Text equivalent
Section
Actual overall size, tongue, groove or lap dimensions.
Face
Visible surface, relief and edge treatment.
Interface
Mating component and installation orientation.
Record
Drawing revision, sample identity and tolerances.
A profile name describes a family. It cannot establish the dimensions or interface of a supplied board.
Download diagram (SVG)Original educational diagram · Hardwood Profiles · September 14, 2026.
Prepare a profile handoff
A useful profile record lets another person distinguish the visible design from the section that must actually be supplied. Give the section, face and interface the same profile identifier so photographs and drawings cannot be mistaken for unrelated examples.
Orient the section before dimensioning it
Mark the exposed face and intended installation orientation. Identify which edge engages its neighbor and which surface bears against the support or mating component. A mirrored section can look familiar while reversing the intended interface. Keep a drawing revision and units visible beside the dimensions.
Record only established dimensions. An undimensioned groove in a concept drawing should remain undimensioned until a supplied-product drawing or appropriate measurement establishes it. Separate a nominal product label from the actual overall width and thickness.
Show the face and the interface separately
The face record describes visible relief, surface treatment and edge easing. The interface record describes how the section meets its neighbor or a specified component. A pregrooved board can still have eased exposed edges: edge easing and the fastening groove describe different parts of the section.
Include a view of adjacent boards when it clarifies overlap or engagement, but identify the section being illustrated. A rendered joint is not evidence of a particular installed gap or mechanical fit. Reference the actual drawing for those dimensions.
Example: a revision that needs more than a new name
In a fictional review, a replacement drawing changes the groove position but keeps the same face width and product name. The visible elevation may look unchanged, yet the mating interface needs another review. Retain both revisions, identify which is proposed for supply, and ask the reviewer to address the changed feature rather than approving the appearance again.
Make the record usable at delivery
Connect the accepted drawing to the sample or supplied material identifier. Keep any agreed tolerances and unresolved features beside that reference. A checked box saying “profile approved” without a drawing revision leaves the receiving team unable to tell which section was intended.
Use the profile explorer to explain the views, then retain the supplied drawing as the dimensional authority. The sources and methods page explains the distinction between illustrative geometry and evidence.