| Abrasives |
Substances
rubbed on wood to smooth the surface. Flint,
garnet, aluminum oxide, and silicon carbide are
common abrasives. |
| ABS pipe |
A type of
plastic pipe frequently used in plumbing. The
letters "ABS" are an abbreviation for
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene. The plastic is
black and is most frequently used in the form of
schedule 40 pipe. |
| Access panel |
A cover for a
portal necessary to reach plumbing or other
systems behind a wall. |
| Acre |
A unit of
measurement equal to 43,560 square feet. |
| Actual
dimension |
Size of boards
or lumber, distinguished from "nominal
dimensions". Term 2x4 is a nominal dimension. |
| Adapter |
A fitting that
joins pipes and other plumbing components not
designed to connect directly. |
| Adhesive |
A material
capable of holding other materials together by
surface attachment. Glues, cements, pastes, and
mucilage are some common adhesives. |
| Adjustable rate
mortgage (ARM) |
A mortgage loan
in which the interest rate is tied to a certain
monetary index, and changes upward or downward
to follow the index. |
| Aerator |
A device
screwed into a faucet spout that mixes air with
the flow of water to reduce splashing. |
| Agent |
A person (such
as a real estate agent) authorized by a
principal to transact or manage some business on
his or her behalf. |
| Aggregate |
Hard materials
such as sand and crushed stone used to make
concrete. |
| Air duct |
A formed
conduit that carries warm or cold air to rooms
from the furnace or air-conditioner and back
again. |
| Air-dried
lumber |
Lumber that has
been dried by being stored in yards or sheds for
any length of time. |
| Air-entrained |
Concrete
suffused with tiny air bubbles, making it more
workable and better able to withstand frost. |
| Airway |
A space between
roof insulation and roof sheathing for movement
of air. |
| Alligatoring |
Coarse checking
pattern characterized by a slipping of the new
paint coating over the old coating to the extent
that the old coating can be seen through the
fissures. |
| Alternating
current (AC) |
Electrical
current which reverses direction regularly (60
hertz, or cycles per second, in the
US). As opposed to DC or direct current which
does not reverse direction. |
| Amortized loan |
A mortgage loan
that is paid in periodic installments that
include interest and part of the
principal so that the principal will be paid in
full at the end of the term of the loan. |
| Ampere |
Also referred
to as amp, the rate of flow of electricity
through electric wires. |
| Anchor bolt |
A bolt placed
in the surface of concrete for attaching wood
framing members. |
| Angle iron |
L-shaped steel
support used to support masonry over an opening. |
| Annual interest
rate |
The interest
rate on a mortgage loan based on the nominal
amount of the loan without deducting the points
and finance charges. |
| Appraisal |
An estimate of
the market value of a property. |
| Appraiser |
A professional
trained to appraise properties. |
| Apron |
The flat part
of the inside trim of a window. It is placed
against the wall directly beneath the window
sill. Also, concrete slab at the approach to a
driveway or garage door. |
| Apron |
Concrete slab
at the approach to a garage door- Also the wood
trim below a window stool. |
| Arbitration |
A procedure to
settle differences or disputes between two
parties through an impartial third party. |
| Arbor |
A shaft or
spindle on which a tool is mounted. |
| Asphalt |
A brown to
black bituminous substance. Most native asphalt
is a residue from evaporated petroleum. Asphalt
is used widely in building for such items as
waterproofing roof coverings of many types,
exterior wall coverings, and flooring tile. |
| Assessed value |
A value placed
on a property by a public officer or a board as
a basis for taxation. |
| Assessment |
A charge
against real property made by a branch of
government to cover the proportionate cost of an
improvement such as street or sewer. |
| Assignee |
A person to
whom a right or property is transferred. |
| Astragal |
A molding,
attached to one of a pair of swinging doors,
against which the other door strikes. French
doors use this as the stop. |
| Attic |
The accessible
space located between the top of the ceiling and
the underside of the sloped roof. |
| Attic
ventilators |
Openings in the
roof or in gables for the purpose of allowing
air to circulate. |
|
Attorney-in-fact |
A person who is
given written authority by another person to
sign documents on his or her behalf. |
| Awning |
Shading device
mounted above a window. |
| Awning window |
A window that
is hinged near the top so the bottom opens
outward. |
| Backfill |
The replacement
of earth into a trench or pier excavation around
and against a basement foundation. |
| Backhoe |
An excavating
machine with a bucket at one end and a hoe at
the other end. |
| Backsplash |
The raised lip
on the back edge of a countertop to prevent
water from running down the backs of the
cabinets. |
| Ballast |
Required in all
fluorescent fixtures, it is an electrical
component that limits the flow of
electricity into a bulb. |
| Balloon framing |
A system of
framing a building in which all vertical
structural elements of the bearing walls and
partitions consist of single pieces. These
pieces extend from the top of the foundation
sill plate to the roof plate, and all floor
joists are fastened to them. |
| Balusters |
Usually small
vertical members in a railing used between a top
rail and the stair treads or a bottom rail. |
| Balustrade |
A railing made
up of balusters, top rail, and sometimes bottom
rail, used on the edge of stairs, balconies, and
porches. |
| Barge rafter |
Outside roof
rafter, usually on the overhang of a gable. This
ends up being the fascia board for the gable. |
| Base shoe or
shoe molding |
A strip of wood
next to the floor on interior baseboard. Similar
to quarter round only 5/8" x 3/4" in size. |
| Base, baseboard |
A board placed
along the bottom of a wall next to the floor. |
| Batt insulation |
Flexible,
blanket like pieces, usually fiberglass used for
thermal or sound insulation. As
opposed to loose fill insulation which is blown
in place. |
| Batten |
Narrow strip of
wood used to cover joints between boards of
sheet material. |
| Batter boards |
A pair of
horizontal boards nailed to posts set at the
corners of an excavation. They indicate the
proper level and serve as a fastening place for
stretched cord to show the outlines of
foundation walls. |
| Bay window |
Any window
space projecting outward from the walls of a
building. The bay must be square or polygonal in
plan. |
| Beam |
Any major
horizontal structural member. |
| Beam pocket |
A recessed area
to hold the end of a beam in a concrete or
masonry wall. |
| Bearing
partition/wall |
A partition
that supports any vertical load in addition to
its own weight. |
| Bed molding |
A molding in an
angle, as between the overhanging cornice, or
eaves, of a building and the sidewalls. |
| Bedding sand |
Coarse sand,
like that added to concrete mixes, used to make
the bed for setting pavers or bricks. |
| Belt course |
A horizontal
board carried at the same level across or around
a building. It is usually made of a flat member
and a molding. |
| Bench mark |
A mark on a
permanent object indicating a verified
elevation, used by surveyors as a reference
point. |
| Berm |
A low,
artificially made mound of earth which adds
height and depth to a flat landscape; often used
in rock gardens, landscaped with rocks and
plants. |
| Bevel |
An angular
surface across an edge of a piece of stock. |
| Bevel siding
(lap siding) |
A type of
finish siding used on the exterior of a house.
It is usually manufactured by resawing a dry,
squared, surfaced board diagonally to produce
two wedge-shaped pieces. |
| Beveled cut |
An angled cut. |
| Biscuit |
Wooden wafer
placed in a slot that bridges and strengthens
the joining of two pieces of wood. |
| Bleaching |
A method of
lightening the color of wood by applying
chemicals. |
| Bleeding |
Seeping of a
stain or lower coat through the top coat,
spoiling the appearance of the top coat. |
| Blend |
Mixture, as of
two pigments, to obtain a desired color. |
| Blind nailing |
Nails driven so
nailheads are not visible. Nails driven at an
angle through the tongue of
hardwood flooring, so the groove of the
adjoining board conceals the nailhead. |
| Blind stop |
A rectangular
molding, usually 3/4 by 1 3/8 inches or more in
width, used in the assembly of a window frame.
Serves as a stop for storm and screen or
combination windows and to resist air
infiltration. |
| Blisters |
Cloudy or
milky-looking raised spots on finished surfaces. |
| Block plane |
A small hand
tool used to shave off or smooth lumber. |
| Board |
Lumber less
than 2" thick and 1" or more wide. |
| Board foot |
A unit of
lumber equal to a board 12"x12"x1 inch thick. |
| Boiled linseed
oil |
Linseed oil to
which enough lead, manganese, or cobalt salts
have been added to make the oil harden more
rapidly when spread in thin coatings. |
| Boston ridge |
Applying
asphalt or wood shingles at the ridge or at the
hips of a roof as a finish. |
| Bottom chord |
The bottom
horizontal member in a truss. |
| Bottom or sole
plate |
The bottom
framing member of a wall, usually either 2 x 4
or 2 x 6. The plate is nailed to the bottom of
the studs and to the floor joist or sheathing
below it. |
| Bow |
The distortion
in a board that is no longer flat lengthwise,
but has remained flat across its faces. |
| Box sill |
The header
joist nailed across the ends of floor joists at
the sill. |
| Bracket |
A brace
extending from a wall to support a weight, such
as a shelf. |
| Brad |
A fine
finishing nail with a small head. |
| Breezeway |
A covered and
sometimes enclosed walkway from one point to
another. Commonly used to connect a garage to a
house. |
| Brick mold |
Standard wood
molding used as outside casing around doors and
windows. |
| Brick veneer |
A facing of
brick laid against and fastened to the sheathing
of a frame wall.Bridging
Small wood or metal members inserted in a
diagonal position between the floor joists. They
brace the joists and spread the loads. |
| British thermal
unit (Btu) |
The amount of
heat required to raise the temperature of one
pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. |
| Broom finish |
A
slip-resistant texture created by running a
stiff broom across fresh concrete. |
| Buck |
Assembly of the
framing that constitutes a rough door or window
opening. |
| Builder-grade |
A trade term
meaning a product of average quality normally
found in production-built housing. |
| Building codes |
Municipal rules
regulating safe building practices and
procedures. The codes generally encompass
structural, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical
remodeling and new construction. Inspection may
be required to confirm adherence to local codes. |
| Building
restriction lines |
The outside
edge of the area on a property that can be built
on. |
| Built-up roof |
A roofing
composed of three to five layers of asphalt felt
laminated with coal tar, pitch, or asphalt. The
top is finished with crushed slag or gravel.
Generally used on flat or low-pitch roofs. |
| Bull float |
A large, long
handled float used for reaching into the center
and smoothing a large slab of concrete. |
| Bulldozer |
An excavating
machine on tracks (crawler), with a steel blade
that can be raised or lowered attached to its
front. It is used to move earth from place to
place and to shape the grade. |
| Burl |
(1) A hard,
woody outgrowth on a tree, more or less rounded
in form, usually resulting from the entwined
growth of a cluster of buds. Burls are the
source of highly figured veneers used for
ornamental purposes.
(2) A localized distortion of the grain, found
both in lumber and in veneer. Generally rounded
in outline, it is usually the result of an
overgrowth of dead branch stubs.
Diameter may vary from 1/2" to several inches. A
burl often includes one or more clusters, each
usually having a core or pith but little end
grain surrounding it. |
| Butt hinges |
Standard
hinges. |
| Butt joint |
A square-cut
joint where the ends of two pieces meet. |
| Butter |
Applying mortar
to stones or bricks. |
| Cabinet |
A shop or
job-built unit for kitchens or other rooms.
Often includes combinations of drawers, doors,
and the like. |
| Cantilever |
To overhang
such as a projecting beam supported at only one
end. |
| Cap |
The upper
member of a column, pilaster, door cornice,
molding, and the like. |
| Carpenter's
glue |
Yellow and
white adhesives formulated specifically for
woodworking. |
| Carriage |
The supporting
members for stair treads. Usually a 2" plank
notched to receive the treads; sometimes termed
a stringer. |
| Casement window |
A window that
is hinged at one side so the opposite side opens
outward. |
| Casing |
The trim around
a door or window. A Cased opening is an open
doorway with trim around it. A cased window is a
window with trim around it. |
| Catch basin |
In a man-made
stream or watercourse, a small depression or
basin designed to hold water. |
| Caulking |
A waterproof,
adhesive filler material that remains flexible
so it will not pop or flake out of seams and
cracks. |
| CDX plywood |
An inexpensive,
exterior-grade plywood. C grade on one side, D
grade on the other, exterior glue used. |
| Ceiling joist |
Structural
members providing support for a second story
floor and a nailing surface for a lower story's
ceiling. |
| Cellulose |
(1) The
principal substance in the framework or walls of
wood cells.
(2) An organic substance obtained from the
cotton plant and used as raw material in the
manufacture of paints and other materials. |
| Cement |
Usually refers
to portland cement. A fine gray powder that
produces a bonding paste when mixed with water.
(Cement Siding...See Siding) |
| Centerline |
An actual or
imaginary line through the exact center of any
object. |
| Certificate of
occupancy |
A certificate
issued by the building department stating that
the house has been built in
accordance with the local building code and
zoning ordinance, and may be occupied. |
| Chair rail |
A horizontal
strip of molding mounted at the proper height
and protruding enough to prevent the top of a
chair back from touching a wall surface. (See
also Wainscoting.) |
| Chalk line |
An instrument
with colored chalk and string used to mark a
straight line between two points. |
| Chamfer |
A beveled
surface cut on the corner of a piece of wood. |
| Chamfered edge |
Molding with
pared-off corners. |
| Change order |
A term applied
to a written agreement allowing a change from
previously agreed-to plans. |
| Chase |
An opening made
in a wall or through a floor to accommodate
pipes or ducts. |
| Circuit |
The electrical
path that connects one or more outlets and/or
lighting fixtures to a single
circuit breaker or fuse on the control panel. |
| Circuit breaker |
A protective
device that opens a circuit, cutting off the
power automatically when an overcurrent or
short-circuit occurs. |
| Clamp |
A device that
holds things together; often used to hold pieces
together while the glue dries. |
| Clapboard |
A type of
siding. It consists of narrow boards which are
usually thicker at one edge than the other. |
| Cleanout |
A plug in a
trap or drainpipe that provides access to
blockages inside. |
| Clearance |
The amount of
space needed for the proper and/or safe use of
various installations- for opening appliance and
cabinet doors and drawers, for example. |
| Cleat |
A strip of
material, such as wood, fastened to another
piece to strengthen it or to furnish a grip. |
| Clinch |
To bend the
point of a nail after it has passed through both
pieces that it is to fasten, thereby locking it
together. |
| Close-grained
wood |
Woods with
narrow, inconspicuous annual rings. The term is
sometimes used for wood having small and closely
spaced pores. |
| Closet bend |
An elbow-shape
fitting beneath a toilet that carries the waste
to the main drain. |
| Closing costs |
Expenses
incurred to settle a loan transaction. They can
include: legal fees, appraisal fees, survey
fees, insurance, and other related expenses. |
| Coarse-grained
wood |
Wood with wide,
conspicuous annual rings, indicating
considerable difference between springwood and
summerwood. The term is sometimes used for wood
with large pores such as oak, ash, chestnut, and
walnut. |
| Cobblestones |
Naturally
rounded stones with dimensions between two and
12 inches; used in paths, terraces, xeriscapes,
and water features. |
| Code
enforcement officer |
An authorized
representative of the building code enforcement
office. The individual responsible for the
approval or denial of code inspections and the
party responsible for issuing a certificate of
occupancy. |
| Collar tie |
A horizontal
piece of lumber that connects rafters opposite
each other and prevents them from spreading
apart. |
| Column |
A vertical
support (often square, rectangular, or
cylindrical), as for roofs or ceilings. |
| Combination
doors or windows |
Doors or
windows with self-storing or removable glass and
screen inserts. The need for handling a
different unit each season is thus eliminated. |
| Common nail |
Large-diameter
nail for rough framing. |
| Common rafter |
A rafter
extending from the top of the wall to the ridge. |
| Compression
fitting |
A type of
fitting used to make a plumbing connection.
Typically utilizes a brass body and nut with a
ferrule to compress over the pipe, preventing
water or air from leaking. |
| Compressor |
The part of an
air conditioning or heat pump unit that
compresses the refrigerant gas so that it can
absorb heat. |
| Concrete |
A combination
of cement and sand, broken stone, or gravel. It
is used for foundations, building construction,
walks, and many other purposes. |
| Concrete apron |
The section of
concrete where a garage floor joins the
driveway. Aprons allow for a smooth transition
from a lower driveway to an elevated garage
floor. |
| Concrete pavers |
Preformed
concrete units commonly used for driveways,
patios, and sidewalks. Pavers are designed to be
laid in a sand base. They come in many shapes
and colors and may interlock in repeating
patterns. |
| Condensation |
In a building,
beads or drops of water that accumulate on the
inside of the exterior covering of the building.
Condensation occurs when warm, moisture-laden
air from the interior reaches a point where the
temperature no longer permits the air to sustain
the moisture it holds. |
| Conduit |
Metal or
plastic tubing designed to enclose electrical
wires. |
| Conifer |
A cone-bearing
tree. |
| Contact cement |
Rubber-based
glue which adheres on contact. |
| Contour lines |
Lines on a
topographic map or site plan to describe the
contour of the land. |
| Control joints |
Grooves that
are tooled or cut into the surface of wet
concrete to make it crack in straight
lines at planned locations, rather than cracking
randomly. |
| Coped cut |
A profile cut
on a piece of molding that allows it to be
butted tightly against the face of
another piece in an inside corner. |
| Coping |
The final
horizontal layer of stones that cap and
waterproof a stone wall; usually wide and
shallow, coping stones are often mortared into
place. |
| Corbel out |
To build out
one or more courses of brick or stone from the
face of a wall in order to form a support for
timbers. |
| Core |
In plywood, the
center of the panel. It may be either veneer or
lumber. |
| Corner bead |
A light-weight
metal angle used to shape and reinforce outside
corners in drywall, or sheetrock, construction. |
| Corner block |
A large
triangular piece of wood or metal used for added
strength at the corners of frames or where legs
and rails join. |
| Corner boards |
Boards used as
trim for the external corners of a house or
other frame structure and against which the ends
of the siding are finished. |
| Corner braces |
Diagonal braces
at the corners of a frame structure to stiffen
and strengthen the wall. |
| Cornice |
1) Overhang of
a pitched roof at the eave line, usually
consisting of a fascia board, a soffit for a
closed cornice, and appropriate moldings.
(2) A decorative member, usually molded, placed
at or near the top of a wall. |
| Cornice return |
That portion of
the cornice that returns on the gable end of a
house. |
| Counterboring |
Enlarging a
hole so that the head of a screw or bolt
inserted can be completely covered. |
| Counterflashing |
A flashing
usually used on chimneys at the roofline to
cover shingle flashing and to prevent moisture
entry. |
| Countersinking |
To sink a nail
or screw even with or below the surface. |
| Coupling |
A fitting that
connects two lengths of pipe in a straight run. |
| Course |
A single row of
building units such as concrete blocks bricks or
shingles. |
| Cove lighting |
Concealed light
sources, placed behind cornice or other
horizontal recess, that direct the light on a
reflecting ceiling. |
| Cove mold |
Concave molding
used to trim an inside corner. |
| Crawl space |
A shallow,
unfinished space beneath the first floor of a
house that has no basement. Used for visual
inspection and access to pipes and ducts. |
| Cricket |
A small
drainage-diverting roof structure of single or
double slope placed at the junction of larger
surfaces that meet at an angle, such as above a
chimney. Also called a saddle. |
| Cripple stud |
A short framing
stud that is cut off to make an opening for a
door or window. |
| Cripple Stud |
Short stud over
a window or door between the top of the header
and the bottom of the top plate. Also, the short
stud between the top of the bottom plate and the
underside of a window frame. |
| Cross-bridging |
Diagonal
bracing between adjacent floor joists, placed
near the center of the joist span to
prevent joists from twisting. |
| Crushed rock |
Stones
approximately 1/4 inch to two inches in size
which have been mechanically crushed. |
| Cup |
Distortion or
warping of a board so that it is no longer flat
across its width. |
| Curb appeal |
A term used in
real estate sales referring to the exterior
appearance of a property. |
| Curing |
The process of
aging a new concrete slab with proper moisture
to reduce cracking and shrinkage and to develop
strength. |
| Cut-in-brace |
Bracing cut
into each stud at an angle to provide lateral
support. |
| Dado |
A rectangular
groove across the grain in a board. |
| Dado joint |
A joint in
which one piece is grooved to receive the piece
which forms the other part if the joint. |
| Damper |
Valve designed
to control the flow of air or smoke. |
| Dampproofing |
Vapor barrier
or coating on foundation walls or under concrete
slabs to prevent moisture from entering the
house. |
| Darby |
A tool with a
long sole made of smooth wood or metal, used for
smoothing the surface of a concrete slab after
initial leveling. |
| Datum |
A reference
point from which elevations are measured. |
| Dead load |
The weight of
the walls, permanent partitions, framing, roofs,
and all other permanent stationary construction
in a building, not counting the occupants and
furnishings and movement. |
| Decay |
Disintegration
of wood or other substance through the action of
fungi or bacteria. |
| Decibel (db) |
Logarithmic
measure of sound intensity. An increase of 6 db
is the same as doubling the sound pressure. |
| Deciduous |
Trees which
annually lose their leaves. |
| Deck paint |
An enamel with
a high degree of resistance to mechanical wear;
designed for use on such surfaces as porch
floors. |
| Decking |
The term
decking can apply to the material used to build
an exterior deck or the material used to build
interior flooring systems. |
| Defect |
Any
imperfection occurring in or on wood that may
lower its quality. |
| Delamination |
The separation
of layers of plies through the failure of
adhesive bond. |
| Detail |
A drawing
showing special information about a particular
part of the construction- Details are usually
drawn to a larger scale than the other views and
are sometimes section views. |
| Dewpoint |
Temperature at
which a vapor begins to condense. Applies
especially to moisture in the air. |
| Dimension
lumber |
Lumber at least
2" but less than 5" thick, and 2" or more wide.
Includes joists, rafters,
studding, planks, and small timbers. (see also
Dimension stock.) |
| Dimension stock |
Today it is
commonly known as hardwood dimension lumber. |
| Direct current
(DC) |
Electrical
current that flows in a single direction. |
| Doorjamb |
The surrounding
case into which and out of which a door closes
and opens. It consists of two upright pieces,
called side jambs, and a horizontal head jamb.
Exterior doorjambs also have thresholds. |
| Dormer |
A projection in
a sloping roof, the framing of which forms a
vertical wall suitable for windows or other
openings. |
| Double glazing |
An insulating
windowpane formed of two thickness' of glass
with a sealed air space between them. |
| Double-hung
windows |
A window
consisting of two sashes that can slide
vertically. |
| Dovetail joint |
A joint in
which one piece has dovetail-shaped pins or
tenons which fit into corresponding
openings on the other piece. |
| Dowel |
A small wooden
pin used to strengthen a joint. |
| Downspout |
A pipe, usually
metal, for carrying rainwater from roof gutters. |
| Dressed size |
The dimension
of lumber after being surfaced. A 2" x 4" stud
actually measures 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" . |
| Drier |
A solution
added to drying oils in paint to quicken the
drying. |
| Drip |
(1) A member of
a cornice or other horizontal exterior-finish
course that has a projection beyond the other
parts for throwing off water.
(2) A groove in the underside of a sill or drip
cap to cause water to drop off on the outer edge
instead of drawing back and running down the
face of the building. |
| Drip cap |
A molding
placed above the exterior of a door or window
frame, causing water to drip beyond the outside
of the frame. |
| Drip edge |
Metal trim
installed at the edge of a roof to stop water
from running back under the edge of the roof
deck. |
| Dry rot |
A term loosely
applied to any crumbly decay of wood, but
especially to that which, when in an advanced
stage, allows the wood to be crushed easily to a
dry powder. The term does not accurately
describe decay. Since fungi which cause the rot
require considerable moisture for growth. |
| Dry stack wall |
A stone wall
constructed without mortar, which depends on
gravity and the fit between the stones for its
stability. |
| Drying oil |
Drying oils are
used in the manufacture of paints and varnishes.
Linseed oil is a common drying oil. |
| Drywall |
Also known as
wallboard, gypsum board, plasterboard, and by
the trade name Sheetrock, a wall-surfacing
material composed of sheets of gypsum plaster
sandwiched between a low-grade backing paper and
a smooth-finish front surface paper that can be
painted. |
| Dry-wall
returns |
A type of
construction in which the windows have drywall
installed from the interior wall surface to the
window unit. Another method of trimming windows
is to have wood returns from the window to the
wall surface. With wood returns you need window
casing to frame the inside of the window. With
drywall returns you have a cornerbead drywall
corner and no window casing. |
| Drywall mud |
Joint compound;
the substance used to hide seams and nail or
screw heads in the finished walls of a home. |
| Ducts |
Pipes which
carry air from a furnace or an air conditioner
to the rooms of a building. Usually they are
round or rectangular and made of metal, although
they may be made of asbestos and composition
materials. |
| Earnest
money |
A cash deposit
paid by the prospective buyer of real property
as evidence of his good-faith intention to
complete the sale. |
| Easement |
A right or
privilege that one party has in the property of
another that entitles the holder to a specific
limited use of the property. |
| Eaves |
The overhang of
a roof projecting over the walls. |
| Edging |
The rounded
edges of a concrete slab that are resistant to
cracking. |
| Egress window |
Window whose
clear dimensions are large enough that it can
serve as a fire exit. |
| Elbow |
Also known as
an ell, this fitting is used to change the
direction of a water supply line. |
| Elbow |
Right-angle
bend in stovepipe. |
| Elevation |
A drawing that
shows vertical dimensions- it may also be the
height of a point, usually in feet above sea
level. |
| Eminent domain |
The right of
the federal and state governments or public
service organizations to acquire all or part of
a privately owned property for public use. |
| Enamel |
A kind of paint
in which the vehicle is a drying oil or
combination of drying oil and resin. The paint
dries to an even, hard finish. |
| Equity |
The appraised
market value of a property less all debts owed
against it. |
| Excavate |
To remove earth
from a basement site or utility trench, by means
of a bulldozer or backhoe (a backhoe is a
tractor with a scoop bucket attached). |
| Expansion joint |
A bituminous
fiber strip used to separate blocks or units of
concrete to prevent cracking due to expansion
caused by temperature changes. |
| Exposed
aggregate |
A decorative
treatment that exposes a layer of stones
embedded in the surface of
concrete. |
| Extension jamb |
Addition to a
door or window jamb to bring the jamb up to full
wall thickness. Also known as jamb extender. |
| Exterior
plywood |
Plywood in
which the plies are bonded together using
exterior or waterproof glue. |
| Face-nailing |
To nail
perpendicular to the surface or to the junction
of the pieces joined. Also termed direct
nailing. |
| Fall |
The slope of a
drain line, ensuring proper flow. Minimum fall
is 1/4 inch per foot. |
| False ceiling |
A drop or
suspended ceiling, hung on metal or wood grids,
to permit covering exposed ducts, pipes, or
beams. |
| Fascia |
The part of a
cornice that covers the ends of the rafters,
where a gutter would be attached. Interior use
is the vertical face of a cornice, etc. |
| Fascia board |
A board nailed
to the ends of the rafters, below the roof edge. |
| Faucet - 4 inch |
Also known as a
close coupled faucet. These faucets are produced
as an integral, one-piece unit. (The handles and
the spout are molded from the same material,
producing a faucet with all working parts molded
together.) |
| Filler, wood |
A heavily
pigmented preparation used for filling and
leveling off the pores in open-grained woods. |
| Fill-type
insulation |
Loose
insulating material that is applied by hand or
mechanically blown into wall spaces. |
| Finish screws |
A small headed
screw, usually square drive. The screw head is
designed to be countersunk. |
| Finish grade |
Final ground
level around a building. |
| Fire blocks
(fire stops) |
Short
horizontal members nailed between the studs to
prevent the spread of fire and smoke from one
level to another. |
| Fire bricks |
Heat resistant
bricks used for lining fireplaces. |
| Fire-retardant
chemical |
A chemical
preparation used to reduce flammability or to
retard the spread of flame. |
| Firestop |
Blocking or
noncombustible material between wall studs to
prevent vertical draft and flame spread. Same as
Fire Blocking. |
| Fish tape |
Flexible metal
strip used to draw wires and cable through
walls, raceways, and conduit. |
| Fitting |
Any pipe
connector other than a valve. |
| Fixture |
Any device that
provides a flow of water or sanitary disposal of
wastes. Examples include tubs, showers, sinks,
and toilets. |
| Flagstone |
Any kind of
stone which splits into shallow slabs suitable
for paving. |
| Flashed |
A trade term
applying to the attachment of articles to houses
or roofs and the penetration of roofs by pipes.
When these conditions exist, they are flashed to
seal the area from water infiltration. Plumbing
pipes exiting through a roof are flashed with
neoprene or some other material to prevent leaks
around the pipes. Where decks or bay windows are
attached to a house, they are flashed with
lightweight metal to prevent water damage behind
the point of attachment. |
| Flashing |
Material used
to prevent seepage of water around any
intersection or projection in a roof,
including vent pipes, chimneys, skylights,
dormers, and roof valleys. |
| Flat paint |
An interior
paint with a high proportion of pigment, It
dries to a flat, or lusterless, finish. |
| Flatwork
Concrete |
Any concrete
work that is horizontal such as driveway, slabs
and walks. Different than concrete walls or
other formed concrete. |
| Flitch |
(1) Portion of
a log sawed on two or more sides and intended
for manufacture into lumber or veneer.
(2) The term is also applied to the sheets of
veneer laid together in sequence of cutting. |
| Flitch plate |
Usually a metal
plate sandwiched between wood beams with bolts
running through all members, to increase the
strength of the total product. |
| Float |
To level
concrete before it begins to cure- floating is
done with a tool called a float. |
| Floor joists |
Framing pieces
that rest on outer foundation walls or interior
beams or girders, to support the floor. |
| Floor plan |
A drawing
showing the arrangement of rooms, the locations
of windows and doors, and complete dimensions- A
floor plan is actually a horizontal section
through the entire building. |
| Flue |
The opening in
a chimney through which smoke can pass. |
| Flue lining |
Fireclay or
terra-cotta pipe, round or square. It is used
for the inner lining of chimneys, with brick or
masonry work around the outside. |
| Flush |
Even, or in the
same plane (with reference to adjacent surfaces
of two materials ). |
| Flush door |
A door having
flat surfaces. |
| Fly rafter |
End rafter of
the gable overhang supported by roof sheathing
and lookouts. |
| Footing |
A masonry
section, usually concrete, in a rectangular form
wider than the bottom of the
foundation wall or pier it supports. It can be
level, stepped level, or follow the contour of
the ground. |
| Footing drain |
An underground
drain pipe around the footings to carry ground
water away from the building. |
| Formica |
A plastic
material available in different colors that is
used to veneer plywood or particle wood
vanities, kitchen cabinets, and countertops. (A
trade name.) |
| Formwork |
The wooden
forms that shape wet concrete. |
| Foundation |
The part of a
building or wall which supports the
superstructure. |
| Frame |
(1) The
surrounding or enclosing woodwork, as around
windows or doors.
(2) The skeleton of a building; that is, the
rough structure of a building, including
interior and exterior walls, floor, roof, and
ceilings. |
| Frame
construction |
Construction in
which the structural parts are of wood or depend
on a wood frame for support. |
| Framing |
The rough
structure of a building, including interior and
exterior walls, floor, roof, and
ceilings. |
| Framing square |
A large
L-shaped metal measuring tool used when marking
boards for framing. |
| Frieze board |
The highest
board directly above the siding and below the
soffit. |
| Frost heave |
Movement or
upheaval of the ground when there is alternate
freezing and thawing of water in the soil. This
is one reason concrete slabs crack, making
control joints necessary. |
| Frost line |
The lowest
depth at which the ground will freeze. It
determines the code-required depth for footings. |
| Fungicide |
A chemical that
is poisonous to fungi. |
| Furring |
Narrow strips
of wood attached to a surface for the purpose of
creating a plumb or level surface for attaching
the wall, ceiling, or floor surface. |
| Fuse |
A short plug in
an electric panel box that opens (breaks) an
electrical circuit when it becomes overloaded. |
| Gable |
A vertical,
triangular part of a building, contained between
the slopes of a double-sloped roof. |
| Gable end |
The triangular
wall between the sloping ends of a roof. |
| Gable studs |
The studs
placed between the end rafters and the top
plates of the end walls. |
| Galvanized |
A zinc coating
used to prevent rusting. |
| Gambrel roof |
A two-sloped
roof with its lower parts steeper than its upper
parts. This type of roof is
identified with the Dutch Colonial house style. |
| Gauge |
A standard unit
of measurement for the diameter of wire or the
thickness of sheet metal. |
| General
contractor |
A person who
contracts to build a house or building, or a
part of it, for another person. |
| Girder |
A beam which
supports floor joists. |
| Glazing |
Fitting glass
into windows or doors. |
| Glazing
compound |
Caulking
compound used especially for holding window
glass in place because it remains soft
underneath the surface. |
| Gloss |
A shiny,
lustrous finish which reflects light. |
| Glue block |
A small piece
of wood used to strengthen and support two
pieces of wood joined at an angle. |
| Grade |
The designation
of quality, as of logs or plywood. |
| Grade |
The ground
level or elevation. Also the slope of the
surface of a lot or a road. |
| Grain |
The direction,
size, arrangement, and appearance of wood or
veneer fibers. |
| Granite |
A fine to
medium-coarse grained igneous stone; dense and
water-resistant, it is often used in garden
walls, and as stepping stones and specimen
rocks. |
| Gravel |
Naturally
rounded or mechanically crushed stones ranging
in size from 1/4 inch to 1 1/2 inches. Often
used in gravel gardens, terraces, and water
features. |
| Green |
Freshly sawed
lumber, or lumber that has had no intentional
drying; unseasoned. |
| Groove |
A long, hollow
channel, cut by a tool, into which a piece fits
or in which it works. Carpenters have given
special names to certain forms of grooves, such
as dadoes and housings. |
| Ground-fault
circuit interrupter (GFCI) |
A safety
circuit breaker that compares the amount of
current entering a receptacle on the hot wire
with the amount leaving on the white wire. If
there is a discrepancy of 0.005 volt, the GFCI
breaks the circuit in a fraction of a second. |
| Grout |
Mortar made of
such consistency (by adding water) that it will
just flow into the joints and
cavities of the masonry work and fill them
solid. |
| Gum |
A sticky
substance obtained from the sap of certain trees
and plants, and used in making varnishes and
paints. |
| Gusset |
A triangular or
trapezoidal piece of wood or metal fastened to
the exterior of a joint to
strengthen it. Most commonly used on wood
trusses. |
| Gutter |
A shallow
channel or conduit of metal or wood set below
and along the eaves of a house to catch and
carry off rainwater from the roof. |
| Gypsum plaster |
Gypsum made to
be used with sand and water for base-coat
plaster. |
| Gypsum
wallboard |
Drywall
materials made of gypsum encased in paper to
form boards. |
| Hard
water |
Water rich in
calcium. |
| Hardboard
(masonite) |
A brown sheet
of building material made of compressed wood
fibers. |
| Hardware cloth |
A woven steel
mesh of fine wire. |
| Hardwood |
The
close-grained wood from broad-leaved trees such
as oak or maple. |
| Headers |
Double wood
pieces supporting joists in a floor or double
wood members placed on edge over windows and
doors to transfer the roof and floor weight
above the openings to the studs at the side. |
| Hearth |
The floor of a
fireplace, usually made of brick, tile, or
stone. |
| Heartwood |
In a tree, the
wood extending from the pith to the sapwood,
more decay-resistant than sapwood. |
| Heat pump |
An electric
unit that cools the house during hot weather by
absorbing heat from inside and discharging it to
the outside. In cold weather, it absorbs heat
from outside and discharges it inside. |
| Heated Square
Feet |
The square feet
of a building that is climate controlled as
opposed to square feet under roof which includes
garage and porches. |
| Heel (of a
rafter) |
The end, or
foot, that rests on the wall plate. |
| Hip |
Outside corner
formed by intersecting roofs. |
| Hip rafter |
The rafter
extending from the corner of a building to the
ridge at a hip. |
| Hip roof |
A roof which
slopes up toward the center from all sides,
requiring a hip rafter at each corner. |
| Hose bibb |
An outside
faucet to which a hose can be attached. |
| House Wrap |
A brand name is
"Tyvek" A fabric like material that lets
moisture pass through but stops air from
passing. It is installed on the outside of
houses under the siding or brick to slow air
infiltration and therefore make them more energy
efficient. |
| HVAC |
Heating,
ventilation, and air-conditioning. |
| I-beam |
A steel beam
whose section resembles the letter I. |
| Igneous rock |
Rock formed
from solidified minerals and gases originally
found within the earth's crust. |
| Inflammable |
Easily set on
fire. |
| Inlay |
A decoration in
which the design is set into the surface. |
| Insulated foam
sheathing |
A type of
sheathing made from compressed foam and covered
by a foil or other substance allowing its use as
a wall sheathing with increased insulating
value. |
| Insulated
glazing |
Two or more
pieces of glass in a single sash with air space
between them for the purpose of insulation. |
| Insulation |
Any material
which resists the transfer of electricity, heat,
or sound. For example, thermal insulation is
placed in the walls, ceilings, or floors of a
home to reduce the rate of heat flow. |
| Insulation
board (fiberboard) |
A low-density
board made of wood, sugar cane, cornstalks, or
similar material. It is dried and usually
pressed to a thickness of 1/2" or 25/32". |
| Isometric |
A kind of
drawing in which horizontal lines are 30 degrees
from true horizontal and vertical lines are
vertical. |
| Jack rafter |
Rafter between
the outside wall and a hip rafter or the ridge
and a valley rafter. |
| Jack Stud |
Shorter stud in
window or door framing that supports the header
over the opening. |
| Jalousies |
Windows with
movable, horizontal glass slats angled to admit
ventilation and keep out rain; also, outside
shutters of wood constructed in this way. |
| Jamb |
Side members of
a door or window frame. |
| Jig |
A device that
simplifies a hand or machine operation, usually
by guiding a tool or serving as a template. |
| Jigsaw |
An electric
table or portable saw used to make curved cuts.
Sometimes referred to as a saber saw. |
| Jigsaw (or
saber saw) |
Maneuverable
power saw with a thin saber like blade. |
| Joint |
The junction of
two pieces, as of wood or veneer. |
| Joint compound |
A pre-mixed
gypsum-based material with the consistency of
mortar used to fill the seams in gypsum-board
construction. Also called gypsum compound. |
| Jointing |
(1) Smoothing
and straightening the edge of a board. A jointer
is a machine which does this automatically.
(2) Grinding or filing the teeth or knives of
power tools to the correct height. Circular saws
are jointed so that there are no high or low
teeth. Knives of planers and jointers are
jointed so that each knife makes the same depth
of cut as all others. |
| Jointing sand |
Often called
Mason's sand. |
| Joist |
One in a series
of parallel framing members that supports a
floor or ceiling load. Joists are supported by
beams or bearing walls. |
| Joist hanger |
Metal device,
shaped like a "U", used to connect two joists or
a joist and beam at right angles to each other. |
| Joist support |
A horizontal
beam that supports the floor joists. |
| Kerf |
The void
created by the width of a saw blade as it cuts. |
| Kiln-dried |
Artificially
dried lumber, a method that produces lumber
superior to the more commonly air-dried product. |
| Kilowatt |
1,000 watts.
Abbreviated kW. |
| Kilowatt-hour |
Unit of
electrical energy consumed. One thousand watts
of power for a 1 hour duration. Abbreviated kWh. |
| Kneewall |
A wall that
extends from the floor of an attic to the
underside of the rafters. Kneewalls are short
(usually 48" high) and often non-bearing. |
| Knot |
A hard,
irregular lump formed at the point where a
branch grows out from the trunk or a large limb
of a tree. |
| Knurled |
Having a
surface covered with small knobs or beads, as a
nail which may have such a surface for greater
holding power. |
| Lacquer |
A varnish-type
solution used for finishing wood, metal,
porcelain, and similar materials. Lacquers dry
quickly and leave a tough, durable, flexible,
light-weight film. They should not be used over
oil-base paints because they contain solvents
that will cut such paints. There are several
types of lacquers. Cellulose lacquers have a
base of nitrocellulose or pyroxylin; others have
a resin base. |
| Lag screw or
bolt |
Heavy-duty
screw with a bolt head for attaching structural
members to a wall or to material too thick for a
machine bolt to go through. |
| Laminate |
To form a
product by bonding together two or more layers
of materials. Also, the product so formed, such
as plastic laminate. Brand name is Formica. |
| Laminated wood |
A product made
by bonding layers of veneer or lumber with an
adhesive so that the grains of all layers are
generally parallel. |
| Landing |
A platform
between flights of stairs or at the termination
of a flight of stairs. |
| Lap joint |
A joint
composed of two pieces, one overlapping the
other. |
| Lath |
A building
material of wood, metal, gypsum, or insulating
board that is fastened to the frame of a
building to act as a plaster base. |
| Lattice |
A framework of
crossed wood or metal strips. |
| Layout |
A full-sized
drawing showing arrangement and structural
features. |
| Ledger strip |
A strip of
lumber nailed along the bottom of the side of a
girder on which joists rest. |
| Let-in brace |
Nominal 1"
thick boards applied into notched studs
diagonally. |
| Level |
(1) A term
describing the position of a line or plane which
is parallel to the surface of still
water. (2) An instrument or tool used in testing
for horizontal and vertical surfaces and in
determining differences in elevation. |
| Light |
In builder's
terminology, space in a window sash for a single
pane of glass; also, a pane of glass. As in 9
light window pane. |
| Limestone |
A fine to
coarse-grained sedimentary rock; often used as
ashlar or flagstone because it splits easily,
limestone also serves as the preferred rock for
constructing rock gardens. |
| Linear feet |
A term used to
describe a unit of measure, measuring the
distance between two points in a straight line. |
| Linear measure |
Measurement
along a line. |
| Linseed oil |
Yellowish
drying oil made from flaxseed, widely used as a
vehicle for lead-based paints. |
| Lintel |
A horizontal
structural member, usually made of stone, wood,
or metal, which supports the load over an
opening; a header. |
| Live load |
Weight of
materials that are not part of the house, as
furniture and appliances; also weight (combined)
of occupants of house; as opposed to "dead
load," the weight of the house itself. |
| Load-bearing
wall |
A wall that is
used to support the house structure and transfer
weight to the foundation. |
| Lock set |
Complete set of
hardware including the lock, knobs, screws, and
strikeplate. |
| Louver |
Slanted slat of
wood, plastic, or metal. Used to admit air but
block rain and visibility. |
| Lumber |
The product of
the sawmill and planing mill by sawing, planing,
cutting to length, and grading. 1" stock is
sawed to 1" thickness then finished (planed) to
final size of 3/4", 5/4" stock finishes out to
1" thickness, and 2"x stock finishes out to 1
1/2". |
| Lumen |
Measure of
total light output. A wax candle gives off about
13 lumens, a 100 watt incandescent bulb about
1,200 lumens. |
| Mansard roof |
A roof style of
Italian origin, popularized in France. |
| Mantel |
The shelf above
a fireplace. Originally it referred to the beam
or lintel which supports the arch above the
fireplace opening. |
| Marble |
A fine-grained
metamorphic rock that is strong and
weather-resistant; more often used in indoor
than outdoor paving and walls because of its
cost and its slickness when wet. |
| Market analysis |
A study of real
estate market conditions used to establish an
estimated fair market value for the sale of a
home. |
| Mason |
A professional
who builds brick, stone, or concrete work. |
| Masonry |
Anything
constructed of stone, brick, concrete, hollow
tile, concrete blocks, gypsum blocks, or similar
materials, or a combination of them. |
| Masonry cement |
Cement which is
specially prepared for making mortar. |
| Mason's line |
Twine used to
lay out posts, patios, footings, and structures.
Preferred because it will not
stretch and sag, as regular string does. |
| Mastic |
The thick
adhesive used to hold wall and floor tiles in
place. |
| Matte knife |
A small,
sharp-bladed, pointed knife often used to cut
paper and cardboard. |
| MDF |
Medium Density
Fiberboard. Used in interior trim pieces.
Similar to a lightweight Masonite. |
| Mechanic's lien |
A right given
to laborers, material suppliers, contractors,
and their subcontractors to secure payment for
either work performed or material furnished
where the value or condition of the property has
been improved and the workers and material
suppliers have not been paid. |
| Medium-density
fiberboard MDF |
A man-made
constructional board formed by bonding wood
fibers together with resins.
Exterior-grade board is essential if used for
outdoor play structures. |
| Membrane roof |
Roofing
consisting of a single waterproof sheet. |
| Metal lath |
Sheets of metal
slit and drawn out to form openings. Used as a
plaster base for walls and ceilings and as
reinforcing over other plaster bases. |
| Metamorphic
rock |
Igneous,
sedimentary, or other metamorphic rocks that
have been transformed by heat, pressure, or
chemical action into other kinds of stone. |
| Microlam or
Lambeam |
Heavy plywood
beams usually 1 3/4" x various heights so that
when two are sandwiched together they equal the
thickness of a 2x4 framed wall. |
| Mil |
One-thousandth
of an inch. |
| Millwork |
Generally, all
wood materials manufactured in millwork plants
and planing mills. Includes such items as inside
and outside doors, window and door frames. |
| Miter |
A joint in
which the ends of two pieces of wood are cut at
equal angles (typically 45o to form a corner. |
| Miter box |
Box with no top
and slits on each side to allow a saw blade to
pass through the box and cut wood laid in the
box. |
| Miter joint |
A joint formed
by fitting together two panels or pieces of wood
that have been cut at the same angle. |
| Mobile home |
Complete
factory-made home, constructed on a chassis and
wheels for instant mobility. |
| Modular unit |
A
factory-built, transportable building unit
designed to be used by itself or with other,
similar units. It is built with standard-size
materials. |
| Modulus of
elasticity |
A measure of
the stiffness of a board. |
| Moisture
barrier |
Treated paper
or metal that retards or bars moisture from
passing into walls or floors. |
| Molding
(moulding) |
In building
construction, a strip of wood, often decorative,
such as that on top of a baseboard or around
windows and doors. |
| Mortar |
Cement and
aggregate mixture for bonding masonry units
together. |
|
Mortise-and-tenon joint |
A joint made by
cutting a hole or mortise in one piece, and a
tenon, or piece to fit the hole, in the other. |
| Mullion |
The vertical
bar between the window in a frame which holds 2
or more windows. |
| Muntin |
Small vertical
and horizontal strips that separate the
individual panes of glass in a window sash. |
| Nail pops |
Caused by
shrinkage of framing members after wallboard is
installed. |
| Nail set |
A small tool
used to hammer nail heads beneath the surface. |
| Nailer |
A piece of wood
used in any of several places to provide a
nailing surface for other framing members. |
| Naptha |
Naptha is used
as a solvent or thinner in varnish and as a
fuel. Petroleum naptha is also known as benzine. |
| Newel |
The chief post
at the foot of a staircase for the railing to
end in. Also, the central support
for the railing of a winding flight of stairs. |
| Nominal
dimension |
The stated size
of lumber, such as 2x4. |
| Nominal size |
The size by
which a material is specified- The actual size
is often slightly smaller. |
| Nonbearing wall |
A wall
supporting no load other than its own weight. |
| Non-conforming |
A house or
improvement dissimilar to surrounding properties
in age, size, use, or style. An example would be
a one-level ranch-style house in a neighborhood
of two-story Colonial-style homes. |
| Nosing |
(1) The part of
a stair tread which projects over the riser; any
similar projection.
(2) A term applied to the rounded edge of a
board. |
| Notch |
A crosswise
rabbet at the end of a board. |
| O.C. (on
center) |
The measurement
of spacing for studs, rafters, joists, and
similar members in a building from the center of
one member to the center of the next. |
| O.G. (ogee) |
In building
construction, a molding with a profile in the
form of a letter S; having the outline of a
reversed curve. |
| Offset |
Ledge of recess
where there is a change in material or wall
thickness. |
| Oil paint |
A paint in
which the vehicle is oil. |
| Oil varnish |
A varnish
consisting of a hard resin combined with a
drying oil and a drier thinned with a
volatile solvent. After application, the solvent
dries first by evaporation; then the oil dries
by oxidation. |
| Open-grained
wood |
Common term for
woods with large pores such as oak, ash,
chestnut, and walnut. Also known as "coarse
textured". |
| OSB |
Oriented Strand
Board. The newest chipboard that has the long
axis of the strands of the wood chips aligned
with the long dimension of the materials (such
as the 8 foot measurement in a 4x8 sheet of osb)
The old chip board was not structural while OSB
is structural just like plywood. |
| Outcrops |
Bare rock
formations protruding from the surrounding soil. |
| Outlet plate |
A trade term
describing the cover placed over an electrical
outlet and screwed to the center of the outlet. |
| Outrigger |
An extension of
a rafter beyond the wall line. Usually a smaller
member nailed to a larger rafter to form a
cornice or roof overhand. |
| Over-building |
A term
describing the practice of investing money in a
home that is unlikely to be recovered, due to
surrounding properties. An example would be
adding three bedrooms to a home, for a total of
six bedrooms, when surrounding homes only have
three bedrooms. |
| Oxidation |
The process of
combining with oxygen. |
| Paint |
A combination
of pigments with suitable thinners or oils to
provide decorative and protective coatings. |
| Panel |
(1) A large,
thin board or sheet of lumber, plywood, or other
material. (2) A thin board with all its edges
inserted in a groove of a surrounding frame of
thick material. (3) A section of floor, wall,
ceiling, or roof, usually prefabricated and of
large size, handled as a single unit in the
operations of assembly and erection. |
| Panel door |
A door made up
of panels held in place by rails and stiles. |
| Panel siding |
Large sheets of
plywood or hardboard which may serve as both
sheathing and siding. |
| Paneling |
Planks or
sheets used as a finish wall or ceiling surface;
often with a wood or simulated wood finish. |
| Parging |
A thin coat of
portland cement plaster used to smooth masonry
walls. |
| Parquet floor |
A floor made of
short pieces of hardwood laid in different
design patterns. |
| Particleboard |
A structural
sheet material composed of compressed wood
chips, flakes, or small wood particles such as
sawdust, held together with special glues. |
| Parting stop or
strip |
A small wood
piece used in the side and head jambs of
double-hung windows to separate upper and lower
sash. |
| Partition wall |
A wall that
divides space but plays no part in a building's
structural integrity. |
| Party wall |
Common wall
that separates two properties. |
| Patio |
A recreational
area constructed on the ground. |
| Pavers |
Preformed
concrete or brick units commonly used for
driveways, patios, and sidewalks. Designed to be
laid in a sand base. They come in many shapes
and colors and may interlock in repeating
patterns. |
| Pea gravel |
A fine grade of
naturally rounded stones approximately 1/4 inch
in diameter; used in gravel gardens and as
flooring for children's play areas. |
| Pedestal sink |
A bathroom sink
with a china bowl hung on the wall and supported
by a china pedestal. |
| Pennsylvania
bluestone |
A flagstone
used to make attractive, durable paving for
terraces and paths. |
| Penny |
As applied to
nails, it originally indicated the price per
hundred. The term now serves as a measure of
nail length and is abbreviated by the letter d. |
| Pergola |
A garden
passageway made of stone, brick, or wooden
columns that support an overhead trellis on
which vines are trained. |
| Perimeter drain |
An underground
drain pipe around the footings to carry ground
water away from the building. |
| Permits |
Documents
issued by the code enforcement office allowing
work to be legally performed. |
| Phillips head
screwdriver |
Shaped in the
form of a cross with a point. |
| Pier |
A masonry
column. |
| Pigment |
A substance
which gives color, as in paint, enamel, dye, or
lacquer. |
| Pilaster |
A masonry or
concrete pier built as an integral part of a
wall. |
| Piles |
Long posts
driven into the soil in swampy locations or
wherever it is difficult to secure a firm
foundation. |
| Pilot hole |
A small hole
used as the guide for a drill point when making
a larger hole. |
| Pitch |
The incline of
a roof. It is the ratio of the total rise to the
total width of a house. For
example, an 8' rise and a 24' width make a 1/3
pitch roof. |
| Plank |
A broad board,
usually more than 1" thick; especially, one laid
with its wide dimension
horizontal and used as a bearing surface. |
| Plaster |
A mixture of
lime, sand, and water, used to cover outside and
inside wall surfaces. |
| Plastic
concrete |
Concrete that
has not hardened. |
| Plat of
subdivision |
A map of a
subdivision indicating the block numbers; the
location, boundary lines, dimensions and number
of each lot; and the location and names of the
existing and planned streets. |
| Plate |
The horizontal
framing members at the top and bottom of the
wall studs. |
| Platform
framing |
A method of
framing in which each level is framed
separately- The subfloor is laid for each floor
before the walls above it are formed. |
| Plumb |
Exactly
perpendicular; vertical. |
| Plumb bob |
A weight hung
from a string to indicate vertical. |
| Plumber's putty |
A pliable
sealer often used around fixtures. |
| Ply |
A term used to
denote a layer or thickness, as of building or
roofing paper, or a layer of wood in plywood. |
| Plywood |
A wood product
made by fastening together layers of veneer or a
combination of veneer layers and a lumber core.
The layers are joined with an adhesive.
Adjoining plies are usually laid with grains at
right angles to each other, and almost always an
odd number of plies are used. |
| Plywood A/C or
A/D |
Plywood that is
clear or knot-free on one side only. |
| Points |
Also known as
discount points, these are fees paid to a lender
to increase the yield of a loan being offered by
the lender. |
| Polybutylene
pipe |
A modern type
of flexible plastic pipe used for the
distribution of potable water in a building. |
| Polyurethane
finish |
A clear finish
used for coating stained wood to provide it with
protection and shine. It is
durable and highly resistant to water. |
| Polyvinyl
Chloride (PVC) |
A type of
plastic formulation. Thin, flexible sheets of
PVC plastic are used for pond liners. |
| Rigid PVC |
Plastic pipe
is used for water supply lines. |
| Porch |
A floor
extending beyond the exterior walls of a
building. It may be covered and enclosed or
open. |
| Portico |
A covered
entrance to a house, usually supported by
decorative columns. |
| Portland cement |
Finely powdered
limestone material used to bond the aggregate
together in concrete and mortar. |
| Post |
A timber set on
end to support a wall, girder, or other
structural member. |
| Powder room |
A trade term
referring to a room containing a toilet and a
lavatory, without a bathtub or shower. |
| Prehung door |
A door that is
purchased as an assembled unit, already
installed with hinges in a frame and pre-bored
to receive the lockset. |
| Preservative |
Any substance
that, for a reasonable length of time, is
effective in preventing the development and
action of wood-rotting fungi, borers of various
kinds, and insects that cause deterioration in
wood. |
| Pressed wood
products |
A group of
materials used in construction that are made
from wood veneers, particles, or fibers bonded
with an adhesive under heat and pressure. |
| Pressure
balance control |
A trade term
used to describe a type of plumbing faucet.
These faucets are considered a safety feature
because they prevent the user from being scalded
by hot water if there is a fluctuation in the
cold water pressure. |
| Pressure
treated lumber |
A process of
forcing preservatives into wood. One commonly
used pressure treatment is waterborne chromated
copper arsenate (CCA). CCA specified for above
ground use is labeled LP-2 or .25. CCA rated for
ground contact is labeled LP-22 or .40. |
| Primer |
The first coat
of paint in a job that consists of two or more
coats; also, the paint used for
such a coat. |
| Progress
payments |
Periodic
payments made as work progresses into defined
stages, such as rough-in and final. |
| Pulls |
A knob or other
form attached to the front of a drawer by which
the drawer can be opened. |
| Pumice |
An extremely
light and porous material used in powder form to
smooth and polish surfaces. |
| Punch-out |
A trade term
referring to the process of correcting
deficiencies and making minor adjustments at the
end of the job. |
| Purlin |
In a roof, a
horizontal timber which supports rafters, or one
that supports the roof sheathing directly. |
| Putty |
A soft, pliable
type of cement, having nearly the consistency of
dough. Used in sealing glass in sash, filling
small holes and crevices in wood, and for
similar purposes. |
| PVC pipe |
Poly Vinyl
Chloride, a type of plastic pipe used in
plumbing. Frequently used for drains and vents
and occasionally used for cold water piping. |
|
Quarter-round |
A molding
which, in profile, appears as a quarter-circle. |
| Quotes |
Firm prices
given by contractors and suppliers for labor and
materials. |
| Rabbet |
An L-shaped
groove cut into the edge of a board to receive
the edge of another board and form a corner
joint. |
| Radial |
Extending out
from the center, as the rays in a tree. |
| Radiant heating |
(1) A method of
heating consisting of a forced hot water system
with pipes placed in the floor, wall, or
ceiling.
(2) A method of heating with electrically heated
panels. |
| Radon |
A colorless,
odorless, radioactive gas that comes from the
natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and
water. |
| Rafter |
One of a series
of structural members of a roof, designed to
support roof loads. The rafters of a flat roof
are sometimes called roof joists. |
| Rafter cuts |
A trade term
for the angles cut on rafter boards when
stick-building a roofing system. |
| Rail |
The horizontal
top, bottom, and middle framing pieces of a
panel door. A top or middle bar extending over
or between posts. |
| Raised grain |
A roughened
condition of the surface of dressed lumber in
which the hard summerwood is raised above the
softer springwood but not torn loose from it. |
| Rake |
The inclined
edge of a gable roof. (The trim member is a rake
molding.) |
| Rake |
The angle on a
gable roof design |
| Rasp |
A rough-edged
file used to shape wood. |
| Ready-mix
concrete |
Wet concrete
that is ready to pour, transported in a truck
from a concrete supplier. |
| Rebar
(reinforcing bar) |
Steel rods for
reinforcing concrete. |
| Reflective
insulation |
Sheet material
in which one or both surfaces will conduct
comparatively little heat. When used with the
surfaces facing air spaces, such material
reduces the heat radiation across the air space. |
| Rehab |
Reconstruction
or restoration of an existing rundown building. |
| Reinforcing |
Steel rods or
metal fabric placed in concrete slabs, beams, or
columns to increase their
strength. |
| Reinforcing
mesh |
Steel wires
welded into a grid of 6 or 10 inch squares and
embedded in concrete. Ties a concrete pad
together in the event of cracking. |
| Relief valve |
A type of valve
designed to open if it senses excess pressure or
temperature. |
| Remodeling |
The practice of
altering existing conditions and adding new
space to existing structures. |
| Resawing |
Sawing lumber
again after the first sawing; specifically,
sawing into boards or dimension lumber. |
| Resilient
flooring |
Vinyl,
vinyl-asbestos, and other man-made floor
coverings that are flexible yet provide a smooth
surface. |
| Resin |
A sticky
material obtained from the sap of certain trees
and plants (natural resin) or made synthetically
from coal-tar products and other organic
substances (synthetic resin). Resins are widely
used in making varnishes and paints. |
| Retaining wall |
A wall that
holds earth in place vertically; a retaining
wall can either be mortared of dry
stacked. |
| Reveal |
A term used for
doors and windows that means the amount of space
(gap) between the door and its frame. The reveal
should be equal all around if the unit is
installed properly. |
| Ribbon |
A narrow board
let into the studding to add support to joists. |
| Ridge |
The horizontal
line at which two roof planes slope down from
that line. |
| Ridge board |
The board
placed on edge at the ridge of the roof to
support the upper ends of the rafters. |
|
Ridgeboard/Ridgepole |
The horizontal
framing piece to which the rafters attach at the
roof ridge. |
| Ripping |
Sawing wood
along the grain. |
| Rise |
The vertical
dimension of a roof or stair. |
| Riser |
Each of the
vertical boards closing the spaces between the
treads of stairways. |
| Rock wool |
Insulation made
from silica or other rock material. |
| Roll roofing |
Roof covering
consisting of felt impregnated with asphalt. |
| Roof |
The covering or
upper part of a building. |
| Roof sheathing |
Boards or sheet
material, fastened to the roof rafters, on which
the shingles or other roof
covering is laid. |
| Roofing |
Material put on
a roof to protect it from wind and water. |
| Roofing felt |
A black,
paper-like product applied between the roof
sheathing and the shingles. |
| Rosin |
A hard resin
used in making certain varnishes. |
| Rotary cutting |
A way of
cutting veneer from a log. The log is fastened
in a large lathe and a sharp knife cuts the
veneer, much as a paper is unwrapped from a
roll. |
| Rough lumber |
Lumber as it
comes from the saw. |
| Rough-in |
A trade term
referring to the installation of material prior
to enclosing the stud walls.
Examples would be for plumbing, heating, and
electrical systems. The bulk of these systems
must be installed before the wall coverings are
applied, so this is considered rough-in work. |
| Rout |
To gouge out or
make a furrow in, as in wood. |
| Router |
An electric
tool used to cut grooves and shape lumber into
various moldings. |
| Rowlock |
Position of
bricks in which the bricks are laid on edge. |
| RPM |
Revolutions per
minute. |
| Rubber-emulsion
paint |
Paint with a
vehicle of fine droplets of natural or synthetic
rubber dispersed in water. |
| Rubbing
compound |
An abrasive
material used to produce a smoothly finished
wood surface. |
| Rubble |
Uncut stone. |
| Run |
The horizontal
distance covered by an inclined surface such as
a rafter or stair. |
| Run |
A line of pipes
or cabinets. |
| Runoff |
Water traveling
across the ground surface, caused by heavy rains
or irrigation. |
| R-value |
The ability of
a material to resist the flow of heat. |
| Saddle |
Two sloping
surfaces meeting in a horizontal ridge, used
between the back side of a chimney or other
vertical surface and a sloping roof. Also called
a cricket. |
| Salt box roof |
A side gable
with one side long and extending down to the
first floor and the other side short covering
the second floor. |
| Sanding |
Rubbing
sandpaper or similar abrasive over a surface
before applying a finish. |
| Sandstone |
A fine to
coarse-grained sedimentary rock that splits
easily; often used in the construction of garden
walls and paths. |
| Sanitary
fitting |
Any of several
connectors linking drain-waste-vent lines and
designed to direct wastes downward. |
| Sap |
Most of the
fluids in a tree. Certain secretions and
excretions, such as oleoresin, are excepted. |
| Sapwood |
The living
wood, usually of a pale color, near the outside
of the tree. Generally, the sapwood is more
susceptible to decay than the heartwood. |
| Sash |
The frame
holding the glass in a window. |
| Saturated felt |
Paperlike felt
which has been treated with asphalt to make it
water resistant. |
| Scab |
A short piece
of wood or plywood fastened to two abutting
timbers to splice them together. |
| Scaffold |
A temporary
structure or platform for workers to sit or
stand on when working at a height above the
floor or ground. |
| Scarfing |
A joint between
two pieces of wood which allows them to be
spliced lengthwise. |
| Schedule 40
pipe |
This is a
rating for the thickness and strength of a pipe;
it is the standard weight of plastic pipe used
for residential drainage and vent plumbing
systems. |
| Scotia |
A hollow
molding used as a part of a cornice, and often
under the nosing of a stair tread. |
| Scratch coat |
The first coat
of plaster, which is scratched to form a bond
for the second coat. |
| Screed |
A straight
board used to level concrete immediately after
it is placed. |
| Screeding |
Dragging a
straight 2 x 4 across wet concrete to strike off
excess concrete. |
| Scribing |
Cutting and
marking wood or other materials so its edge
matches the surface it butts up to, as the edge
of a cabinet or paneling against a wall. |
| Sealer |
A finishing
material, either clear or pigmented, that is
usually applied directly over uncoated wood. It
prevents subsequent coats of paint or varnish
from seeping into the wood. |
| Seasoning |
Removing
moisture from green wood in order to improve its
serviceability. |
| Seat cut (plate
cut) |
The cut at the
bottom end of a rafter to allow it to fit on the
top plate. |
| Second growth |
New timber that
has grown after the removal, whether by cutting,
fire, or other agent, of all or a large part of
the previous stand. |
| Second mortgage |
A mortgage to a
property that already has a first mortgage. It
is also called a junior or
subordinate mortgage. |
| Section |
A drawing that
shows the "cut-through" view of a building or
object. |
| Section view |
A drawing
showing what would be seen by cutting through a
building or part. |
| Sedimentary
rock |
Rock composed
from the consolidated debris of igneous,
metamorphic, and other sedimentary rock; because
they split easily, sedimentary stones such as
limestone and sandstone are used extensively in
garden constructions. |
| Selvaged edge |
A fabric edge
that is finished to prevent unraveling. |
| Septic tank |
A settling tank
in which the sludge in the household sewage
settles and the effluent discharges into an
absorption field or seepage pit. |
| Setback |
The distance
from a street or front property line to the
front of a building. |
| Shakes |
Hand-split
cedar shingles with a rough surface. |
| Sheathing |
The wooden
covering on the exterior of walls and the roof.
Typically made of 1/2 inch
construction-grade plywood; older homes may have
shiplap boards or planks. |
| Sheathing paper |
A building
material, generally paper or felt, used in wall
and roof construction to retard the passage of
air and sometimes moisture. |
| SheetRock |
A brand name
for drywall. |
| Shim |
A thin, tapered
piece of wood used for leveling purposes. |
| Shingles |
A covering
applied in overlapping layers, for the roof or
sides of a building. Shingles can be made of
wood, asphalt, asbestos, tile, or slate, among
other materials. Standard 3 Tab Shingle is a
term used for common asphalt or fiberglass
shingles vs Architectural shingles which vary in
their laying pattern. |
| Shiplap |
Boards which
are rabbeted to fit into each other. |
| Shutters |
Lightweight,
louvered or flush, wood or nonwood covers
located at each side of a window. Some are made
to close over windows to shut out light or give
protection from the weather. Others are fastened
to the wall and used as decoration. |
| Siding |
The finish
covering of the outside wall of a frame
building. It may be made of horizontal
weatherboards, vertical boards and battens,
shingles, or other material. |
| Sill |
The framing
member in contact with a masonry or concrete
foundation. |
| Sill sealer |
Compressible
material used under the sill to seal any gaps. |
| Single-family
house |
A house that is
designed and certified for occupancy by one
family only. |
| Sistering |
The process of
reinforcing a framing member by joining another
piece of lumber alongside it. |
| Site conditions |
A term used
when describing the conditions of a construction
site. Examples would be: level, sloping, rocky,
wet. |
| Site
constructed |
Built on the
job. |
| Site plan |
The drawing
that shows the boundaries of the building, its
location, site utilities. |
| Site work |
Normally
includes excavation, but always refers to the
preparation of a site for construction. |
| Sizing |
(1) Working
material to the desired size.
(2) A coating of glue, shellac, or other
material applied to a surface to prepare it for
paint or other finish. |
| Skylight |
An opening in
the roof covered with thick glass the function
of which is to light the area below. |
| Slab |
A concrete
floor placed directly on earth or on a gravel
base; usually about 4 inches thick. |
| Slate |
A fine-grained
metamorphic stone that is highly
weather-resistant; sometimes used as flagstone
in constructing garden paths and terraces. |
| Sleeper |
A strip of wood
laid over a concrete floor to which the finished
floor is nailed or glued. |
| Sliding window |
A window with
two or more sash that slide horizontally past
one another. |
| Slope |
The incline of
a roof, expressed as inches of rise per foot of
run. |
| Soffit |
The underside
of the roof overhang. |
| Soft costs |
Expenses
incurred in a project that are not directly
related to construction or remodeling in the
strictest sense. Examples are: loan, fees,
surveys, legal fees, and professional fees. |
| Softwood |
One of the
botanical groups of trees that, in most cases,
have needlelike or scalelike growths rather than
broad leaves. (These trees are known as
conifers.) The term softwood also applies to the
wood produced by such trees. |
| Soil |
The loose upper
layer of earth. The bearing soil is the layer of
soil on which the footings are poured. |
| Soil stack |
Vertical
plumbing pipe for waste water. |
| Soldier |
Brick position
in which the bricks are stood on end. |
| Solid bridging |
A solid member
placed between adjacent floor joists near the
center of the span to prevent joists from
twisting. |
| Soluble |
Capable of
being dissolved. |
| Solvent |
A liquid in
which things can be dissolved. |
| Sound deadening |
Construction
intended to prevent the passage of sound. |
| Span |
The horizontal
dimension between vertical supports- The span of
a beam is the distance between the posts that
support it. |
| Spar varnish |
A varnish
consisting mainly of drying oil and the harder
types of resin. It is waterproof and strongly
resistant to the damaging effects of moisture
and sunlight. |
| Specific
gravity |
A measure of
the relative density of a substance. For woods
it is expressed as the ratio of the weight of a
body to the weight of an equal volume of water
at 4oC or other specified temperature. |
| Specifications |
Detailed,
precise engineering instructions that include
the kinds of materials to be used and the method
of construction. |
| Speed square |
A
triangular-shaped metal tool used as a guide for
cutting lumber at right angles with an
electric saw. |
| Splash block |
A small masonry
block laid with the top close to the ground
surface to receive drainage from downspouts and
to carry it away from the building. |
| Spline |
A thin strip of
wood used to reinforce joists. Also known as a
"feather" or "tongue". |
| Square |
The amount of
siding or roofing materials required to cover
100 square feet. |
| Square yards |
This term is a
unit of measure most commonly used in floor
coverings. To obtain square yardage you must
take the square footage of an area and divide it
by nine. |
| Stack effect |
Buoyancy of
warm gases within a chimney. |
| Stain |
A die used for
finishing wood surfaces. |
| Stair carriage |
The supporting
framework under a stair. |
| Stakes |
Pieces of wood
inserted in the ground at the corners and along
the boundary lines of a piece of property to
precisely define its boundaries. |
| Staking |
Marking the
corners and boundary lines of a property and the
corners and building lines of a house by means
of stakes. |
| Steam bending |
The process of
forming curved wood members by steaming or
boiling the wood and bending it to the desired
shape. |
| Stick-build |
A trade term
meaning to build a structure on-site with
conventional construction methods. |
| Stiffness |
The resistance
of a piece of wood to bending. |
| Stile |
The vertical
members in a sash, door, or other panel
construction. |
| Stool |
The flat,
narrow shelf which forms the top member of the
interior trim at the bottom of a window
(windowsill). |
| Stop (molding) |
Thin molding
for stopping doors on closure or holding window
sash in place. |
| Storm sash
(storm window) |
An extra window
usually placed on the outside of an existing
window as additional protection against cold
weather. |
| Story |
That part of a
building which is between any floor and the
floor or roof next above. |
| Strata |
Horizontal
layers of rock. |
| Stress-grade
lumber |
Structural
lumber that has been graded and stamped with
information to indicate the specific load it
will support. |
| Stringer |
Diagonal boards
that support stair treads, usually one on each
side and one in the middle of a staircase. |
| Strip flooring |
Wood flooring
consisting of narrow, matched strips. |
| Structural
lumber |
Lumber that is
2" or more thick and 4" or more wide; intended
for use where strength is required. The grading
of structural lumber is based on the strength of
the piece and its use. |
| Structural
sandwich construction |
A construction
in which layers of relatively high-strength
facing materials are tightly bonded to, and act
integrally with, a low-density core material. |
| Structural
timbers |
Pieces of wood
of relatively large size (with a cross section
greater than 4" x 6"), the strength of which is
the controlling element in their selection and
use. Framing for buildings, and crossarms for
posts are examples of structural timbers. |
| Stucco |
Most commonly
refers to an outside plaster made with portland
cement as it's base. |
| Stud |
Vertical member
of a frame wall, placed at both ends and most
often every 16" on center. |
| Stud finder |
Electronic or
magnetic tool that locates studs within a
finished wall. |
| Subcontractor |
A contractor
working for a general contractor. Examples could
be: plumbers, electricians, or hvac contractors.
Called "subs" for short. |
| Subdivision |
Land that is
divided or designated to be divided into two or
more lots. |
| Subfloor |
Boards or sheet
material laid on joists, and over which a finish
floor is to be laid. |
| Subfloor |
The first layer
of rough flooring applied to the floor joists. |
| Subflooring |
Plywood or
boards nailed directly to the floor joists to
form a base for the finish flooring. |
| Subsurface
water |
Water below
ground that is caused by heavy rainfall. |
| Sump |
A square,
rectangular, or circular pit used to collect
water, usually from a wet basement. The
collected water is subsequently discharged by a
pump. |
| Sump pump |
A device that
draws water beneath the slab and pumps it away
from the house. |
| Support columns |
Vertical
columns used for structural support. An example
could be the columns found in basements or
garages, supporting the main girder. |
| Survey |
A drawing made
to scale showing the lengths and directions of
the boundary lines of the lot; the surrounding
lots and streets; the position of the house and
all exterior improvements such as walkways,
driveways, decks and porticos within the lot;
and any existing encroachments. |
| Suspended
ceiling |
A ceiling
system supported by hanging it from the overhead
structural framing. |
| Swale |
A broad,
shallow ditch or depression in the ground,
either occurring naturally, or excavated for the
purpose of directing water runoff. |
| T &
G |
Tongued and
grooved. |
| Tack rag |
A piece of
cheesecloth or cotton rag moistened with thinned
varnish. It is used to pick up small particles
of dust. |
| Tail beam |
A relatively
short beam or joist supported in a wall on one
end and by a header on the other. |
| Tailpiece |
Short drainpipe
between a fixture drain and a trap; also, the
inlet tubes on a faucet that connect it to water
supply lines. |
| Take-off |
A trade term
meaning an estimate of the materials and labor
required to do a job. Take-offs are generally
associated more with materials than with labor. |
| Tambour door |
A door, made of
narrow slats, that opens by rolling up rather
than opening out. It has no hinges. |
| Taper |
A gradual and
uniform decrease in size, as of a round or
rectangular piece or hole. |
| Taping |
The process of
covering the drywall joints with paper tapes and
glossing over them with several coats of joint
compound to produce a continuous smooth surface. |
|
Temperature-controlled foundation vents |
Modern
foundation vents able to sense temperature and
open or close automatically. These vents allow
for better foundation ventilation throughout the
year. |
| Tempered glass |
Glass that has
been cooled rapidly to produce surface tension.
The result is a
stronger-than-normal glass that shatters into
relatively harmless cubical fragments when
broken. |
| Template |
A full-sized
pattern from which structural layouts are made.
Templates may be of paper,
cardboard, plywood, or metal. |
| Termite shield |
Sheet-metal
shield installed at the top of a foundation to
prevent termites from entering the wood
superstructure. |
| Termites |
Insects that
resemble ants in size, general appearance, and
habit of living in colonies. Hence they are
frequently called "white ants." About 56 species
of termites are known in the United States. The
two major species, classified from the manner in
which they attack wood, are:
(1) ground-inhabiting or subterranean termites,
the most common, and
(2) drywood termites, found in the United States
chiefly along the extreme southern border and
the Gulf of Mexico. |
| Thermal-break
window |
Window with a
metal frame that has the interior and exterior
separated by a material with a higher R-value. |
| Thermostat |
An electrical
switch that is activated by changes in
temperature. |
| Thinner |
A volatile
liquid added to finishing material to make it
flow more easily and smoothly. |
| Threshold |
A strip of wood
or metal beveled on each edge and used above the
finished floor under outside doors. |
| Tie beam |
A beam so
situated that it holds the principal rafters of
a roof together and prevents them from thrusting
the plate out of line. |
| Tie stones |
Long stones
laid across the width of the wall to add lateral
stability. |
| Tint |
A color
produced by adding white pigment or paint, with
the amount of white greater than the amount of
colored pigment. |
| Title |
The right of
ownership to real property. |
| Title insurance
policy |
A policy issued
by a title insurance company after it searches
the public record. It insures
against losses resulting from undiscovered
defects such as forged document, incompetent
grantor, incorrect marital status, or improperly
recorded deed. |
| Title search |
The examination
of the public records to discover the names of
the parties who have interest in a real property
and to detect any defects that may affect the
quality of the title. |
| Toe kick |
Indentation at
the bottom of a floor-based cabinet. |
| Toenail |
To drive a nail
through a surface at an angle. |
| Toilet - 12
inch rough |
A standard
toilet with the center of the drain pipe located
12 inches from
the finished wall behind the toilet. Other sizes
are available. |
| Tongue |
A projecting
edge, as on a board, that fits into a groove on
another piece. |
| Tongue & groove |
Boards in which
the tongue of one board fits into the groove of
another. |
| Top chord |
The top
horizontal member of a truss. |
| Top plate |
Piece of lumber
laid horizontally on top of the studs to tie
them together and form a base for the framing
above which may be a floor or a roof. |
| Topography |
A drawing that
indicates the configuration of the earth's
surface and the locations of the
natural or man-made monuments. |
| Total run |
The overall
horizontal measurement of a stair. |
| Tract housing |
A trade term
describing production or subdivision housing.
The term refers to houses built on a tract of
land. |
| Transom |
A transverse
structural member, such as a lintel, or the
horizontal crossbar in a window. |
| Trap |
A bend in
drainpipe that creates a water seal to prevent
sewer gases from escaping through fixtures. |
| Tread |
The horizontal
board in a stairway; the part on which the
person walks. |
| Trellis |
A panel of open
latticework fastened to a supporting framework
and used for privacy and
supporting climbing plants. |
| Trim |
Finish
materials, such as moldings, applied around
openings (window trim, door trim). |
| Trim |
Unmolded strips
of wood used alone or in combination with
molding. |
| Trimmers |
The double
framing members at the sides of an opening. |
| Troweling |
Giving concrete
a smooth final finish with a steel trowel. This
step is for interior
applications, as it creates an extremely smooth
and possibly slippery surface. |
| Truss |
A manufactured
assembly used to support a load over a long
span. |
|
Truth-in-lending act |
See regulation
Z. |
| Tung oil |
A yellow drying
oil obtained from the seed pods of tung trees
and widely used in water-resistant varnishes,
lacquers, and high-gloss paints. |
| Turnkey |
Projects that
include materials and labor, as well as
necessary permits, drawings, inspections, etc. .
A builder that gives you a turnkey job does
everything from initial drawings to handing you
the keys to move in. |
| Turpentine |
A volatile oil
used as a thinner in paints and as a solvent in
varnishes. |
| Type "L" Copper
tubing |
The type of
copper refers to the thickness of the wall of
the tubing. Type "L" copper is marked with a
blue stripe and is approved for use underground
and has a thicker sidewall than type "M" copper. |
| Ultraviolet
light (UV) |
Invisible rays
at the extreme violet end of the sun's light
spectrum, which causes color fading and
deterioration of certain materials, such as
plastics. Most pond liners have chemical
additives to inhibit the effects of UV rays. |
| Undercoat |
A coating
applied prior to the final or top coat of a
paint job. |
| Underlayment |
Any material
installed over the subfloor to provide a smooth
surface over which floor covering will be
installed. |
| Utility knife |
A razorlike
blade, generally retractable into a handle, for
slicing thin materials. |
| Valance |
A short curtain
forming a border between a window and the
ceiling or a short trim board
connecting the top of kitchen cabinets to the
ceiling. |
| Valley |
The inside
corner formed by intersecting roofs. |
| Valley rafter |
A rafter which
runs from a wall plate to the ridge, along the
valley of a roof. It is usually
made of doubled 2" thick members. |
| Vanity |
A trade term
describing a base cabinet for a bathroom
lavatory or sink. |
| Vapor barrier |
Sheet material
used to prevent water vapor from passing through
a building surface. |
| Varnish |
A thickened
preparation of drying oil or drying oil and
resin. When applied to a surface, it
leaves a hard, glossy, transparent coating. It
may also be mixed with pigments to make enamels.
Clear varnish is a slightly yellow,
semitransparent liquid. |
| Vehicle |
The liquid
portion of a finishing material. It consists of
the binder (nonvolatile) and thinners
(volatile). |
| Veneer |
A thin layer of
sheets of wood; usually one that has beauty or
value and is intended to be overlaid on an
inferior surface. |
| Veneer |
A course of
stone added to the surface of a wall as
decoration. |
| Vent pipe |
A pipe that
allows gas to escape from plumbing systems. |
| Vergeboard |
Decorative
gable trim. |
| Vermiculite |
A mineral
closely related to mica. When heated, it expands
to form lightweight material with insulation
quality. |
| Vinyl siding |
A type of
exterior siding made of plastic requiring little
to no maintenance with a life expectancy of twenty-years. The color is a part
of the molded vinyl and will not fade or wear
off under normal conditions. |
| Virgin growth |
The original
growth of trees on a piece of land. (to be
distinguished from Second growth.) |
| Vise-grip
pliers |
Adjustable
locking pliers. |
| Volt |
A unit that
measures electrical pressure. Common voltages
used in houses are 120 and 240. |
| Volume ceiling |
A ceiling that
is higher than the standard 8 feet. It can be
angled or arched or simply
horizontal. |
| Wainscoting |
Matched
boarding or panel work covering the lower
portion of a wall. |
| Wall sheathing |
Sheets of
plywood, gypsum board, or other material nailed
to the outside face of studs as a base for
exterior siding. |
| Wallboard |
Large, rigid
sheets of wood pulp, gypsum, or similar
materials that may be fastened to the frame of a
building, usually to form the interior walls. |
| Wall-hung
lavatory |
A bathroom
lavatory designed to hang on the wall with no
other support. |
| Wane |
A defect in
lumber in which there is bark or lack of wood at
a corner or edge. |
| Warp |
A variation
from a true or plane surface, as in a piece
lumber. Warp includes bow, crook, cup, twist,
and any combination thereof. |
| Warranty deed |
Warrants that
the grantor (seller) has a good title free and
clear of all liens and encumbrances; defends the
grantee (buyer) against all claims. |
| Washer outlet
box |
A metal or
plastic box designed to be recessed in an
interior wall, allowing the connection of
washing machine water hoses and providing an
indirect waste for the washing machine discharge
hose. |
| Water based
paint |
A paint in
which the vehicle is a water emulsion. |
| Water closet |
A plumbing
fixture commonly called toilet. |
| Water hammer |
Sound made by
supply pipes when water is suddenly stopped by
the quick closing of a valve. |
| Water repellant |
A liquid
designed to penetrate into wood to make it
resist water. |
| Water saver
toilet |
A toilet using
three gallons of water or less each time the
toilet is flushed. |
| Water stain |
A colored dye
that is soluble in water. |
| Water table |
The top level
of the natural underground water resulting from
a nearby stream, drain, or shallow rock
formation. |
| Watercourse |
An artificial
channel for a stream; constructed most often in
formal gardens. |
| Watt |
Unit of
electrical power. Watts equal volts across the
circuit times amps flowing through it. |
| Wattage |
The measure of
the rate at which electricity works. To
determine watts, multiply volts by
amperes. |
| Wax |
A fatty
material obtained from the honeycombs of bees or
from similar plant, animal, or mineral
substances. |
| Weather
stripping |
Metal, wood,
plastic, or other strips installed around door
and window openings to prevent air infiltration. |
| Weep holes |
Through-wall
drainage holes used to prevent water from
backing up behind retaining walls and brick
veneers on framed houses. |
| Western framing |
A method of
framing in which each level is framed
separately- The subfloor is laid for each floor
before the walls above it are formed. |
| Wet wall |
A wall framed
to enclose a building's main drain/vent stack,
water lines, and drain-waste-vent lines.
Sometimes referred to as a plumbing wall. |
| Whalers |
The lumber used
to stiffen concrete forms, either vertical or
horizontal. |
| Whirlpool |
A trade term
describing a bathing tub with whirlpool jets. |
| Wood
preservative |
A clear or
semitransparent coating used on wood to show the
grain. |
| Workability |
The ease with
which wood can be smoothly cut and shaped with
hand or machine tools. |
| Wythes |
Vertical stacks
of stones in a wall that are one stone wide. |
| Zoning
ordinances |
Local
regulations affecting property uses and type of
construction. They set forth the minimum lot
sizes; number of family units in each dwelling;
the maximum height of a building; and the
minimum setbacks and sideyards. |
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Siding for a
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