| - A -
ABOVE GRADE
A term applied to any part of a structure or site feature that is above
the adjacent finished ground level.
ABUTMENT
A structure designed to receive a thrust, such as the supporting
structure at either end of an arch or bridge.
ACCESS HATCH
See hatch.
ACID SOIL
See soil.
ACTIVATED CARBON
A form of carbon made porous by special treatment making it capable of
absorbing various odors and vapors.
ACTIVE SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM
A system which requires the importation of energy from outside of the
immediate environment: eg, energy to operate fans and pumps.
ADFREEZING
When water in the foundation and the adjacent soil freeze together,
bonding the structure to the heaving ground. As the ground heaves, the
foundations of unheated spaces like garages also move.
ADOBE
A sun dried, unburned brick of clay (earth) and straw used in
construction. Adobe is used primarily in the Southwest United States.
AERATION
The introduction of air into soil or water.
AEROSOL
A gaseous suspension of small particles of a liquid or a solid.
AGGREGATE
A coarse material, such as gravel, broken stone or sand, with which
cement and water are mixed to form concrete. Crushed stone is usually
designated as coarse aggregate and sand as fine aggregate.
AIR
BARRIER
Material used in the house envelope to retard the passage of air. A
good vapor barrier can fulfill both functions and is then called
an air-vapor barrier.
AIR
CHANGE
The replacement of one
complete house volume of air either by natural or mechanical means.
Measured in air changes per hour.
AIR
CHANGE
PER HOUR (ACH)
A unit that denotes the number of times a house exchanges its entire
volume of air with outside air in an hour. This is generally used in two
ways: 1) under natural conditions and 2) under a 50 Pascal pressure
difference.
AIR-CONDITIONING
See heating.
AIR-DRIED
A condition of lumber resulting
from seasoning under natural atmospheric conditions.
AIR
DUCT
A pipe, tube or passageway
for moving air, normally associated with heating, ventilating, and air
conditioning.
AIR-ENTRAINED
CONCRETE
Concrete in which air in the form of minute bubbles has been occluded
during the mixing period as a result of the use of an air-entraining
agent as an admixture.
AIR
FILM
The layer of air next to a surface, such as a glass pane, which offers
some resistance to heat flow.
AIR
GAP
See plumbing terms
AIR
LEAKAGE
The uncontrolled flow of air through a component of the building
envelope itself, when a pressure difference is applied across the
component. Infiltration refers to inward flowing air leakage and
exfiltration refers to outward flowing air leakage.
AIR
LOCK ENTRY
A vestibule sealed by a second interior door.
AIR
POCKET
A space or void created by trapped air which accidentally
occurs in concrete work or in a pipe.
AIR SEALING
The practice of sealing unintentional gaps in the building envelope
(from the interior) in order to reduce uncontrolled air leakage.
AIR SPACE
A cavity or space in walls, windows or other enclosed parts of a
building between various structural members.
AIR-SUPPORTED STRUCTURE
A structure consisting of a pliable membrane which achieves and
maintains its shape and support by internal air pressure.
AIR-TIGHTNESS
The ability of a house envelope to resist infiltration and exfilitration
of air.
AIR-VAPOR BARRIER
See air barrier
AIRWAY
The space left between roof insulation and roof decking to allow free
movement of air.
AIR WELL
A space within a building, enclosed by walls, partially or totally open
to the outside air at the roof, and intended solely as a means of
ventilation for bathrooms, kitchens and service rooms.
ALBEDO
The reflectance of solar radiation for a given surface is referred to as
the albedo rate.
ALTERATION
Any building change that does not alter the total volume.
ALTERNATING CURRENT
See electrical terms
AMENDMENT
A substance added to a soil to improve its physical properties such as
texture, as opposed to fertilizer which is added to improve chemical
properties.
AMENITY AREA
An area or areas within the boundaries of a project intended for
recreational purposes which may include landscaped site areas, patios,
common areas, communal lounges, swimming pools and areas used for
similar purposes.
AMPERE
See electrical terms
ANCHOR BOLT
A steel bolt used to secure a structural member against uplift. It is
usually deformed at one end to ensure a good grip in the concrete or
masonry in which it is embedded, as with the bolts securing a wooden
sill plate to a concrete or masonry floor or wall.
ANGLE BEAD
A small molding placed at an external angle formed by plastering
surfaces in order to preserve the corner from accidental fracture. Also
known as corner bead.
ANGLE IRON
An L-shaped steel section frequently used to support masonry over a
window or door opening.
ANGLE OF INCIDENCE
The angle that the sun's rays make with a line perpendicular to a
surface. The angle of incidence determines the percentage of direct
sunshine intercepted by a surface.
ANHYDROUS LIME
Quicklime.
ANNUAL
A plant with a life span of one year's duration.
ANNUAL GROWTH RING
The ring seen on the transverse section of a piece of wood indicating
yearly growth. Also referred to as grain. See also year ring.
APARTMENT
A room or suite of rooms used as living quarters. A dwelling unit of a
multi-family house. See dwelling, multiple.
APARTMENT BUILDING
A type of multiple dwelling comprising three or more dwelling units with
shared entrances, and other essential facilities and services, and with
shared exit facilities above the first storey.
APRON
A plain or molded finish piece below the sill of a window, installed to
cover the rough edge of the wall finish. Also the extension of the
concrete floor of a garage or other structure, beyond the face of the
building.
AQUIFER
An underground formation of sands, gravel, or fractured or porous rock,
which is saturated with water, and which supplies water for wells and
springs.
ARCADE
A row of arches supported by columns, which may be either attached to a
building or free standing.
ARCH
A mechanical arrangement of building materials which are put together ,
generally along a curved line, in such a way that, supported by piers,
abutments, or walls, they carry weight and resist pressure.
ARCH BRICK
A brick having a wedge shape, also one with a curved face suitable for
wells and other circular work.
ARCHINTRAVE
Moldings around openings and certain other locations to conceal joints
or for decorative purposes.
AREA
of building:
The maximum projected horizontal area of the building at or above grade
within the outside
perimeter of the exterior walls, or
within the
the outside perimeter of
exterior walls and the centre line of fire walls.
floor:
The space on any storey of a building building between exterior walls
and required firewalls, including the space occupied by interior walls
and partitions, but not including exits and vertical spaces that pierce
the storey.
gross:
In reference to a
structural unit, shall mean the total area within the outer periphery of
any section perpendicular to the stress to be resisted.
net:
In reference to a structural unit, shall mean the minimum effective
load-bearing area of the material composing the unit, included in any
section perpendicular to the direction of the stress to be resisted.
net room:
The floor area of a room measured from finished wall to finished wall.
AREAWAY
An open sub-surface space, adjacent to a building, used to admit light
or air, or as a means of access to an area or floor level below grade.
ARTIFICIAL STONE
A special concrete unit, sometimes artificially colored, intended to
resemble natural stone, made by mixing chippings and dust of natural
stone with Portland cement and water. This mixture is placed in moulds
and cured before use.
ASBESTOS CEMENT
A fire-resisting weatherproof building material made from Portland
cement and asbestos. It is manufactured in various forms such as plain
sheets, corrugated sheets, shingles, pipes, etc.
ASHLAR
See stonework, kinds of.
ASPHALT (BITUMINOUS)
A dark substance which is insoluble in water and used extensively in
building for waterproofing, roof coverings, in the manufacture of
shingles and floor tiles, and in paints. See also paving.
ASTRAGAL
A small plain or ornamental molding.
AT GRADE
A term applied to the part of a structure or site feature which is
located at the same elevation as the adjacent finished ground level.
ATRIUM
An enclosed interior court, of one or more levels high, on to which
other rooms may open.
ATTIC
OR ROOF SPACE
The space between the top floor ceiling and roof, and between a dwarf
partition and sloping roof.
ATTIC VENTILATORS
The screened openings in houses 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.
AWNING
A shading device on a metal frame mounted on the outside of the window.
AWNING WINDOW
A top hinged sash.
AZIMUTH
The angular distance between true south and the point on the horizon
directly below the sun.
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- B -
BACK-DRAFTING
(FLOW REVERSAL)
The reverse flow of chimney gases into the building through the
barometric damper, draft hood, or burner unit. This can be caused by
chimney blockage or it can occur when the pressure differential is too
high for the chimney to draw.
BACKFILL
The material used to re-fill an excavation around the outside of a
foundation wall or pipe trench.
BALLOON FRAMING
A method of wood-frame construction in which the studs extend in one
piece from the foundation sill to the
top plate supporting the roof.
BASEBOARD
A molded board placed against the wall around a room next to the floor
to conceal the joint between the
floor and wall finish.
BASE COURSE
In masonry, the first or bottom course of brick or other masonry units.
BASEMENT
The lower storey of a building, below or partly below ground level.
BATTEN
A narrow strip of wood used to cover joints between boards or panels.
BATTER BOARD
The boards set at right angles to each other at each corner of an
excavation, used to indicate the level and alignment of the foundation
wall.
BAY WINDOW
A window which projects outside the main line of a building.
BEAM
A horizontal structural member
supporting a vertical load,
usually
made of
wood, steel or concrete, supported at two or more points but not
throughout its length,
which typically runs down the centre of the longest axis of a house.
BEAM POCKET
A notch formed at the top of a wall to receive and support the end of a
beam.
BEARING
The part of a joist, rafter, truss or beam which actually rests on its
support and the area of the support on
which it rests.
BEARING PARTITION
A partition that supports any vertical load in addition to its own
weight.
BEARING WALL
A wall that supports any vertical load in addition to its own weight.
BERM
A man-made mound or small hill of earth.
BEVEL
The sloping surface formed when two surfaces meet at an angle which is
not a right angle.
BEVEL SIDING
Any boards tapered to a thin edge and used as exterior wall covering.
BLIND-NAILING
The practice of nailing so that the nail heads are not visible on the
face of the work - usually at the tongue of
matched boards.
BLOCKING
The short pieces nailed between major framing members to act as
fire-stops or provide a nailing surface.
BOARD
Any lumber less than nominally 51 mm (2 inches) thick and wider than 100
mm (4 inches).
BOTTOM PLATE
The lower horizontal member of a wood-frame wall nailed to the bottom of
the wall studs and to the floor
framing members.
BRACE
A diagonal framing member fastened to major horizontal and vertical
members to provide a triangle and
thereby stiffen the framing.
BREAKING JOINTS
The manner of laying masonry units so as to avoid vertical joints in
adjacent courses from lining up. Also the distribution of joints in
boards, flooring, lath and panels so no two adjacent end-joints are
directly in line.
BRICK MOLDING
A standard milled wood trim piece to cover the gap between the window
frame and masonry.
BRICK VENEER
A facing of brick tied to a wood frame or masonry wall, serving as a
wall covering only and carrying no
structural loads.
BTU
An abbreviation for British Thermal Unit; the heat required to increase
the temperature of one pound of
water one degree Fahrenheit.
BUILT-UP ROOF
A roof covering composed of three or more layers of roofing felt or
fiberglass saturated with coal, tar or asphalt. The top is finished with
crushed stone, gravel or a cap sheet. Generally used on flat or
low-pitched
roofs.
BUTT-JOINT
Any joint made by fastening two members together without overlapping.
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- C -
CANT
(STRIP)
A triangular-shaped piece of lumber used around the perimeter of flat
roofs or at the junction of a flat deck and a wall to prevent cracking
of the roofing which is applied over it.
CASEMENT WINDOW
A frame which contains a sash hinged at the side to open in or out.
In-swinging are French in origin while out-swinging are from England.
CASING
A form of molded
trim used around window and door openings.
CAULKING
The practice of sealing a joint in a building.
CENTER-HUNG SASH
A sash that pivots on pins in the middle of the sash stiles and sides of
the window frame to allow access for
cleaning from the inside
CERTIFYING AGENCY
An accredited organization which provides standards, certification,
testing and inspection on the performance of a product under various
conditions before it is available for public use. The tested product
will bear the testing agency's certification mark. The mark indicates
that representative samples have been tested and meet the requirements
of accepted standards for desirable levels of safety and/or performance,
and that the manufacturer is committed to an ongoing program of
production review by the testing agency.
CHECKING
The fissures that appear with age in many exterior paint coatings, at
first superficial, but which in time may penetrate entirely through the
coating. They may also appear in siding or lumber.
CHIMNEY FLUE
A passage housed in a chimney through which smoke and gases are carried
from a fuel burning appliance, fireplace or incinerator to the exterior.
CLERESTORY
An outside wall of a room or building, carried above an adjoining roof
and pierced with windows.
COLLAR BRACE (COLLAR TIE)
A horizontal piece of lumber used to provide intermediate support for
opposite roof rafters, usually located in the middle third of the
rafters. Also called collar beam or collar tie.
COLUMN
A vertical free-standing load-carrying member.
COMBINATION DOORS OR WINDOWS
The 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.
COMBUSTIBLE AND NON-COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS
Within the range of temperatures that may occur in a building either
normally or under fire conditions, materials are classified as
combustible or non-combustible. The term non-combustible is generally
applied to materials of construction which conform to National Standard
of Canada. CAN4S114-78, Standard Method of Test for Determination of
Non-Combustibility in Building Materials. Scarborough, Ontario:
Underwriters Laboratories of Canada, 1980.
COMBUSTION AIR
The air required to provide adequate oxygen for fuel burning appliances
in the building. The term 'combustion air' is often used to refer to the
total air requirements of a fuel burning appliance including both air to
support the combustion process and air to provide chimney draft
(dilution air).
COMMON RAFTER
One of a series of rafters extending from the top of an exterior wall to
the ridge of a roof.
CONDENSATION
The transformation of the vapor content of the air into water on cold
surfaces. The 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.
CONDUCTION
The transfer or travel of heat through a body by molecular action.
CONDUIT (ELECTRICAL)
A pipe, usually metal, in which wire is installed.
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 opposed to plaster.
CONSTRUCTION, WOOD 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.
CONTROL JOINT
A straight line joint placed in concrete to form a plane of weakness to
prevent random cracks from forming due to shrinkage or stress. If
stress or movement is sufficient, the cracks will occur at the control
joints and thus be inconspicuous. This can be a saw cut (a groove
formed with a hand-finishing tool) or a pre-moulded strip. On a
concrete slab, control joints permit horizontal movement. The depth of
the joints should be one-quarter of the slab's thickness.
CONVECTION
The transfer of heat by the movement of a fluid (water, air, etc.).
CONVECTIVE LOOPS
A type of air movement occurring in and around the building envelope
caused by gaps in the insulation, weather barrier or air barrier. For
example, in an un-insulated wall cavity, air removes heat from the warm
interior wall, then circulates to the colder exterior wall where it
loses the heat.
CORBEL OUT
The practice of building out one or more courses of brick or stone from
the face of a wall, often used to form a support for timbers.
CORNER BOARDS
A built-up wood member installed vertically on the external corners of a
house or other frame structure against which the ends of the siding are
butted.
CORNER BRACES
The diagonal braces at the corners of a frame structure used to stiffen
and strengthen the wall.
CORNICE
A horizontal projection at the top of a wall or column; often referring
to the overhang of a pitched roof at the eave line, usually consisting
of a facia board, a soffit or a closed cornice and appropriate moldings.
COUNTER-FLASHING
A flashing usually used on chimneys at the roofline to cover shingle
flashing and to prevent moisture entry.
COURSE
A continuous horizontal layer of bricks or masonry units in buildings;
the term is also applicable to shingles.
COVE MOLDING
A molding with a concave face used as a trim or to finish interior
corners.
CRAWL SPACE
A shallow space below the living quarters of a house
with no basement area,
normally enclosed by the foundation
wall.
CROSS-BRIDGING
The diagonal bracing between adjacent floor joists, placed near the
centre of the joist span to prevent joists
from twisting.
CURING (OF CONCRETE)
The maintenance of proper temperature and moisture conditions to promote
the continued chemical reaction which takes place between the water and
the cement.
CUT-IN BRACE
A nominal 51 mm (2 inch) thick member, usually a 38 mm by 89 mm (2 x 4)
cut in between each stud diagonally.
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DAMP-PROOF COURSE
A damp-proof material placed just above the ground level in a brick or
stone wall to prevent ground moisture from seeping up through the
structure.
DAMP-PROOFING
The process of coating the outside of a foundation wall with a special
preparation to resist passage of moisture through the wall,
or materials
used
to resist the passage of moisture through concrete floor slabs and from
masonry to wood.
The purpose of damp-proofing is to prevent the capillary movement of
moisture into the wall system and to the interior of the foundation;
used where water is not exerting pressure on the outside surface of
walls. See also water-proofing.
DEAD AIR SPACE (STILL AIR SPACE)
A confined space of air. A dead air space tends to reduce both
conduction and convection of heat. This fact is utilized in virtually
all insulation materials and systems, such as double glazing, fiberglass
batts, rigid foam panels and loose fill insulations, such as vermiculite
and cellulose.
DECAY
The disintegration of wood or other substance through the action of
fungi.
DEGREE DAY (HEATING)
The difference between a base temperature and the average temperature of
a day. The base is usually 18° (64°).
DEHUMIDISTAT
An electronic control and sensing device used to regulate mechanical
ventilation according to relative humidity. When the relative humidity
surpasses the preset limit, the dehumidistat activates the ventilation
system to exhaust house air and bring in drier outdoor air.
DENSITY
The mass of a substance in a unit volume. When expressed in the metric
system, it is numerically equal to the specific gravity of the same
substance.
DEWPOINT
The temperature at which a vapor begins to deposit as a liquid. Applies
especially to water in the atmosphere.
The temperature at which a given volume of air is saturated with water
vapour (i.e., 100% relative humidity.) If the saturated air is in
contact with a surface below this temperature, condensation will form on
the surface.
DIFFUSE RADIATION
Radiation that has traveled an indirect path from the sun because it has
been scattered by particles in the atmosphere, such as air molecules,
dust and water vapor.
DIFFUSION
The movement of water vapor between 2 areas caused by a difference in
vapor pressure, independent of air movement. The rate of diffusion is
determined by 1) the difference in vapor pressure, 2) the distance the
vapor must travel, and 3) the permeability of the material to water
vapor. Hence the selection of materials of low permeability for use as
vapor retarders in buildings.
DILUTION AIR
The air required by some combustion heating systems in order to isolate
the furnace from outside pressure fluctuations and to maintain an
effectively constant chimney draft.
DIRECT GAIN
Solar energy collected (as heat) in a building without special solar
collection devices, such as through windows or by being absorbed by a
roof or exterior walls.
DIRECT NAILING
The practice of nailing perpendicular to the initial surface or to the
junction of the pieces joined. Also termed face nailing. Fastening a
member by driving nails through it at right angles to its exposed
surface.
DOOR JAMB
The surrounding case into and out of which a door closes and opens. It
consists of two upright pieces, called side jambs, and a horizontal head
jamb.
DORMER
An opening in a sloping roof, the framing of which projects out to form
a vertical wall suitable for windows or other openings.
A small gable in a pitched roof, usually bearing a window or windows on
its front vertical face.
DOUBLE-HUNG WINDOW
Window with two vertically moving sashes, each closing a different part
of the window.
DOUBLE GLAZING
Two panes of glass in a door or window, with an air space between the
panes. They may be sealed hermetically as a single unit or each pane may
be installed separately in the door or window sash.
DOWNSPOUT
A pipe, usually of metal or plastic, for carrying rainwater from roof
gutters.
DRESSED AND MATCHED (TONGUE AND GROOVE)
A board or plank machined in such a manner that there is a groove on one
edge and a corresponding tongue on the other.
DRIP
Continuous recess cut under a sill or protection, to throw off water and
prevent it from running down the face of the wall or any other vertical
surface.
DRIP CAP
A molding
placed on the exterior top side of a door or window frame to cause water
to drip beyond the outside of the frame or at the bottom of a wall of
siding (drip mould).
DRUM WALL
A type of wall using stacked 55 gallon drums for heat storage.
DRY ROT
A fungus that decays wood in the presence of moisture and warm
conditions and in the absence of light.
A fungus that particularly attacks soft wood. Most often found in damp
or unventilated conditions, and is later able to spread to dry wood,
owing to the development of special water-conducting organisms. The
fungus breaks down the cellulose of the wood and the timber becomes
brittle. Often referred to as wet rot, soft rot or wood rot. The
fungus requires moisture to survive.
DRYWALL FINISH
The interior wall and ceiling finish other than plaster - e.g. gypsum
board, plywood, fiberboard panels, etc.
DUCTS
The round or rectangular metal pipes in a house used for distributing
warm air from the heating plant to rooms, or air from a conditioning
device or as cold air returns.
DWARF WALL
A framed wall of less than normal full height. (Also called a
knee-wall).
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EAVE
The lower part of a roof which projects beyond the face of the walls.
EAVE SOFFIT
The under surface of the eave.
EAVE TROUGH
A trough fixed to an eave to collect and carry away the run-off from the
roof. Also called a gutter.
END MATCHED
A board having tongued and grooved ends.
EQUIVALENT LEAKAGE AREA (ELA)
The total area of all the unintentional openings in a building's
envelope, generally expressed in square
centimeters.
EXFILTRATION
The uncontrolled leakage of air out of a building.
EXPANDED METAL
A metal network formed by stamping or cutting sheet-metal and stretching
it to form open meshes. It is used as reinforcing in concrete
construction and as lath for plastering and stucco.
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FACE NAILING
The practice of fastening a member by driving nails through it at right
angles to its exposed surface.
FAN
An air moving device comprising a wheel or blade, and housing or office
plate.
FASCIA BOARD
A finish member around the face of eaves and roof projections.
FENESTRATION
The area and arrangement of windows.
FIRE-RESISTANCE RATING
The time in hours or fraction thereof that a material or assembly of
materials will withstand the passage of flame and the transmission of
heat when exposed to fire under specified conditions of test and
performance criteria.
FIRE-RESISTIVE
A designation applied, in the absence of a specific ruling by the
authority having jurisdiction, to materials for construction not
combustible in the temperatures of ordinary fires; materials that will
withstand such fires without serious impairment of their usefulness for
at least 1 hour.
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 38 mm by 89 mm (2 x 4) cross blocking between
studs.
FISHPLATE
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 ridge line.
FLASHING
A material, such as sheet metal, used in roof and wall construction to
shed water.
FLOORING
A material used in the construction of floors. The surface material is
known as finish flooring while the base material is called sub-flooring.
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 LINING
A fire clay or terra-cotta pipe, round or square, usually made in all
ordinary flue sizes and in 610 mm (24 inches) lengths, used for the
inner lining of chimneys with the brick or masonry work around the
outside.
Flue
lining in chimneys runs from about 305 mm (12 inches) below the flue
connection to the top of the chimney.
FLY RAFTERS
The end rafters of the gable overhang supported by roof sheathing and
lookouts.
FOOT CANDLE
Unit of measure of the intensity of light, defined by the light at a
distance of one foot from
an International
Candle.
FOOTING
A masonry section usually concrete, in a rectangular form wider than the
bottom of the foundation wall or pier it supports.
FOUNDATION
The supporting portion of a structure below the first-floor
construction, or below grade, including the footings, which transfers
the weight of, and loads of, the structure to the ground.
FRAMING
The skeleton of the building. The rough timber work of a house,
including the flooring, roofing, partitioning 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 sill 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 storey rest
on the top plates of the storey below or on the foundation sill for the
first storey and the bearing walls and partitions rest on the subfloor
of each storey
FRIEZE
A horizontal member used in house construction to connect the top of the
siding with the soffit of the cornice.
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.
FUNGI WOOD
The microscopic plants that live in damp wood and cause mould,
stain, and decay.
FUNGICIDE
A chemical that is poisonous to fungi.
FURRING
The strips of wood or metal applied to a wall or other surface to even
it and normally to serve as a fastening base for finish material.
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GABLE
The upper triangular-shaped portion of the end wall of a house above the
eave line of a double sloped roof.
GABLE END
The entire end wall of a house having a gable roof.
GAUGE
A standard for measuring e.g. diameter of nails or wire and thickness of
metal sheets, etc.
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
Heat energy contained in large underground reservoirs of steam and hot
water, produced by molten material from the earth's interior.
GIRDER
A large beam supporting floor joists at the same level as the sills. A
larger or principal beam used to support concentrated loads at isolated
points along its length.
GIRT
A large horizontal beam supporting the ends of upper storey floor joists
between posts.
GLASS
An elastic transparent material composed of silica (sand), soda (sodium
carbonate) and lime (calcium carbonate) with small quantities of
alumina, boric or magnesia oxides.
GLAZIER'S POINT
A thin metal triangle with one point pounded into the frame to hold the
glass, putty is then applied to seal the glass.
GLOSS (PAINT OR ENAMEL)
A paint or enamel that contains a relatively low proportion of pigment
and dries to a sheen or luster.
GRADE
The surface slope. The level of the ground surface around the foundation
wall. To modify the ground surface by cut and fill.
GRADE LINE
A pre-determined line indicating the proposed elevation of the ground
surface around a building.
GRADE (LUMBER)
A classification of lumber depending upon its suitability for different
uses.
GRAIN
The direction, size, arrangement, appearance, or quality of the fibers
in wood.
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 EAVE TROUGH
A shallow channel or conduit of metal, plastic or wood set below and
along the eaves of a house to catch and carry off rainwater from the
roof.
GYPSUM PLASTER
The combination of gypsum with sand and water for making base-coat
plaster.
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- H -
HEADER (FRAMING)
A wood member at right angles to a series of joists or rafters at which
the joists or rafters terminate. When used at openings in the floor or
roof system the header supports the joist or rafters and acts as a beam.
HEARTH
The inner or outer floor of a fireplace, usually made of brick, tile, or
stone.
HEAT EXCHANGER
A device specifically designed to transfer heat between two physically
separated fluids, such as air.
HEAT GAIN
An increase in the amount of heat contained in a space, resulting from
direct solar radiation and the heat given off by people, lights,
equipment, machinery and other sources.
HEATING
Air-Conditioning : The process of bringing air to a
required state of temperature and humidity, and removing dust, pollen
and other foreign matter.
Baseboard Heater : A radiator shaped like a decorative
baseboard having openings at the top and bottom through which air
circulates.
Central Heating : A heating system in which a number of
rooms or spaces are heated from a central source.
Combination
: Provides domestic hot water as well as heating the house, often using
a fan coil to distribute heat through air ducts.
Convector : A heating device in which the air enters
through an opening near the floor, is heated as it passes through the
heating element and enters the room through an upper opening.
Hot Water Heating : The circulation of hot water through a
system of pipes and radiators either by gravity or a circulating pump.
Panel Heating : Coils or ducts installed in wall, floor or
ceiling panels to provide a large surface supply of low intensity heat.
Radiant Heating : A heating system in which only the heat
radiated from panels is effective in providing the heating requirements.
Warm Air Heating : A warm air heating plant consisting of
a heating unit (fuel-burning furnace) enclosed in a casing, from which
the heated air is distributed to various rooms of the building through
ducts.
HEAT LOSS
A decrease in the amount of heat contained in a space, resulting from
heat flow through walls, windows, roof and other building envelope
components.
HEAT PUMP
A heating device which extracts usable heat from a medium like air or
water by raising (pumping) its temperature. In its reverse it can be
used for cooling.
HEAT SINK
A body which is capable of accepting and storing heat, and therefore may
be used as a heat source.
HERMETICAL SEALING
The practice of making a material impervious to air and other fluids by
fusion.
HIP
The sloping ridge of a roof formed by two intersecting roof slopes.
HIP-RAFTER
The rafter which forms the hip of a roof.
HIP ROOF
A roof that rises by inclined planes from all four sides of a building.
HOPPER LIGHT
Inward opening sash hinged at the bottom.
HUMIDIFIER
A device designed to increase the humidity within a room or a house by
means of the discharge of water vapor. It may consist of an individual
room-size unit or a larger unit attached to the heating plant to
condition the entire house.
HUMIDITY
The amount of water vapor in the air.
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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.
IMPERMEABLE
Not permitting water vapor or other fluid to pass through.
INFILTRATION
The uncontrolled leakage of air into a building.
INSULATION INCIDENT SOLAR RADIATION
The total amount of solar radiation (direct, diffused and reflected)
striking a surface exposed to the sky.
This
incident solar radiation is measured in
Langleys
per minute, or BTU's per square foot per hour or per day.
INSULATION
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.
Blown : Low density, loose insulation material which is
mechanically installed.
Electrical : Non-conducting covering applied to wire or
equipment to prevent short circuiting.
Friction Fit
:
Batt insulation which is held secure within framing members by friction.
Rigid : Dense insulation material that is structurally
rigid. Also called board insulation.
Spray foam (foam-in-place)
: Expanding
foam,
usually mixed on-site, and sprayed
into
the open wall cavity of an unfinished wall, or
or injected
through holes drilled in the sheathing or drywall,
into the wall cavity of a finished wall.
INTERIOR FINISH
The covering used on interior walls and ceilings.
INTERIOR TRIM
All the interior woodwork designed to conceal joints.
ISOLATED GAIN SYSTEM
A system where solar collection and heat storage are isolated from the
living space.
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JACK RAFTER
A rafter that spans the distance from the wall-plate to a hip, or from a
valley rafter to the roof ridge.
JAMB
The side post or lining of a doorway, window or other opening.
JOIST
One of a series of horizontal wood members, usually 50 mm (2 inches)
nominal thickness, used for support.
(eg.
floor joist, ceiling joist or roof joist.) A parallel beam used to
support floor and ceiling loads, and supported in turn by larger beams,
girders, or bearing walls.
JOIST HANGER
A steel section shaped like a stirrup, bent so it can be fastened to a
beam to provide end support for joists, headers, etc.
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KNEE WALL
Partitions of varying length used to support roof rafters when the span
is so great that additional support is required to stiffen them.
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LANDING
A platform between flights of stairs or at the termination of a flight
of stairs.
LATH
A building material of wood, metal, gypsum or insulating board that is
fastened to the frame of a building to act as a plaster base.
LATITUDE
The angular distance north (+) or south (-) of the equator, measured in
degrees of an arc.
LATTICE
A framework of crossed wood or metal strips.
LEDGER STRIP
A strip of lumber fastened along the bottom of the side of a beam on
which joists rest.
LEEWARD
The side (or sides) of a house which face away from the prevailing
winds.
LET-IN BRACE
A nominal 25 mm (1 inch) thick board applied into notched studs
diagonally.
LIGHT
A space in a window sash for a single pane of glass. Also, a pane of
glass.
LINEAR FOOT
A length of 305 mm (12 inches) independent of area or volume.
LINTEL
A horizontal structural member that supports the load over an opening
such as a door or window.
LIVE LOAD
The weight due to occupancy of a building.
LOOKOUT RAFTERS
The short wood members cantilevered over a wall to support an
overhanging portion of a roof.
LOUVER
An opening with a series of horizontal slats so arranged as to permit
ventilation but to exclude rain, sunlight, or vision. See also ATTIC
VENTILATORS.
LUMBER
Any wood which has been sawed and planed only.
LUMBER, BOARDS
Sawn lumber less than 51 mm (2 inches) thick and 100 mm (4 inches) or
more wide.
LUMBER, DIMENSION
All yard lumber from 51 mm (2 inches) to, but not including, 127 mm (5
inches) thick and 51 mm (2 inches) or more wide. Includes joists,
rafters, studs, planks, and small timbers.
LUMBER, DRESSED SIZE
The dimension of lumber after shrinking from green dimension and after
machining to size or pattern.
LUMBER, MATCHED
Any lumber that is dressed and shaped on one edge in a grooved pattern
and on the other in a tongued pattern.
LUMBER, SHIPLAP
Any lumber that is edge-dressed to make a close rabbeted or lapped
joint.
LUMBER, TIMBERS
Any yard lumber 127 mm (5 inches) or more in least dimension. Includes
beams, stringers, posts, caps, sills, girders, and purling.
LUMBER, YARD
All lumber of those grades, sizes and patterns which are generally
intended for ordinary construction, such as framework and rough coverage
of houses.
LUMEN
A unit of measure for the flow of light, equal to the amount of flow
through a unit solid angle from a uniform point source of one
International candle.
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- M -
MANSARD ROOF
A double-pitched roof with the lower section containing dormers.
MANTEL
The shelf above a fireplace. Also used in referring to the decorative
trim around a fireplace opening.
MASONRY
The combination of stone, brick, concrete, hollow-tile, concrete-block,
gypsum block or other similar building units or materials, bonded
together with mortar to form a wall, pier, buttress or similar mass.
MASTIC
A pasty material used as a cement (as for setting tile) or a protective
coating (as for thermal insulation, sealing or waterproofing).
MESH
A reinforcement for concrete, plaster or stucco, usually expanded metal
or woven wire.
METAL LATH
A base for plaster or stucco, usually expanded metal or woven wire.
MIL
One-thousandth of an inch, or 0.0254 millimeters.
MILLWORK
All building materials made of finished wood and manufactured in
millwork plants and planning mills are included under the term
'millwork'. It includes such items as inside and outside doors, window
and door frames, blinds, porch work, mantels, panel work, stairways, moldings
and interior trim. It normally does not include flooring, ceiling or
siding.
MINERAL WOOL
A material used for insulating buildings, produced by sending a blast of
steam through molten slag or rock; common types now in use include rock
wool, glass wool and slag wool.
MITER JOINT
The joint of two pieces at an angle that bisects the joining angle. For
example, the miter joint at the side and head casing at a door opening
is made at a 45° angle.
MOISTURE CONTENT OF WOOD
The weight of the water contained in wood, usually expressed as a
percentage of the weight of the oven-dry wood.
MOLDING
A piece of shaped wood used to decorate or conceal a joint.
MORTAR
A substance produced from prescribed proportions of cementing agents,
aggregates and water which gradually sets hard after mixing.
MORTAR BED
The layer of mortar on which any structural member, masonry unit or tile
is bedded.
MORTISE
A slot cut into a board, plank, or timber, usually edgewise, to receive
a tenon or another board, plank or timber to form a joint or to receive
a lock, hinge, etc.
MUDSILL
Any timber placed directly on the ground as a foundation for a
structure.
MULLION
Vertical member between window units.
MUNTIN
A secondary framing member (horizontal, vertical or slanted) to hold the
window panes in the sash. This term is often confused with Mullion.
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- N -
NOMINAL SIZE
The rough size of a member before planning. The ordinary commercial size
by which timber or lumber is known and sold on the market, but it may
differ from the actual size.
NON-BEARING PARTITION
A wall which separates space into rooms, but supports no vertical load
except its own weight.
NON-BEARING WALL
A wall supporting no load other than its own weight.
NOTCH
A crosswise rabbet at the end of a board.
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- O -
O.C., ON CENTRE
The measurement of spacing for structural members like studs, rafters
and joists in a building, from the centre of one member to the centre of
the next.
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.
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- P -
PAINT
A combination of pigments with suitable thinners or oils to provide
decorative and protective coatings.
PANE
A sheet of glass for glazing a window. After installation, the pane is
referred to as a 'light' (lite) or 'window light'.
PANEL
A large board or sheet of lumber, plywood, or other material. A thin
board with all its edges inserted in a groove of a surrounding frame of
thick material. A portion of a flat surface recessed or sunk below the
surrounding area, distinctly set off by molding
or some other decorative device. Also, a section of floor, wall, ceiling
or roof, usually prefabricated and of large size, handled as a single
unit in the operations of
assembly and erection.
PAPER, BUILDING
A breather-type sheathing paper usually applied underneath or behind
exterior finish material in wood frame construction. A general term for
papers, felts and similar sheet materials used in buildings without
reference to their properties or uses.
PAPER, SHEATHING
A breather type tar or asphalt used under extension wall cladding as
protection against the passage of air or water. 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 WALL
The part of an exterior, party or firewall extending above the roof
line; a wall which serves as a guard at the edge of a balcony or roof.
PARGING
A coat of plaster or cement mortar applied to masonry or concrete walls.
PARTITION
A wall that subdivides spaces within any storey of a building.
PERM
An imperial unit measure of water vapor movement through a material
(grains per square foot per hour per inch of mercury difference in vapor
pressure.)
PERMEABILITY
A measure of the ease with which water vapor passes through a unit
thickness of a material.
PERMEANCE
Water vapor permeance is the rate of water vapor diffusion through a
sheet of any thickness of material (or assembly between parallel
surfaces). It is the ratio of water vapor flow to the differences of the
vapor pressures on the opposite surfaces. Permeance is measured in perms
(m².C/W).
PIER
A column of masonry, usually rectangular in horizontal cross section,
used to support other structural members.
PITCH
The incline slope of a roof or the ratio of the total rise to the total
width of a house, i.e. a 2.4 m (8 feet) rise and 7.3 m (24 feet) width
is a one-third pitch roof.
PITCHED ROOF
A roof which has one or more surfaces sloping at angles greater than
necessary for drainage.
PLAIN CONCRETE
Any un-reinforced concrete.
PLAN
A drawing representing the horizontal arrangement of a site or building
to a given scale.
PLATE
The sill plate
: a
horizontal member anchored to a 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.
PLATFORM FRAME
A house frame in which the floor joists of one storey rest on the top
plate of the wall below.
PLUMB
The state of being exactly perpendicular, vertical.
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.
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.
POSITIVE PRESSURE
A pressure above atmospheric. In residential construction this refers to
pressure inside the house envelope that is greater than the outside
pressure; a positive pressure difference will encourage exfiltration.
POST
The vertical wall members at the corners and wall intersections.
PRESERVATIVE
Any substance that, for a reasonable length of time, will prevent the
action of wood destroying fungi, borers of various kinds, and similar
destructive agents when the wood has been properly coated or impregnated
with it.
PRESSURE DIFFERENCE
The difference in pressure of the volume of air enclosed by the house
envelope and the air surrounding the envelope.
PRIMER
The first coat of paint in a paint job that consists of two or more
coats; also the paint used for such a
first coat.
PURLIN
The members at right angles to rafters serving to break up the roof
board span.
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.
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QUARTER ROUND
A molding
that has the cross section of a quarter circle.
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- R -
RADIANT HEATING
A method of heating, usually consisting of a forced hot water system
with pipes placed in the floor, wall or ceiling; or with electrically
heated cables or panels.
RADIANT HEAT TRANSFER
The transfer of heat energy from a location of higher temperature to a
location of lower temperature by means of electromagnetic radiation.
RADIATION, ULTRA-VIOLET (UV)
Electromagnetic radiation, usually from the sun, that consists of
wavelengths shorter than the violet end of the visible spectrum (less
than 0.15 microns). Five percent of the sun's radiation is emitted in
the ultra-violet band.
RAFTER
A structural member of a roof designed to support roof loads. The
rafters of a flat roof are sometimes called roof joists.
RAFTER, HIP
A rafter that forms the intersection of an external roof angle.
RAFTER, VALLEY
A rafter that forms the intersection of an internal roof angle. The
valley rafter is normally made of double 51 mm (2 inch) thick members.
RAKE
The trim members that run parallel to the roof slope and form the finish
between the wall and a gable roof extension.
RECEPTACLE (ELECTRIC)
A mounted electrical outlet.
RECOVERED ENERGY
Energy utilized which would otherwise be wasted
RECYCLE
Recovery and reuse of materials and resources.
REINFORCING
The practice of placing steel rods or metal fabric in concrete slabs,
beams or columns to increase their strength.
RELATIVE HUMIDITY
The ratio of actual pressure of existing water vapor to maximum
possible pressure of water vapor in the atmosphere at the same
temperature, expressed as a percentage. For example, air containing one
half the amount of moisture it is capable of holding has a relative
humidity of 50%.
RESISTANCE VALUE (RSI or R-VALUE)
Thermal resistance value. A metric measurement of the ability of a
material to resist heat transfer.
RIBBON (GIRT)
A 25 mm (1 inch) by 102 mm (4 inch) let into the studs horizontally to
support ceiling or second-floor joists.
Replaces
the girt in balloon frame.
RIDGE
The horizontal line at the junction of the top edges of two sloping roof
surfaces.
RIDGE BEAM
A horizontal structural member usually 51mm (2 inches) thick, supporting
the upper ends of rafters.
RIDGE BOARD
The board placed on edge at the ridge of the roof into which the upper
ends of the rafters are fastened.
ROCK STORAGE SYSTEM
A solar energy system in which the collected heat is stored in a rock
bin for later use. This type of storage can be used in an active, hybrid
or even passive system. However, rock storage is primarily used with a
system which circulates air as the transfer medium between the collector
and storage to the heated space.
ROLL ROOFING
A roofing material, composed of fibre
and saturated with asphalt, that is supplied in 914 mm (36 inch) wide
rolls with a 10 square meter (100 square feet) of material. Weights are
generally 20 to 41 kg (50 to 90 lbs) per roll.
ROOF SHEATHING
The boards or sheet material fastened to the roof rafters on which the
shingle or other roof covering is laid.
ROOFERS
The roof boards nailed to rafters or purling.
ROUGH LUMBER
Any lumber that has been sawn but not planed.
RUBBER-EMULSION PAINT
Any paint, the vehicle of which consists of rubber or synthetic rubber
dispersed in fine droplets in water.
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- S -
SADDLE
The two sloping surfaces meeting in a horizontal ridge, used between the
back side of a chimney, or other vertical surface, and a sloping roof.
Also called a cricket.
SASH
The framework which holds the glass in a window.
SASH BALANCE
A device, usually operated by a spring or tensioned weather stripping
designed to counterbalance double-hung window sash.
SATURATED FELT
A felt which is impregnated with tar or asphalt.
SECTION
A drawing of a building in the vertical plane.
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.
SENSIBLE HEAT
Heat that results in a temperature change.
SHAKE
A shingle split (not sawn) from a block of wood and used for roofing and
siding.
SHEATHING
The material covering the house frame on the exterior.
SHEATHING PAPER
See PAPER, SHEATHING.
SHED ROOF
A sloping roof having its surface in one plane.
SHEET METAL WORK
All components of a house employing sheet metal, such as flashing,
gutters and downspouts.
SHEETING
Any material applied in large sheets, usually polyethylene.
SHELLAC
A transparent coating made by dissolving lac, a resinous secretion of
the lac bug (an insect that thrives in tropical countries, especially
India), in alcohol.
SHINGLES
Any roof covering of asphalt, asbestos, wood, tile, slate or other
material cut to stock lengths, widths, and
thicknesses.
SHINGLES, SIDING
The various kinds of shingles, such as wood shingles or shakes and
non-wood shingles, that are used over sheathing for exterior side wall
covering of a structure.
SHIPLAP
See LUMBER, SHIPLAP.
SHUTTER
The common 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.
SIDE LIGHT (MARGIN LIGHT)
A fixed often narrow glass window next to a door opening (or window).
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)
The wedge-shaped boards used as horizontal siding in a lapped pattern.
This siding varies in butt thickness from 13 mm (1/2 inch) to 19 mm (3/4
inch) and in widths up to 305 mm (12 inches). Normally used over some
type of sheathing.
SIDING, DOLLY VARDEN
A beveled wood siding which is rabbeted on the bottom edge.
SIDING DROP
A siding, usually 19 mm (3/4 inch) thick and 152 mm (6 inches) or 203 mm
(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 PLATE
A structural member anchored to the top of a foundation wall, upon which
the floor joists rest.
SLEEPER
A wood member embedded in concrete, as in a floor, that serves to
support and to fasten sub floor or flooring.
SMOKE PIPE
A pipe conveying products of combustion from a solid or liquid
fuel-fired appliance to a chimney flue.
SOFFIT
The horizontal or sloping part of the eave.
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 STACK
A general term for the vertical main of a system of soil, waste or vent
piping.
SOLAR ALTITUDE
The angle of the sun above the horizon measured in a vertical plane.
SOLAR ENERGY
Energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation received from the sun.
SOLAR RADIATION
Electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun.
SOLE OR SOLE PLATE
See PLATE.
SOLID BRIDGING
A solid member placed between adjacent floor joists near the center of
the span to prevent joists from twisting.
SPAN
The horizontal distance between supports for beams, joists, rafters,
etc.
SPECIFIC HEAT
The number of BTU's required to raise the temperature of one pound of a
substance 1° in temperature.
SPLASH BLOCK
A small masonry block laid with the top close to the ground surface to
receive roof drainage and divert it away from the building.
SQUARE
A unit of measure (e.g. 9.3 square meters) usually applied to roofing
material.
STACK EFFECT
Pressure differential across a building caused by differences in the
density of the air due to an indoor-outdoor temperature difference.
STILE
The vertical edge members of a window sash.
STOREY
The part of a building between any floor and the floor or roof next
above.
STORM DOOR
An extra outside door for protection against inclement weather.
STORM SASH OR STORM WINDOW
An extra window usually placed on the outside of an existing one as
additional protection against cold weather.
STRATIFICATION
The formation of layers in the air where the top layer is warmer than
the bottom.
STRING, STRINGER
A timber or other support for cross members in floors or ceilings. In
stairs, the support on which the stair treads rest; also stringboard.
STRUT
A structural member which is designed to resist longitudinal compressive
stress such as members supporting a ridge beam or rafters; a short
column.
STUCCO
An outside plaster made with Portland cement as its base.
STUDS
The vertical framing members between the posts used to support vertical
loads and provide nailing surfaces for interior and exterior sheathing.
SUB FLOOR
The boards or sheet material laid on joists under a finished floor.
SURFACED LUMBER
Any lumber that has been planed after sawing.
SUSPENDED CEILING
A ceiling system supported by hanging it from the overhead structural
framing.
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TAIL BEAM
A relatively short beam or joist supported in a wall on one end and by a
header at the other.
THERMAL BREAK (THERMAL BARRIER)
An element of low heat conductivity placed in such a way as to reduce or
prevent the flow of heat.
THERMAL BRIDGE
A low thermal resistance path connecting two surfaces; for example,
framing members in insulated frame walls or metal ties in cavity wall
and panel construction.
THERMOSTAT
Any device that controls a heating or cooling device by responding to
changes in temperature.
THRESHOLD
A strip of wood or metal with beveled edges used over the finish floor
and the sill of exterior doors.
TIE BEAM
A beam connecting the base of rafter pairs to prevent outward thrust.
TIMBERS
All wood framing members whose smallest dimension is 127 mm (5 inches).
TOE-NAILING
The practice of nailing at an angle to the first member so as to ensure
penetration into a second member.
TONGUE-AND-GROOVE LUMBER
Any lumber, such as boards or planks, machined in such a manner that
there is a groove on one edge and a corresponding tongue on the other.
TOP PLATE
The horizontal member nailed to the top of the partition or wall studs
in a building.
TRANSOM
A horizontal member separating a door from a window panel above the
door, or separating one window above another.
TRIM
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).
TRIMMER
A beam or joist alongside an opening and into which a header is framed.
TRUSS
Any rafter, ceiling joist and tie assembled in such a way as to span a
greater distance than the rafter alone.
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- U -
U-VALUE
(Coefficient of heat transfer)
Imperial : The number of BTU's that flow through one
square foot of a material in one hour, when there is a 1° difference in
temperature between the inside and outside air, under steady state
conditions.
Metric : The number of watts that flow through one square
meter of a material in one hour, when there is a 1° difference in
temperature between the inside and outside air, under steady state
conditions.
The
U-value is the reciprocal of the resistance or R-value.
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VALLEY
The internal angle formed by the junction of two sloping sides of a
roof.
VALLEY RAFTERS
Any rafters which are located at the centre of roof valleys to support
the jack rafters.
VAPOR BARRIER
The material used to retard the movement of water vapor into walls and
attics and prevent condensation in them. Applied separately over the
warm side of exposed walls.
VAPOR DIFFUSION
The movement of water vapor between 2 areas caused by a difference in
vapor pressure, independent of air movement. The rate of diffusion is
determined by 1) the difference in vapor pressure, 2) the distance the
vapor must travel, and 3) the permeability of the material to water
vapor. Hence the selection of materials of low permeability for use as
vapor retarders in buildings.
VAPOR PRESSURE
The pressure exerted by a vapor either by itself or in a mixture of
gases. For example, when referring to water vapor, the vapor pressure is
determined by the concentration of water vapor in the air.
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.
VENT
A pipe or duct which allows a flow of air or gas as an inlet or outlet.
VENTILATION
The provision for supplying, moving or removing air, either mechanically
or naturally.
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, as aggregate in insulating and acoustical plaster and
in insulating concrete floors.
VISIBLE LIGHT
The light in the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths ranging from
400 (blue) to 700 (red) millimicrons.
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WALL PLATES
The horizontal members in wood frame construction attached to the ends
of the studs. Also called top or bottom plates, depending on their
location.
WATER PROOFING
To make a surface resistant to water penetration under pressure; used
where there is a definite water problem. See also
damp-proofing.
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 TABLE
The level below which the ground is saturated with water.
WATER WALL
An interior wall of water filled containers constituting a one step
heating system which combines collection
and storage.
WEATHER BARRIER
The outer most assembly of the building envelope, used to protect the
inner structure and insulation from the effects of wind and rain.
Materials typically used are siding, building paper and flashing.
WEATHER-STRIPPING
A strip of felt, rubber, metal or other material, fixed along the edges
of doors or windows to keep out drafts and reduce heat loss.
WEEP CUT (DRIP CUT)
A groove in the underside of a horizontal board or masonry unit (such as
a sill), which projects beyond the wall surface below to prevent water
from moving back towards the wall surface.
WEEP HOLE
A small hole, as at the bottom of a retaining wall or masonry veneer, to
drain water to the exposed face.
WIND BREAK
A hedge, fence or row of trees that serves as a protection from wind.
WIND ENERGY
The kinetic energy of air motion over the earth's surface caused by the
sun's heating of the atmosphere.
WINDOW, PARTS OF
Balance : A device used to counteract the weight of the
sash for ease of operation.
Light : Window pane; the term is used to designate the
number of separate panes which make up the entire window.
Lintel : The horizontal top piece of the window framework.
Mullion : The perpendicular members which divide the bays
or lights of windows or screen-work.
Muntin : A secondary framing member (horizontal, vertical
or slanted) to hold the window panes in the sash;
often confused with Mullion.
Pane : A glass surface in a window. A window may include a
number of panes or may consist of a single pane.
Rough Frame : Framing of the enclosure in which the
finished window frame is placed.
Sash : A light frame of wood, metal or plastic either
fixed or movable which holds the glass.
Sill : The base of the window frame sloped on the outside
to shed rain.
WINDOW TYPES
Awning Window : A frame containing one or more sash, each
of which is installed in a vertical plane and is hinged to permit the
bottom of the sash to open outward.
Bay Window : Window which projects outside the main line
of a building and the compartment in which it is located.
Casement Window : A frame which contains a sash hinged at
the side to open in or out.
Check Rail Window : A frame containing at least a pair of
sash which are engaged when closed. The sash are installed in a vertical
plane and designed to be moved either vertically or horizontally.
Clerestory Window : A window which occurs in the wall of a
clerestory
Dormer Window : A vertical window in a dormer for lighting
a room adjoining a sloping roof.
Double-Hung Window : A window with an upper and lower
sash, each balanced by springs or weights to be capable of vertical
movement with relatively little effort.
Fire Window : A window with its frame, sash and glazing
which, under standard test conditions, meets the fire protection
requirements for the location in which it is to be used.
Hopper Window : A frame containing one or more sash, each
of which is installed in a vertical plane and hinged to permit the top
of the sash to open inwards.
Jalousie Window : A frame containing a number of movable,
shutter-like, overlapping glass panels.
Oriel Window : A window or group of windows that projects
beyond the wall of a building and is usually carried on brackets or
corbels.
Sashless Window : A window with a wood frame containing at
least two lights of glass with polished or ground edges, or sash with
light metal or plastic edges. At least one light of glass slides
horizontally or vertically.
WOOD FRAMING
Balloon Framing : A method of wood frame construction in
which the studs extend in one piece from the foundation wall to the top
plate supporting the roof.
Bridging : A method used to resist twisting of joists and
for stiffening floor construction by fitting either crossed pieces or
solid blocks between the joists.
Cap : The upper half of the top plate in wood frame walls
and partitions.
Plank Framing : A type of construction which employs flat
vertical structural members with horizontal beams let into them and
having an infilling of planks on edge.
Post and Beam Framing : A system of construction in which
posts and beams support the loads and the infilling walls are non-load
bearing.
Western Framing (Platform Framing) : A system of framing a
building on which floor joists of each storey rest on the top plates of
the storey below (or on the foundation sill for the first storey) and
the bearing walls and partitions rest on the sub-floor of each storey.
WYTHE
A continuous vertical section of a masonry wall having a thickness of
one masonry unit.
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