What does furring mean?
Furring is a term with two distinct applications. In construction, it denotes the thin strips of timber or metal — often called furring strips or channels — that are fixed to a wall, ceiling, or floor to level an uneven surface, create an insulating air cavity, or provide a framework to which plasterboard or panelling can be attached. This is by far the more common meaning today, familiar to builders and renovators alike. In clothing, furring refers to fur used as the inner lining of a garment, so that the pelt lies against the wearer's body while the outer face shows leather or fabric. The word derives ultimately from 'fur', reflecting its origins in the garment trade before being adopted by the building trades. Though rarely encountered outside specialist contexts, furring is useful vocabulary for anyone discussing interior finishing, insulation, or fine outerwear, and it carries a practical, workmanlike connotation in construction settings.
nounFurring refers to strips of wood or metal applied to a wall, ceiling, or floor to level it or create an air space before fixing boards or panels; it can also mean fur used as a lining on the inside of a garment.
- In construction: thin strips of wood or metal fixed to a surface to level it, create an air gap, or provide a fixing point for boards and panels.
- In clothing: fur used as the inner lining of a garment, as opposed to fur worn on the outside.
"The contractor attached metal furring channels to the concrete wall before hanging the drywall."
"Before installing the plasterboard, the carpenters screwed furring strips across the uneven masonry."
"Her vintage coat was beautifully furred with plush sable inside."
Rarely pluralised; in practice the trade speaks of 'furring strips' as individual pieces rather than a formal plural of the noun.
"The installer laid out a dozen furring strips along the ceiling joists."
The word 'furring' lives a double life: in a tailor's atelier it means fur sewn inside your coat, but on a building site the same word names the humble wooden strips that hold up your drywall.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of furring
The word derives from 'fur', meaning the hairy coat of an animal, which came into English from Old French 'fourre' or related forms, ultimately traced to Germanic roots. In medieval and early modern usage, 'furring' described the craft of lining garments with fur, and the verb 'to fur' meant to line with fur. The construction sense developed later, extending metaphorically from 'lining' a wall to the practice of applying strips to build out a surface.
How furring is actually used
Both senses are technical rather than everyday words. The construction sense dominates modern usage, especially in North American building trades, where 'furring strips' or 'furring channels' are standard terminology. The clothing sense is older and now mostly appears in descriptions of vintage or luxury garments.
Easily confused with furring
Fur is the soft hairy coat of an animal itself, while furring is either the process/structure of applying furring strips in construction or fur applied as an inner lining to a garment.