lankku

Lankku is a Finnish noun that refers to a long, flat piece of wood. In carpentry and construction, a lankku is a wooden plank used as a structural element, for flooring, paneling, beams, or for miscellaneous DIY projects. The term denotes a solid, rectangular section of timber that is typically thicker and broader than a board, and it is commonly found in wood shops, construction catalogs, and home improvement discussions. Lankku is a native Finnish word and is widely understood in everyday language as well as professional contexts.

In practice, lankku comes in various dimensions and finishes. It can be planed smooth or left rustic, and it is used for both load-bearing and decorative purposes depending on its size, species, and treatment. Related terms in Finnish include lauta (board) and palkki (beam), which describe other timber forms with different shapes and applications.

Beyond construction, the word lankku is also used in fitness to describe the plank exercise, a core-strengthening posture performed in a straight line supported by the forearms or hands. In Finnish fitness contexts, the exercise is commonly referred to simply as a lankku, with variants such as sivulankku for side planks.

Overall, lankku is a versatile term in Finnish that uniquely identifies a timber slab while also appearing in contemporary gym vocabulary.