sivulautaa

Sivulautaa is a Finnish term that denotes a side panel or side board used in carpentry and furniture making. The word combines sivu, meaning side, and lauta, meaning board. In everyday Finnish, sivulauta refers to the board that forms or closes the side of a piece of furniture, a cabinet, or a box, contributing to its finished appearance and structure. The form sivulautaa is the partitive singular.

Usage and context: In furniture construction, sivulautaa provides structural support, defines outer dimensions, and covers internal framing. It can be part of chests, dressers, bookcases, or drawers; it can be decorative or functional. In workshop plans or restoration work, sivulautaa may be cut to fit precisely, and joined or fastened with nails, screws, or woodworking joints such as butt, mitre, or dowel joints, depending on design.

Materials and finishes: Sivulautaa is typically made from solid wood (for example pine, spruce, beech, or other hardwoods), but it can also be plywood or laminated panel in modern production. Finishes may include paint, varnish, stain, or veneer. The thickness and profile of sivulautaa vary with the intended load, span, and aesthetic, and it may be routed to create decorative edges or profiles.

Linguistic notes: Sivulautaa is the partitive singular form of sivulauta; the nominative singular is sivulauta and the plural is sivulautat. The term is used primarily in Finnish-language texts dealing with furniture construction, carpentry, and related crafts.