Have you ever been in a meeting or in a conversation where someone refers to terms specific to their industry and it feels as if they are rattling off a bunch of mumbo jumbo? It’s a situation almost everyone has been in at one time or another, and it’s a pretty confusing and uncomfortable spot to be in. When someone uses industry specific jargon it can be hard for clients or outside partners to understand. Which is why our team at SCI wanted to create a terminology guide of some common words related to the commercial furniture world. Here are just a few of the terms that we work with every day to help you better understand how to navigate and talk about the furniture in your workplace.


  1. Acoustical Panel– A panel built with acoustical properties to absorb sound within the entire workspace.
  2. Adjustable Arms– Refers to the arms on a task chair. Adjustability typically includes height, width, and rotation.
  3. AutoCAD– A commonly used computer program by architects and designers to create drawings.
  4. Casegoods-Furniture that is typically made of metal, glass, wood, or other hard materials. They are often delivered already put together rather than in pieces.
  5. Casters– A small wheel that is added to a piece of furniture, typically chairs, to allow the furniture piece to move around easily.
  6. Dealer– A company who receives furniture from a manufacturer under special terms and can sell to customers often at a reduced price.
  7. Ergonomics– The relationship between furniture and how it adapts to our human requirements of comfort and adaptability.
  8. Glides- Adjustable feet that are placed on a large piece of furniture to make the item level.
  9. Grommet- A finished hole in a piece of office furniture that allows for wires to go through easily.
  10. Installers– Someone who has been trained and/or certified to install, put together, reconfigure, take apart, and relocate furniture.
  11. Keyboard Tray- A tray that attaches underneath a desk to hold your computer keyboard that often has adjustability features specific to the user.
  12. Lateral File- A filing cabinet that is more wide than deep to fit side to side filing or front to back filing.
  13. Lead Time- The total amount of time calculated for production and delivery for furniture after it is ordered.
  14. Lumbar Support- An option on task seating that provides support for your lower back.
  15. Mobile Pedestal- A mobile storage unit with casters that is used for storage of files or personal items.
  16. Monitor Arms- Mount and lift computer screens in order to provide ergonomic relief and save space on a worksurface.
  17. Pneumatic Height Adjustment- An adjustment on a task chair that allows each user to determine the height of the seat based on their size.
  18. Punchlist- A list that is created and checked off after a project is completed to access any missing or damaged parts.
  19. Raceway- The channel within a furniture panel that allows wiring and cabling to run through to the outlets.
  20. Return- A side surface that stems out from an original worksurface creating an L-shaped desk.
  21. Specifications- The detailed order information for furniture, often includes size, features, color, and finish.
  22. Task Chair- A chair to work productively in, sometimes including special features and meeting ergonomic requirements.
  23. Vertical File- A filing cabinet that is more deep than wide so files can only be organized front to back.
  24. Wardrobe Cabinet- A storage unit in a workspace that is designed to hold personal belongings such as a coat, purse, or other hanging items.
  25. Wire Management- The parts or add-ons of a piece of furniture that contribute to hiding wires and power cords.