Dictionary of Terms

Go To: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Z

A

A/C		Air Conditioner
A/C Compressor		Located on the outside of the home; removes heat from the Freon that comes from the A/C coil, then returns the cooled Freon to the coil.
A/C Disconnect		Electrical panel box for outside compressor; used to remove electrical power from the compressor.
Aerator		Device on water faucets designed to screen foreign matter out of the water and prevent splashing; also mixes air into the water.
Aggregate		Any of several hard inert materials ranging from sand to rocks; used for mixing with cement material to form concrete or mortar.
Amp-Ampere		Amount of electricity that flows through a conductor or circuit; Watts divided by Volts equals Amps.

B

Backfill		Earth, once dug out, that has been replaced and tamped down around the foundation.
Backsplash		Short extension of a countertop up a wall; also called a splashboard.
Baluster		Vertical support for a handrail in a stairway; also called a banister.
Base Shoe		Molding added at the bottom of a baseboard to cover the edge of finish flooring or carpeting.
Base, Baseboard		Molding covering the joint between a finished wall and a floor.
Batts		Insulation usually used in wall and attic.
Bay Window		Structure that projects from an exterior wall containing at least one window, and usually several windows at and angle to each other.
Beam		2 or more 2x’s nailed together to form structural horizontal support over an opening; used to support other structural members.
Bearing Partition		Any interior divider that supports the weight of the structure above it.
Beveled Siding		Siding with a thick butt and a thin upper edge lapped to shed water; sometimes call clapboard.
Bifold Door		Interior door hinged in the middle, which folds against the jamb; usually installed in pairs.
Birdsmouth		Cut in the rafter where it bears on the top plate of a bearing wall.
Board Foot (B.F.)		Unit of lumber measure equal to 144 cubic inches. The basic is 1” in normal thickness by 12” square.
Bearing Partition		Any interior divider that supports the weight of the structure above it.
Bow		Warp upward along the length of a piece of lumber laid flat.
Breaker Box		Metal box containing all electrical circuit breakers.
Brick Frieze		Finish of cornice to trim out brick where it meets soffit of home.
Brick Ledge		Lowered portion of slab where exterior brick is placed.
Bridging		Cross bridging or solid members to brace one joist to the next; used to prevent twisting.
Broom Finish		Broom swept concrete finish; produces rough finish.
BTU		Abbreviation for British Thermal Unit; also written Btu; a measure of heat and heat loss.
Building Codes		Collection of national, regional and local requirements or rules that mist be followed during any construction activity, commercial or residential. Major areas of concern are structural, electrical, plumbing, heating A/C, and fire codes.
Building Paper		Paper placed outside the sheathing to help protect against air penetration into the home.

C

C-Tile		Ceramic Tile
Cantilever		Any part of a structure that projects beyond its main support and is balanced on it; the act of projecting and balancing the structure.
Casing		Piece of wood or metal trim that completes the frame of a door or window.
Cathedral Ceiling		High pitched ceiling peaking in the middle of the room.
Cement		Basic ingredient in concrete; also known as Portland cement.
Chimney Cap		Protects brick or siding from the weather and keeps the water from entering the area; generally metal.
Clear Final		Final inspection that has been passed.
Codes		Collection of national, regional and local requirements or rules that must be followed during any construction activity, commercial or residential. Major areas of concern are structural, electrical, plumbing, heating, A/C, and fire codes.
Collar Tie		Framing brace used to tie together opposing rafters at the ridge line.
Column		Vertical structural member of steel or wood; provides intermediate support for framing above.
Corbel		Design in which a course of brick projects beyond the course below.
Corner Bead		Metal accessory used to finish and strengthen exposed corners of walls finished with wallboard or plaster.
Corner Post		Vertical member at the corner of the frame; received inner and outer covering materials.
Cornice		Exterior finish on a building: trim, siding, windows, and doors.
Countersink		To bore a recess in wood for the head of a nail or screw; to drive the fastener into the recess below the wood’s surface.
Cricket		Small structure built on a roof to divert water usually away from a chimney; also called a saddle.
Crown		High point of a piece of lumber with a crook in it.

D

Damper		Device used to block airflow; used in A/C systems, ducts, fireplaces, etc.
Dead Load		Weight of all structures in place. (See live load).
Deck		Strip of solid used to provide support for roof shingles; also used for plywood surface of floor.
Dormer		Minor structure projecting from a sloping roof; usually containing a window or ventilating louver.
Double Hung Window		Type of window with two sashes that slide vertically past each other.
Downspouts		Pipe that lead the water from the gutter.
Drip Cap		Metal molding above the frame of a window or exterior door that directs water beyond the surface of the window frame.
Drip Edge		Strip of material used to protect the edges of roof structure from water damage.

E

Easement		Right or privilege to use land, other than as a tenant, for a specific purpose (i.e., utility or telephone lines running across the property).
Eaves		Lower edge of sloping roof; the part of the rook projecting beyond the outside wall of the home.
Enamel		Type of paint typically used on interior wood and some bathrooms and kitchens; usually a high gloss finish.
Expansion Joint [1]		Strip of flexible material, usually asphalt or treated lumber, inserted between sections of a large concrete slab to permit expansion and prevent cracking.
Expansion Joint [2]		Vertical seam in a brick wall, unmortared, allowing expansion and contraction of the brick wall; usually filled with caulk.

F

Facia/ Fascia		Face board run around home to cover rafter tails.
Felt		Shingle underlayment.
Finger Jointing		Factory method of cutting, fitting and gluing short lengths of lumber together to form longer lengths.
Firebox		Portion of the fireplace that contains the fire.
Firestop		Material installed to stop fire from spreading to other areas.
Flashing		Sheet metal strips used to prevent leakage over windows, door, etc., and around chimneys and roofs; or any rising projection. Mom-corrosive sheet metal used for watertight seals around protrusions through the roof, such as chimneys, exhaust vents or step gables.
Flatwork		Walks, drives, patios.
Float		One of the sheetrock finishing stages, which include hang, tape, float, and skim.
Float Forms		Used to create lower edges and brick ledges on forms before pouring slabs.
Footing		Concrete pad that carries the entire weight of the home upon the earth.
Foundation		Part of building that rests on a footing or is poured monolithically of concrete on properly compacted or virgin soil; supports the entire structure above it.
Foundation Wall		Wall of poured concrete of concrete blocks that rests on the footing and supports the remainder of the home.
Furrdown		Portion of the ceiling which is low, allowing for cabinet, recessed lights, etc.

G

Gable		Triangular end of a building with a sloping roof; triangular end of exterior wall above eaves; end of ridged roof which is not returned on itself but cut off in vertical plane, and it triangular above the waves due to slope of roof.
Gambrel Ceiling		Ceiling design in which the center of the ceiling is raised per plan; sides of the ceiling angle down to meet walls at the normal wall height.
Glazing Area		Window area.
Glue-laminating		Factory method of building beams and wide boards by gluing lengths of like-sized lumber together either side to side or edge to edge.
Grade		Level off to smooth sloping surface for proper drainage.
Grout		Concrete patching made of Portland concrete and sand; used in tile work.
Gyp		Treated fireboard used between brick and frame; provides a moisture barrier and insulation.

H

Hearth		Floor of a fireplace that extends into the room for safety purposes.
Hip		External angel formed be the junction of two sloping sides of a roof.
Home Run		Main wire of a circuit running to an area to be provided with electricity.
HVAC		Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning; also known as climate control.

I

Inspection Plates		Covers that can be removed to check plumbing.
Interior Trim		Interior doorjambs and wood molding.

J

Jack Stud		Vertical structure members above a header.
Jamb		Side of a window or door opening; side member of a door or window frame.
Joint Compound		Chemical mixture in powder or paste form for finishing joints, filling dimples, and covering nicks in gypsum wallboard.
Joint Tape		Perforated tape that is embedded in joint compound to reduce the chance of cracking at joints in gypsum wallboard.
Joist		Piece of lumber running across the ceiling of a room from top plate on which the sheetrock is attached. In a two-story structure, the downstairs ceiling joist is also the 2nd story floor joist (the structural members that hold up the floor or ceiling).
Joist Hanger		Steel or iron stirrups used to support the ends of joists which are to be flush with beams or other joists.

K

Kiln-Drying		Method of removing excess moisture from lumber using heat in a special oven. (See air-drying).
Knee Wall		Short wall under a slope, usually in attic space.

L

Lath		Mesh made from sheet metal, or gypsum board, onto which plaster is applied.
Lintel		Exterior area above a window in which plywood or other material is used as finish material. When brick is laid above window, door or fireplace, steel beam used to hold it up is called brick lintel.
Live Load		Total variable weight on a structural member or system; includes weights of people and furnishings (See dead load).
Lookout/Cornice		Piece of 2 x 4 nailed to 1 x 4 band around the home to which the soffit and fascia board are secured.
Louvers		Series of slanted slots arranged to keep out rain, but allow ventilation.

M

Masonry Veneer		Outer surface of wall, brick or stone.
Mastic		Black tar type cement used to a sealing agent around PVC in the slab.
Mesh		Wire reinforcement placed in concrete.
Mitered Joints		Joint made by cutting two pieces at an angle and fitting them together.
Moisture Cement		Amount of water remaining in wood after drying, stated as a percentage of the total amount of water the wood could hold.
MPS		Minimum Property Standards.

N

NEC		National Electric Code
Newel Post		Post that terminates the railing.

O

Oriented Strand Board		Panel made of wood strands aligned in three layers. Alternate layers are positioned approximately perpendicular to one another.
Overhang		Part of a roof that extends beyond supporting walls.

P

P-Trap		Curve in drainpipes designed to hold water and prevent gas from coming back into the home.
Penny		A designation, written as d, for the length of a nail at least 1” long (i.e. 10 penny nail).
Piers		Concrete footings used in certain conditions.
Pitch of Roof		Amount of slope to rafters; describe in terms of number of inches of fall per horizontal foot of roof.
Plat		Plan showing homesite dimensions, street locations, easements and other physical descriptions of Communities.
Platform Framing		Type of construction is which floor platforms are framed independently; also, second floors are supported by studs of only one story weight; also called western framing.
Plumb		True according to a plumb line; perpendicular; vertical; to true up vertically, as a wall, by use of a plumb line, indirect line with gravity.
Plumbing Trim		Plumbing fixtures installed in the final stage of plumbing – everything hooked up, tested, adjusted, and operational.
Plumbing Vent		Vertical pipe through the roof providing an escape for foul gases from sanitary fixture. This flow of air to drainage system equalizes pressures and protects trap seals from siphonage and back pressure.
Pop Off Valve		Pressure relief valve on water heater to prevent excess pressure.
Primary Drain A/C		Main drain for the A/C unit; tied directly into a bath drain.
Prime		The initial coat of paint.
PSI		Pounds per square inch.
Punch Out		Process of completely checking out a home with an appropriate checklist.
PVC		Poly Vinyl Chloride – vinyl piping used in plumbing systems.

R

R-Value		Resistance to hear flow through a combination of material forming a wall, floor, ceiling, or other construction.
Rafters		Structural members of the roof.
Rake		Inclined portion of cornice; angle of slope of a roof rafter, commonly spoken of as the rake of the roof, the gable.
Rebar		Steel bars used to reinforce concrete slab.
Reglaze		Replacement of a broken window.
Reveal		Depth of a window or door opening, usually measured from the surface of the exterior wall to the face of the door or window.
Ridge		Top intersection of two opposite adjoining roof surfaces.
Roof Insulation		Finish roofing material manufactured in rolls, composed of fibers saturated with asphalt and surfaced with mineral chips or an asphalt coating.
Roll Roofing		Insulating material – usually rock wool or fiberglass – in a blanket form placed between the roof rafters or ceiling joists for the purpose of insulating the home.
Roof Jack		Lead or plastic convers that come in various widths that fit around vent pipes protruding through roofs to prevent leaks around those pipes.
Roof Rafters		Structural members that rest on the plate and support the roof.
Roof Sheathing		Boards that provide the base for the finished roof.
Roofing		Asphalt shingles – or tile, slate, or metal – that form the outer protection against the weather.
Rowlock		Brick laid perpendicular to brick wall with slight overhang for appearance; sometimes sloped for drainage (i.e., under windows).

S

Saddle		Small structure built on a roof to divert water, usually away from a chimney; also called a cricket.
Setback		Required distance from curb to actual front of home; actual distance from property line to sides of home; distance between a property line and the nearest point at which a building can be built (as established by local ordinance).
Sheathing		First layer of outer wall covering nailed to the studs.
Shiplap		L-shaped edge cut into boards and some sheet materials to form overlapping joint with adjacent pieces of the same material. Also, board with shiplapped edge, and the action of cutting such an edge.
Siding		In general, any exterior material for finishing a wall. More commonly, an exterior material applied horizontally with lapped horizontal joints.
Slab		Finished concrete foundation.
Soffit		Underside of roof overhang; exposed underside of the roof- projection of eaves, frequently with openings for attic ventilation.
Soffit Vent		Opening cut and covered with screen wire to allow ventilation into attic.
Soldier Course		Course of brick where the bricks are laid so they are all standing on end with the sides facing out.
Span		Distance between structural supports, measured horizontally.
Square		At 90 degrees or a right angel; also, the process of cutting at a right angle.
Stair Rail		Bar used for a handhold when using the stairs.
Stair Riser		Vertical board connecting one tread to the next.
Stair Stringer		Sloping board that supports the ends of the steps.
Stair Tread		Horizontal strip where we put our foot when climbing stairs.
Stomp		Pattern on ceiling created by dipping a large brush into textured compound.
Strong Backs		Made of usable form lumber; installed on top of ceiling joists, perpendicular to joists and nailed into rafters to tie ceiling joists together.
Structural Member		Support that is component of any structure.
Stud		Vertical structural members of walls – generally 2 x 4 lumber.
Subfloor		Plywood or other acceptable material that is applied below the finished flooring material.
Swale		Shallow channel in the grading designed to allow water to drain away from the home. Swales are normally cut down property lines form back to front with the yards on either side sloping towards the swale.

T

T & G		Abbreviation for tongue-and-groove and also for tar-and- gravel.
Texture		Sand finish over sheetrock prior to paint.
Threshold		Beveled piece of wood, metal, stone, or concrete set at the sill of a hinged exterior door and sometimes under interior doors, to cover the joint formed between different flooring materials.
Toekick		Recess under the front of a base cabinet at the floor line.
Top Coat		Top coat of paint after home has been primed. Final coat.
Truss		Combination of member, such as beams, bars and ties, usually arranged in triangular units to form a rigid framework for supporting loads over a span. In a roof truss, the top chord replaces a rafter and the bottom chord replaces the ceiling joist.

U

Undercoat		Lacquer primer applied to all interior raw wood surfaces.
Underground Elec. Svc.		Underground cable connecting home to power source.

V

Valley		Depressed angle formed be the meeting at the bottom of two inclined sides of a roof.
Valley Flashing		Water proofing the valley either a metal valley pan or by using heavy weight roofing underlayment below shingles.
Vapor Barrier		Used to prevent moisture from passing from one area to another – walls, slab, etc. - usually polyethylene.

W

Wall Cover		Inner surface of wall, of plaster on lath, gypsum board, or plywood.
Wall Insulation		Blanket of wool, reflective foil, or other insular material placed inside the walls.
Warp		Any variation from straight in a piece of lumber.
Warranty Date		Date mortgage loan in closed.
Water Cut-Off		Valve at water service to allow turning water off to home- can be outside or inside behind an access panel.
Water Service		Where water line enters slab to supple water to each home.
Water Table		Level below the surface to the ground at which water is present.
Weep Holes		Regular spaces between bricks (usually every 4) on bottom course of wall to allow air circulation and provide a conduit for accumulated moisture to drain from behind the brick wall.
Wind Brace (Gable)		2 x 4 run from top of gable, back at 45 degrees to beam or top plate in attic space.
Window Stool		Window sill.

Z

Zero Lot Line

Term referring to the manner in which a home is located on a homesite with no setback from one side of the homesite line.