intimate mixture of a furan resin, selected fillers and an acid catalyst. Fillers are generally carbon, silica or combination thereof into which the acid catalyst, or setting agent, may be incorporated. When combined, the components form a trowelable material for buttering or pointing tile.
FURAN RESIN: A chemical resistant acid catalyzed condensation reaction product from furfural alcohol, furfural or combinations thereof
FURRING: Stripping used to build out a surface such as a studded wall. Strips of suitable size are added to the studs to accommodate vent pipes, shower pans, tubs or other fixtures.
FUZZING -- Hairy effect on fabric surface caused by wild fibers or slack yarn twist, by fibers slipping out of yarn in either service or wet cleaning. It is sometimes correctable by shearing. Carpet of continuous filament yarn is fuzzed by filament snagging and breaking. (See FLUFFING.)