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 floor 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 block-work, 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.
PANEL-BOARD: 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 mortar-like 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.
VERGE-BOARD: 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.
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