Glossary of Building Terms

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. The terms or spelling may very from country to country.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

This type of link at start of every letter. Or possibly a search feature? Italicised text to link with same name. (LINKS TO THE LETTERS) and links with back to top throughout.

A/C - An abbreviation for air conditioner or air conditioning.

A/C Condenser - The outside fan unit of the Air Conditioning system. It removes the heat from the Freon gas and "turns" the gas back into a liquid and pumps the liquid back to the coil in the furnace.

A/C Disconnect - The main electrical ON-OFF switch near the A/C Condenser.

ACQ (Ammonium Copper Quaternary) - A commonly used pressure treatment wood preservative.

ACZA (Ammoniacal Copper Zinc Arsenate) - A new pressure-treated wood preservative.

Acoustical Tile - Special tile for walls and ceilings made of mineral, wood, vegetable fibres, cork, or metal. Its purpose is to control sound volume, while providing cover.

Aerator - The round-screened screw-on tip of a sink spout. It mixes water and air for a smooth flow.

Adhesion - The ability of a waterproof material to bond to a substrate or other material during movement or stress.

Adhesive Strength - The ability of sealants to bond to a particular substrate, including adhesion during substrate movement.

Aggregate - A mixture of sand and stone and a major component of concrete. (1) Crushed stone, crushed slag, or water-worn gravel used for surfacing a built-up roof; (2) any granular mineral material.

Air-dried lumber - Lumber that has been piled in yards or sheds for any length of time.

Air Duct - Pipes that carry warm air and cold air to rooms and back to furnace or air conditioning system.

Air Space - The area between insulation facing and interior of exterior wall coverings. Normally, a 1" air gap.

Airway - A space between roof insulation and roof boards for movement of air.

Algae Discoloration - A type of roof discoloration caused by algae. Commonly called fungus growth.

Alligatoring - The cracking of the surfacing bitumen on a built-up roof, producing a pattern of cracks similar to an alligator's hide; the cracks may not extend through the surfacing bitumen.

Ampere - The rate of flow of electricity through electric wires.

Anchor bolts - Bolts to secure a wooden sill plate to concrete, or masonry floor or wall.

Application Rate - The quantity (mass, volume or thickness) of material applied per unit area.

Apron - A paved area, such as the juncture of a driveway with the street or with a garage entrance.

Apron - A trim board that is installed beneath a windowsill.

Architect - One who has completed a course of study in building and design, and is licensed by the state as an architect. One who draws up plans.

Architectural Shingles - See Laminated Shingles.

Area wells - Corrugated metal or concrete barrier walls installed around a basement window to hold back the earth.

Areaway - An open subsurface space adjacent to a building used to admit light or air or as a means of access to a basement.

Astragal - A moulding, attached to one of a pair of swinging double doors, against which the other door strikes.

Attic access - An opening that is placed in the dry walled ceiling of a home providing access to the attic.

Attic Ventilators - In houses, screened openings provided to ventilate an attic space.

Aromatic Solvents - Hydrocarbon solvents comprised of organic compounds which contain an unsaturated ring of carbon atoms, including benzene, naphthalene and their derivatives.

Asbestos - A group of natural fibrous impure silicate materials.

Asphalt - A waterproofing agent applied to roofing materials during manufacture. Based on natural oil or a petroleum component called bitumen, which liquefies when heated and is impervious to water.

Asphalt Felt - An asphalt-saturated felt.

Asphalt Mastic - A mixture of asphaltic material and graded mineral aggregate that can be poured when heated, but requires mechanical manipulation to apply.

Asphalt Plastic Roofing Cement - An asphalt-based cement used to bond roofing materials. Also known as flashing cement or mastic; should conform to ASTM D-4586.

Asphaltite - natural asphalt found below ground level.

Astragal - A moulding, attached to one of a pair of swinging doors, against which the other door strikes.

Attic ventilators - In houses, screened opening) provided to ventilate an attic space. They are located in the soffit area as inlet ventilators and in the gable end or along the ridge as outlet ventilators. They can also consist of power-driven fans used as an exhaust system. (See also Louver.)

Back Nailing - The practice of blind-nailing roofing felts to a substrate in addition to hot mopping to prevent slippage.

Back Surfacing - Fine mineral matter applied to the backside of shingles to keep them from sticking.

Backwater lap joint - A non-water shedding seam between building materials.

Backfill - The replacement of excavated earth into a trench around or against a basement /crawl space foundation wall.

Backhand - A simple moulding sometimes used around the outer edge of plain rectangular casing as a decorative feature.

Backing - Frame lumber installed between the wall studs to give additional support for drywall or an interior trim related item, such as handrail brackets, cabinets, and towel bars. In this way, items are screwed and mounted into solid wood rather than weak drywall that may allow the item to break loose from the wall. Carpet backing holds the pile fabric in place.

Baffles - Device to help achieve a ventilation space between insulation and roof sheathing. It helps ensure airflow from the eave vents in attics and cathedral ceilings.

Bald Roof - A smooth-surfaced roof.

Ballast - A transformer that steps up the voltage in a florescent lamp.

Balloon framed wall - Framed walls (generally over 10' tall) that run the entire vertical length from the floor sill plate to the roof. This is done to eliminate the need for a gable end truss.

Balusters - Vertical members in a railing used between a top rail and bottom rail or the stair treads. Sometimes referred to as, 'pickets' or 'spindles'.

Balustrade - A row of balusters topped by a rail, edging a balcony or a staircase.

Band Board - Perimeter floor joist that sits atop the sill in a wood floor framing system.

Band Joist - Vertical member that forms the perimeter of a floor system in which the floor joists tie in. Also known as the rim joist.

Barge - Horizontal beam rafter that supports shorter rafters.

Barge Board - A decorative board covering the projecting rafter (fly rafter) of the gable end. At the cornice, this member is a fascia board.

Barrel roof - a roof or ceiling having a semi cylindrical form.

Baseboard - A board along the floor against walls and partitions to hid gaps.

Base Flashing - That portion of the flashing attached to or resting on the deck to direct the flow of water onto the roof covering. Blisters or bubbles that may appear on the surface of asphalt roofing after installation.

Basement window inserts - The window frame and glass unit that is installed in the window buck.

Base moulding - Moulding used to trim the upper edge of interior baseboard.

Base Ply - The bottom or first ply in a built-up roofing membrane when additional plies are to be subsequently installed.

Base Sheet - A product that is intended to be used as a base ply in a built-up roofing system.

Base Shoe - Moulding used next to the floor on interior baseboard. Sometimes called a “carpet strip”.

Bat - A half-brick.

Batt - Insulation in the form of a blanket, rather than loose filling. A section of fibre-glass or rock-wool insulation measuring 15 or 23 inches wide by four to eight feet long and various thickness'. Sometimes "faced" (meaning to have a paper covering on one side) or "unfaced" (without paper).

Batten - Narrow strips of wood used to cover joints or as decorative vertical members over plywood or wide boards.

Batter board - One of a pair of horizontal boards nailed to posts set at the corners of an excavation, used to indicate the desired level, also as a fastening for stretched strings to indicate outlines of foundation walls.

Bay window - Any window space projecting outward from the walls of a building, either square or polygonal in plan.

Bead - A small amount of mastic, caulking or flashing cement applied to the waterproofing membrane at a termination, generally the width of a 1/2" caulking gun orifice.

Beam - A structural member transversely supporting a load. A structural member carrying building loads (weight) from one support to another. Sometimes called a "girder".

Bearing header - (a) A beam placed perpendicular to joists and to which joists are nailed in framing for a chimney, stairway, or other opening. (b) A wood lintel. (c) The horizontal structural member over an opening (for example over a door or window).

Bearing partition - A partition that supports any vertical load in addition to its own weight.

Bearing Wall - A wall that supports a floor or roof of a building.

Bearing point - A point where a bearing or structural weight is concentrated and transferred to the foundation.

Bed moulding - A moulding in an angle, as between the over hanging cornice, or eaves, of a building and the sidewalls.

Bedrock - A subsurface layer of earth that is suitable to support a structure.

Bib or Bibcock - a water faucet, to which a hose may be attached, also called a hose bib or sill cock.

Bid - A formal offer by a contractor, in accordance with specifications for a project, to do all or a phase of the work at a certain price in accordance with the terms and conditions stated in the offer.

Bid bond - A bond issued by a surety on behalf of a contractor that provides assurance to the recipient of the contractor's bid that, if the bid is accepted, the contractor will execute a contract and provide a performance bond. Under the bond, the surety is obligated to pay the recipient of the bid the difference between the contractor's bid and the bid of the next lowest responsible bidder if the bid is accepted and the contractor fails to execute a contract or to provide a performance bond.

Bid security - Funds or a bid bond submitted with a bid as a guarantee to the recipient of the bid that the contractor, if awarded the contract, will execute the contract in accordance with the bidding requirements of the contract documents.

Bid shopping - A practice by which contractors, both before and after their bids are submitted, attempt to obtain prices from potential subcontractors and material suppliers that are lower than the contractors' original estimates on which their bids are based, or after a contract is awarded, seek to induce subcontractors to reduce the subcontract price included in the bid.

Bidding requirements - The procedures and conditions for the submission of bids. The requirements are included ion documents, such as the notice to bidders, advertisements for bids, instructions to bidders, invitations to bid, and sample bid forms.

Bi-fold door - Doors that are hinged in the middle for opening in a smaller area than standard swing doors. Often used for closet doors.

Bi-Level - two-story house with the lower level sunken below grade and an entry at grade halfway between the two floor levels.

Bi-pass doors - Doors that slide by each other and commonly used as closet doors.

Bitumen - Any of various flammable mixtures of hydrocarbons and other substances, occurring naturally or obtained by distillation from coal or petroleum, that is a component of asphalt and tar and is used for surfacing roads and for waterproofing.

Bituminized - Impregnated with bitumen. Example: bituminized fibre pipe.

Bituminous - Containing or treated with bitumen.

Bituminous Emulsion - (1) a suspension of minute globules of bituminous material in water or in an aqueous solution; (2) a suspension of minute globules of water or of an aqueous solution in a liquid bituminous material (invert emulsion).

Bituminous Grout - A mixture of bituminous material and fine sand that will flow into place without mechanical manipulation when heated.

Blankets - Fibreglass or rock wool insulation that comes in long rolls 15 or 23 inches wide.

Bleeding - Seeping of resin or gum from lumber. This term is also used in referring to the process of drawing air from water pipes.

Blind Nailing - The use of nails that are not exposed to the weather in the finished roofing.

Blind stop - A rectangular moulding, usually ¾ by 1-3/8 inches or more in width, used in the assembly of a window frame. Serves as a stop for storm and screen or combination windows and to resist air infiltration.

Blister - (1) A raised portion of a roofing membrane resulting from local internal pressure; (2) The similarly formed protuberances in coated prepared roofing.

Blocked (door blocking) - Wood shims used between the doorframe and the vertical structural wall-framing members.

Blocked (rafters) - Short "2 by 4's" used to keep rafters from twisting, and installed at the ends and at mid-span.

Blocking - Wood built into a roofing system above the deck and below the membrane and flashing to a) stiffen the deck around an opening, b) act as a stop for insulation, c) serve as a nailer for attachment of the membrane or flashing.

Block out - To install a box or barrier within a foundation wall to prevent the concrete from entering an area. For example, foundation walls are sometimes "blocked" in order for mechanical pipes to pass through the wall, to install a crawl space door, and to depress the concrete at a garage door location.

Blow insulation - Fibre insulation in loose form and used to insulate attics and existing walls where framing members are not exposed.

Blue print(s) - A type of copying method often used for architectural drawings. Usually used to describe the drawing of a structure, which is prepared by an architect or designer for the purpose of design and planning, estimating, securing permits and actual construction.

Blue stake - Another phrase for Utility Notification. This is when a utility company (telephone, gas, electric, cable TV, sewer and water, etc) comes to the job site and locates and spray paints the ground and/or installs little flags to show where their service is located underground.

Blue stain - A bluish or greyish discoloration of the sapwood caused the growth of certain mould like fungi on the surface and in the interior of a piece, made possible by the same conditions that favour the growth of other fungi.

Board foot - A unit of measure for lumber equal to 1 inch thick by 12 inches wide by 12 inches long. Examples: 1" x 12" x 16' = 16 board feet, 2" x 12" x 16' = 32 board feet.

Bodied linseed oil - Linseed oil that has been thickened in viscosity by suitable processing with heat or chemicals. Bodied oils are obtainable in a great range in viscosity from a little greater than that of raw oil to just short of a jellied condition.

Boiled linseed oil - Linseed oil in which enough lead, manganese or cobalt salts have been incorporated to make the oil harden more rapidly when spread in thin coatings.

Bolster - A short horizontal timber or steel beam on top of a column to support and decrease the span of beams or girders.

Boom - A truck used to hoist heavy material up and into place. To put trusses on a home or to set a heavy beam into place.

Bond - The adhesive and cohesive forces holding two roofing components in intimate contact.

Bond or bonding - An amount of money (usually $5,000-$10,000), which must be on deposit with a governmental agency in order to secure a contractor's license. The bond may be used to pay for the unpaid bills or disputed work of the contractor. Not to be confused with a 'performance bond'. Such bonds are rarely used in residential construction; they are an insurance policy, which guarantees proper completion of a project.

Bottom chord - The lower or bottom horizontal member of a truss.

Bottom Plate (Sole Plate) - The "2 by 4's or 6's" that lay on the sub floor upon which the vertical studs are installed. Also called the 'sole plate'.

Boston ridge - A method of applying asphalt or wood shingles at the ridge or at the hips of a roof as a finish.

Bow Window - same as a bay window, except that the projection is circular.

Brace - An inclined piece of framing lumber applied to wall or floor to strengthen the structure. Often used on walls as temporary bracing until framing has been completed.

Braced Framing - Construction technique using posts and cross-bracing for greater rigidity.

Breaker panel - The electrical box that distributes electric power entering the home to each branch circuit (each plug and switch) and composed of circuit breakers.

Brick ledge - Part of the foundation wall where brick (veneer) will rest.

Brick lintel - The metal angle iron that brick rests on, especially above a window, door, or other opening.

Brick mould trim/Brick moulding - The wood moulding covering the gap between brick masonry and a door or window frame.

Brick Tie - A small, corrugated metal strip @ 1" X 6"- 8" long nailed to wall sheeting or studs. They are inserted into the grout mortar joint of the veneer brick, and holds the veneer wall to the sheeted wall behind it.

Brick Veneer - A vertical facing of brick laid against and fastened to sheathing of a framed wall or tile wall construction.

Bridging - Small wood or metal members that are inserted in a diagonal position between the floor joists at mid-span to act both as tension and compression members for the purpose of bracing the joists a spreading the action of loads.

Buy down - A subsidy (usually paid by a builder or developer) to reduce monthly payments on a mortgage.

Buck - Often used in reference to rough frame opening members. Door bucks used in reference to metal doorframe.

Builder's Risk Insurance - Insurance coverage on a construction project during construction, including extended coverage that may be added for the contract for the customer's protections.

Building codes - Community ordinances governing the manner in which a home may be constructed or modified.

Building insurance - Insurance covering the structure of the building.

Building Paper - A heavy, asphalt-impregnated paper used as a lining and/or vapour barrier between sheathing and an outside wall covering.

Built-Up Roof - Roofing composed of three to five layers of asphalt felt laminated with coal tar, pitch, or asphalt. The top is finished with crushed slag or gravel. Generally used on flat, or low-pitched roofs.

Bull nose (drywall) - Rounded drywall corners.

Bundle - A package of shingles. There are 3, 4 or 5 bundles per square.

Butt Edge - The lower edge of the shingle tabs.

Butt hinge - The most common type. One leaf attaches to the door's edge, the other to its jamb.

Butt Joint - The junction where the ends of two timbers meet, and also where sheets of drywall meet on the 4-foot edge. To place materials, end-to-end, or end-to-edge without overlapping.

By fold door - Doors that are hinged in the middle for opening in a smaller area than standard swing doors. Often used for closet doors.

By pass doors - Doors that slide by each other and commonly used as closet doors.

BX Cable - Electricity cable wrapped in rubber with flexible steel outer covering.

CA-B (Copper Azole) - A new pressure-treated wood preservative.

CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate) - A pesticide that is forced into wood under high pressure to protect it from termites, other wood boring insects, and decay caused by fungus. A historical and widely used pressure-treated wood preservative in residential construction prior to 01/01/2004.

CO - An abbreviation for "Certificate of Occupancy". This certificate is issued by the local municipality and is required before anyone can occupy and live within the home. It is issued only after the local municipality has made all inspections and all monies and fees have been paid.

Caisson - A 10" or 12" diameter hole drilled into the earth and embedded into bedrock 3 - 4 feet. The structural support for a type of foundation wall, porch, patio, monopost, or other structure. Two or more "sticks" of reinforcing bars (rebar) are inserted into and run the full length of the hole and concrete is poured into the caisson hole.

Cant Strip - A bevelled strip used under flashings to modify the angle at the point where the roofing or waterproofing membrane meets any vertical element.

Cantilever - A projecting beam or joist, not supported at one end, used to support an extension of a structure.

Cantilevered void - Foundation void material used in unusually expansive soils conditions. This void is "trapezoid" shaped and has vertical sides of 6" and 4" respectively.

Cap - The upper member of a column, pilaster, door cornice, moulding, and the like.

Cap Flashing - The portion of the flashing attached to a vertical surface to prevent water from migrating behind the base flashing. Also see Flashing.

Cap Sheet - A granule-surfaced, coated felt used as the top ply of a built-up roofing membrane.

Capillary action/Capillarity - The rising of water above the horizontal plane of the water table.

Capital - The principal part of a loan, i.e. the original amount borrowed.

Capital and interest - A repayment loan and the most conventional form of home loan. The borrower pays an amount each month to cover the amount borrowed (or capital or principal) plus the interest charged on capital.

Carriage - The member that supports the steps, or treads of a stair.

Casement - Frames of wood or metal enclosing part (or all) of a window sash. May be opened by means of hinges affixed to the vertical edges.

Casement frames and sash - Frames of wood or metal enclosing part or the entire sash, which may be opened by means of hinges affixed to the vertical edges.

Casement Window - A window with hinges on one of the vertical sides and swings open like a normal door.

Casing - Moulding of various widths and thicknesses used to trim door and window openings at the jambs.

Cationic Emulsion - An emulsion in which the emulsifying system establishes a predominance of positive charges on the discontinuous phase.

Caulk - To fill a joint with mastic or asphalt cement to prevent leaks.

Caulking - (1) A flexible material used to seal a gap between two surfaces e.g. between pieces of siding or the corners in tub walls. (2) To fill a joint with mastic or asphalt plastic cement to prevent leaks.

Cavity - The empty space between studs or joists to place insulation batts.

Cavity Wall - A hollow wall formed by firmly linked masonry walls, providing an insulating air space between.

Celotex ™ - Black fibrous board that is used as exterior sheathing.

Ceiling joist - One of a series of parallel framing members used to support ceiling loads and supported in turn by larger beams, girders or bearing walls. Also called roof joists.

Cement - The grey powder that is the "glue" in concrete. Portland cement. Also, any adhesive.

Cement - Asphalt-based cement used to bond roofing materials. Also known as flashing cement or mastic; should conform to ASTM D-4586. Same as, Asphalt Flashing Cement.

Cement, Keene’s - A white finish plaster that produces an extremely durable wall. Because of its density, it excels for use in bathrooms and kitchens and is also used extensively for the finish coat in auditoriums, public buildings, and other places where walls may be subjected to unusually hard wear or abuse.

Ceramic tile - A man-made or machine-made clay tile used to finish a floor or wall. Generally used in bathtub and shower enclosures and on counter tops.

CFM (cubic feet per minute) - A rating that expresses the amount of air a blower or fan can move. The volume of air (measured in cubic feet) that can pass through an opening in one minute.

Chair rail - Interior trim material installed about 3-4 feet up the wall, horizontally. Wooden moulding on a wall around a room at the level of a chair back.

Chalk Line - A line made on the roof by snapping a taut string or cord dusted with chalk. Used for alignment purposes.

Chamfered Edge - Moulding with pared-off corners.

Change order - A written document, which modifies the plans and specifications and/or the price of the construction Contract.

Chase - A groove in a masonry wall or through a floor to accommodate pipes or ducts.

Chase - A framed enclosed space around a flue pipe or a channel in a wall, or through a ceiling for something to lie in or pass through.

Checking - Fissures that appear with age in many exterior paint coatings, at first superficial, but which in time may penetrate entirely through the coating.

Checkrails - Meeting rails sufficiently thicker than a window to fill the opening between the top and bottom sash made by the parting stop in the frame of double-hung windows. They are usually bevelled.

Chink - To install fibreglass insulation around all exterior door and window frames, wall corners, and small gaps in the exterior wall.

Chimney Breast - The horizontal projection-usually inside a building-of a chimney from the wall in which it is built.

Chimney Cap - Concrete capping around the top of chimney bricks and around the floors to protect the masonry from the elements.

Chip Board - A manufactured wood panel made out of 1"- 2" wood chips and glue. Often used as a substitute for plywood in the exterior wall and roof sheathing. Also called OSB (Oriented Strand Board) or wafer board.

Circuit - The path of electrical flow from a power source through an outlet and back to ground.

Circuit Breaker - A device, which looks like a switch and is usually located inside the electrical breaker panel or circuit breaker box. It is designed to (1) shut of the power to portions or, the entire house and (2) to limit the amount of power flowing through a circuit (measured in amperes). 110-volt household circuits require a fuse or circuit breaker with a rating of 15 or a maximum of 20 amps. 220 volt circuits may be designed for higher amperage loads e.g. a hot water heater may be designed for a 30-amp load and would therefore need a 30 amp fuse or breaker.

Cistern - A tank to catch and store rainwater.

Class "A" - The highest fire-resistance rating for roofing. Indicates roofing is able to withstand severe exposure to fire originating from sources outside the building.

Class "B" - Fire-resistance rating that indicates roofing materials are able to withstand moderate exposure to fire originating from sources outside the building.

Class "C" - ASTM fire-resistance rating that indicates roofing material is able to withstand light exposure to fire originating from sources outside the building.

Clapboard - A long thin board, thicker on one edge, overlapped and nailed on for exterior siding.

Clean out - An opening providing access to a drain line. Closed with a threaded plug.

Clerestory - a portion of an interior rising above adjacent rooftops and having windows admitting daylight to the interior.

Clip ties - Sharp, cut metal wires that protrude out of a concrete foundation wall (that at one time held the foundation form panels in place).

Closed Cut Valley - A method of valley treatment in which shingles from one side of the valley extend across the valley while shingles from the other side are trimmed 2 inches from the valley centerline. The valley flashing is not exposed.

Coating - A layer of viscous asphalt applied to the base material into which granules or other surfacing is embedded.

Cold air return - The ductwork (and related grills) that carries room air back to the furnace for re-heating.

Cold Applied - Capable of being applied without heating as contrasted with hot applied.

Cold Joint - A plane of weakness in concrete caused by an interruption or delay in the pouring operation, permitting the first batch to start setting before the next batch is added, with the result that the two batches have little or no bond.

Collar - Pre-formed flange placed over a vent pipe to seal the roof around the vent pipe opening. Also called a vent sleeve.

Collar Beam - A horizontal tie beam in a roof truss that connects two opposite rafters at a level considerably above the wall plate. Nominal 1- or 2-inch-thick members connecting opposite roof rafters. They serve to stiffen the roof structure.

Column - In architecture: A perpendicular supporting member, circular or rectangular in section, usually consisting of a base, shaft, and capital. In engineering: A vertical structural compression member, which supports loads acting in the direction of its longitudinal axis.

Compatibility - The ability of two or more substances to exist in harmony when mixed together or when brought into intimate contact without any adverse physical or chemical reaction.

Combination doors or windows - Combination doors or windows used over regular openings. They provide winter insulation and summer protection and often have self-storing or removable glass and screen inserts. This eliminates the need for handling a different unit each season.

Combustion air - The ductwork installed to bring fresh, outside air to the furnace and/or hot water heater. Normally 2 separate supplies of air are brought in: One high and one low.

Combustion chamber - The part of a boiler, furnace or woodstove where the burn occurs; normally lined with firebrick or moulded or sprayed insulation.

Compression web - A member of a truss system which connects the bottom and top chords and which provides downward support.

Compressor - A mechanical device that pressurizes a gas in order to turn it into a liquid, thereby allowing heat to be removed or added. A compressor is the main component of conventional heat pumps and air conditioners. In an air conditioning system, the compressor normally sits outside and has a large fan (to remove heat).

Concrete - The mixture of Portland cement, sand, gravel, and water. Used to make garage and basement floors, sidewalks, patios, foundation walls, etc. It is commonly reinforced with steel rods (rebar) or wire screening (mesh).

Concrete block - A hollow concrete 'brick' often 8" x 8" x 16" in size.

Concrete board - A panel made out of concrete and fibreglass usually used as a tile backing material.

Concrete plain - Concrete either without reinforcement, or reinforced only for shrinkage or temperature changes.

Condensation - In a building: Beads or drops of water (and frequently frost in extremely cold weather) that accumulate on the inside of the exterior covering of a building when warm, moisture-laden air from the interior reaches a point where the temperature no longer permits the air to sustain the moisture it holds. Use of louvers or attic ventilators will reduce moisture condensation in attics. A vapour barrier under the gypsum lath or dry wall on exposed walls will reduce condensation in them.

Condensing unit - The outdoor component of a cooling system. It includes a compressor and condensing coil designed to give off heat.

Conditions, Covenants, and Restrictions (CC and Rs) - The standards that define how a property may be used and the protections the developer makes for the benefit of all owners in a subdivision.

Conduction - The direct transfer of heat energy through a material.

Conductivity - The rate at which heat is transmitted through a material.

Conduit, electrical - A pipe, usually metal, in which wire is installed.

Construction Contract - A legal document which specifies the what-when-where-how-how much and by whom in a construction project. A good construction contract will include:

1. The contractor’s registration number.
2. A statement of work quality such as 'Standard Practices of the Trades' or 'according to Manufacturers Specifications'.
3. A set of Blue Prints or Plans.
4. A construction timetable including starting and completion dates.
5. A set of Specifications.
6. A Fixed Price for the work, or a Time and Materials formula.
7. A Payment Schedule.
8. Any Allowances.
9. A clause, which outlines how any disputes, will be resolved.
10. A written Warrantee.

Construction, dry wall - A type of construction in which the interior wall finish is applied in a dry condition, generally in the form of sheet materials or wood paneling as contrasted to plaster.

Construction, frame - A type of construction in which the structural parts are wood or depend upon a wood frame for support. In codes, if masonry veneer is applied to the exterior walls, the classification of this type of construction is usually unchanged.

Construction Joint - A butted joint formed in a structural slab, so that one pour can be ended and another started at a later time.

Continuity tester - A device that tells whether a circuit is capable of carrying electricity.

Contractor - A company licensed to perform certain types of construction activities. In most states, the general contractor's license and some specialty contractor's licenses don't require of compliance with bonding, workmen's compensation and similar regulations. Some of the specialty contractor licenses involve extensive training, testing and/or insurance requirements. There are various types of contractors:

General contractor - responsible for the execution, supervision and overall coordination of a project and may also perform some of the individual construction tasks. Most general contractors are not licensed to perform all specialty trades and must hire specialty contractors for such tasks, e.g. electrical, plumbing.
Remodelling contractor - a general contractor who specializes in remodelling work.
Specialty contractor - licensed to perform a specialty task e.g. electrical, side sewer, asbestos abatement.
Sub contractor - a general or specialty contractor who works for another general contractor.

Control joint - Tooled, straight grooves made on concrete floors to "control" where the concrete should crack.

Convection - Currents created by heating air, which then rises and pulls cooler air behind it. Also see radiation.

Convertibility - The ability to change a loan from an adjustable rate schedule to a fixed rate schedule.

Cooling load - The amount of cooling required to keep a building at a specified temperature during the summer, usually 78° F, regardless of outside temperature.

Coped - Removing the top and bottom flange of the end(s) of a metal I-beam. This is done to permit it to fit within, and bolted to, the web of another I-beam in a "T" arrangement.

Coped joint - Cutting and fitting woodwork to an irregular surface. See also Scribing.

Coping - A covering on top of a wall exposed to the weather, usually sloped to carry off water.

Coping - Tile or brick used to cap or cover the top of a masonry wall.

Corbel - A horizontal projection from a wall, forming a ledge or supporting a structure above it.

Corbel out - To build out one or more courses of brick or stone from the face of a wall, to form a support for timbers.

Corner Bead - A strip of formed sheet metal, sometimes combined with a strip of metal lath, placed on corners before plastering to reinforce them. Also, a strip of wood finish three-quarters-round or angular placed over a plastered corner for protection.

Corner boards - Used as trim for the external corners of a house or other frame structure against which the ends of the siding are finished.

Corner braces - Diagonal braces at the corners of frame structure to stiffen and strengthen the wall.

Cornerite - Metal-mesh lath cut into strips and bent to a right angle. Used in interior corners of walls and ceilings on lath to prevent cracks in plastering.

Cornice - Overhang of a pitched roof at the cave line, usually consisting of a facie board, a soffit for a closed cornice, and appropriate mouldings.

Cornice return - That portion of the cornice that returns on the gable end of a house.

Corrosion - The major type of deterioration of metals. Often called oxidation, it is a chemical reaction of pure metal with oxygen or other elements.

Counter flashing - A flashing usually used on chimneys at the roofline to cover shingle flashing and to prevent moisture entry.

Counter fort - A foundation wall section that strengthens (and generally perpendicular to) a long section of foundation wall.

Course - A row of shingles or roll roofing running the length of the roof. Parallel layers of building materials such as bricks, or siding laid up horizontally.

Coverage - Amount of weather protection provided by the roofing material. Depends on number of layers of material between the exposed surface of the roofing and the deck, i.e., single coverage, double coverage, etc.

Cove Lighting - Concealed light sources behind a cornice or horizontal recess, which direct the light upon a reflecting ceiling.

Cove moulding - A moulding with a concave face used as trim or to finish interior corners.

Crawl Space - 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.

Crawlspace Vent - An opening to allow the passage of air through the unexcavated area under a first floor. Ideally there should be at least two vents per crawlspace.

Creep - The time-dependent part of a strain resulting from stress.

Cricket - A second roof built on top of the primary roof to increase the slope of the roof or valley. A saddle-shaped, peaked construction connecting a sloping roof with a chimney. Designed to encourage water drainage away from the chimney joint.

Cripples - Short vertical "2 by 4's or 6's" frame lumber installed above a window or door.

Cross Bracing - A system of bracing by the use of ties. Typically used between floor joists to prevent them from twisting.

Cross bridging - Diagonal bracing between adjacent floor joists, placed near the center of the joist span to prevent joists from twisting.

Cross Tee - Short metal "T" beam used in suspended ceiling systems to bridge the spaces between the main beams.

Crown moulding - A moulding used on cornice or wherever an interior angle is to be covered, especially at the roof and wall corner.

Culvert - Round, corrugated drain pipe (normally 15" or 18" in diameter) that is installed beneath a driveway and parallel to and near the street.

Cupping - A type of warping that causes boards to curl up at their edges.

Curb - The short elevation of an exterior wall above the deck of a roof. Normally a 2 by 6 box (on the roof) on which a skylight is attached.

Curb stop - Normally a cast iron pipe with a lid (@ 5" in diameter) that is placed vertically into the ground, situated near the water tap in the yard, and where a water cut-off valve to the home is located (underground). A long pole with a special end is inserted into the curb stop to turn off/on the water.

Cure - A process whereby a waterproof material attains its final performance properties. This process can occur through evaporation or heat or chemical reactions.

Curing Time - The period between application and the time when the material reaches its design physical properties.

Cutback - Solvent-thinned bitumen used in cold process roofing adhesives, flashing cements, and roof coatings.

Cut-in brace - Nominal 2-inch-thick members, usually 2 by 4’s, cut in between each stud diagonally.

Cut-off - A detail designed to prevent lateral water movement into the insulation where the membrane terminates at the end of a day's work. Also used to isolate sections of the roofing system. It is usually removed before the continuation of the work.

Cut-out - The open portions of a strip shingle between the tabs.

Dado - A rectangular groove across the width of a board or plank. In interior decoration, a special type of wall treatment.

Damper - A metal "door" placed within the fireplace chimney. Normally closed when the fireplace is not in use.

Damp proofing - Treatment of a surface or structure to resist the passage of water in the absence of hydrostatic pressure.

Daylight - The end of a pipe (the terminal end) that is not attached to anything.

Dead bolt - An exterior security lock installed on exterior entry doors that can be activated only with a key or thumb-turn. Unlike a latch, which has a bevelled tongue, dead bolts have square ends.

Dead Level - Absolutely horizontal, or zero slope. See also Slope.

Dead Level Roofing - A roofing system applied on a surface with a 0 to 2% incline.

Dead light - The fixed, non-operable window section of a window unit.

Decay - Disintegration of wood or other substance through the action of fungi.

Deck - The surface, installed over the supporting framing members, to which the roofing is applied.

Deck, decked - To install the plywood or wafer board sheeting on the floor joists, rafters, or trusses.

Deck paint - An enamel with a high degree of resistance to mechanical wear, designed for use on such surfaces as porch floors.

Dedicated circuit - An electrical circuit that serves only one appliance (ie, dishwasher) or a series of electric heaters or smoke detectors.

Default - Breach of a mortgage contract (not making the required payments).

De-humidistat - A control mechanism used to operate a mechanical ventilation system based upon the relative humidity in the home.

Delaminating - Separation of envelope materials from the applied substrate due to movement or improperly applied materials.

Density - The mass of substance in a unit volume. When expressed in the metric system, it is numerically equal to the specific gravity of the same substance.

Dentil - one of the series of a series of closely spaced, rectangular blocks that forms a molding or that projects below the corona of a cornice.

Dew point - Temperature at which a vapour begins to deposit as a liquid. Applies especially to water in the atmosphere. Dimension. See also lumber dimension.

Disconnect - A large (generally 20 Amp) electrical ON-OFF switch.

Direction Change - A change in the orientation of the principal dimension or of the support of adjoining units of the roofing system.

Direct nailing - To nail perpendicular to the initial surface or to the junction of the pieces joined. Also termed face nailing.

Door Buck - The rough frame of a door.

Door/window flange - A rib or rim on an object for strength, for guiding, or for attachment to another object.

Door/window jamb - The vertical member on each side of a door/window frame.

Doorjamb, interior - The surrounding case into which and out of which a door closes and opens. It consists of two upright pieces, called side jambs, and a horizontal head jamb. These 3 jambs have the "door stop" installed on them.

Door operator - An automatic garage door opener.

Doorstop - The wooden style that the door slab will rest upon when it's in a closed position.

Dormer - An opening in a sloping roof, the framing of which projects out to form a vertical wall suitable for windows or other openings.

Double glass - Window or door in which two panes of glass are used with a sealed air space between. Also known as Insulating Glass.

Double Glazing - An insulating windowpane formed of two thicknesses of glass with a sealed air space between them.

Double Hung Windows - Windows with an upper and lower sash, each supported by cords and weights.

Downspout Leader - A spout or pipe to carry rain water down from a roof or gutters.

Downspout - A pipe for conducting rainwater from the roof to a cistern or to the ground by way of a downspout. Also called a leader.

Downspout Strap - A piece of metal, which secures the downspout to the eaves or wall of a building.

Drain Pan - Receptacle comprising a shallow container intended to catch and collect liquid from (1) a device containing liquid which is expected to be removed from the device or leak from the device, or (2) a wet article placed within the container.

Drain Tile - A perforated, corrugated plastic pipe laid at the bottom of the foundation wall and used to drain excess water away from the foundation. It prevents ground water from seeping through the foundation wall. Sometimes called perimeter drain.

Drainage Plane - The area within a wall or roof that is designed to carry water away from structure.

Draw - The amount of progress billings on a contract that is currently available to a contractor under a contract with a fixed payment schedule.

Dressed and matched (tongued and grooved) - Boards or planks machined in such a matter that there is a groove on one edge and a corresponding tongue on the other.

Drier paint - Usually oil-soluble soaps of such metals as lead manganese, or cobalt, which, in small proportions, hasten the oxidation and hardening (drying) of the drying oils in paints.

Drip - (a) A member of a cornice or other horizontal exterior finish course that has a projection beyond the other parts for throwing off water. (b)A groove in the under. side of a sill or drip cap to cause water to drop off on the outer edge instead of drawing back and running down the face of the building.

Drip Cap - A moulding placed on the exterior topside of a door or window frame to cause water to drip beyond the outside of the frame.

Drip Edge - A non-corrosive, non-staining material used along the eaves and rakes to allow water run-off to drip clear of underlying construction.

Dry In - To install the black roofing felt (tar paper) on the roof.

Drywall (or Gypsum Wallboard (GWB), Sheet rock or Plasterboard) - Wallboard or gypsum- A manufactured panel made out of gypsum plaster and encased in a thin cardboard. Usually 1/2" thick and 4' x 8' or 4' x 12' in size. The panels are nailed or screwed onto the framing and the joints are taped and covered with a 'joint compound'. 'Green board' type drywall has a greater resistance to moisture than regular (white) plasterboard and is used in bathrooms and other "wet areas".

Ducts - In a house, usually round or rectangular metal pipes for distributing warm air from the heating plant to rooms, or air from a conditioning device or as cold air returns. Ducts are also made of asbestos and composition materials.

Due-on-sale - A clause in a mortgage contract requiring the borrower to pay the entire outstanding balance upon sale or transfer of the property.

Dura board, dura rock - A panel made out of concrete and fibreglass usually used as a ceramic tile backing material. Commonly used on bathtub decks. Sometimes called Wonder board.

DWV (drain-waste-vent) - The section of a plumbing system that carries water and sewer gases out of a home.

Earnest Money - A sum paid to the seller to show that a potential purchaser is serious about buying.

Earthquake Strap - A metal strap used to secure gas hot water heaters to the framing or foundation of a house. Intended to reduce the chances of having the water heater fall over in an earthquake and causing a gas leak.

Easement - A formal contract, which allows a party to use another party's property for a specific purpose. e.g. A sewer easement might allow one party to run a sewer line through a neighbours property.

Eaves - The horizontal, lower edge of a sloped roof. The extension of roof beyond house walls.

Eave Vents - Vent openings located in the soffit under the eaves of a house to allow the passage of air through the attic and out the roof vents.

Edge Curl - An upward-curled side lap or end lap.

Edge Venting - The practice of providing regularly spaced protected openings at a roof perimeter to relieve water vapour pressure in the insulation.

Efflorescence - White powder that forms on the surface of brick.

Effluent - Treated sewage from a septic tank or sewage treatment plant.

Egress - A means of exiting the home. An egress window is required in every bedroom and basement. Normally a 4' X 4' window is the minimum size required.

Elasticity - The measure of a sealant's ability to return to its original shape and size after being compressed or elongated. As with elongation, elasticity is measured as a percentage of its original length.

Elbow (ell) - A plumbing or electrical fitting that lets you change directions in runs of pipe or conduit.

Electric lateral - The trench or area in the yard where the electric service line (from a transformer or pedestal) is located, or the work of installing the electric service to a home.

Electric resistance coils - Metal wires that heat up when electric current passes through them and are used in baseboard heaters and electric water heaters.

Electrical entrance package - The entry point of the electrical power including: (1) the 'strike' or location where the overhead or underground electrical lines connect to the house, (2) The meter which measures how much power is used and (3) The 'panel' or 'circuit breaker box ' (or 'fuse box') where the power can be shut off and where overload devices such a fuses or circuit breakers and located.

Electrical Rough - Work performed by the Electrical Contractor after the plumber and heating contractor are complete with their phase of work. Normally all electrical wires, and outlet, switch, and fixture boxes are installed (before insulation).

Electrical Trim - Work performed by the electrical contractor when the house is nearing completion. The electrician installs all plugs, switches, light fixtures, smoke detectors, appliance "pig tails", bath ventilation fans, wires the furnace, and "makes up" the electric house panel. The electrician does all work necessary to get the home ready for and to pass the municipal electrical final inspection.

Elevation sheet - The page on the blue prints that depicts the house or room as if a vertical plane were passed through the structure.

Envelope - A continuous membrane edge seal formed at the perimeter and at penetrations by folding the base sheet or ply over the plies above and securing it to the top of the membrane. The envelope prevents bitumen seepage from the edge of the membrane.

Equilibrium moisture content - (1) the moisture content of a material stabilized at a given temperature and relative humidity, expressed as percent moisture by weight; (2) the typical moisture content of a material in any given geographical area.

Equity - The "valuation" that you own in your home, i.e. the property value less the mortgage loan outstanding.

Escrow - The handling of funds or documents by a third party on behalf of the buyer and/or seller.

Estimate - The amount of labour, materials and other costs that a contractor anticipates for a project as summarized in the contractor's bid proposal for the project.

Escutcheon - An ornamental plate that fits around a pipe extending through a wall or floor to hide the cut out hole.

Estimating - The process of calculating the cost of a project. This can be a formal and exact process or a quick and imprecise process.

Evaporator coil - The part of a cooling system that absorbs heat from air in your home. Also see condensing unit.

Expansion Joint - A joint designed to accommodate movement in the structure or components of the system due to thermal or stress-load variation.

Expansive soils - Earth that swells and contracts depending on the amount of water that is present. ("Betonite" is an expansive soil).

Exposed aggregate finish - A method of finishing concrete which washes the cement/sand mixture off the top layer of the aggregate - usually gravel. Often used in driveways, patios and other exterior surfaces.

Exposure - That portion of the roofing exposed to the weather after installation.

Exposure 1 Grade Plywood - Type of plywood approved by the American Plywood Association for exterior use.

Extras - Additional work requested of a contractor, not included in the original plan, which will be billed separately and will not alter the original contract amount, but increase the cost of building the home.

FHA strap - Metal straps that are used to repair a bearing wall "cut-out", and to "tie together" wall corners, splices, and bearing headers. Also, they are used to hang stairs and landings to bearing headers.

Façade - front of the house or building.

Faced Insulation - Insulation with an attached vapour retarder (Kraft paper or foil-backed paper).

Faced concrete - To finish the front and all vertical sides of a concrete porch, step(s), or patio. Normally the "face" is broom finished.

Face nail - To install nails into the vertical face of a bearing header or beam.

Facia (Fascia) - (1) The board connecting the top of the siding with the bottom of a soffit; (2) A board nailed across the ends of the rafters at the eaves.

Facing brick - The brick used and exposed on the outside of a wall. Usually these have a finished texture.

Factory Square - 10 m2 (108 ft2).

Fallback - A reduction in bitumen softening point, sometimes caused by refluxing or overheating in a relatively closed container. See also Softening point drift.

Fanlight - Semicircular or semi elliptical window over a doorway or another window.

Feathering Strips - Tapered wood filler strips placed along the butts of old wood shingles to create a level surface when reroofing over existing wood shingle roofs. Also called “horse feathers”.

Felt - Fibrous material saturated with asphalt and used as an underlayment of sheathing paper.

Female - Any part, such as a nut or fitting, into which another (male) part can be inserted. Internal threads are female.

Ferrule - Metal tubes used to keep roof gutters "open". Long nails (ferrule spikes) are driven through these tubes and hold the gutters in place along the fascia of the home.

Fibreglass Insulation - An energy-efficient glass fibre product for heat and noise insulation.

Fibreglass Mat - An asphalt roofing base material manufactured from glass fibres.

Field measure - To take measurements (cabinets, countertops, stairs, shower doors, etc.) in the home itself instead of using the blueprints.

Fill-Type Insulation - Loose insulating material, which is applied by hand or blown into wall, spaces mechanically.

Filler (wood) - A heavily pigmented preparation used for fining and levelling off the pores in open-pored woods.

Fine Mineral Surfacing - Water-insoluble inorganic material, more than 50% of which passes the 500 pm (No. 35) sieve, used on the surface of roofing.

Finger Blisters - Finger-shaped blisters or wrinkles in the plies of a built-up roofing or waterproofing membrane.

Finger joint - A manufacturing process of interlocking two shorter pieces of wood end to end to create a longer piece of dimensional lumber or moulding. Often used in jambs and casings and are normally painted (instead of stained).

Finger Wrinkles - See Finger Blisters.

Fire block - Short horizontal members sometimes nailed between studs, usually about halfway up a wall. See also 'Fire stop'.

Firebrick - Brick made of refractory ceramic material, which will resist high temperatures. Used in a fireplace and boiler.

Fireplace chase flashing pan - A large sheet of metal that is installed around and perpendicular to the fireplace flue pipe. Its purpose is to confine and limit the spread of fire and smoke to a small area.

Fire-resistive or Fire rated - In the absence of a specific ruling by the authority having jurisdiction, applies to materials for construction not combustible in the temperatures of ordinary fires and that will withstand such fires without serious impairment of their usefulness for at least 1 hour. Applies to materials that are not combustible in the temperatures of ordinary fires and will withstand such fires for at least 1 hour. Drywall used in the garage and party walls are to be fire rated, 5/8", Type X.

Fire retardant chemical - A chemical or preparation of chemicals used to reduce flammability or to retard spread of flame.

Fire stop - A solid, tight closure of a concealed space, placed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke through such a space. In a frame wall, this will usually consist of 2 by 4 cross blocking between studs. Work performed to slow the spread of fire and smoke in the walls and ceiling (behind the drywall). Includes stuffing wire holes in the top and bottom plates with insulation, and installing blocks of wood between the wall studs at the drop soffit line. This is integral to passing a Rough Frame inspection. See also 'Fire block'.

Fish mouth - (1) A half-cylindrical or half-conical opening formed by an edge wrinkle of the membrane; (2) In shingles, a half conical opening formed at a cut edge.

Fishplate (gusset) - A wood or plywood piece used to fasten the ends of two members together at a butt joint with nails or bolts. Sometimes used at the junction of opposite rafters near the ridgeline.

Fish tape - A long strip of spring steel used for fishing cables and for pulling wires through conduit.

Flagstone (flagging or flags) - Flat stones, from 1 to 4 inches thick, used for rustic walks, steps, floors, and the like.

Flake board - A manufactured wood panel made out of 1"- 2" wood chips and glue. Often used as a substitute for plywood in the exterior wall and roof sheathing. Also called OSB or wafer board.

Flame retention burner - An oil burner, designed to hold the flame near the nozzle surface. Generally the most efficient type for residential use.

Flashing - Pieces of metal or roll roofing used to prevent seepage of water into a building around any intersection or projection in a roof, such as vent pipes, chimneys, adjoining walls, dormers and valleys. Galvanized metal flashing should be minimum 26-gauge.

Flashing Cement - Asphalt-based cement used to bond roofing materials. Also known as mastic; should conform to ASTM D-4586. Same as Asphalt Cement.

Flat Ceiling - A ceiling with no change in elevation.

Flat mould - Thin wood strips installed over the butt seam of cabinet skins.

Flat paint - An interior paint that contains a high proportion of pigment and dries to a flat or lustreless finish.

Flatwork - Common word for concrete floors, driveways, basements, and sidewalks.

Floating - The next-to-last stage in concrete work, when you smooth off the job and bring water to the surface by using a hand float or bull float.

Floating wall - A non-bearing wall built on a concrete floor. It is constructed so that the bottom two horizontal plates can compress or pull apart if the concrete floor moves up or down. Normally built on basements and garage slabs.

Floor Joists - Framing pieces, which rest on outer foundation walls and interior beams or girders.

Fluorescent lighting - A fluorescent lamp is a gas-filled glass tube with a phosphor coating on the inside. Gas inside the tube is ionized by electricity which causes the phosphor coating to glow. Normally with two pins that extend from each end.

Flue - The space or passage in a chimney through which smoke, gas, or fumes ascend. Each passage is called a flue, which together with any others and the surrounding masonry make up the chimney.

Flue collar - Round metal ring which fits around the heat flue pipe after the pipe passes out of the roof.

Flue damper - An automatic door located in the flue that closes it off when the burner turns off; purpose is to reduce heat loss up the flue from the still-warm furnace or boiler.

Flue lining - Fire clay or terra-cotta pipe, round or square, usually made in all ordinary flue sizes and in 2-foot lengths, used for the inner lining of chimneys with the brick or masonry work around the outside. Flue lining in chimneys runs from about a foot below the flue connection to the top of the chimney.

Fly rafters - End rafters of the gable overhang supported by roof sheathing and lookouts.

Foil-Faced Vapour Retarder - Created by coating a foil-backed paper with a thin layer of asphalt adhesive. The coated side of the foil-backed paper is then applied to the unfaced insulation material. The asphalt adhesive bonds the foil-backed paper and the insulation together.

Footing - Continuous 8" or 10" thick concrete pad installed before and supports the foundation wall or monopost.

Forced air heating - A common form of heating with natural gas, propane, oil or electricity as a fuel. Air is heated in the furnace and distributed through a set of metal ducts to various areas of the house.

Form - Temporary structure erected to contain concrete during placing and initial hardening.

Foundation - Lower parts of walls on which the structure is built. Foundation walls of masonry or concrete are mainly below ground level.

Foundation ties - Metal wires that hold the foundation wall panels and rebar in place during the concrete pour.

Foundation waterproofing - High-quality below-grade moisture protection. Used for below-grade exterior concrete and masonry wall damp proofing to seal out moisture and prevent corrosion. Normally looks like black tar.

Frame Inspection - The act of inspecting the home's structural integrity and it's compliance to local municipal codes.

Frame house - a house constructed with a skeletal framework of timber, usually sheathed with siding or shingles.

Framer -The carpenter contractor that installs the lumber and erects the frame, flooring system, interior walls, backing, trusses, rafters, decking, installs all beams, stairs, soffits and all work related to the wood structure of the home. The framer builds the home according to the blueprints and must comply with local building codes and regulations.

Framing - The rough lumber of a house-joists, studs, rafters, and beams.

Framing, balloon - A system of framing a building in which all vertical structural elements of the bearing walls and partitions consist of single pieces extending from the top of the foundation sin plate to the roof-plate and to which all floor joists are fastened.

Framing, platform - A system of framing a building in which floor joists of each story rest on the top plates of the story below or on the foundation sill for the first story, and the bearing walls and partitions rest on the sub-floor of each story.

Frieze - In house construction a horizontal member connecting the top of the siding with the soffit of the cornice.

Frost lid - Round metal lid that is installed on a water meter pit.

Frost line - The depth of frost penetration in soil. This depth varies in different parts of the country. Footings should be placed below this depth to prevent movement.

Fungus - A type of roof discoloration caused by algae. Commonly called fungus growth. Also called algae discoloration.

Furring - 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.

Furring Strips - Flat pieces of lumber used to build up an irregular framing to an even surface, either the levelling of a part of a wall or ceiling.

Fuse - A short plug in an electric panel box, which opens (breaks) an electrical circuit when it becomes overloaded.

GF C I, or G F I - Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter- an ultra sensitive plug designed to shut off all electric current. Used in bathrooms, kitchens, exterior waterproof outlets, garage outlets, and "wet areas". Has a small reset button on the plug.

Gable - The triangular part of a wall under the inverted "v" of the roofline. In house construction, the portion of the roof above the eave line, of a double-sloped roof.

Gabled dormers (see window types) - have peaked roofs; she dormers had shed roofs. A projecting structure built out from a sloping roof, usually housing a vertical window or ventilating louver.

Gable End Walls - The triangular end of an exterior wall above the eaves.

Gable Roof - A type of roof containing sloping planes of the same pitch on each side of the ridge. Contains a gable at each end.

Gable Vents - A louver mounted in the top of the gable to allow the passage of air through the attic.

Gambrel Roof - 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.

Gang nail plate - A steel plate attached to both sides at each joint of a truss. Sometimes called a fishplate or gusset.

Gas lateral - The trench or area in the yard where the gas line service is located, or the work of installing the gas service to a home.

Gate valve - A valve that lets you completely stop but not modulate the flow within a pipe.

General Contractor - A contractor who enters into a contract with the owner of a project for the construction of the project and who takes full responsibility for its completion, although the contractor may enter into subcontracts with others for the performance of specific parts or phases of the project.

Girder - A main member in a framed floor supporting the joists, which carry the flooring boards. It carries the weight of a floor or partition.

Glass Felt - Glass fibres bonded into a sheet with resin and suitable for impregnation in the manufacture of bituminous waterproofing, roofing membranes and shingles.

Glass Fibres - Glass in a strand form. The ingredients are essentially the same as those found in any glass product, such as a windowpane or drinking glass.

Glass Mat - A thin mat of glass fibres with or without a binder.

Glazing - The process of installing glass, which commonly is secured with glazier's points and glazing compound.

Globe valve - A valve that lets you adjust the flow of water to any rate between fully on and fully off. Also see gate valve.

Gloss enamel - A finishing material made of varnish and sufficient pigments to provide opacity and color, but little or no pigment of low opacity. Such an enamel forms a hard coating with maximum smoothness of surface and a high degree of gloss.

Gloss (paint or enamel) - A paint or enamel that contains a relatively low proportion of pigment and dries to a sheen or lustre.

Glued Laminated Beam (Glulam) - A structural beam composed of wood laminations or lams. The lams are pressure bonded with adhesives to attain a typical thickness of 1 ½". (It looks like 5 or more 2 X 4's are glued together).

Grade - Ground level, or the elevation at any given point. Also the work of leveling dirt. Also the designated quality of a manufactured piece of wood.

Grade beam - A foundation wall that is poured @ level with or just below the grade of the earth. An example is the area where the 8' or 16' overhead garage door "block out" is located, or a lower (walk out basement) foundation wall is poured.

Grade Line - The point at which the ground rests against the foundation wall.

Grain - The direction, size, arrangement, appearance, or quality of the fibres in wood.

Grain, edge (vertical) - Edge-grain lumber has been sawed parallel to the pith of the log and approximately at right angles to the growth rings; i.e., the rings form an angle of 45° or more with the surface of the piece.

Grain, flat - Flat-grain lumber has been sawed parallel to the pith of the log and approximately tangent to the growth rings, i.e., the rings form an angle of less than 45° with the surface of the piece.

Grain, quarter sawn - Another term for edge grain.

Granules - Ceramic-coated, colour crushed rock that is applied to the exposed surface of asphalt roofing products.

Green Lumber - Lumber which has been inadequately dried and which tends to warp or "bleed" resin.

Grid - The completed assembly of main and cross tees in a suspended ceiling system before the ceiling panels are installed. Also the decorative slats (munton) installed between glass panels.

Ground - Refers to electricity's habit of seeking the shortest route to earth. Neutral wires carry it there in all circuits. An additional grounding wire or the sheathing of the metal-clad cable or conduit—protects against shock if the neutral leg is interrupted.

Ground fault - Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI, GFI)- an ultra sensitive plug designed to shut off all electric current. Used in bathrooms, kitchens, exterior waterproof outlets, garage outlets, and "wet areas". Has a small reset button on the plug.

Ground iron - The plumbing drain and waste lines that are installed beneath the basement floor. Cast iron was once used, but black plastic pipe (ABS) is now widely used.

Groundwater - Water from an aquifer or subsurface water source.

Grounds - Pieces of wood embedded in plaster of walls to which skirting are attached. Also wood pieces used to stop the plasterwork around doors and windows. Guides used around openings and at the floor-line to strike off plaster. They can consist of narrow strips of wood or of wide sub-jambs at interior doorways. They provide a level plaster line for installation of casing and other trim.

Grout - A wet mixture of cement, sand and water that flows into masonry or ceramic crevices to seal the cracks between the different pieces. Mortar made of such consistency (by adding water) that it will flow into the joints and cavities of the masonry work and fill them solid.

Gusset - A flat wood, plywood, or similar type member used to provide a connection at intersection of wood members. Most commonly used at joints of wood trusses. They are fastened by nails, screws, bolts, or adhesives.

Gutter or nave trough - A shallow channel or conduit of metal or wood set below and along the eaves of a house to catch and carry off rainwater from the roof.

Gyp board - Drywall. Wall board or gypsum- A panel (normally 4' X 8', 10', 12', or 16')made with a core of Gypsum (chalk-like) rock, which covers interior walls and ceilings.

Gypsum plaster - Gypsum formulated to be used with the addition of sand and water for base-coat plaster.

H Clip - Small metal clips formed like an "H" that fits at the joints of two plywood (or wafer board) sheets to stiffen the joint. Normally used on the roof sheeting.

H V A C - An abbreviation for Heat, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning.

Half-story - A usable living space within a sloping roof, usually having dormer windows for lighting.

Half-Timber - having a timber framework with the spaces filled with masonry or plaster. Also, half-timbered.

Hardware - All of the "metal" fittings that go into the home when it is near completion. For example, door knobs, towel bars, handrail brackets, closet rods, house numbers, door closers, etc. The Interior Trim Carpenter installs the "hardware".

Hardwood - The close-grained wood from broad-leaved trees such as oak or maple.

Haunch - An extension, knee like protrusion of the foundation wall that a concrete porch or patio will rest upon for support.

Head Flashing - Flashing installed above the window head detail just below adjacent facing material that the window abuts. See also Flashing.

Head Lap - Shortest distance from the butt edge of an overlapping shingle to the upper edge of a shingle in the second course below. The triple coverage portion of the top lap of strip shingles.

Headers - (a) A beam placed perpendicular to joists and to which joists are nailed in framing for chimney, stairway, or other opening. (b) A wood lintel. (c) 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.

Hearth - The inner or outer floor of a fireplace, usually made of brick, tile, or stone.

Heartwood - The wood extending from the pith to the sapwood, the cells of which no longer participate in the life processes of the tree.

Heating load - The amount of heating required to keep a building at a specified temperature during the winter, usually 65° F, regardless of outside temperature.

Heat meter - An electrical municipal inspection of the electric meter breaker panel box.

Heat pump - A mechanical device which uses compression and decompression of gas to heat and/or cool a house.

Heat Rough - Work performed by the Heating Contractor after the stairs and interior walls are built. This includes installing all ductwork and flue pipes. Sometimes, the furnace and fireplaces are installed at this stage of construction.

Heat Trim - Work done by the Heating Contractor to get the home ready for the municipal Final Heat Inspection. This includes venting the hot water heater, installing all vent grills, registers, air conditioning services, turning on the furnace, installing thermostats, venting ranges and hoods, and all other heat related work.

Heel - The end of a rafter that rests on the wall plate.

Heel cut - A notch cut in the end of a rafter to permit it to fit flat on a wall and on the top, doubled, exterior wall plate.

Highlights - A light spot, area, or streak on a painted surface.

Hip - The inclined external angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes. Runs from the ridge to the eaves.

Hip Roof - A type of roof containing sloping planes of the same pitch on each of four sides. Contains no gables.

Hip Shingles - Shingles used to cover the inclined external angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes.

Holiday - An area where a liquid-applied material is missing.

Home run (electrical) - The electrical cable that carries power from the main circuit breaker panel to the first electrical box, plug, or switch in the circuit.

Honeycombs - The appearance concrete makes when rocks in the concrete are visible and where there are void areas in the foundation wall, especially around concrete foundation windows.

Horse feathers - Tapered wood filler strips placed along the butts of old wood shingles to create a level surface when reroofing over existing wood shingle roofs. Also called feathering strips.

Hose bib - An exterior water faucet (sill cock).

Hot stuff or "hot" - A roofer’s term for hot bitumen.

Hot wire - The wire that carries electrical energy to a receptacle or other device—in contrast to a neutral, which carries electricity away again. Normally, the black wire. Also see ground.

Humidifier - A device designed to increase the humidity within a room or a house by means of the discharge of water vapour. They may consist of individual room size units or larger units attached to the heating plant to condition the entire house.

Hurricane clip - Metal straps that are nailed and secure the roof rafters and trusses to the top horizontal wall plate. Sometimes called a Teco clip.

Hydrostatic pressure - Pressure applied to envelope materials by various heights of water at rest.

I-beam - A steel beam with a cross section resembling the letter I. It is used for long spans as basement beams or over wide wall openings, such as a double garage door, when wall and roof loads are imposed on the opening.

I-joist - Manufactured structural building component resembling the letter "I". Used as floor joists and rafters. I-joists include two key parts: flanges and webs. The flange of the I joist may be made of laminated veneer lumber or dimensional lumber, usually formed into a 1 ½" width. The web or center of the I-joist is commonly made of plywood or oriented strand board (OSB). Large holes can be cut in the web to accommodate duct work and plumbing waste lines. I-joists are available in lengths up to 60 feet long.

Ice Dam - Condition formed at the lower roof edge by the thawing and re-freezing of melted snow on the overhang. Can force water up and under shingles, causing leaks.

Incandescent lamp - A lamp employing an electrically charged metal filament that glows at white heat. A typical light bulb.

Incline - The slope of a roof expressed in percent or in the number of vertical units of rise per horizontal unit of run.

Infiltration - The passage of air from indoors to outdoors and vice versa; term is usually associated with drafts from cracks, seams or holes in buildings.

INR (Impact Noise Rating) - A single figure rating which provides an estimate of the impact sound insulating performance of a floor-ceiling assembly.

Inset Staple - Stapling to the inside portion of the stud or rafter.

Inside corner - The point at which two walls form an internal angle, as in the corner of a room.

Insulate - To prevent the passage of heat, sound or electricity into or out of.

Insulated Ceiling (IC) - Marking on recessed lighting fixture indicating that it is designed for direct insulation contact.

Insulating glass - Window or door in which two panes of glass are used with a sealed air space between. Also known as Double glass.

Insulation - Any material high in resistance to heat transmission that, when placed in the walls, ceiling, or floors of a structure, and will reduce the rate of heat flow. See also Thermal insulation.

Insulation board, rigid - A structural building board made of coarse wood or cane fibre in ½- and 25/32-inch thickness. It can be obtained in various size sheets, in various densities, and with several treatments.

Insulation Density - Denser products have more fibres per square inch, providing greater insulating power through higher R-values.

Insulation, thermal - Any material high in resistance to heat transmission that, when placed in the walls, ceiling, or floors of a structure, will reduce the rate of heat flow.

Interior finish - Material used to cover the interior framed areas, or materials of walls and ceilings.

Interlocking Shingles - Individual shingles that mechanically fasten to each other to provide wind resistance.

Irrigation – Lawn sprinkler system.

J Channel - Metal edging used on drywall to give the edge a better finished appearance when a wall is not "wrapped" Generally, basement stairway walls have drywall only on the stair side. J Channel is used on the vertical edge of the last drywall sheet.

Jack post - A type of structural support made of metal, which can be raised or lowered through a series of pins and a screw to meet the height required. Basically used as a replacement for an old supporting member in a building. See Monopost.

Jack rafter - A rafter that spans the distance from the wall plate to a hip, or from a valley to a ridge.

Jalousies - 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.

Jamb - The side and head lining of a doorway, window, or other opening. Includes studs as well as the frame and trim.

Joint - The space between the adjacent surfaces of two members or components joined and held together by nails, glue, cement, mortar, or other means.

Joint cement or Joint compound - A powder that is usually mixed with water and used for joint treatment in gypsum-wallboard finish. Often called "spackle".

Joint tenancy - A form of ownership in which the tenants own a property equally. If one dies, the other automatically inherits the entire property.

Joint trench - When the electric company and telephone company dig one trench and "drop" both of their service lines in.

Joist - Wooden 2 X 8's, 10's, or 12's that run parallel to one another and support a floor or ceiling, and supported in turn by larger beams, girders, or bearing walls.

Joist Hanger - A metal "U" shaped item used to support the end of a floor joist and attached with hardened nails to another bearing joist or beam.

Jumpers - Water pipe installed in a water meter pit (before the water meter is installed), or electric wire that is installed in the electric house panel meter socket before the meter is installed. This is sometimes illegal.

Keeper - The metal latch plate in a doorframe into which a doorknob plunger latches.

Keyless - A plastic or porcelain light fixture that operates by a pull string. Generally found in the basement, crawl space, and attic areas.

Keystone - wedge-shaped embellishment often used at the crown of an arch that appears to "lock" the other units in a masonry arch in place.

Keyway - A slot formed and poured on a footer or in a foundation wall when another wall will be installed at the slot location. This gives additional strength to the joint/meeting point.

Kick Out Flashing / Rain Diverter Flashing - The section of flashing (usually located at lowest point of roof) that directs water away from wall.

Kiln-Dried - Artificial drying of lumber, superior to most lumber that is air-dried.

Kiln dried lumber - Lumber that has been kiln dried often to a moisture content of 6 to 12 percent. Common varieties of softwood lumber, such as framing lumber are dried to a somewhat higher moisture content.

Kilowatt (kw) - One thousand watts. A kilowatt-hour is the base unit used in measuring electrical consumption. Also see watt.

King-Post - 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.

King stud - The vertical "2 X's" frame lumber (left and right) of a window or door opening, and runs continuously from the bottom sole plate to the top plate.

Knee Walls - Walls of varying length. Used to provide additional support to roof rafters with a wide span.

Knot - In lumber, the portion of a branch or limb of a tree that appears on the edge or face of the piece.

Kraft-Faced Vapour Retarder - Created by coating Kraft paper with a thin layer of asphalt adhesive. The coated side of the Kraft paper is then applied to the unfaced insulation material. The asphalt adhesive bonds the Kraft paper and the insulation together.

Lag Screws or Coach-Screws - Large, heavy screws, used where great strength is required, as in heavy framing or when attaching ironwork to wood.

Lally Column - A steel tube sometimes filled with concrete, used to support girders or other floor beams.

Laminated Shingles - Shingles that have added dimensionality because of extra layers or tabs, giving a shake-like appearance. May also be called "architectural shingles" or "three-dimensional shingles."

Laminating - Bonding together two or more layers of materials.

Landing - A platform between flights of stairs or at the termination of a flight of stairs. Often used when stairs change direction. Normally no less than 3 ft. X 3 ft. square.

Lap - To cover the surface of one shingle or roll with another.

Lap Siding - This siding is made with tapered boards, such as clapboards, that are placed horizontally with the thicker lower edge of each board overlapping the thinner upper edge of the next board below it. Siding composed of tapered boards, as clapboards, laid horizontally with the thicker lower edge of each board overlapping the thinner upper edge of the board below it. Also called bevel siding or overlapped siding.

Latch - A bevelled metal tongue operated by a spring-loaded knob or lever. The tongue's bevel lets you close the door and engage the locking mechanism, if any, without using a key. Contrasts with dead bolt.

Lateral (electric, gas, telephone, sewer and water) - The underground trench and related services (i.e., electric, gas, telephone, sewer and water lines) that will be buried within the trench.

Lath - One of a number of thin narrow strips of wood nailed to rafters, ceiling joists, wall studs, etc. to make groundwork or key for slates, tiles, or plastering.

Lattice - An open framework of criss-crossed wood or metal strips that form regular patterned spaces.

Leaching Bed - Tiles in the trenches carrying treated wastes from septic tanks.

Leader - See Downspout.

Ledger (for a Structural Floor) - The wooden perimeter frame lumber member that bolts onto the face of a foundation wall and supports the wood structural floor.

Ledger board - (1) One of multiple boards attached horizontally across a series of vertical supports, as in the construction of a fence. (2) A ribbon strip.

Ledger strip - A strip of lumber nailed along the bottom of the side of a girder on which joists rest.

Leech field - A method used to treat/dispose of sewage in rural areas not accessible to a municipal sewer system. Sewage is permitted to be filtered and eventually discharged into a section of the lot called a leech field.

Let-in brace - Nominal 1 inch-thick boards applied into notched studs diagonally. Also, an "L" shaped, long (@ 10') metal strap that are installed by the framer at the rough stage to give support to an exterior wall or wall corner.

Level - True horizontal. Also a tool used to determine level.

Lien - An encumbrance that usually makes real or personal property the security for payment of a debt or discharge of an obligation.

Light - Space in a window sash for a single pane of glass. Also, a pane of glass.

Limit switch - A safety control that automatically shuts off a furnace if it gets too hot. Most also control blower cycles.

Lineal foot - A unit of measure for lumber equal to 1 inch thick by 12 inches wide by 12 inches long. Examples: 1" x 12" x 16' = 16 board feet, 2" x 12" x 16' = 32 board feet. Lintel - A horizontal structural member that supports the load over an opening such as a door or window.

Load-Bearing Wall - Includes all exterior walls and any interior wall that is aligned above a support beam or girder. Normally, any wall that has a double horizontal top plate.

Lookout - A short wood bracket or cantilever to support an overhang portion of a roof or the like, usually concealed from view.

Lot - In roofing: (1) Production lot - all material produced in one eight-hour shift of the same type (and color when applicable); (2) Delivery lot - all material of the same type delivered at one time by one truck or railroad car.

Louver - A vented opening into the home that has a series of horizontal slats and arranged to permit ventilation but to exclude rain, snow, light, insects, or other living creatures. See also Attic ventilators.

Low Slope Application - Method of installing asphalt shingles on roof slopes between 2 and 4 inches per foot.

Lumber - Lumber is the product of the sawmill and planing mill not further manufactured other than by sawing, resawing, and passing lengthwise through a standard planing machine, crosscutting to length, and matching.

Lumber, boards - Yard lumber less than 2 inches thick and 2 or more inches wide.

Lumber, dimension - Yard lumber from 2 inches to, but not including, 5 inches thick and 2 or more inches wide. Includes joists, rafters, studs, plank, and small timbers.

Lumber, dressed size - The dimension of lumber after shrinking from green dimension and after machining to size or pattern.

Lumber, matched - Lumber that is dressed and shaped on one edge in a grooved pattern and on the other in a tongued pattern.

Lumber, shiplap - Lumber that is edge-dressed to make a close rabbeted or lapped joint.

Lumber, timbers - Yard lumber 5 or more inches in least dimension. Includes beams, stringers, posts, caps, sills, girders, and purlins.

Lumber, yard - Lumber of those grades, sizes, and patterns, which are generally intended for ordinary construction, such as framework and rough coverage of houses.

Lumens - Unit of measure for total light output. The amount of light falling on a surface of one square foot.

Male - Any part, such as a bolt, designed to fit into another (female) part. External threads are male.

Mantel - The shelf above a fireplace opening. Also used in referring to the decorative trim around a fireplace opening.

Mansard Roof - A type of roof containing two sloping planes of different pitch on each of four sides. The lower plane has a much steeper pitch than the upper, often approaching vertical. Contains no gables.

Mantel - The shelf above a fireplace. Also used in referring to the decorative trim around a fireplace opening.

Manufactured wood - A wood product such as a truss, beam, gluelam, microlam or joist which is manufactured out of smaller wood pieces and glued or mechanically fastened to form a larger piece. Often used to create a stronger member which may use less wood. See also Oriented Strand Board.

Manufacturer's specifications - The written installation and/or maintenance instructions which are developed by the manufacturer of a product and which may have to be followed in order to maintain the product warrantee.

Masonry - Stone, brick, concrete, hollow-tile, concrete block, gypsum block, or other similar building units or materials or a combination of the same, bonded together with mortar to form a wall, pier, buttress, or similar mass.

Mastic - An asphalt-based cement used to bond roofing materials. Also known as flashing cement; should conform to ASTM D-4586. See also Flashing cement and Asphalt mastic.

Membrane - A flexible or semi flexible roof covering or waterproofing, whose primary function is the exclusion of water.

Metal Flashing - Frequently used as through-wall, cap- or counter flashing. See Flashing.

Metal Flue - A metal channel through which hot air, gas, steam or smoke may pass.

Metal Insulation Supports - Sixteen- or 24-inch wire rods or crisscrossed wire to hold floor insulation in place.

Metal lath - Sheets of metal that are slit and drawn out to form openings. Used as a plaster base for walls and ceilings and as reinforcing over other forms of plaster base.

Microlam - A manufactured structural wood beam. It is constructed of pressure and adhesive bonded wood strands of wood. They have a higher strength rating than solid sawn lumber. Normally comes in l ½" thickness' and 9 ½", 11 ½" and 14" widths.

Milar (Mylar) - Plastic, transparent copies of a blueprint.

Mildew (Mould) - Surface mould, often a green-black loose powdery mass. May occur on both interior and exterior surfaces and is evidence of improper ventilation or condensation.

Millwork - Generally all building materials made of finished wood and manufactured in millwork plants and planing mills are included under the term "millwork." It includes such items as inside and outside doors, window and doorframes, blinds, porch-work, mantels, panel work, stairways, mouldings, and interior trim. It normally does not include flooring, ceiling, or siding.

Mineral Spirits - A refined petroleum distillate have a low aromatic hydrocarbon content, with volatility, flash point, and other properties making it suitable as a thinner and solvent in paints, varnishes, and similar products.

Mitre joint - The joint of two pieces at an angle that bisects the joining angle. For example, the mitre joint at the side and head casing at a door opening is made at a 45° angle.

Moulding - 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.

Mole Run - A meandering ridge in a membrane not associated with insulation or deck joints.

Moisture Barrier - Treated paper or metal that retards or bars water vapour, used to keep moisture from passing into walls or floors.

Moisture content of wood - Weight of the water contained in the wood, usually expressed as a percentage of the weight of the kiln-dried wood.

Monopost - Adjustable metal column used to support a beam or bearing point. Normally 11 gauge or Schedule 40 metal, and determined by the structural engineer.

Mortar - A mixture of cement (or lime) with sand and water used in masonry work.

Mortise - A slot cut into a board, plank, or timber, usually edgewise, to receive tenon of another board, plank, or timber to form a joint.

Mudsill - Bottom horizontal member of an exterior wall frame which rests on top a foundation, sometimes called sill plate. Also sole plate, bottom member of interior wall frame.

Mullion/Muton - (a) Slender framing which, divides the lights or panes of windows. (b) A vertical bar or divider in the frame between windows, doors, or other openings.

Muntin - A small member, which divides the glass or openings of sash or doors.

Muriatic acid - Commonly used as a brick cleaner after masonry work is completed.

Mushroom - The unacceptable occurrence when the top of a caisson concrete pier spreads out and hardens to become wider than the foundation wall thickness.

Nailing - (1) exposed-nailing of roofing wherein nail heads are bare to the weather; (2) concealed from the weather. See also Blind nailing.

Nail inspection - An inspection made by a municipal building inspector after the drywall material is hung with nails and screws (and before taping).

Natural finish - A transparent finish which does not seriously alter the original color or grain of the natural wood. Natural finishes are usually provided by sealers, oils, varnishes, water-repellent preservatives, and other similar materials.

NEC (National Electrical Code) - A set of rules governing safe wiring methods. Local codes—which are backed by law—may differ from the NEC in some ways.

Negative side waterproofing - An application wherein the waterproofing system and the source of hydrostatic pressure are on opposite sides of the structural element.

Neoprene - A synthetic rubber (polychloroprene) used in liquid- or sheet-applied elastomeric roofing membranes or flashing.

Nesting - A method of reroofing with new asphalt shingles over old shingles in which the top edge of the new shingle is butted against the bottom edge of the existing shingle tab.

Neutral wire - Usually color-coded white, this carries electricity from an outlet back to the service panel. Also see hot wire and ground.

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.

No Cut-Out Shingles -Shingles consisting of a single solid tab with no cut-outs.

Non-bearing wall - A wall supporting no load other than its own weight.

Non-combustible - The material will not burn.

Normal Slope Application - Method of installing asphalt shingles on roof slopes between 4 inches and 21 inches per foot.

NRCA - National Roofing Contractors Association.

Nosing - The projecting edge of a moulding or drip. Usually applied to the projecting moulding on the edge of a stair tread.

Notch - A crosswise rabbet at the end of a board.

Nozzle - The part of a heating system that sprays the fuel of fuel-air mixture into the combustion chamber.

O. C., on center - The measurement of spacing for studs, rafters, joists, and the like in a building from the center of one member to the center of the next.

O. G., or ogee - A moulding with a profile in the form of a letter S; having the outline of a reversed curve.

Oakum - Loose hemp or jute fibre that's impregnated with tar or pitch and used to caulk large seams or for packing plumbing pipe joints.

One-on-One - The application of a single ply of roofing over the substrate, followed by the application of a second single ply over the first (phased application).

Open hole inspection - When an engineer (or municipal inspector) inspects the open excavation and examines the earth to determine the type of foundation (caisson, footer, wall on ground, etc.) that should be installed in the hole.

Open timbered - constructed so that a framework of timbers is exposed.

Open Valley - Method of valley construction in which shingles on both sides of the valley are trimmed along a chalk line snapped on each side of the valley. Shingles do not extend across the valley. Valley flashing is exposed.

Organic - Composed of hydrocarbons or their derivatives, or of plant or animal matter.

Organic Felt - An asphalt roofing base material manufactured from cellulose fibres.

Oriented Strand Board (OSB) - A structural panel made of wood strands sliced in the long direction and bonded together with a binder under heat and pressure.

Outrigger - An extension of a rafter beyond the wall line. Usually a smaller member nailed to a larger rafter to form a cornice or roof overhang.

Outside corner - The point at which two walls form an external angle, one you usually can walk around.

Overhang - That portion of the roof structure that extends beyond the exterior walls of a building.

Overlay Shingle - A one-piece base shingle to which overlay pads, consisting of an additional layer of asphalt and granules, are applied in random patterns to simulate two-piece laminated shingles.

Padding - A material installed under carpet to add foot comfort, isolate sound, and to prolong carpet life.

Pad out, pack out - To shim out or add strips of wood to a wall or ceiling in order that the finished ceiling/wall will appear correct.

Paint - A combination of pigments with suitable thinners or oils to provide decorative and protective coatings.

Pallets - Wooden platforms used for storing and shipping material. Forklifts and hand trucks are used to move these wooden platforms around.

Panel - A thin flat piece of wood, plywood, or similar material, framed by stiles and rails as in a door (or cabinet door), or fitted into grooves of thicker material with moulded edges for decorative wall treatment.

Panel In house construction, a thin flat piece of wood, ply - Wood, or similar material, framed by stiles and rails as in a door or fitted into grooves of thicker material with moulded edges for decorative wall treatment.

Paper, building - A general term for papers, felts, and similar sheet materials used in buildings without reference to their properties or uses.

Paper, sheathing - A building material, generally paper or felt, used in wall and roof construction as a protection against the passage of air and sometimes moisture.

Parapet - A wall or top portion of a wall extending above an attached horizontal surface such as a roof, terrace or deck. Often used to separate combustible adjoining room areas or to provide a safety barrier at a roof edge.

Parapet Flashing - Flashing installed at the base of a parapet, usually at ceiling level. It is also used on the roof side of parapets as part of roof or counter flashing.

Parging - 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.

Particleboard - Plywood substitute made of course sawdust that is mixed with resin and pressed into sheets. Used for closet shelving, floor underlayment, stair treads, etc.

Parting stop or strip - A small wood piece used in the side and head jambs of double-hung windows to separate upper and lower sash.

Partition - A wall that subdivides spaces within any story of a building.

Paver, paving – Materials, commonly masonry, laid down to make a firm, even surface.

Pedestal - A metal box installed at various locations along utility easements that contain electrical, telephone, or cable television switches and connections.

Pediment - a window, low-pitched gable surmounting a colonnade or major division of a facade.

Penny - As applied to nails, it originally indicated the price per hundred. The term now series as a measure of nail length and is abbreviated by the letter d. Normally, 16d (16 "penny") nails are used for framing.

Percolation test or perc. Test - Tests that a soil engineer performs on earth to determine the feasibility of installing a leech field type sewer system on a lot. A test to determine if the soil on a proposed building lot is capable of absorbing the liquid affluent from a septic system.

Performance bond - An amount of money (usually 10% of the total price of a job) that a contractor must put on deposit with a governmental agency as an insurance policy that guarantees the contractors' proper and timely completion of a project or job.

Perimeter drain - 3" or 4" perforated plastic pipe that goes around the perimeter (either inside or outside) of a foundation wall (before backfill) and collects and diverts ground water away from the foundation. Generally, it is "day lighted" into a sump pit inside the home, and a sump pump is sometimes inserted into the pit to discharge any accumulation of water.

Perm - A measure of water vapour movement through a material. (grains per square foot per hour per inch of mercury difference in vapour pressure).

Permeability - The ability of a waterproofing material or substrate to allow the passage of water vapour through itself without blistering.

Permeance - The rate of water vapour transmission per unit area at a steady state through a membrane or assembly, expressed in ng/Pa s m2 (grain/ft2 h in. Hg).

Permit - A governmental municipal authorization to perform a building process as in:

Zoning\Use permit - Authorization to use a property for a specific use e.g. a garage, a single family residence etc.
Demolition permit - Authorization to tear down and remove an existing structure.
Grading permit - Authorization to change the contour of the land.
Septic permit - A health department authorization to build or modify a septic system.
Building permit - Authorization to build or modify a structure.
Electrical permit - A separate permit required for most electrical work.
Plumbing permit - A separate permit required for new plumbing and larger modifications of existing plumbing systems.

Phased Application - The installation of a roofing or waterproofing system during two or more separate time intervals; a roofing system not installed in a continuous operation.

Picture Window - A large, usually fixed single-pane window, placed to frame an attractive exterior view.

Pier - A column of masonry, usually rectangular in horizontal cross section, used to support other structural members.

Pigment - A powdered solid in suitable degree of subdivision for use in paint or enamel.

Pigtails, electrical - The electric cord that the electrician provides and installs on an appliance such as a garbage disposal, dishwasher, or range hood.

Pilaster - A projection or the foundation wall used to support a floor girder or stiffen the wall.

Pilot hole - A small-diameter, pre-drilled hole that guides a nail or screw.

Pilot light - A small, continuous flame (in a hot water heater, boiler, or furnace) that ignites gas or oil burners when needed.

Pinhole - A tiny hole in a film, foil or laminate comparable in size to one made by a pin.

Pitch - The incline slope of a roof or the ratio of the total rise to the total width of a house, i.e., an 8-foot rise and 24-foot width is a one-third pitch roof. Roof slope is expressed in the inches of rise per foot of run.

Pitch pocket - An opening extending parallel to the annual rings of growth, which usually contains, or has contained, either solid or liquid pitch.

Plan view - Drawing of a structure with the view from overhead, looking down.

Plasterboard (See Dry Wall) - Gypsum board, used instead of plaster.

Plaster grounds - Strips of wood used as guides or strike off edges around window and door openings and at base of walls.

Plates - Normally a 2 X 4 or 2 X 6 that lays horizontally within a framed structure, such as:

Sill plate- A horizontal member anchored to a concrete or masonry wall.
Sole plate- Bottom horizontal member of a frame wall.
Top plate- Top horizontal member of a frame wall supporting ceiling joists, rafters, or other members.

Ply - A term to denote the number of thicknesses or layers of roofing felt, veneer in plywood, or layers in built-up materials, in any finished piece of such material.

Plenum - A chamber, which can serve as a distribution area for heating or cooling systems, generally between a false ceiling and the actual ceiling.

Plot plan - An overhead view plan that shows the location of the home on the lot. Includes all easements, property lines, set backs, and legal descriptions of the home. Provided by the surveyor.

Plough/plow - To cut a lengthwise groove in a board or plank. An exterior handrail normally has a ploughed groove for hand gripping purposes.

Plumb - Exactly perpendicular; vertical.

Plumb bob - A lead weight attached to a string. It is the tool used in determining plumb.

Plumbing boots - Metal saddles used to strengthen a bearing wall/vertical stud(s) where a plumbing drain line has been cut through and installed.

Plumbing ground - The plumbing drains and waste lines that are installed beneath a basement floor.

Plumbing jacks - Sleeves that fit around drain and waste vent pipes at, and are nailed to, the roof sheeting.

Plumbing rough - Work performed by the plumbing contractor after the Rough Heat is installed. This work includes installing all plastic ABS drain and waste lines, copper water lines, bathtubs, shower pans, and gas piping to furnaces and fireplaces. Lead solder should not be used on copper piping.

Plumbing stack - A plumbing vent pipe that penetrates the roof.

Plumbing trim - Work performed by the plumbing contractor to get the home ready for a final plumbing inspection. Includes installing all toilets (water closets), hot water heaters, sinks, connecting all gas pipe to appliances, disposal, dishwasher, and all plumbing items.

Plumbing waste line - Plastic pipe used to collect and drain sewage waste.

Plywood - A piece of wood made of three or more layers of veneer joined with glue, and usually laid with the grain of adjoining plies at right angles. Almost always an odd number of plies are used to provide balanced construction.

Ply - A term to denote the number of layers of roofing felt, veneer in plywood, or layers in built-up materials, in any finished piece of such material.

Plywood - A panel (normally 4' X 8') of wood made of three or more layers of veneer, compressed and joined with glue, and usually laid with the grain of adjoining plies at right angles to give the sheet strength.

Pointing - Treatment of joints in masonry by filling with mortar to improve appearance or protect against weather.

Point load - A point where a bearing/structural weight is concentrated and transferred to the foundation.

Polyethylene Vapour Barrier - Plastic film used to prevent moisture from passing through unfaced insulation. Both 4- and 6-mil polyethylene are preferred because they are less likely to be damaged during construction.

Pond - A surface that is incompletely drained.

Pores - Wood cells of comparatively large diameter that have open ends and are set one above the other to form continuous tubes. The openings of the vessels on the surface of a piece of wood are referred to as pores.

Portland cement - Cement made by heating clay and crushed limestone into a brick and then grinding to a pulverized powder state.

Positive Side Waterproofing - An application wherein the waterproofing system and the source of hydrostatic pressure are on the same side of the structural element.

Post - A vertical framing member usually designed to carry a beam. Often a 4" x 4", a 6" x 6", or a metal pipe with a flat plate on top and bottom.

Post-And-Beam Construction - Wall construction in which beams are supported by heavy posts rather than many smaller studs.

Pot Life - The length of time a waterproof material or system is workable or applicable after having been activated.

Power vent - A vent that includes a fan to speed up airflow. Often installed on roofs.

Prefabrication - Construction of components such as walls, trusses, or doors, before delivery to the building site.

Preservative - Any pesticide substance that, for a reasonable length of time, will prevent the action of wood-destroying fungi, insect borers, and similar destructive agents when the wood has been properly coated or impregnated with it. Normally an arsenic derivative. Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) is an example.

Pressure Relief Valve (PRV) - A device mounted on a hot water heater or boiler which is designed to release any high steam pressure in the tank to prevent tank explosions.

Pressure-treated wood - Lumber that has been saturated with a preservative.

Primer - The first, base coat of paint when a paint job consists of two or more coats. A first coating formulated to seal raw surfaces and holding succeeding finish coats. A thin liquid bitumen applied to a surface to improve the adhesion of heavier applications of bitumen and to absorb dust.

Property survey - A survey to determine the boundaries of your property. The cost depends on the complexity of the survey.

P trap - Curved, "U" section of drainpipe that holds a water seal to prevent sewer gasses from entering the home through a fixtures water drain.

Pump mix - Special concrete that will be used in a concrete pump. Generally, the mix has smaller rock aggregate than regular mix.

Punch list - A list of discrepancies that need to be corrected by the contractor.

Punch out - To inspect and make a discrepancy list.

Putty - A type of cement usually made of whiting and boiled linseed oil, beaten or kneaded to the consistency of dough, and used in sealing glass in sash, filling small holes and crevices in wood, and for similar purposes.

PVC or CPVC - Poly Vinyl Chloride - A type of white or light grey plastic pipe sometimes used for water supply lines and waste pipe.

Quarry tile - A man-made or machine-made clay tile used to finish a floor or wall. Generally 6" X 6" X 1/4" thick.

Quarter round - A small moulding that has the cross section of a quarter circle.

Quoin - the individual stones or bricks used to form the exterior angle of a masonry wall, usually different from an adjoining surface by material, texture color, projection.

Rabbet - A groove cut in a board to receive another board.

Radiant Heat - A method of heating, usually consisting of a forced hot water system with pipes placed in the floor, wall, or ceiling. Also electrically heated panels.

Radiation - Energy transmitted from a heat source to the air around it. Radiators actually depend more on convection than radiation.

Radon - A naturally-occurring, heavier than air, radioactive gas common in many parts of the country. Radon gas exposure is associated with lung cancer. Mitigation measures may involve crawl space and basement venting and various forms of vapour barriers.

Radon system - A ventilation system beneath the floor of a basement and/or structural wood floor and designed to fan exhaust radon gas to the outside of the home.

Rafter - The supporting framing member immediately beneath the deck, sloping from the ridge to the wall plate. Generally, 2 X 10's and 2 X 12's are used. The rafters of a flat roof are sometimes called roof joists.

Rafter, hip - A rafter that forms the intersection of an external roof angle.

Rafters - One of a series of structural roof members spanning from an exterior wall to a center ridge beam or ridge board.

Rafter, valley - A rafter that forms the intersection of an internal roof angle. The valley rafter is normally made of double 2-inch-thick members.

Rail - Cross members of panel doors or of a sash. Also, a wall or open balustrade placed at the edge of a staircase, Walkway Bridge, or elevated surface to prevent people from falling off. Any relatively lightweight horizontal element, especially those found in fences (split rail).

Railroad tie - Black, tar and preservative impregnated, 6" X 8" and 6'-8' long wooden timber that was used to hold railroad track in place. Normally used as a member of a retaining wall.

Rainbow roof - a gable roof in the form of a broad Gothic arch, with gently sloping convex surfaces.

Rake - Trim members that run parallel to the roof slope and form the finish between the wall and a gable roof extension.

Rake - Slope or slanted.

Rake fascia - The vertical face of the sloping end of a roof eave.

Rake siding - The practice of installing lap siding diagonally.

Random-Tab Shingles - Shingles on which tabs vary in size and exposure.

Rambler - a one-story house with a low-pitched roof, especially one built in suburbs.

Ranch - A single story, one level home.

Raw linseed oil - The crude product processed from flaxseed and usually without much subsequent treatment.

Ready mixed concrete - Concrete mixed at a plant or in trucks en route to a job and delivered ready for placement.

Rebar, reinforcing bar -Ribbed steel bars installed in foundation concrete walls, footers, and poured in place concrete structures designed to strengthen concrete. Comes in various thickness' and strength grade.

Receptacle - An electrical outlet. A typical household will have many 120 volt receptacles for plugging in lams and appliances and 240 volt receptacles for the range, clothes dryer, air conditioners, etc.

Recovering - The process of covering an existing roofing system with a new roofing system.

Redline, red lined prints - Blueprints that reflect changes and that are marked with red pencil.

Reducer - A fitting with different size openings at either end and used to go from a larger to a smaller pipe.

Reentrant Corner - An inside corner of a surface, producing stress concentrations in the roofing or waterproofing membrane.

Reflective insulation - Sheet material with one or both sun faces of comparatively low heat emissivety, such as aluminium foil. When used in building construction the surfaces face air spaces, reducing the radiation across the air space.

Refrigerant - A substance that remains a gas at low temperatures and pressure and can be used to transfer heat. Freon is an example and is used in air conditioning systems.

Register - A grill placed over a heating duct or cold air return.

Reglaze - To replace a broken window.

Reglet - A groove in a wall or other surface adjoining a roof surface for the attachment of counter flashing.

Reinforced Concrete - Concrete strengthened with wire or metal bars.

Reinforced Joint - A concrete joint bridged by reinforcing steel embedded in both joining parts.

Reinforcing - Steel rods or metal fabric placed in concrete slabs, beams, or columns to increase their strength.

Relative Humidity - The ratio of the mass per unit volume (or partial pressure) of water vapour in an air vapour mixture to the saturated mass per unit volume (or partial pressure) of the water vapour at the same temperature, expressed as a percentage.

Release Tape - A plastic or paper strip that is applied to the back of self-sealing shingles. This strip prevents the shingles from sticking together in the bundles, and need not be removed for application.

Relief valve - A device designed to open if it detects excess temperature or pressure.

Remote - Remote electrical, gas, or water meter digital readouts that are installed near the front of the home in order for utility companies to easily read the home owners usage of the service.

Reroofing - The process of recovering or replacing an existing roofing system. See also Recovering.

Resilient Channels - Metal channels used to further inhibit sound transmission through wall and ceiling framing.

Resorcinol Glue - A glue that is high in both wet and dry strength and resistant to high temperatures. It is used for gluing lumber or assembly joints that must withstand severe service conditions.

Retaining wall - A structure that holds back a slope and prevents erosion.

Retentions - Amounts withheld from progress billings until final and satisfactory project completion.

R factor or value - A measure of a materials resistance to the passage of heat. New home walls are usually insulated with 4" of batt insulation with an R value of R-13, and a ceiling insulation of R-30.

Ribbon (Girt) - Normally a 1- by 4-inch board let into the studs horizontally to support ceiling or second-floor joists.

Ridge - The uppermost horizontal external angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes.

Ridge board - The board placed on edge at the ridge of the roof into which the upper ends of the rafters are fastened.

Ridge Pole - A thick longitudinal plank to which the ridge rafters of a roof are attached.

Ridge Shingles - Shingles used to cover the horizontal external angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes.

Ridge Vent - A vent mounted along the entire ridge line of the roof to allow the passage of air through the attic or cathedral ceiling.

Ridging - An upward, tenting displacement of a membrane, frequently over an insulation joint.

RIPCORD® - A patented Grace technology that provides split of the release paper in half. It enables proper integration of the flashing with the other key moisture protection elements of the wall.

Rim Joist - Perimeter joist for wood floor framing system. Usually referred to in conjunction with composite wood floor joists.

Rise - The vertical distance from the eaves line to the ridge. Also the vertical distance from stair tread to stair tread (and not to exceed 7 ½").

Riser - Each of the vertical boards closing the spaces between the treads of stairways.

Riser and panel - The exterior vertical pipe (riser) and metal electric box (panel) the electrician provides and installs at the "Rough Electric" stage.

Road base - A aggregate mixture of sand and stone.

Rock 1, 2, 3 - When referring to drywall, this means to install drywall to the walls and ceilings (with nails and screws), and before taping is performed.

Romex - A name brand of non-metallic sheathed electrical cable that is used for indoor wiring.

Roll Roofing - Roofing material, composed of fibre and satin rated with asphalt, which is supplied in 36-inch wide rolls with 108 square feet of material. Weights are generally 45 to 90 pounds per roll.

Roof - The outer cover and its supporting structures on the top of a building.

Roof Cement - See Flashing Cement.

Roof jack - Sleeves that fit around the black plumbing waste vent pipes at, and are nailed to, the roof sheeting.

Roof joist - The rafters of a flat roof. Lumber used to support the roof sheeting and roof loads. Generally, 2 X 10's and 2 X 12's are used.

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.

Roof valley - The "V" created where two sloping roofs meet.

Roof Vent - A louver or small dome mounted near the ridge of the roof to allow the passage of air through the attic.

Roofing System - An assembly of interacting components designed to weatherproof, and normally to insulate, a building's top surface.

Rough opening - The horizontal and vertical measurement of a window or door opening before drywall or siding is installed.

Rough sill - The framing member at the bottom of a rough opening for a window. It is attached to the cripple studs below the rough opening.

Roughing-in - The initial stage of a plumbing, electrical, heating, carpentry, and/or other project, when all components that won't be seen after the second finishing phase are assembled. See also Heat Rough, Plumbing Rough, and Electrical Rough.

Rubber - A material that is capable of recovering from large deformations quickly and forcibly. It can be, or already is, modified to a state in which it is essentially insoluble (but can still swell) in boiling solvents such as benzene or methyl ethyl ketone.

Rubber-emulsion paint - Paint, the vehicle of which consists of rubber or synthetic rubber dispersed in fine droplets in water.

Run - (a) The horizontal distance from the eaves to a point directly under the ridge. One half the span. (b) In stairs, the net width of a step or the horizontal distance covered by a flight of stairs.

R-Value - A measure of insulation. A measure of a materials resistance to the passage of heat. The higher the R value, the more insulating "power" it has. For example, typical new home's walls are usually insulated with 4" of batt insulation with an R-value of R-13, and a ceiling insulation of R-30.

Sack mix - The amount of Portland cement in a cubic yard of concrete mix. Generally, 5 or 6 sack is required in a foundation wall.

Saddle - In roofing, a small structure that helps to channel surface water to drains. Frequently located in a valley, a saddle is often constructed like a small hip roof, or like a pyramid with a diamond-shaped base. See also Cricket.

Sales Square - The quantity of prepared roofing required to cover 9.3m2 (100 ft2) of deck.

Saltbox - wood-framed house found especially in New England with two full stores high in front and one story high in back, the roof having about the same pitch in both directions so that the ridge is well toward the front of he house.

Sand float finish - Lime mixed with sand, resulting in a textured finish.

Sandwich Panel - A panel with plastic, paper, or other material enclosed between two layers of a different material.

Sanitary sewer - A sewer system designed for the collection of waste water from the bathroom, kitchen and laundry drains, and is usually not designed to handle storm water.

Sapwood - The outer zone of wood, next to the bark. In the living tree it contains some living cells (the heartwood contains none), as well as dead and dying cells. In most species, it is lighter colored than the heartwood. In all species, it is lacking in decay resistance.

Sash - The movable part of a window-the frame in which panes of glass are set in a window or door.

Sash balance - A device, usually operated by a spring or tensioned weather-stripping designed to counterbalance double-hung window sash.

Saturated Felt - An asphalt-impregnated felt used as an underlayment between the deck and the roofing material.

Schedule (window, door, mirror) - A table on the blueprints that list the sizes, quantities and locations of the windows, doors and mirrors.

Scrap out - The removal of all drywall material and debris after the home is "hung out" (installed) with drywall.

Scratch coat - The first coat of plaster, which is scratched to form a bond for the second coat.

Screed - A small strip of wood, usually the thickness of the plaster coat, used as a guide for plastering.

Screed, concrete - To level off concrete to the correct elevation during a concrete pour.

Screed, plaster - A small strip of wood, usually the thickness of the plaster coat, used as a guide for plastering.

Scribing - Fitting woodwork to an irregular surface. In mouldings, cutting the end of one piece to fit the moulded face of the other at an interior angle to replace a mitre joint.

Scotia - A concave moulding.

Scupper - (1) An opening for drainage in a wall, curb or parapet. (2) The drain in a downspout or flat roof, usually connected to the downspout.

Scuttle - A hatch that provides access to the roof from the interior of the building.

Scuttle Hole - A small opening either to the attic, to the crawl space or to the plumbing pipes.

Sealant - A mixture of polymers, fillers, and pigments used to fill and seal joints where moderate movement is expected; unlike caulking, it cures to a resilient solid.

Sealer - A finishing material, either clear or pigmented, that is usually applied directly over uncoated wood for the purpose of sealing the surface.

Seasoning - Removing moisture from green wood in order to improve its serviceability.

Seepage Pit - A sewage disposal system composed of a septic tank and a connected cesspool.

Self-Sealing Shingles - Shingles containing factory-applied strips or spots of self-sealing adhesive.

Selvage - An edge or edging that differs from the main part of a fabric or a granule-surfaced roll roofing.

Semi-gloss paint or enamel - A paint or enamel made with a slight insufficiency of non-volatile vehicle so that its coating, when dry, has some luster but is not very glossy.

Septic system - An on site waste water treatment system. It usually has a septic tank, which promotes the biological digestion of the waste, and a drain field, which is designed to let the left over liquid soak into the ground. Septic systems and permits are usually sized by the number of bedrooms in a house.

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.

Service entrance panel - Main power cabinet where electricity enters a home wiring system.

Service equipment - Main control gear at the service entrance, such as circuit breakers, switches, and fuses.

Service lateral - Underground power supply line.

Setback Thermostat- A thermostat with a clock which can be programmed to come on or go off at various temperatures and at different times of the day/week. Usually used as the heating or cooling system thermostat.

Settlement - Shifts in a structure, usually caused by freeze-thaw cycles underground.

Sewage ejector - A pump used to 'lift' wastewater to a gravity sanitary sewer line. Usually used in basements and other locations which are situated bellow the level of the side sewer.

Sewer lateral - The portion of the sanitary sewer, which connects the interior waste water lines to the main sewer lines. The side sewer is usually buried in several feet of soil and runs from the house to the sewer line. It is usually 'owned' by the sewer utility, must be maintained by the owner and may only be serviced by utility approved contractors. Sometimes called side sewer.

Sewer stub - The junction at the municipal sewer system where the home's sewer line is connected.

Sewer tap - The physical connection point where the home's sewer line connects to the main municipal sewer line.

Shading - Slight differences in shingle color that may occur as a result of normal manufacturing operations.

Shakes - A wood roofing material, normally cedar or redwood. Produced by splitting a block of the wood along the grain line. Modern shakes are sometimes machine sawn on one side. See shingle.

Shark Fin - An upward-curled felt side lap or end lap.

Shear block - Plywood that is face nailed to short (2 X 4's or 2 X 6's) wall studs (above a door or window, for example). This is done to prevent the wall from sliding and collapsing.

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.

Sheathing paper - See Paper, sheathing.

Sheathing, sheeting - The structural wood panel covering, usually OSB or plywood, used over studs, floor joists or rafters/trusses of a structure.

Shed Roof - A roof containing only one sloping plane. Has no hips, ridges, valleys or gables.

Sheet metal duct work - The heating system. Usually round or rectangular metal pipes and sheet metal (for Return Air) and installed for distributing warm (or cold) air from the furnace to rooms in the home.

Sheet metal work - All components of a house employing sheet metal, such as flashing, gutters, and downspouts.

Sheet rock- Drywall-Wall board or gypsum - A manufactured panel made out of gypsum plaster and encased in a thin cardboard. Usually 1/2" thick and 4' x 8' or 4' x 12' in size. The 'joint compound'. 'Green board' type drywall has a greater resistance to moisture than regular (white) plasterboard and is used in bathrooms and other "wet areas".

Shelf Life - The maximum time packaged and unopened waterproofing materials can remain usable.

Shellac - A transparent coating made by dissolving lac, a resinous secretion of the lac bug (a scale insect that thrives in tropical countries, especially India), in alcohol.

Shim - A small piece of scrap lumber or shingle, usually wedge shaped, which when forced behind a furring strip or framing member forces it into position. Also used when installing doors and placed between the door jamb legs and 2 X 4 door trimmers. Metal shims are wafer 1 1/2" X 2" sheet metal of various thickness' used to fill gaps in wood framing members, especially at bearing point locations.

Shingle - (1) A small unit of prepared roofing designed for installation with similar units in overlapping rows on inclines normally exceeding 25%; (2) To apply any sheet material in overlapping rows like shingles.

Shingles - Roof covering of asphalt. asbestos, wood, tile, slate, or other material cut to stock lengths, widths, and thickness'.

Shingles, siding - Various kinds of shingles, such as wood shingles or shakes and non-wood shingles, that are used over sheathing for exterior sidewall covering of a structure.

Shiplap - Boards with rabbeted edges overlapping.

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.

Short circuit - A situation that occurs when hot and neutral wires come in contact with each other. Fuses and circuit breakers protect against fire that could result from a short.

Shutter - Usually lightweight louvered or flush wood or non-wood frames in the form of doors located at each side of a window. Some are made to close over the window for protection; others are fastened to the wall as a decorative device.

Sidelight - A window at the side of a door or another window.

Side sewer - The portion of the sanitary sewer which connects the interior waste water lines to the main sewer lines. The side sewer is usually buried in several feet of soil and runs from the house to the sewer line. It is usually 'owned' by the sewer utility, must be maintained by the owner and may only be serviced by utility approved contractors. Sometimes called sewer lateral.

Siding - The finish covering of the outside wall of a frame building, whether made of horizontal weatherboards, vertical boards with battens, shingles, or other material.

Siding, bevel (lap siding) - Wedge-shaped boards used as horizontal siding in a lapped pattern. This siding varies in butt thickness from ½ to ¾ inch and in widths up to 12 inches. Normally used over some type of sheathing.

Siding, Dolly Varden - Bevelled wood siding which is rabbeted on the bottom edge.

Siding, drop - Usually ¾ inch thick and 6 and 8 inches wide with tongued-and-grooved or shiplap edges. Often used as siding without sheathing in secondary buildings.

Sill - The lowest member of the frame of a structure, resting on the foundation and supporting the floor joists or the uprights of the wall. The member forming the lower side of an opening, as a door sill. window sill. etc.

Sill cock - An exterior water faucet (hose bib).

Sill Plate - Bottom horizontal member of an exterior wall frame which rests on top a foundation, sometimes called mudsill. Also sole plate, bottom member of an interior wall frame.

Sill seal - Fibreglass or foam insulation installed between the foundation wall and sill (wood) plate. Designed to seal any cracks or gaps.

Single hung window - A window with one vertically sliding sash or window vent.

Skater's Cracks - Curvilinear cracks in a roofing membrane that appear to relate neither to the direction of application of the membrane components nor the substrate components.

Skirting - Narrow boards around the margin of a floor; baseboards.

Skylight - A more or less horizontal window located on the roof of a building.

Slab - Concrete floor placed directly on earth or a gravel base and usually about four inches thick.

Slab, door - A rectangular door without hinges or frame.

Slab on grade - A type of foundation with a concrete floor which is placed directly on the soil. The edge of the slab is usually thicker and acts as the footing for the walls.

Slag - Concrete cement that sometimes covers the vertical face of the foundation void material.

Sleeper - Strip of wood laid over concrete floor to which the finished wood floor is nailed or glued.

Sleeve(s) - Pipe installed under the concrete driveway or sidewalk, and that will be used later to run sprinkler pipe or low voltage wire.

Slippage - Relative lateral movement of adjacent components of a built-up membrane. It occurs mainly in roofing membranes on a slope, sometimes exposing the lower plies or even the base sheet to the weather.

Slump - The "wetness" of concrete. A 3 inch slump is dryer and stiffer than a 5 inch slump.

Slope - The degree of roof incline expressed as the ratio of the rise, in inches, to the run, in feet.

Smooth-surfaced Roof - A built-up roof without mineral aggregate surfacing.

Soffit - The visible underside of structural members such as staircases, cornices, beams, a roof overhang or eave.

Softening Point - The temperature at which a bitumen becomes soft enough to flow as determined by an arbitrary, closely defined method.

Softening Point Drift - A change in the softening point during storage or application. See also Fallback.

Softwood - Easily worked wood or wood from a cone bearing tree.

Soil cover (ground cover) - A light covering of plastic film, roll roofing, or similar material used over the soil in crawl spaces of buildings to minimize moisture permeation of the area.

Soil pipe - A large pipe that carries liquid and solid wastes to a sewer or septic tank.

Soil Stack - Vertical plumbing pipe for wastewater.

Sole or sole plate - See Plate.

Sole plate - The bottom, horizontal framing member of a wall that's attached to the floor sheeting and vertical wall studs.

Solid bridging - A solid member placed between adjacent floor joists near the center of the span to prevent joists from twisting.

Solvent - Liquid, usually volatile, which is used in the manufacture of water repellents and paints to dissolve or disperse the constituents (i.e., resins, solids) and which evaporate during drying.

Sonotube - Round, large cardboard tubes designed to hold wet concrete in place until it hardens.

Sound attenuation - Sound proofing a wall or sub floor, generally with fibreglass insulation.

Space heat - Heat supplied to the living space, for example, to a room or the living area of a building.

Spacing - The distance between individual members or shingles in building construction.

Span - The distance between structural supports such as walls, columns, piers, beams, girders, and trusses.

Spec home - A house built before it is sold. The builder speculates that he can sell it at a profit.

Specifications or Specs - A narrative list of materials, methods, model numbers, colors, allowances, and other details which supplement the information contained in the blue prints. Written elaboration in specific detail about construction materials and methods. Written to supplement working drawings.

Splash block - Portable concrete (or vinyl) channel generally placed beneath an exterior sill cock (water faucet) or downspout in order to receive roof drainage from downspouts and to divert it away from the building.

Split - A membrane tear resulting from tensile stress.

Split-Level - house having a room or rooms somewhat above or below adjacent rooms, with the floor levels usually are differing by approximately half a story.

Spud - To remove the roofing aggregate and most of the bituminous top coating by scraping and chipping.

Square - A unit of measure 100 square feet usually applied to roofing material. Sidewall coverings are sometimes packed to cover 100 square feet and are sold on that basis.

Square-tab shingles - Shingles on which tabs are all the same size and exposure.

Squeegie - Fine pea gravel used to grade a floor (normally before concrete is placed).

Stack (trusses) - To position trusses on the walls in their correct location.

Stain, shingle - A form of oil paint, very thin in consistency, intended for coloring wood with rough surfaces, such as shingles, without forming a coating of significant thickness or gloss.

Stair carriage or stringer - Supporting member for stair treads. Usually a 2 X 12 inch plank notched to receive the treads; sometimes called a "rough horse."

Stair landing - A platform between flights of stairs or at the termination of a flight of stairs. Often used when stairs change direction. Normally no less than 3 ft. X 3 ft. square. Also see Landing.

Stair rise - The vertical distance from stair tread to stair tread (and not to exceed 7 ½"). Also see Rise.

Standard practices of the trade(s) - One of the more common basic and minimum construction standards. This is another way of saying that the work should be done in the way it is normally done by the average professional in the field.

Stapling Flange - A protruding edge on faced insulation used to staple the insulation to the framing.

Starter Strip - Asphalt roofing applied at the eaves that provides protection by filling in the spaces under the cut-outs and joints of the first course of shingles.

Static vent - A vent that does not include a fan.

STC (Sound Transmission Class) - The measure of sound stopping of ordinary noise.

Steel inspection - A municipal and/or engineers inspection of the concrete foundation wall, conducted before concrete is poured into the foundation panels. Done to insure that the rebar (reinforcing bar), rebar nets, void material, beam pocket plates, and basement window bucks are installed and wrapped with rebar and complies with the foundation plan.

Steep Slope Application - Method of installing asphalt shingles on roof slopes greater than 21 inches per foot.

Step Flashing - Flashing application method used where a vertical surface meets a sloping roof plane. 6" X 6" galvanized metal bent at a 90-degree angle, and installed beneath siding and over the top of shingles. Each piece overlaps the one beneath it the entire length of the sloping roof (step by step).

Step Flashing - (1) The technique of sealing a joint between metal and built-up membrane with one or two plies of felt or fabric and hot- or cold-applied bitumen; (2) The technique of taping joints between insulation boards or deck panels.

Stick built - A house built without prefabricated parts. Also called conventional building.

Stile - An upright framing member in a panel door.

Stool - The flat moulding fitted over the windowsill between jambs and contacting the bottom rail of the lower sash. Also another name for toilet.

Stop box - Normally a cast iron pipe with a lid (@ 5" in diameter) that is placed vertically into the ground, situated near the water tap in the yard, and where a water cut-off valve to the home is located (underground). A long pole with a special end is inserted into the curb stop to turn off/on the water.

Stop Order - A formal, written notification to a contractor to discontinue some or all work on a project for reasons such as safety violations, defective materials or workmanship, or cancellation of the contract.

Stops - Mouldings along the inner edges of a door or window frame. Also valves used to shut off water to a fixture.

Stop valve - A device installed in a water supply line, usually near a fixture, that permits an individual to shut off the water supply to one fixture without interrupting service to the rest of the system.

Storm sash or storm window - An extra window usually placed outside of an existing one, as additional protection against cold weather.

Storm sewer - A sewer system designed to collect storm water and is separated from the waste water system.

Story - That part of a building between any floor and the floor or roof next above.

Strike - The plate on a doorframe that engages a latch or dead bolt.

Stringer - A timber or other support for cross members in floors or ceilings. In stairs, the supporting member for stair treads. Usually a 2 X 12 inch plank notched to receive the treads.

Strip flooring - Wood flooring consisting of narrow, matched strips.

Strip Shingles - Asphalt shingles that are approximately three times as long as they are wide.

Stripping - Strip flashing: (1) the technique of sealing a joint between metal and built-up membrane with one or two plies of felt or fabric and hot- or cold applied bitumen; (2) the technique of taping joints between insulation boards or deck panels.

Structural - A term applied to those members in a structure that carry an imposed load in addition to their own weight.

Structural floor - A framed lumber floor that is installed as a basement floor instead of concrete. This is done on very expansive soils.

Stucco - A cement plaster used to cover exterior wall surfaces; usually applied over a wood or metal lath base.

Stub, stubbed - To push through.

Stud framing - A building method that distributes structural loads to each of a series of relatively lightweight studs. Contrasts with post-and-beam.

Studs - A vertical wood framing member, also referred to as a wall stud, attached to the horizontal sole plate below and the top plate above. Normally 2 X 4's or 2 X 6's, 8' long (sometimes 92 5/8"). One of a series of wood or metal vertical structural members placed as supporting elements in walls and partitions.. Studs are spaced either 16 inches or 24 inches apart.

Stud shoe - A metal, structural bracket that reinforces a vertical stud. Used on an outside bearing wall where holes are drilled to accommodate a plumbing waste line.

Sub Facia - An unexposed board nailed across the ends of the rafters at the eaves to which the facia is nailed as the finished exposure.

Sub Floor - The structural material that spans across floor joists. It serves as a working platform during construction and provides a base for the finish floor.

Substrate - Structure or envelope components to which waterproofing materials or systems are applied.

Sump - A pit in the basement in which water collects to be pumped out with a sump pump.

Sump pump - A submersible pump in a sump pit that pumps any excess ground water to the outside of the home.

Suspended ceiling - A ceiling system supported by hanging it from the overhead structural framing.

Swale - A wide shallow depression in the ground to form a channel for storm water drainage.

Sway brace - Metal straps or wood blocks installed diagonally on the inside of a wall from bottom to top plate, to prevent the wall from twisting, racking, or falling over "domino" fashion.

Switch - A device that completes or disconnects an electrical circuit.

T-bar - Ribbed, "T" shaped bars with a flat metal plate at the bottom that are driven into the earth. Normally used chain link fence poles, and to mark locations of a water meter pit.

T-joint - The condition created by the overlapping intersection of three or four sheets in the membrane.

T & G, tongue and groove - A joint made by a tongue (a rib on one edge of a board) that fits into a corresponding groove in the edge of another board to make a tight flush joint. Typically, the sub floor plywood is T & G.

Tab - The exposed portion of strip shingles defined by cut-outs.

Tackiness - Stickiness of a waterproofing material’s exposed surface after installation or during its final curing stage.

Tail beam - A relatively short beam or joist supported in a wall on one end and by a header at the other.

Take off - The material necessary to complete a job.

Taping - The process of covering drywall joints with paper tape and joint compound.

Teco- Metal straps that are nailed and secure the roof rafters and trusses to the top horizontal wall plate. Sometimes called a hurricane clip.

Tee - A "T" shaped plumbing fitting.

Tempered - Strengthened. Tempered glass will not shatter nor create shards, but will "pelletize" like an automobile window. Required in tub and shower enclosures and locations, entry door glass and sidelight glass, and in a windows when the window sill is less than 16" to the floor.

Termites - Insects that superficially resemble ants in size, general appearance, and habit of living in colonies; hence, they are frequently called "white ants." Subterranean termites establish themselves in buildings not by being carried in with lumber, but by entering from ground nests after the building has been constructed. If unmolested, they eat out the woodwork, leaving a shell of sound wood to conceal their activities, and damage may proceed so far as to cause collapse of parts of a structure before discovery.

Termite shield - A shield, usually of non-corrosive metal, placed in or on a foundation wall or other mass of masonry or around pipes to prevent passage of termites.

Terneplate - Sheet iron or steel coated with an alloy of lead and tin.

Terra cotta - A ceramic material molded into masonry units.

Thermal Insulation - A material applied to reduce the flow of heat.

Thermal Movement - Movement, either expansion or contraction, caused by temperature changes.

Thermoply ™ - Exterior laminated sheathing nailed to the exterior side of the exterior walls. Normally ¼ " thick, 4 X 8 or 4 x 10 sheets with an aluminumized surface.

Thermostat - A device which relegates the temperature of a room or building by switching heating or cooling equipment on or off.

Thinner - Chemical liquid used to thin, clean and remove paint.

Three-dimensional shingles - Laminated shingles. Shingles that have added dimensionality because of extra layers or tabs, giving a shake-like appearance. May also be called "architectural shingles".

Threshold - A strip of wood or metal with bevelled edges used over the finish floor and the sill of exterior doors.

Tie - A wood member, which binds a pair of principal rafters at the bottom.

Tie-off - In waterproofing, the transitional seal used to terminate a waterproofing application at the top or bottom of flashing or by forming a watertight seal with the substrate, membrane, or waterproofing system(s).

Tile Field - Open-joint drain tiles laid to distribute septic tank effluent over an absorption area or to provide subsoil drainage in wet areas.

Tinner - Another name for the heating contractor.

Tip up - The downspout extension that directs water (from the home's gutter system) away from the home. They typically swing up when mowing the lawn, etc.

Title - Evidence (usually in the form of a certificate or deed) of a person's legal right to ownership of a property.

TJI or TJ - Manufactured structural building component resembling the letter "I". Used as floor joists and rafters. I-joists include two key parts: flanges and webs. The flange or from of the I joist may be made of laminated veneer lumber or dimensional lumber, usually formed into a 1 ½" width. The web or center of the I-joist is commonly made of plywood or oriented strand board (OSB). Large holes can be cut in the web to accommodate duct work and plumbing waste lines. I-joists are available in lengths up to 60'' long.

Toenail - Driving nails at an angle into corners or other joints.

Tongue-And-Groove - Carpentry joint in which the jutting edge of one board fits into the grooved end of a similar board.

Top chord - The upper or top member of a truss.

Top Plate - The horizontal member nailed to the top of the studding of a wall.

Tract House - house forming part of a real-estate development, usually having a plan and appearance common to some or all of the houses in he developed.

Traffic Surface - A surface exposed to traffic, either pedestrian or vehicular, also described as finish wearing surface.

Transmitter (garage door) - The small, push button device that causes the garage door to open or close.

Transom Window - A window above the transom of a doorway. Transom is a crosspiece separating a doorway from a window or fanlight above it.

Trap - A bend in a water pipe to hold water so gases will not escape from the plumbing system into the house.

Tread - The walking surface board in a stairway on which the foot is placed.

Treated lumber - A wood product which has been impregnated with chemical pesticides such as CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate) to reduce damage from wood rot or insects. Often used for the portions of a structure which are likely to be in contact with soil and water. Wood may also be treated with a fire retardant.

Trim - The finish materials in a building, such as mouldings applied around openings (window trim, door trim) or at the floor and ceiling of rooms. (Baseboard, cornice, and other mouldings).

Trim (plumbing, heating, electrical) - The work that the "mechanical" contractors perform to finish their respective aspects of work, and when the home is nearing completion and occupancy.

Trim- Interior - The finish materials in a building, such as moldings applied around openings (window trim, door trim) or at the floor and ceiling of rooms (baseboard, cornice, and other moldings). Also, the physical work of installing interior doors and interior woodwork, to include all handrails, guardrails, stair way balustrades, mantles, light boxes, base, door casings, cabinets, countertops, shelves, window sills and aprons, etc.

Exterior Trim- The finish materials on the exterior a building, such as moldings applied around openings (window trim, door trim), siding, windows, exterior doors, attic vents, crawl space vents, shutters, etc. Also, the physical work of installing these materials.

Trimmer - A beam or joist to which a header is nailed in.

Truss - A combination of structural members usually arranged in triangular units to form a rigid framework for spanning between load-bearing walls.

Tub trap - Curved, "U" shaped section of a bath tub drain pipe that holds a water seal to prevent sewer gasses from entering the home through tubs water drain.

Turnkey - A term used when the subcontractor provides all materials (and labor) for a job.

Turpentine - A volatile oil used as a thinner in paint and as a solvent in varnishes.

Turret - A small tower forming part of a larger structure.

UL (Underwriters' Laboratories) - An independent testing agency that checks electrical devices and other components for possible safety hazards.

UL Label - Label displayed on packaging to indicate the level of fire and/or wind resistance of asphalt roofing.

Undercoat - A coating applied prior to the finishing or top coats of a paint job. It may be the first of two or the second of three coats. In some usage of the word it may, become synonymous with priming coat.

Underground plumbing - The plumbing drains and waste lines that are installed beneath a basement floor.

Underlayment - A ¼" material placed over the sub floor plywood sheeting and under finish coverings, such as vinyl flooring, to provide a smooth, even surface. Also a secondary roofing layer that is waterproof or water-resistant, installed on the roof deck and beneath shingles or other roof-finishing layer.

Unfaced Insulation - Insulation with no attached vapour barrier.

Union - A plumbing fitting that joins pipes end-to-end so they can be dismantled.

Utility easement - The area of the earth that has electric, gas, or telephone lines. These areas may be owned by the homeowner, but the utility company has the legal right to enter the area as necessary to repair or service the lines.

Valley - The "V" shaped area of a roof where two sloping roofs meet. Water drains off the roof at the valleys.

Valley flashing - Sheet metal that lies in the "V" area of a roof valley.

Vapour Barrier - Material used to retard the movement of water vapour into walls and prevent condensation in them. Usually considered as having a perm value of less than 1.0. Applied separately over the warm side of exposed walls or as a part of batt or blanket insulation.

Vapour Migration - The movement of water vapour from a region of high vapour pressure to a region of lower vapour pressure.

Vapour Retarder - A layer of material or a laminate used to appreciably reduce the flow of water vapour into the roofing system.

Varnish - A thickened preparation of drying oil or drying oil and resin suitable for spreading on surfaces to form continuous, transparent coatings, or for mixing with pigments to make enamels.

Vehicle - The liquid portion of a finishing material; it consists of the binder (nonvolatile) and volatile thinners.

Veneer - Thin sheets of wood made by rotary cutting or slicing of a log.

Venetian Window - A window with one large fixed central pane and smaller panes at each side.

Vent - Any outlet for air that protrudes through the roof deck, such as a pipe or stack. Any device installed on the roof, gable or soffit for the purpose of ventilating the underside of the roof deck.

Ventilation - Creates a positive flow of air that allows the house to "breathe" and helps prevent moisture build-up year-round.

Vent Pipe - A pipe, which allows gas to escape from plumbing systems.

Vent Sleeve - Pre-formed flange placed over a vent pipe to seal the roof around the vent pipe opening. Also called, a collar.

Verge - The edge of tiles, slates or shingles, projecting over the gable of a roof.

Vermiculite - A mineral closely related to mica, with the faculty of expanding on heating to form lightweight material with insulation quality. Used as bulk insulation and also as aggregate in insulating and acoustical plaster and in insulating concrete floors.

Vinyl Siding Institute - Is the trade association for manufacturers of vinyl siding and suppliers of raw materials, equipment or services to the vinyl industry. See http://www.vinylsiding.org.

Visqueen - A 4 mil or 6 mil plastic sheeting.

Void - Cardboard rectangular boxes that are installed between the earth (between caissons) and the concrete foundation wall. Used when expansive soils are present.

Volatile thinner - A liquid that evaporates readily and is used to thin or reduce the consistency of finishes without altering the relative volumes of pigment and non-volatile vehicles.

Voltage - A measure of electrical potential. Most homes are wired with 110 and 220-volt lines. The 110-volt power is used for lighting and most of the other circuits. The 220-volt power is usually used for the kitchen range, hot water heater and dryer.

Wafer board - A manufactured wood panel made out of 1"- 2" wood chips and glue. Often used as a substitute for plywood in the exterior wall and roof sheathing.

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.

Walk-Through - A final inspection of a home before "Closing" to look for and document problems that need to be corrected.

Wall out - When a painter pray paints the interior of a home.

Wall Sheathing - Sheets of plywood, gypsum board, or other material nailed to the outside face of studs as a base for exterior siding.

Wane - Bark, or lack of wood from any cause, on edge or corner of a piece of wood.

Warping - Any distortion in a material.

Warranty - In construction there are two general types of warranties. One is provided by the manufacturer of a product such as roofing material or an appliance. The second is a warranty for the labor. For example, a roofing contract may include a 20 year material warranty and a 5 year labor warranty. Many new homebuilders provide a one year warranty. Any major issue found during the first year should be communicated to the builder immediately. Small items can be saved up and presented to the builder for correction periodically through the first year after closing.

Waste pipe and vent - Plumbing plastic pipe that carries waste water to the municipal sewage system.

Water board - Water resistant drywall to be used in tub and shower locations. Normally green or blue colored.

Water closet - Another name for toilet.

Water meter pit (or vault) - The box /cast iron bonnet and concrete rings that contains the water meter.

Water-repellent preservative - A liquid designed to penetrate into wood and impart water repellency and a moderate preservative protection. It is used for millwork, such as sash and frames, and is usually applied by dipping.

Water Repellent System - An exterior coating system for above grade concrete or masonry that temporarily repels water but is not intended to prevent the passage of moisture under hydrostatic pressure.

Waterproofing - Prevention of moisture flow due to water pressure.

Water table - The location of the underground water, and the vertical distance from the surface of the earth to this underground water.

Water tap - The connection point where the home water line connects to the main municipal water system.

Wax - Any of various unctuous, viscous or solid heat sensitive substances, consisting essentially of high molecular weight hydrocarbons or esters of fatty acids, characteristically insoluble in water but soluble in most organic solvents.

W C - An abbreviation for water closet (toilet).

Weather Resistive Barrier (WRB) - The surface or surfaces of a wall system responsible for preventing water infiltration to the building interior. Materials commonly referred to as WRB are felt, building paper, and house wrap.

Weatherization - Work on a building exterior in order to reduce energy consumption for heating or cooling. Work involving adding insulation, installing storm windows and doors, caulking cracks and putting on weather-stripping.

Weather Stripping - Metal, wood, plastic or other material installed around door and window openings to prevent air infiltration.

Weep Hole - A small hole in a wall, which permits water to drain off.

Whole house fan - A fan designed to move air through and out of a home and normally installed in the ceiling.

Wind bracing - Metal straps or wood blocks installed diagonally on the inside of a wall from bottom to top plate, to prevent the wall from twisting, racking, or falling over "domino" fashion.

Window buck - Square or rectangular box that is installed within a concrete foundation or block wall. A window will eventually be installed in this "buck" during the siding stage of construction.

Window frame - The stationary part of a window unit; window sash fits into the window frame.

Window sash - The operating or movable part of a window; the sash is made of windowpanes and their border.

Wire nut - A plastic device used to connect bare wires together.

Wonder board ™ - A panel made out of concrete and fibreglass usually used as a ceramic tile backing material. Commonly used on bathtub decks.

Wood rays - Strips of cells extending radially within a tree and varying in height from a few cells in some species to 4 inches or more in oak. The rays serve primarily to store food and to transport it horizontally in the tree.

Woven Valley - Method of valley construction in which shingles from both sides of the valley extend across the valley and are woven together by overlapping alternate courses as they are applied. The valley flashing is not exposed.

Wrapped drywall - Areas that get complete drywall covering, as in the doorway openings of bi-fold and bi-pass closet doors.

Yard of concrete - One cubic yard of concrete is 3' X 3' X 3' in volume, or 27 cubic feet. One cubic yard of concrete will pour 80 square feet of 3 ½" sidewalk or basement/garage floor.

Yoke - The location where a home's water meter is sometimes installed between two copper pipes, and located in the water meter pit in the yard.

Z-bar flashing - Bent, galvanized metal flashing that's installed above a horizontal trim board of an exterior window, door, or brick run. It prevents water from getting behind the trim/brick and into the home.

Zone - The section of a building that is served by one heating or cooling loop because it has noticeably distinct heating or cooling needs. Also, the section of property that will be watered from a lawn sprinkler system.

Zone valve - A device usually placed near the heater or cooler, which controls the flow of water or steam to parts of the building; it is controlled by a zone thermostat.

Zoning - A governmental process and specification which limits the use of a property e.g. single family use, commercial, industrial use, etc. Zoning laws may limit where you can locate a structure.