A.B.C.D.E.F.G.H.I.J.K.L.M.N.O.P.Q.R.S.T.U.V.W-Z

Malachite - green, green, green. This is an opaque, banded stone; the colors in the bands range from a very light green to almost black.
Marble - a metamorphic rock, chiefly composed of calcium carbonate
MARBLE TILE: Marble cut into tiles, usually 3/8 inch to 3/4 inch thick. Available in various finishes, including polished, honed and split face.
MASTER GRADE CERTIFICATE: A certificate which states that the tile listed in the shipment and described on the certificate are made in accordance with ANSI Al 37. 1.
MASTIC: Tile adhesives.
Metamorphic - changed; usually by heat or pressure to a different form but the same composition
MEXICAN PAVER TILE: Hand-made tiles that vary in color, texture and appearance and which are used mainly on floors. The terracotta like tiles are made in hexagon, octagon, elongated hexagon, fleur-de-lis, square and other shapes. Coated with various types of sealers to provide a wearing surface.
MIA: Marble Institute of America.
Mica - a silicate mineral that forms sheets or layers and contains aluminum, hydroxyl, and alkali ions: K2Al4Si6Al2O20(OH,F)4, K2(Mg,Fe)6Si6Al2O20(OH,F)4
Mineral - a naturally occurring inorganic substance with an ordered structure; rocks are made of one or more minerals
MMSA: Materials & Methods Standards Association.
MONOCOTTURA: Method of producing tile by a single firing. Tiles may be glazed or unglazed.
Moonstone - translucent milky stone with a little iridescence (catches the light much like Tiger's Eye). Can be found in several colors, most common are whitish-clear, various shades of grey, and light peach.
Moss Agate - not an agate, but a chalcedony. Semi-transparent to opaque, mostly a variety of green tones with a little white or clear.
MORTAR BED: The layer of mortar on which tile is set. The final coat of mortar on a wall, floor or ceiling is called a mortar bed.
MOSAICS: Small tiles or bits of tile, stone or glass which are used to form a surface or a intricate pattern.
MOUNTED TILE: Tile assembled into units or sheets using suitable material to facilitate handling and installation. Tile may be face-mounted or edge mounted.

• FACE-MOUNTED TILE ASSEMBLIES: May have paper or other suitable material applied to the face of each tile, usually with water soluble adhesives for easy removal after installation, but prior to grouting the joints.
• BACK-MOUNTED TILE ASSEMBLIES: May have perforated paper, fiber mesh, resin or other suitable material bonded to the back of each tile which becomes an integral part of the tile installation.
• EDGE-MOUNTED TILE ASSEMBLIES: Are mounted together solidly at the edges with the bonding material also serving as grout. Joints between sheets are grouted on the job.
  • Back-mounted and edge-mounted tile assemblies shall have a sufficient exposure of tile and joints surrounding each tile to comply with bond strength requirements.
  • Tile manufacturers must specify whether back-mounted and edge-mounted tile assemblies are suitable for installation in swimming pools, on exteriors or in wet areas.

MUD: A slang term for mortar.
MURALS: Tile installed in a precise area of a wall or floor to provide a decorative design or picture. Glass or marble mosaic tile (tesserae) made to form a picture or design. Ceramic tile painted and fired to form a picture or design.

Manufacturing defects -- includes all defects or blemishes that are produced in manufacturing. Such as chipped grain, torn grain, skips in dressing, hit and misses ( a series of surface areas with skips between them), variation in matching, machine burn, mismatching.
MARKER -- 1. A distinguishing thread line woven in the back toward the right edge to enable the workroom or installer to assemble breadths of carpet and have the pile lay in one and same direction. 2. A pattern marking point of a distinguishing color woven into the back close to each edge to enable the workroom or the installer to assemble breadths of carpet and match the pattern when working on the under side.
Masonry --Construction made by the laying of units of substantial material such as brick, block and stone.
MATCH, SET OR DROP -- In a set-match carpet pattern, the figure matches straight across on each side of the carpet width; in a drop-match, the figure matches midway of the design; in a quarter drop-match, the figure matches one-quarter of the length of the repeat on the opposite side.
MATTING--Extreme pile crush combined with entanglement of fibers and tufts
Medallion --An ornamental unit.
MEDULLARY RAYS -- strips of cells extending radially within a tree and varying in height from a few cells in some species to four or more inches in Oak. The rays serve primarily to store food and transported it horizontally in the trees. on quarter sawn Oak, the rays form a conspicuous figure, sometimes referred to as flecks.
MENDING -- (Picking) A hand operation carried out on carpet before finishing to remove any knots and loose ends of yarn, to insert pile tufts where missing, and to replace and repair backing yarns as required.
METALLIC FIBER --A manufactured fiber composed of metal, plastic-coated metal, metal-coated plastic, or a core completely covered by metal. The most important characteristic of metallic fiber in carpet is to reduce build-up of static electricity.
MILL END -- The remainder of a roll of carpet, generally described in the carpet industry as being over 9 feet in length, but under 21 feet in length, by the width of the roll from which it was cut.
Mineral streak -- Wood containing an accumulation of mineral matter introduced by sap flow, causing and unnatural color ranging from greenish brown to black.
MITER -- The junction of two pieces of carpet, wood, or other material at an angle; usually 45 degrees to form a right angle, but may be any combination of angles.
Mixed media -- a wood floor that is predominantly wood but incorporates other material such as slate, stone, ceramic, marble, or metal.
Model --The positive shape that represents the final product. A mould is formed around a model.
Modillion --Ornamental block located under the corona of a cornice.
Moisture content -- the amount of moisture in wood expressed as a percentage of the weight of the oven dried wood.
    NOFMA hardwood flooring is manufactured at 6% to 9% moisture content, with a 5% allowance for pieces up to 12% moisture content.
    APA parquet flooring is to be 7% to 11% moisture content at time of shipment. 5% of the flooring may be outside of this range.
MOLDING --A strip, generally of wood, at the bottom of a baseboard wall, to cover the joint between wall and floor. Any linear plane which deviates from a flat surface.
MONOFILAMENT -- A filament large and strong enough to be used directly as yarn for making textiles through any established process.
MORESQUE -- A special coloring or textural effect created by winding together in the spinning process two or more yarns of different colors or tones of the same color.
Mortar --A blend of cement, lime, sand, and water which is applied at a pliable consistency to bond masonry units.
Mosaic parquet -- a parquet flooring made up of small solid pieces of wood (slats) assembled in units that may consist of individual squares, units with slats arranged in single or double herring bone design, or units or squares bordered with slats of the same or contrasting species.
Mould --A form in which material is shaped. It can be constructed from wood, plaster, rubber, fiberglass, and other materials.
Mullion --A vertical member which forms a separation from adjacent window or door frames.
MULTIFILAMENT -- Yarns made of many filaments plied or spun together. The finer the filaments spun together, the softer and more luxurious the yarn and textiles made from it.