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Homeowner's Glossary of Building Terms
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This publication defines
some terms used in home construction, repair and maintenance. It
is not a comprehensive list but will provide a quick reference
for homeowners who are unfamiliar with building terminology. |
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Acoustical Tile |
Special tile for walls and ceilings made of
mineral, wood, vegetable fibers, cork, or metal. Its purpose is
to control sound volume, while providing cover. |
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Air Duct |
Pipes that carry warm air and cold air to
rooms and back to furnace or air conditioning system. |
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Ampere |
The rate of flow of electricity through
electric wires. |
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Apron |
A paved area, such as the juncture of a
driveway with the street or with a garage entrance. |
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Backfill
|
The gravel or earth replaced in the space
around a building wall after foundations are in place. |
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Balusters
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Upright supports of a balustrade rail. |
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Balustrade
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A row of balusters topped by a rail, edging a
balcony or a staircase. |
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Baseboard
|
A board along the floor against walls and
partitions to hid gaps. |
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Batt
|
Insulation in the form of a blanket, rather
than loose filling. |
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Batten
|
Small thin strips covering joints between wider
boards on exterior building surfaces. |
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Beam
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One of the principal horizontal wood or steel
members of a building. |
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Bearing Wall
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A wall that supports a floor or roof of a
building. |
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Bib or Bibcock
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A water faucet to which a hose may be attached,
also called a hose bib or sill cock. |
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Bleeding
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Seeping of resin or gum from lumber. This term
is also used in referring to the process of drawing air from
water pipes. |
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Brace
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A piece of wood or other material used to form
a triangle and stiffen some part of a structure. |
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Braced Framing
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Construction technique using posts and
cross-bracing for greater rigidity. |
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Brick Veneer
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Brick used as the outer surface of a framed
wall. |
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Bridging
|
Small wood or metal pieces placed diagonally
between floor joists. |
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Building Paper
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Heavy paper used in walls or roofs to
dampproof. |
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Built-Up Roof
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A roofing material applied in sealed,
waterproof layers, where there is only a slight slope to the
roof. |
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Butt Joint
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Joining point of two pieces of wood or molding. |
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Bx Cable
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Electricity cable wrapped in rubber with a
flexible steel outer covering. |
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Cantilever
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A projecting beam or joist, not supported at
one end, used to support an extension of a structure. |
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Carriage
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The member which supports the steps or treads
of a stair. |
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Casement
|
A window sash that opens on hinges at the
vertical edge. |
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Casing
|
Door and window framing. |
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Cavity Wall
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A hollow wall formed by firmly linked masonry
walls, providing an insulating air space between. |
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Chimney Cap
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Concrete capping around the top of chimney
bricks and around the floors to protect the masonry from the
elements. |
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Chair Rail
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Wooden molding on a wall around a room at the
level of a chair back. |
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Chamfered Edge
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Molding with pared-off corners. |
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Chase
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A groove in a masonry wall or through a floor
to accommodate pipes or ducts. |
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Chimney Breast
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The horizontal projection-usually inside a
building-of a chimney from the wall in which it is built. |
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Circuit Breaker
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A safety device which opens (breaks) an
electric circuit automatically when it becomes overloaded. |
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Cistern
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A tank to catch and store rain water. |
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Clapboard
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A long thin board, thicker on one edge,
overlapped and nailed on for exterior siding. |
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Collar Beam
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A horizontal beam fastened above the lower ends
of rafters to add rigidity. |
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Coping
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Tile or brick used to cap or cover the top of a
masonry wall. |
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Corbel
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A horizontal projection from a wall, forming a
ledge or supporting a structure above it. |
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Corner Bead
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A strip of wood or metal for protecting the
external corners of plastered walls. |
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Cornice
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Horizontal projection at the top of a wall or
under the overhanging part of the roof. |
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Course
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A horizontal row of bricks, cinder blocks or
other masonry materials. |
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Cove Lighting
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Concealed light sources behind a cornice or
horizontal recess which direct the light upon a reflecting
ceiling. |
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Crawl Space
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A shallow, unfinished space beneath the first
floor of a house which has no basement, used for visual
inspection and access to pipes and ducts. Also, a shallow space
in the attic, immediately under the roof. |
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Cripples
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Cut-off framing members above and below
windows. |
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Door Buck
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The rough frame of a door. |
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Dormer
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The projecting frame of a recess in a sloping
roof. |
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Double Glazing
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An insulating window pane formed of two
thicknesses of glass with a sealed air space between them. |
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Double Hung Windows
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Windows with an upperand lower sash, each
supported by cords and weights. |
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Downspout Leader
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Downspout A spout or pipe to carry rain water
down from a roof or gutters. |
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Cripples
|
A pipe for conducting rainwater from the roof
to a cistern or to the ground by way of a downspout. |
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Downspout Strap
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A piece of metal which secures the downspout to
the eaves or wall of a building. |
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Drip
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The projecting part of a cornice which sheds
rain water. |
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Dry Wall
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A wall surface of plasterboard or material
other than plaster. |
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Eaves
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The extension of roof beyond house walls. |
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Efflorescence
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White powder that forms on the surface of
brick. |
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Effluent
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Treated sewage from a septic tank or sewage
treatment plant. |
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Fascia
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A flat horizontal member of a cornice placed in
a vertical position. |
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Fill-Type Insulation
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Loose insulating material which is applied by
hand or blown into wall spaces mechanically. |
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Flashing
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Noncorrosive metal used around angles or
junctions in roofs and exterior walls to prevent leaks. |
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Floor Joists
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Framing pieces which rest on outer foundation
walls and interior beams or girders. |
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Flue
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A passageway in a chimney for conveying smoke,
gases or fumes to the outside air. |
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Footing
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Concrete base on which a foundation sits. |
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Foundation
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Lower parts of walls on which the structure is
built. Foundation walls of masonry or concrete are mainly below
ground level. |
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Framing
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The rough lumber of a house-joists, studs,
rafters, and beams. |
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Furring
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Thin wood, or metal applied to a wall to level
the surface for lathing, boarding, or plastering, to create an
insulating air space, and to damp proof the wall. |
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Fuse
|
A short plug in an electric panel box which
opens (breaks) an electrical circuit when it becomes overloaded. |
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Gable
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The triangular part of a wall under the
inverted "v" of the roof line. |
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Gambrel Roof
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A roof with two pitches, designed to provide
more space on upper floors. The roof is steeper on its lower
slope and flatter toward the ridge. |
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Girder
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A main member in a framed floor supporting the
joists which carry the flooring boards. It carries the weight of
a floor or partition. |
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Glazing
|
Fitting glass into windows or doors. |
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Grade Line
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The point at which the ground rests against the
foundation wall. |
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Green Lumber
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Lumber which has been inadequately dried and
which tends to warp or "bleed" resin. |
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Grounds
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Pieces of wood embedded in plaster of walls to
which skirtings are attached. Also wood pieces used to stop the
plaster work around doors and windows. |
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Gusset
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A brace or bracket used to strengthen a
structure. |
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Gutter
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A channel at the eaves for conveying away rain
water. |
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Hardwood
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The close-grained wood from broad-leaved trees
such as oak or maple. |
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Headers
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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 to the studs. |
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Heel
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The end of a rafter that rests on the wall
plate. |
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Hip Roof
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A roof that slants upward on three or four
sides. |
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Hip |
The external angle formed by the juncture of
two slopes of a roof. |
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Jalousies
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Windows with movable, horizontal glass slats
angled to admit-ventilation and keep out rain. This term is also
used for outside shutters of wood constructed in this way. |
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Jamb
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An upright surface that lines an opening for a
door or window. |
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Joist
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A small rectangular sectional member arranged
parallel from wall to wall in a building, or resting on beams or
girders. They support a floor or the laths or furring strips of
a ceiling. |
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Kiln-Dried
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Artificial drying of lumber, superior to most
lumber that is air dried. |
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King-Post
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The middle post of a truss. Large, heavy
screws, used where great strength is required, as in heavy
framing or when attaching ironwork to wood. |
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Lag-Screws or
Coach-Screws |
Large, heavy screws, used where great strength
is required, as in heavy framing or when attaching ironwork to
wood. |
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Lally Column
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A steel tube sometimes filled with concrete,
used to support girders or other floor beams. |
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Lath
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One of a number of thin narrow strips of wood
nailed to rafters, ceiling joists, wall studs, etc. to make a
groundwork or key for slates, tiles, or plastering. |
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Leaching Bed
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Tiles in the trenches carrying treated wastes
from septic tanks. |
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Ledger
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A piece of wood which is attached to a beam to
support joists. |
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Lintel
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The top piece over a door or window which
supports walls above the opening. |
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Load-Bearing Wall
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A strong wall capable of supporting weight. |
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Louver
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An opening with horizontal slats to permit
passage of air, but excluding rain, sunlight and view. |
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Masonry
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Walls built by a mason, using brick, stone,
tile or similar materials. |
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Molding
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A strip of decorative material having a plane
or curved narrow surface prepared for ornamental application.
These strips are often used to hide gaps at wall junctures. |
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Moisture Barrier
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Treated paper or metal that retards or bars
water vapor, used to keep moisture from passing into walls or
floors. |
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Mullion
|
Slender framing which divides the lights or
panes of windows. |
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Newel
|
The upright post or the upright formed by the
inner or smaller ends of steps about which steps of a circular
staircase wind. In a straight flight staircase, the principal
post at the foot or the secondary post at a landing. |
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Nosing
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The rounded edge of a stair tread. |
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Parging
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A rough coat of mortar applied over a masonry
wall as protection or finish; may also serve as a base for an
asphaltic waterproofing compound below grade. |
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Pilaster
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A projection or the foundation wall used to
support a floor girder or stiffen the wall. |
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Pitch
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The angle of slope of a roof. |
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Plasterboard (See Dry
Wall) |
Gypsum board, used instead of plaster. |
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Plates
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Pieces of wood placed on wall surfaces as
fastening devices. The bottom member of the wall is the sole
plate and the top member is the rafter plate. |
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Plenum
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A chamber which can serve as a distribution
area for heating or cooling systems, generally between a false
ceiling and the actual ceiling. |
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Pointing
|
Treatment of joints in masonry by filling with
mortar to improve appearance or protect against weather. |
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Post-And-Beam
Construction |
Wall construction in which beams are supported
by heavy posts rather than many smaller studs. |
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Prefabrication
|
Construction of components such as walls,
trusses, or doors, before delivery to the building site. |
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Rabbet
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A groove cut in a board to receive another
board. |
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Radiant Heat
|
Coils of electricity, hot water or steam pipes
embedded in floors, ceilings, or walls to heat rooms. |
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Rafter
|
One of a series of structural roof members
spanning from an exterior wall to a center ridge beam or ridge
board. |
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Reinforced Concrete
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Concrete strengthened with wire or metal bars. |
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Ridge Pole
|
A thick longitudinal plank to which the ridge
rafters of a roof are attached. |
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Riser
|
The upright piece of a stair step, from tread
to tread. |
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Roof Sheathing
|
Sheets, usually of plywood, which are nailed to
the top edges of trusses or rafters to tie the roof together and
support the roofing material. |
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Sandwich Panel
|
A panel with plastic, paper, or other material
enclosed between two layers of a different material. |
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Sash
|
The movable part of a window-the frame in which
panes of glass are set in a window or door. |
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Scotia
|
A concave molding. |
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Scuttle Hole
|
A small opening either to the attic, to the
crawl space or to the plumbing pipes. |
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Seepage Pit
|
A sewage disposal system composed of a septic
tank and a connected cesspool. |
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Septic Tank
|
A sewage settling tank in which part of the
sewage is converted into gas and sludge before the remaining
waste is discharged by gravity into a leaching bed underground. |
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Shakes
|
Handcut wood shingles. |
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Sheathing (See Wall
Sheathing) |
The first covering of boards or material on the
outside wall or roof prior to installing the finished siding or
roof covering. |
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Shim
|
Thin tapered piece of wood used for leveling or
tightening a stair or other building element. |
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Shingles
|
Pieces of wood, asbestos or other material used
as an overlapping outer covering on walls or roofs. |
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Shiplap
|
Boards with rabbeted edges overlapping. |
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Shiplap
|
Siding Boards of special design nailed
horizontally to vertical studs with or without intervening
sheathing to form the exposed surface of outside walls of frame
buildings. |
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Sill Plate
|
The lowest member of the house framing resting
on top of the foundation wall. Also called the mud sill. |
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Skirtings
|
Narrow boards around the margin of a floor;
baseboards. |
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Slab
|
Concrete floor placed directly on earth or a
gravel base and usually about four inches thick. |
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Sleeper
|
Strip of wood laid over concrete floor to which
the finished wood floor is nailed or glued. |
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Soffit
|
The visible underwide of structural members
such as staircases, cornices, beams, a roof overhang or eave. |
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Softwood
|
Easily worked wood or wood from a conebearing
tree. |
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Soil Stack
|
Vertical plumbing pipe for waste water. |
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Stringer
|
A long, horizontal member which connects
uprights in a frame or supports a floor or the like. One of the
enclosed sides of a stair supporting the treads and risers. |
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Studs
|
In wall framing, the vertical members to which
horizontal pieces are nailed. Studs are spaced either 16 inches
or 24 inches apart. |
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Subfloor |
Usually, plywood sheets that are nailed
directly to the floor joists and that receive the finish
flooring. |
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Sump
|
A pit in the basement in which water collects
to be pumped out with a sump pump. |
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Swale
|
A wide shallow depression in the ground to form
a channel for storm water drainage. |
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Tie |
A wood member which binds a pair of principal
rafters at the bottom. |
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Tile Field
|
Open-joint drain tiles laid to distribute
septic tank effluent over an absorption area or to provide
subsoil drainage in wet areas. |
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Toenail
|
Driving nails at an angle into corners or other
joints. |
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Tongue-And-Groove
|
Carpentry joint in which the jutting edge of
one board fits into the grooved end of a similar board. |
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Trap
|
A bend in a water pipe to hold water so gases
will not escape from the plumbing system into the house. |
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Tread
|
The horizontal part of a stair step. |
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Truss
|
A combination of structural members usually
arranged in triangular units to form a rigid framework for
spanning between load-bearing walls. |
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Valley
|
The depression at the meeting point of two roof
slopes. |
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Vapor Barrier
|
Material such as paper, metal or paint which is
used to prevent vapor from passing from rooms into the outside
walls. |
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Venetian Window
|
A window with one large fixed central pane and
smaller panes at each side. |
|
Vent Pipe
|
A pipe which allows gas to escape from plumbing
systems. |
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Verge
|
The edge of tiles, slates or shingles,
projecting over the gable of a roof. |
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Wainscoting
|
The lower three or four feet of an interior
wall when lined with paneling, tile or other material different
from the rest of the wall. |
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Wall Sheathing
|
Sheets of plywood, gypsum board, or other
material nailed to the outside face of studs as a base for
exterior siding. |
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Weather Stripping
|
Metal, wood, plastic or other material
installed around door and window openings to prevent air
infiltration. |
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Weep Hole
|
A small hole in a wall which permits water to
drain off. |
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