Terminology and Glossary

When it comes to TV entertainment centers, there’s a lot of terminology you might not be familiar with. There are various design, furniture, and construction terms that are good to know if you’re shopping for a new unit. Check out some of the TV entertainment center-related terms below and get familiar with the language of entertainment centers.

Banding: a special veneer that is divided into small, thin strips and placed on various furniture to add decorative effect.

Canterbury: a small magazine rack that is typically portable in nature.

Case Piece: Any piece of furniture that offers interior storage space.

Chamfer: a corner or edge of a furniture piece that is cut at a distinct angle. The edge might also be beveled.

Center Glide: common in TV entertainment centers, it is a center track that allows for the TV to rest on a stand and be pulled in and out of the unit.

Chinoiserie: a popular Chinese design that involves painting/lacquering.

Console: A table that is fixed to a wall and supported by one or more carved legs. Also any table meant to be placed against a wall.

Double Doweled: a joint that involves two joined pieces of wood that are connected via two dowel pins instead of one. This provides added durability and security.

Dovetail: a specific joint that involves interlocking two pieces of wood with special cuts at the end.

Dowel: a wooden pin used to attach pieces of wood.

Entertainment Center: a shelving unit designed to house your TV, radio and stereo equipment, and other multimedia devices. TV entertainment centers come in all sizes and vary greatly in style.

Gallery: a small ornamental railing placed on cabinets and tables often for decorative purposes but also to protect items from falling off.

Hardwood: any wood that is derived from angiosperms. Hardwoods include oak, beech, maple, mahogany, and walnut).

High Pressure Laminates: a synthetic material applied to the front of furniture that add protection to the piece. They protect against heat, soil, and stains. These types of laminates are treated with paints, lacquers, and other finishing materials to go along with the overall look of the furniture piece it’s protecting.

Inlay: a material added to a furniture piece to create design accents and add beauty.

Pressboard: a durable board often used for case backs and other elements of furniture. Also known as composition board or particle board.

Soft Woods: woods from a conifer. A conifer is any seed-bearing tree. Softwoods include pine, cedar and redwood.

TV Cavity: the space in a TV entertainment center or cabinet unit designed to hold your television. The TV cavity is designed to hold up to a certain size TV set, including height and depth.

TV Stand: a stand designed specifically to hold a TV. Also commonly referred to as a TV table.

Veneer: a thin decorative piece of wood applied to underlying wood solids or particleboard. Veneers are used to match and balance grain, create inlay and banding effects.

Wall Units: a larger free-standing or wall hung unit that contains drawers, shelves, cabinets, desks, ban units, entertainment centers or other features.

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