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PMEL - roofing glossary Category: Architecture and Buildings > Roofing glossary Date & country: 01/09/2008, USA Words: 414

certificate of occupancy
A document stating that a building is approved for occupancy. The building authority issues the Certificate of Occupancy.

Free-tab shingles
Shingles that do not contain factory-applied strips or spots of self-sealing adhesive.

Gable
  The upper portion of a sidewall that comes to a triangular point at the ridge of a sloping roof.

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.

Flashing Cement
See asphalt plastic roofing cement.

honeycomb
(1) Areas in a foundation wall where the aggregate (gravel) is visible. Honeycombs can be usually be remedied by applying a thin layer of grout or other cement product over the affected area. (2) Method by which concrete is poured and not puddled or vibrated, allowing the edges to have voids or holes after the forms are removed.

high early cement
A portland cement sold as Type III sets up to its full strength faster than other types.

hoistway
A shaftway for the travel of one or more elevators.

hip roof
A roof which rises by inclining planes from all four sides of a building.

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

heat strengthened glass
Flat or bent glass that has been heat-treated to a specific surface and/or edge compression range to meet the requirements of ASTM C 1048, kind HS. Heat-strengthened glass is approximately two times as strong as annealed glass of the same thickness when exposed to uniform static pressure loads. Heat-strengthened glass is not considered safety glass and will not completely dice as will fully temper...

hermetic seal
Vacuum seal (between panes of a double-paned window i.e. insulated glass unit or IGU). Failure of a hermetic seal causes permanent fogging between the panels of the IGU.

header
Framing members over windows, doors, or other openings.

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

Selvage
That portion of roll roofing overlapped by the succeeding course to obtain double coverage.

Rise
  The vertical distance from the eaves line to the ridge.

Roll roofing
  Asphalt roofing products manufactured in roll form.

Roofing tape
   An asphalt-saturated tape used with asphalt cements for flashing and patching asphalt roofing.

Run
  The horizontal distance from the eaves to a point directly under the ridge. One half the span.

Saturant
  Asphalt used to impregnate an organic felt base material.

calcium chloride
A chemical used to speed up curing of concrete during damp conditions.

heel bead
Sealant applied at the base of a channel, after setting the lite or panel and before the removable stop is installed, one of its purposes being to prevent leakage past the stop.

hardware
Metal accessories such as door knobs, towel bars, toilet paper holders, etc.

cant strip
A beveled support used at the intersection of the roof deck with vertical surfaces so that bends in the roofing membrane to form base flashings can be made without breaking the felts.

hatch
An opening in a deck; floor or roof. The usual purpose is to provide access from inside the building.

cap sheets
In roofing, one to four plies of felt bonded and top coated with bitumen that is laid over an existing roof as a treatment for defective roofs.

cantilever
A projecting beam or other structure supported only at one end.

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

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

cape chisel
Tool used to clean out mortar joints on brick.

hawk
A flat wood or metal tool 10 inches to 14 inches square with a handle used by plasterers to carry plaster mortar or mud.

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.

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

Fiber glass mat
  An asphalt roofing base material manufactured from glass fibers.

carbide bit
Tool used to drill holes in brick or block.

hazard insurance
Insurance for a building while it is under construction.

caulk
(v) The application of sealant to a joint, crack or crevice. (n) A compound used for sealing that has minimum joint movement capability; sometimes called low performance sealant.

bubbling
In glazing, open or closed pockets in a sealant caused by release, production or expansion of gasses.

bx
ARMORED CABLE - A factory assembly of insulated conductors inside a flexible metallic covering. It can be run except where exposed to excessive moisture and should not be run below grade. It must always be grounded and uses its armor as an equipment ground. It is difficult to pull out old wires or insert new ones.

gypsum
See Drywall

gypsum keene cement
Material used to obtain a smooth finish coat of plaster, for use over gypsum plastic base coats only and in areas not subject to moisture. It is the hardest plaster.

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 horsefeathers.

gun consistency
Sealant formulated in a degree of viscosity suitable for application through the nozzle of a caulking gun.

Exposure I grade plywood
  Type of plywood approved by the American Plywood Association for exterior use.

Ell
An extension of a building at right angles to its length.

Exposed nail method
  Application of roll roofing in which all nails are driven into the cemented, overlapping course of roofing. Nails are exposed to the weather.

building brick
Brick for building purposes not especially treated for texture or color, formerly called 'common brick.' It is stronger than face brick.

gunite
A construction material composed of cement, sand or crushed slag and water mixed together and forced through a cement gun by pneumatic pressure, used in the construction of swimming pools.

gutter
Metal trough at the eaves of a roof to carry rain water from the roof to the downspout.

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.

gutter strap
Metal bands used to support the gutter.

guy wire
A strong steel wire or cable strung from an anchor on the roof to any tall slender projection for the purpose of support.

grade mw
Moderate Weather grade of brick for moderate resistance to freezing used, for example, in planters.

grade sw
Severe Weather grade of brick intended for use where high resistance to freezing is desired.

grade nw
No Weather brick intended for use as a back-up or interior masonry.

Rafter
  The supporting framing member immediately beneath the deck, sloping from the ridge to the wall plate.

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

Edging strips
  Boards nailed along eaves and rakes after cutting back existing wood shingles to provide secure edges for reroofing with asphalt shingles.

gravel
Loose fragments of rock used for surfacing built-up roofs, in sizes varying from 1/8' to 1 3/4'.

granules
The mineral particles of a graded size which are embedded in the asphalt coating of shingles and roofing.

ground system
The connection of current-carrying neutral wire to the grounding terminal in the main switch which in turn is connected to a water pipe. The neutral wire is called the ground wire.

grounding rod
Rod used to ground an electrical panel.

building permit
Written authorization from the city, county or other governing regulatory body giving permission to construct or renovate a building. A building permit is specific to the building project described in the application.

grout or grouting
A cement mortar mixture commonly used to fill joints and cavities of masonry.

glazing bead
In glazing, a strip surrounding the edge of the glass in a window or door which holds the glass in place.

glaze coat
In roofing, a light, uniform mopping of bitumen on exposed felts to protect them from the weather, pending completion of the job.

glass
A hard, brittle substance, usually transparent, made by fusing silicates under high temperatures with soda, lime, etc.

Eaves
  The horizontal, lower edge of a sloped roof

Eaves flashing
  Additional layer of roofing material applied at the eaves to help prevent damage from water back-up.

butterfly roof
A roof assembly which pitches sharply from either side toward the center.

bullfloat
A tool used to finish and flatten a slab. After screeding, the first stage in the final finish of concrete, smoothes and levels hills and voids left after screeding. Sometimes substituted for darbying. A large flat or tool usually of wood, aluminum or magnesium with a handle.

butt glazing
The installation of glass products where the vertical glass edges are without structural supporting mullions.

butyl
Type of non-curing and non-skinning sealant made from butylene. Usually used for internal applications.

buttering
In glazing, application of sealant or compound to the flat surface of some member before placing the member in position, such as the buttering of a removable stop before fastening the stop in place.

btu
British Thermal Unit - The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water through a change of one degree F.

glazing channel
In glazing, a three-sided, U-shaped sash detail into which a glass product is installed and retained.

girder
A main beam upon which floor joists rest, usually made of steel or wood.

glazing
(n) A generic term used to describe an infill material such as glass, panels, etc. (v) the process of installing an infill material into a prepared opening in windows, door panels, partitions, etc.

gfrc
Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete; Material used in wall systems that resembles but generally does not perform as well as concrete. Usually a thin cementitious material laminated to plywood or other lightweight backing.

Dutch lap method
  Application of giant individual shingles with  the long dimension parallel to the eaves. Shingles are applied to overlap adjacent shingles in each course as well as the course below.

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.

Downspout
A pipe for draining water from roof gutters. Also called a leader

gfi
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters - Special devices capable of opening a circuit when even a small amount of current is flowing through the grounding system.

bracing
Ties and rods used for supporting and strengthening various partS of a building used for lateral stability for columns and beams.

browncoat
The coat of plaster directly beneath the finish coat. In three-coat work, the brown is the second coat.

brake metal
Sheet metal that has been bent to the desired configuration.

general contractor
A contractor responsible for all facets of construction of a building or renovation.

gable
The end of a building as distinguished from the front or rear side. The triangular end of an exterior wall from the level of the eaves to the ridge of a double-sloped roof.

gambrel roof
A type of roof which has its slope broken by an obtuse angle, so that the lower slope is steeper than the upper slope. A double sloped roof having two pitches.

galvanize
To coat a metal with zinc by dipping it in molten zinc after cleaning.

board foot
In carpentry, the equivalent of a board 1 foot square and 1 inch thick.

gauge board
Board used to carry grout needed to patch small jobs.

gaskets
pre-formed shapes, such as strips, grommets, etc., of rubber or rubber-like composition, used to fill and seal a joint or opening either alone or in conjunction with a supplemental application of a sealant.

bow
(AND WARP) A curve, bend or other deviation from flatness in glass.

bond breaker
A substance or a tape applied between two adjoining materials to prevent adhesion between them.

bond plaster
In addition to gypsum, bond plaster contains 2-5% lime by weight and chemical additives which improve the bond with dense non-porous surfaces such as concrete. It is used as a base coat.

blister
An enclosed raised spot evident on the surface of a building. They are mainly caused by the expansion of trapped air, water vapor, moisture or other gases.

gauge
The thickness of sheet metal and wire, etc.

bleeding
A migration of a liquid to the surface of a component or into/onto an adjacent material.

blue prints
Architectural plans for a building or construction project, which are likely to include floor plans, footing and foundation plans, elevations, plot plans, and various schedules and or details.