| AGGREGATE: |
Materials
such as sand, rock, and gravel used to make concrete. |
| AIR-ENTRAINED
CONCRETE: |
Concrete
that has air in the form of minute bubbles mechanically mixed into
the concrete to provide structural strength and quicker curing. |
| ANCHOR
BOLTS: |
Bolts
embedded in concrete used to hold a structural member in place. |
| ATTIC
OR ROOF SPACE: |
The
space between the top-floor ceiling and roof. |
| BACKFILL: |
The
replacement of earth after excavation. |
| BALUSTRADE: |
A
railing consisting of a series of balusters resting on a base, usually
the threads, which supports a continuous stair or handrail. |
| BASEBOARD: |
A
molded board placed against a wall around the room next to the floor
to conceal the joint between the finished floor and wall finish. |
| BASEMENT: |
The
base story of a house, usually below grade. |
| BAY
WINDOW: |
A
rectangular, curved, or polygonal window, or group of windows usually
supported on a foundation extending beyond the main wall of the building. |
| BEAM: |
A
principal structural member used between posts, columns, or walls
to support vertical loads. |
| BEARING
PARTITION: |
A
partition that supports a vertical load in addition to its own weight. |
| BEARING
WALL: |
A
wall that supports a vertical load in addition to its own weight. |
| BEVEL: |
To
cut to an angle other than a right angle, such as the edge of a board
or door. |
| BOARD
FOOT: |
The
equivalent of a board, one foot square and one inch thick. |
| BRICK
CONSTRUCTION: |
A
type of construction in which the exterior walls are bearing walls
made of brick. |
| BRICK
MOLDING: |
A
molding for windows and exterior door frames. Serves as the boundary
molding for brick or other siding material, and forms a rabbet for
the screens, and/or storm sash or combination door. |
| CABINET-DRAWER
GUIDE: |
A
wood strip used to guide the drawer as it slides in and out of its
opening. |
| CABINET-DRAWER
KICKER: |
Wood
cabinet member placed immediately above and generally at the centre
of a drawer to prevent tilting down when pulled out. |
| CASEMENT: |
A
window in which the sash swings on its vertical edge, so it may be
swung in or out. |
| CASING: |
The
trimming around a door or window, either outside or inside, or the
finished lumber around a post or beam. |
| CAULK: |
To
seal and make waterproof cracks and joints, especially around window
and exterior door frames. |
| COLUMN: |
Upright
supporting member that is circular, square, or rectangular in shape. |
| CORNER
BEAD: |
Molding
used to protect corners. Also a metal or plastic reinforcement placed
on corners before plastering. |
| COUNTERFLASHING: |
Flashing
on chimneys at the roof-line to cover shingle flashing and to prevent
moisture entry. |
| DEAD
LOAD: |
The
weight of permanent, stationary construction included in a building. |
| DIMENSION
LUMBER: |
Lumber
2 to 5 inches thick and up to 12 inches wide. |
| DOOR
FRAME: |
An
assembly of wood or metal parts that form an enclosure and support
for a door. Door frames are classified as interior or exterior. |
| DOOR
STOP: |
A
spring stopper screwed to a baseboard face or door frame to prevent
the door from swinging through. |
| DORMER:
|
A
projecting structure built out from a sloping roof. Usually includes
one or more windows. |
| DRIP
CAP: |
A
molding that directs water away from a structure to prevent seepage
under the exterior facing material. Applied mainly over window and
exterior door frames. |
| DRYROT: |
A
term loosely applied to many types of decay, but especially to that
which, when in an advanced stage, permits the wood to be easily crushed
to a dry powder. |
| DRYWALL: |
Premanufactured
material for wall covering that does not need to be mixed with water
before application. |
| EAVES: |
The
margin or lower part of a roof that projects over an exterior wall.
Also called overhang. |
| EFFLORESCENCE: |
Salty
residues noted on surface of concrete structures. |
| EXPANSION
JOINT: |
A
bituminous fiber strip used to separate units of concrete to prevent
cracking due to dimensional change caused by shrinkage and variation
in temperature. |
| FASCIA: |
A
wood member used for the outer face of a box cornice where it is nailed
to the ends of rafters and lookouts. |
| FLASHING: |
Sheet
metal or other material used in roofing and wall construction (especially
around chimneys, and vents) to prevent rain or other water from entering. |
| FLOOR
AREA: |
The
gross floor area, less the area of partitions, columns, stairs, and
other openings. |
| FLUE: |
The
space or passage in chimney through which hot smoke, gas, or fumes
rise. Each passage is called a flue, which, with the surrounding material,
makes up the chimney. |
| FOOTING: |
The
spreading course or courses at the base or bottom of a foundation
wall or column. |
| FOUNDATION: |
The
supporting portion of a structure below the first-floor construction,
or grade, including the footings, which transfers the weight of the
building load to the ground. |
| FRAMING: |
The
timber structure of a building that gives shape and strength, including
interior and exterior walls, floor, roof, and ceilings. |
| FURRING: |
Narrow
strips of wood spaced to form a nailing base for another surface.
Furring is used to level and form an air space between the two surfaces
to give a thicker appearance to the base surface. |
| GABLE: |
That
portion of a wall contained between the slopes of a double-sloped
roof, or that portion contained between the slope of a single-sloped
roof and a line projected horizontally through the lowest elevation
of the roof construction. |
| GLAZING: |
The
process of installing glass into sash and doors. Also refers to glass
panes inserted in types of frames. |
| GUTTER
OR EAVESTROUGH: |
Wood
or metal trough attached to the edge of a roof or eaves to collect
and conduct water from rain and melting snow away from the roof. |
| HEADER: |
Horizontal
structural member that supports the load over an opening, such as
a window or door. Also called a lintel. |
| HEADROOM: |
The
clear space between floor line and ceiling contained in a stairway. |
| HIP
ROOF: |
A
roof that rises from all four sides of a building to meet at the roof
peak. |
| HOSE
BIB: |
A
water faucet mounted on a wall that is threaded so a hose connection
can be attached. |
| INSULATION
(Thermal): |
Any
material high in resistance to heat transmission that is placed in
structures to reduce the rate of heat loss. |
| JACK
RAFTER: |
A
short rafter framing between the wall plate and a hip rafter, or a
hip or valley rafter and ridge board. |
| JAMB: |
The
top and two sides of a door or window frame that contact the door
or sash; top jamb and side jambs. |
| JOINT
CEMENT: |
A
powder mixed with water and applied to the joints between sheets of
gypsum wallboard or drywall. |
| JOIST: |
One
of a series of parallel framing members used to support floor and
ceiling loads, and supported in turn by other beams, girders, or bearing
walls. |
| JOIST
HANGER: |
A
steel section shaped like a saddle and bent so it can be fastened
to a beam or structural member to provide end support for joists,
headers, trusses, etc. |
| KEYWAY: |
A
recessed area running down the centre and length of a foundation footing,
which acts as a keyed joint when pouring the foundation. |
| KILN-DRIED: |
Wood
seasoned by artificial heat in a mechanical kiln, with controlled
humidity and air circulation. |
| LEADER
OR DOWNSPOUT: |
A
vertical pipe that carries rainwater from the gutter to the ground
or drain. |
| LINEAL
FOOT: |
Having
length only. Pertaining to a line one-foot long, as distinguished
from a square foot or cubic foot. |
| LINTEL: |
A
horizontal structural member supporting the load over an opening such
as a door or window. |
| LIVE
LOAD: |
The
total of all moving and variable loads that may be placed on a structure
of a building. |
| LOOKOUT: |
Structural
member running between the lower end of a rafter and the outside wall.
Used on the underside of the roof sheathing at the overhang to support
the soffit and fascia. |