ADOBE:
Construction using sun-dried units of adobe soil for walls; usually found in southwestern
United States.
A-FRAME:
A structural system utilizing members which when fastened together resemble the
letter A.
ALCOVE:
A recessed space connected at the side of a larger room.
ATRIUM:
An open court within a building.
BASE
PLATE: A plate, usually of steel, upon which a column rests.
BAY
WINDOW: A projection formed by three windows that are joined at obtuse angels.
BEAM
CEILING: A ceiling in which the ceiling beams are exposed to view.
BREEZEWAY:
A roofed walkway with open sides. It connects the house and garage.
BUILDING
CODE: A collection of legal requirements for buildings designed to protect the
safety, health, and general welfare of people who work and live them.
BUILDING
PERMIT: A permit issued by a municipal government authorizing the construction
of a building or structure.
CHALK
LINE: A string that is heavily chalked, held tight, then plucked to make a straight
guideline against boards or other surfaces.
CHIMNEY:
A vertical flue for passing smoke and gases outside a building.
CHIMNEY
STACK: A group of flues in the same chimney.
CINDER
BLOCK: A building block made of cement and cinder.
CIRCUIT:
Closed wiring or conductor through which an electric current can pass.
CIRCUIT
BREAKER: A safety device used to open and close an electrical circuit.
COMMON
WALL: A single wall that serves two dwelling units.
CONDEMN:
To legally declare unfit for use.
CONDENSATION:
The formation of frost or drops of water on inside walls when warm vapor inside
a room meets a cold wall or window.
CONDUCTOR:
In architecture, a drain pipe leading from the roof; in electricity, anything
that permits the passage of an electric current.
CONDUCTOR
PIPE: A pipe used to lead water from the roof to the sewer.
CONDUIT:
A channel built to convey water or other fluids; a drain or sewer. In electrical
work, a channel that carries wires for protection and for safety.
CONTRACTOR:
The manager of a construction project.
CRAWL
SPACE: Shallow space below the floor of a building built above ground, generally
surrounded with a foundation wall.
CROWN
MOLDING: Molding used above eye level; usually the upper trim on interior walls.
CURE:
To allow concrete to dry slowly by keeping it moist to allow maximum strength.
DAMPER:
A movable plate that regulates the draft of a stove, fireplace, or furnace.
DEAD
LOAD: All the weight in a structure made up of unmovable materials.
DECAY:
The disintegration of wood through the action of fungi.
DEHUMIDIFY:
To reduce the moisture content in the air.
DRY
ROT: A term applied to many types of decay, especially and advanced stage when
the wood can be easily crushed to a dry powder.
DRY-WALL
CONSTRUCTION: Interior wall covering other than plaster, usually referred to as
"gypsum board" or "wallboard."
DRY
WELL: A pit located in porous ground and lined with rock that allows water to
seep through the pit. Used for the disposal of rain water of the effluent from
a septic tank.
DUCTS:
Sheet metal conductors for warm and cold air distribution.
EASEMENT:
The right to use land owned by another, such as a utility company's right-of-way.
ENAMEL:
Paint with a considerable amount of varnish. It produces a hard, glossy surface.
EXCAVATION:
Cavity or pit produced by digging the earth in preparation for construction.
FACADE:
Face or front elevation of a building.
FACING:
A surface finish material used to cover another surface.
FASCIA:
Outside horizontal face of member on the edge of a roof or cornice.
FIBERBOARD:
A building board made with fibrous material used as an insulating board.
FILLED
INSULATION: A loose insulating material poured from bags or blown by machines
into walls.
FINISH
LUMBER: Dressed wood used for building trim and cabinet work.
FIRE
DOOR: A door that will resist fire.
FIRE
PARTITION: A partition designed to restrict the spread of fire.
FIRE-STOP:
Tight closure material or blocking to prevent the spread of flame or hot gases
within framing.
FIXTURE:
A piece of electric or plumbing equipment that is part of the structure.
FLAGSTONE:
Flat stone used for floors, terraces, steps, and walks.
FLASHING:
Sheet-metal work used in roof or wall construction to prevent water from seeping
into the building.
FLAT
ROOF: A roof with minimum pitch for drainage.
FLOATING:
Spreading plaster, stucco, or cement on walls or floors with use of a tool called
a float.
FLOOR
PLAN: The top view of a building at a specified floor level. A floor plan includes
all vertical details at or above windowsill levels.
FLOOR
PLUG: An electrical outlet flush with the floor.
FLUE:
The opening in a chimney through which smoke passes.
FLUSH
SURFACE: A continuous surface without an angle.
FRAMING:
Wood skeleton of a building constructed one level on top of another.
FRIEZE
BOARD: Trim member below the cornice that is fastened against the wall.
FROST
LINE: Depth of frost penetration in the ground; bottom of footings should always
be below this line.
FURRING
STRIPS: Thin strips fastened to walls or ceilings for leveling and for attaching
finish surface material.
FUSE:
A strip of soft metal inserted in an electric circuit and designed to melt and
open the circuit should the current exceed a predetermined value.
GABLE:
The vertical triangular end of a building or part of a building, from the eaves
to the ridge.
GALVANIZE:
A lead and zinc bath treatment to prevent rusting.
GRADIENT:
Inclination of a road, piping, or the ground, expressed in percent.
GROUT:
Thin cement mortar used for leveling and filling masonry cavities.
GUSSET:
Plywood or metal plate used to strengthen joints of a truss.
GUTTER:
Metal or wood trough for carrying rainwater to downspouts.
GYP
BOARD: Gypsum sheets covered with paper which are fastened to walls and ceilings
with nails or screws.
HEARTH:
That part of the foor directly in front of the fireplace, and the floor inside
the fireplace on which the fire is built. It is made of fire-resistant masonry.
HEEL
PLATE: A plate at the ends of truss.
HOUSE
DRAIN: Horizontal sewer piping within a building that receives wastes from the
soil stacks.
HOUSE
SEWER: Watertight soil pipe extending from the exterior of the foundation wall
to the sewer main.
HUMIDIFIER:
A mechanical device that controls the amount of water vapor to be added to the
atmosphere.
HUMIDISTAT:
An instrument used for r measuring and controlling moisture in the air.
I
BEAM: A steel beam with an I-shaped cross section.
INCANDESCENT
LAMP: Lamp in which a filament gives off light.
INDIRECT
LIGHTING: Artificial light that is reflected from a surface before reaching source.
INSULATING
BOARD: Any board suitable for insulating purposes, usually manufactured board
made from vegetable fibers, such as fiberboard.
INSULATION:
Materials for obstructing the passage of sound, heat, or cold from one surface
to another.
INTERIOR
TRIM: General term for all the finish molding, casing, baseboard, etc., applied
within the building by finish carpenters.
JOIST:
Structural member which directly supports floors or ceilings and is supported
by bearing walls, beams, or girders.
KNOCKED
DOWN: Unassembled; refers to construction units requiring assembly after being
delivered to the job.
LAP
JOINT: Joint produced by lapping and joining two similar members.
LATH:
Metal or gypsum sheeting used under plaster, stucco, and ceramic tile.
LEAN-TO:
A shed whose rafters lean against another building or other part of the same building.
LOAD-BEARING
WALL: Wall designed to support the weight imposed upon it from above.
LOT
LINE: Line forming the legal boundary of a piece of property; also called property
line.
LOUVER:
Opening or slatted grillwork that allows ventilation while providing protection
from rain, sight, or light.
MANSARD
ROOF: A roof with two slopes on each side, with the lower slope being nearly vertical
and the upper nearly horizontal.
MASONRY:
General term for brickwork, stonework, concrete blockwork, or similar materials.
MASTIC:
Flexible adhesive for adhering building materials.
METAL
TIE: A strip of metal used to fasten construction members together.
METAL
WALL TIES: Strips of corrugated metal used to tie a brick veneer wall to framework.
MILLWORK:
Finish carpentry work or that woodwork done in a mill and delivered to the site;
relates to interior trim.
MINERAL
WOOL: An insulating material made into a fibrous form from mineral slag.
MITER
JOINT: Joint made with ends or edges of two pieces cut at 45-degree angles and
fastened together.
MODULAR
CONSTRUCTION: Construction in which the size of the building and the building
materials are based on a common unit of measure.
MODULE:
Standardized unit of measure (e.g., 4", 12", or 4'-0", etc.) to
unify construction.
MOISTURE
BARRIER: A material such as specially treated paper that retards the passage of
vapor or moisture into walls and prevents condensation within the walls.
MORTAR:
A mixture of cement, sand, and water, used as a bonding agent by the mason for
binding bricks and stones.
MOSAIC:
Small colored tile, glass, stone, or similar material arranged to produce a decorative
surface.
MUD
ROOM: A small room or entranceway where muddy overshoes and wt garments can be
removed before entering other rooms.
NONBEARING
WALL: A dividing wall that does not support a vertical load.
OBSCURE
GLASS: Sheet glass that is made translucent instead of transparent.
OVERHANG:
Projecting area of a roof or upper story beyond the wall of the lower part.
PANELBOARD:
The center for controlling electrical circuits.
PARQUET
FLOORING: Flooring, usually wood, laid in an alternating or inlaid pattern to
form various designs.
PARTICLE
BOARD: Sheets made from compressed wood fiber.
PARTITION:
An interior wall that separates two rooms.
PLANK:
Lumber 2" thick or more and more than 4" wide, such as joists, flooring,
and the like.
PLASTER:
A mortarlike composition used for covering walls and ceilings. Usually made of
portland cement mixed with sand and water.
PLASTERBOARD:
A board made of plastering material covered on both sides with heavy paper.
PLATE
GLASS: A high-quality sheet of glass used in large windows.
PLUMB:
Said of a member when it is in true vertical position as determined by a plumb
bob or vertical level.
POST
& BEAM CONSTRUCTION: Wall construction consisting of large, widely spaced
posts to support horizontal beams.
PRECAST:
Concrete shapes made separately before being used in a structure.
PREFABRICATED
BUILDINGS: Buildings that are built in sections or component parts in a factory,
and then assembled at the site.
PRIMER
COAT: First coat of paint applied to wood or metal to prime the surface for succeeding
coats.
RADIANT
HEATING: A system using heating elements in the floors, ceilings, or walls to
radiate heat into the room.
RAFTER:
Inclined structural members used to frame a roof.
REBAR:
Steel reinforcing bar.
REGISTER:
The open end of a duct in a room for warm or cool air.
REINFORCED
CONCRETE: Concrete in which steel bars or webbing has been embedded for strength.
RENDERING:
The art of shading or coloring a drawing.
RESTORATION:
Rebuilding s structure so it will appear in its original form.
RESTRICTIONS:
Limitations on the use of real estate building materials, size, or design styles.
RETAINING
WALL: A wall to hold back an earth embankment.
ROLL
ROOFING: Roofing material of fiber and asphalt manufactured in rolls.
SASH:
Individual frame into which glass is set; the movable part of a double-hung window.
SCRATCH
COAT: The first coat of plaster. It is scratched to provide a good bond for the
next coat.
SEASONING:
Drying out of green lumber, either in an over or kiln or by exposing it to air.
SHEATHING:
Rough covering over the framing of a building, either roof or wall, which is not
exposed when finish material is applied.
SHIM:
A piece of material used to fill in the space between two surfaces.
SHINGLES:
Thin pieces of wood or materials that overlap each other in covering a roof. The
number and kind needed depend on the steepness of the roof and slope.
SHOE
MOLD: Small rounded molding covering the joint between the flooring and the baseboard.
SHORING:
Lumber placed in a slanted position to support the structure of a building temporarily.
SIDING:
The outside boards of an exterior wall.
SKYLIGHT:
An opening in the roof for admitting light.
SLAB
CONSTRUCTION: A reinforced concrete floor and foundation system.
SLEEPERS:
Wood strips placed over or in a concrete slab to receive a finished wood floor.
SMOKE
CHAMBER: The portion of a chimney flue located directly over the fireplace.
SOFFIT:
Underside of an overhang such as the eave, a second floor, or stairs.
SOLAR
HEAT: Heat from the sun.
SOLE
PLATE: The horizontal framing member directly under the studs.
SPACKLE:
To cover wallboard joints with plaster.
SPAN:
Horizontal distance between supports for joists, beams, or trusses.
SPECIFICATIONS:
The written or printed direction regarding the details of a building or other
construction not included in the set of working drawings.
SPLICE:
Joining of two similar members in a straight line.
STEEL
FRAMING: Skeleton framing with structural steel members.
STORM
SEWER: A sewer that is designed to carry away water from storms, but not sewage.
STRIPPING:
Removal of concrete forms from the hardened concrete.
STUCCO:
Any of various plasters used for covering walls, especially an exterior wall covering
in which cement is used.
STUDS:
Vertical framing members in a wall spaced at 16" or 24" o.c.
SUBFLOOR:
Material fastened directly to floor joist below the finish floor.
SUMP:
A pit in a basement floor to collect water, into which a sump pump is placed to
remove water.
SURVEYOR:
A person skilled in land measurement.
SUSPENDED
CEILING: Finish ceiling hung below the underside of the building structure, either
floor or roof.
TAIL
JOISTS: Relatively shorter joists that join against a header or trimmer in floor
framing.
TAR:
A dark heavy oil used in roofing and roof surfacing.
TEMPERED:
Thoroughly mixed cement or mortar.
TENSILE
STRENGTH: The greatest longitudinal stress a structural member can resist without
adverse affects (breaking or cracking).
TERMITE
SHIELD: Sheet metal used to block the passage of termites.
TERRAZZO:
Wear-resistant flooring made of marble chips or small stones embedded in cement
matrix that has been polished smooth.
THERMAL
CONDUCTOR: Material capable of transmitting heat.
THERMOSTAT:
A device for automatically controlling the supply of heat and air.
THRESHOLD:
Wood, metal, or stone member placed directly below a door.
TIE:
A structural member used to bind others together.
TIMBER:
Lumber with a cross section larger than 4"x6", for posts, sills, and
girders.
TOENAIL:
Nailing diagonally through a member.
TOLERANCE:
The acceptable variance of dimensions from s standard size.
TONGUE:
A projection on the edge of wood that joins with a similarly shaped groove.
T-POST:
Post built up of studs and blocking to form the intersection framing for perpendicular
walls.
TRANSOM
WINDOW: A narrow horizontal window above a window or door, named for the cross
bar on which it rests.
TRAP:
U-shaped pipe below plumbing fixtures which provides a water seal to prevent sewer
odors and gases from entering habitable areas.
TRAY
CEILING: A recessed ceiling resembling an upside-down tray; also referred to as
a stepped ceiling.
TREAD:
The step or horizontal member of a stair.
TRIMMER:
The longer floor or ceiling-framing member around a rectangular opening into which
headers are joined; both headers and trimmers are doubled.
TRUSS:
Structural unit of members fastened in triangular arrangements to form a rigid
framework for support over long spans.
TRUSS
RAFTER: Truss spaced close enough (usually 24" o.c.) to eliminate the need
for purlins.
UNDERPINNING:
A foundation replacement or reinforcement for temporary braced supports.
VAPOR
BARRIER: Watertight material used to prevent the passage of moisture or water
vapor into and through walls and under concrete slabs.
VAULTED
CEILING: A ceiling that slopes up to a peak.
VENEER
CONSTRUCTION: Type of wall construction in which frame or masonry walls are faced
with other exterior surfacing materials.
VENT:
A screened opening for ventilation.
VENTILATION:
The process of supplying and removing air by natural or mechanical means to or
from any space.
VENT
PIPES: Small ventilating pipes extending from each fixture of a plumbing system
to the vent stack.
VENT
STACK: Vertical soil pipe connected to the drainage system to allow ventilation
and pressure equalization.
VERGEBOARD:
The board that serves as the eaves finish on the gable end of a building.
VESTIBULE:
A small lobby or entrance room.
VITREOUS:
Pertaining to a composition of materials that resemble glass.
VOLUME
CEILING: Any ceiling higher than the standard 8 feet.
WAINSCOTE:
Surfacing on the lower part of an interior wall when finished differently from
the remainder of the wall.
WALLBOARD:
Wood pulp, gypsum, or similar materials made into large rigid sheets that may
be fastened to the frame of a building to provide a surface finish.
WALL
TIE: Small metal strip or steel wire used to bind courses of masonry to wood frame
in veneer construction.
WARP:
Any change from a true or plane surface. Warping includes bow, crook, cup, and
twist.
WASH:
The slant upon a sill, capping, etc., to allow the water to run off.
WASTE
STACK: A vertical pipe in a plumbing system that carries the discharge from any
fixture.
WATERPROOFING:
Material or construction that prevents the passage of water.
WATER
TABLE: Horizontal member extending from the surface of an exterior wall to throw
rainwater away from the wall; also, the level of subsurface water.
WEATHER
STRIPPING: Strips of fabric or metal fastened around the edges of windows and
doors to prevent air infiltration.
ZONING:
Building restrictions as to size, location, and type of structures to be built
in specific areas.
