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Contractors School Online - Building contractor terms Category: Architecture and Buildings > Building contractor information Date & country: 24/09/2013, USA Words: 431

Soffit
The finished, exposed underside of a lintel, arch or portico.

Slenderness Ratio
(1) The ratio of a member

Slip Sill
A stone sill set between jambs (see lug sill).

Slump
(1) The drop in the height of a cementitious material from its original shape when in a plastic state. (2) A standardized measurement of a plastic cementitious material to determine its flow and workability.

Slate
A very fine-grained metamorphic rock derived from sedimentary rock shale. Characterized by an excellent parallel cleavage entirely independent of original bedding, by which cleavage the rock may be split easily into relatively thin slabs. Essential mineral constituents of slates are usually members of the mica group, commonly sericite, muscovite, and paragonite; of the clay group, chiefly illite and kaolinite; and of the chlorite group. Common accessory minerals are iron oxides, calcite, quarts, and feldspar. Other minerals may be present also as minor accessories. Most slates are derived from shales. Others are derived from fine-grained igneous rock, chiefly volcanic tuffs, but these are rare and of little commercial importance.

Siltstone
A fine-grained non-carbonate clastic rock composed of at least 67 per cent of detrital grains of quartz and silicate minerals of silt size. Siltstones are rarely marketed as such but commonly are considered as fine-grained sandstones. This class of sediments is texturally transitional between sandstones and shales (mudstones). Many bluestones and

Simply Supported
A member structurally supported at top and bottom or both sides through a pin-type connection, which assumes no moment transfer.

Slab
A lengthwise cut of large quarry block of stone approximately 5'x 8'in size...

Shot-Sawn
Description of a finish obtained by using steel shot in the gang sawing process to produce random markings for a rough surface texture.

Shot-Sawn Finish
A rough gangsaw finish produced by sawing with chilled steel shots.

Shrinkage
The decrease in volume due to moisture loss, decrease in temperature or carbonation of a cementitious material.

Sill
A flat stone used under windows, doors, and other masonry openings. A flat or slightly beveled unit set horizontally at the base of an opening in a wall.

Serpetine
Marble characterized by a prominent amount of the mineral serpentine.

Setting Space
A term used to indicate the distance from the finished face of the marble to the face of the back-up wall.

Shaped Stone
Cut stone which has been carved, ground or otherwise processed.

Shear
A type of stress; a body is in shear when it is subjected to a pair of equal forces which are opposite in direction and which act along parallel planes.

Shoring and Bracing
The props or posts used to temporarily support members during construction.

Semi-Rubbed
A finish achieved by rubbing (by hand or machine) the rough or high spots off the surface to be used, leaving a certain amount of the natural surface along with the smoothed areas.

Serpentine
A hydrous magnesium silicate material of igneous origin, generally a very dark green color with markings of white, light green or black. It

Screen Block
An open-faced masonry unit used for decorative purposes or to partially screen areas from the sun or from view.

Sculpture
Statuary cut from stone by a sculptor using hand tools and polishing materials.

Scotia
A concave molding.

schist
A loose term applying to foliated metamorphic (recrystallized) rock characterized by thin foliae that are composed predominantly of minerals of thin platy or prosmatic habits and whose long dimensions are oriented in approximately parallel positions along the planes of foliation. Because of this foliated structure, schists split readily along these planes and so possess a pronounced rock cleavage. The more common schist

Scored Block
A block with grooves on the face for aesthetic purposes. For example, the grooves may simulate raked joints.

Scoria
Irregular masses of lava resembling clinker of slag; may be cellular (vesticular), dark-colored and heavy.

Sawed Edge
A clean cut edge generally achieved by cutting with a diamond blade, gang saw or wire saw.

Scale
Thin lamina or paper-like sheets of rock, often loose, and interrupting an otherwise smooth surface on the stone.

Sandstone
A sedimentary rock consisting usually of quartz, cemented with silica, iron oxide or calcium carbonate. Sandstone is durable, has a very high crushing and tensile strength, and a wide range of colors and textures. Varieties of sandstone are commonly designated by the kind and prominence of interstitial and bonding materials, as siliceous sandstone (bonding material primarily silica), calcareous sandstone (calcium carbonate prominent as bonding material or as accessory grains or both), argillaceous sandstone (clay minerals prominent as interstitial or bonding materials, or as thin laminac), ferruginous sandstone (iron oxide or hydroxide minerals, or as thin laminac), ferruginous sandstone (iron oxide or hydroxide minerals {hematic, limonite, et al} as interstitial or as bonding materials in sufficient amount to impart appreciable color to the stone)

Saddle
A flat strip of stone projecting above the floor between the jambs of the door; a threshold.

Sandblasted
A dull non-glossy finish applied to stone; usually accomplished by blasting air blended with sand across the surface.

Sand-Sewn Finish
The surface left as the stone comes from the gangsaw and moderately smooth, granular surface varying with the texture and grade of stone.

Rubbed Finish
Mechanically rubbed for smoother finish.

Rubble
A product term applied to dimension stone used for building purposes, chiefly walls and foundations, and consisting of irregularly shaped pieces, partly trimmed or squared, generally with one split or finished face, and selected and specified with a size range.

Rustication
Chamfers or square sinking

Rustification
Recessing the margin of cut stone so that when placed together a channel is formed at each joint.

Roman Arch
Semi-circular arch.

Rose Window
A circular stone window fitted with carved tracery.

Rough Sawn
A marble surface finish accomplished by the gangsawing process.

Rock
The integral part of the earth's crust composed of an aggregate of grains of one or more minerals. (Stone is the commercial term applied to quarry products).

Rock (Pitch) Face
This is similar to split face, except that the face of the stone is pitched to a given line and plane producing a bold appearance, rather than the comparatively straight face obtained in split face.

Rodding
Reinforcement of a structurally unsound marble by cementing reinforcing rods into grooves or channels cut into the back of the slab.

Ribbon
Narrow bands of rock differing to various degrees in chemical composition and color from the main body of the slate or stone; in other words, bands.

Riprap
Irregular shaped stones used for facing bridge abutments and fills. Stone thrown together without order to form a foundation or sustaining walls.

Retarding Agent
An ingredient or admixture in mortar that slows setting or hardening most commonly in the form of finely ground gypsum.

Return
The right angle turn of a molding.

Return Head
Stone facing with the finish appearing on both the face and the edge of the same stone, as on the corner of a building.

Reveal
The depth of stone between its outer face and a window or door set in an opening.

Ribbed Block
A block with projecting ribs (with either a rectangular or circular profile) on the face for aesthetic purposes and also called fluted.

Reinforcing Steel
Steel embedded in masonry in such a manner that the two materials act together to resist forces.

Relief or Relieve
Ornament in relief. The ornament or figure can be slightly, half, or greatly projected.

Relieving Arch
One built over a lintel, flat arch or smaller arch to divert loads, thus relieving the lower member from excessive loading and also known as discharging or safety arch.

Reglet
A recess used to receive and secure flashing.

Reinforced Masonry
(1) Masonry containing reinforcement in the mortar joints or grouted cores used to resist stresses. (2) Unit masonry in which reinforcement is embedded in such a manner that the component materials act together to resist applied forces.

Recess
A sinkage in a wall plane.

Quartzitic Sandstone
A sandstone with a high concentration of quartz grains and siliceous cement.

Quirt
A groove separating a bed or other moulding from the adjoining members.

Quoins
Stones at the corner of a wall emphasized by size, projection, rustification, or by a different finish.

Raked
A joint where, 1/4 to 1/2 in. (6.4 to 13 mm) is removed from the outside of the joint.

Range
A course of any thickness that is continued across the entire face. All range course need not be of the same thickness.

Quarry
An excavation where usable stone is extracted from the ground.

Quartz
A silicon dioxide mineral that occurs in colorless and transparent or colored hexagonal crystals and also in crystalline masses. One of the most common minerals is the chief constituent of sandstone.

Quartzite
A compact granular rock composed of quartz crystals, usually so firmly cemented as to make the mass homogeneous. The stone is generally quarried in stratified layers, the surfaces of which are unusually smooth. It

Quality Control
The planned system of activities used to provide a level of quality that meets the needs of the users and the use of such a system. The objective of quality control is to provide a system that is safe, adequate, dependable and economic. The overall program involves integrating factors including

Projections
This refers to the pulling out of stones in a wall to give an effect of ruggedness. The amount of each stone is pulled out can vary between

Pumice
An exceptionally cellular glassy lava resembling a solid froth.

Quality Assurance
The administrative and procedural requirements established by the contract documents and by code to assure that constructed masonry is in compliance with the contract documents.

Prism Strength
Maximum compressive force resisted per unit of net cross-sectional area of masonry, determined by testing masonry prisms.

Processing
The work involved in transforming building stone from quarry blocks to cut or finished stone. This includes primary sawing into slabs. It may also include both hand and mechanical techniques such as sawing, drilling, grinding, honing, polishing, and carving.

Project Specifications
The written documents that specify project requirements in accordance with the service parameters and other specific criteria established, by the owner or owner

Prestressing Tendon
Steel element such as wire, bar or strand, used to impart prestress to masonry.

Prism
A small assemblage made with masonry units and mortar and sometimes grout. Primarily used for quality control purposes to assess the strength of full-scale masonry members.

Pressure Relieving Joint
An open horizontal joint below the supporting angle or hanger located at approximately every floor line and not over 15 feet (4.6 m) apart horizontally and every 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9m) vertically to prevent the weight from being transmitted to the masonry below. These joints are to be caulked with a resilient non-staining material to prevent moisture penetration.

Porphyry
An igneous rock in which relatively large and conspicuous crystals (phenocrysts) are set in a matrix of finer crystals.

Polished Finish
The finest and smoothest finish available in stone characterized by a gloss or reflective property and generally only possible on hard, dense materials.

Plinths
The lower square part of the base of a column. A square base or a lower block as of a pedestal. The base block at the juncture of baseboard and trim around an opening.

Plucked Finish
Obtained by rough planing the surface of stone, breaking or plucking out small particles to give rough texture.

Pointing
The filling and tooling of mortar joints with mortar or caulking compounds.

Pitched Stone
Stone having arris clearly defined; face, however, is roughly cut with pitching chisel used along the line which becomes the arris.

Plasticizer
An ingredient such as an admixture incorporated into a cementitious material to increase its workability, flexibility or extensibility.

Pilaster Block
Concrete masonry units designed for use in the construction of plain or reinforced concrete masonry pilasters and columns.

Phenocryst
In igneous rocks, the relatively large and conspicuous crystals in a finer-grained matrix or ground mass.

Pier
An isolated column of masonry or a bearing wall not bonded at the sides to associated masonry. For design, a vertical member whose horizontal dimension measured at right angles to its thickness is not less than three times its thickness nor greater than six times its thickness and whose height is less than five times its length.

Pilaster
An engaged pier of shallow depth; in classical architecture it follows the height and width of related columns, with similar base and cap. A bonded or keyed column of masonry built as part of a wall. It may be flush or project from either or both wall surfaces. It has a uniform cross section throughout its height and serves as a vertical beam, a column or both. A bonded or keyed column of masonry built as part of a wall. It may be flush or project from either or both wall surfaces. It has a uniform cross section throughout its height and serves as a vertical beam, a column or both.

Parquetry
An inlay of stone floors in geometrical or other patterns.

Perforated Wall
One which contains a considerable number of relatively small openings and often called pierced wall or screen wall.

Perrons
Slabs of stone set on other stones serving as steps and arches in gardens.

Palletized
A system of stacking stone on wooden pallets. Stone which comes palletized is easily moved and transported by modern handling equipment. Palletized stone generally arrives at the job site in better condition than unpalletized material.

Panel
A finished stone unit used on walls.

Parapet Wall
That part of any wall entirely above the roof line.

Pargin
Plastering a cementitious coating of mortar onto a surface, often used for damp-proofing.

OpalizeO
The introduction into a rock of siliceous material in the form of opal, hydrous silicate.

Out of Wind
To be out of wind is to have the arris of the stone not in parallel or perpendicular lines. Stone which is out of wind has an irregular or rustic appearance.

Onyx Marble
A dense, crystalline form of lime carbonate deposited usually from cold water solutions. Generally translucent and shows a characteristic layering due to mode of accumulation.

Oolitic Limestone
A calcite-cemented calcareous stone formed of shells and shell fragments, practically non-crystalline in character. It is found in massive deposits located almost entirely in Lawrence, Monroe and Owen Counties, IN and in Alabama, Kansas, and Texas. This limestone is characteristically freestone, without cleavage planes, possessing a remarkable uniformity of composition, texture and structure. It possesses a high internal elasticity, adapting itself without damage to extreme temperature changes.

Normal Weight Concrete Masonry Unit
A unit whose oven-dry density is 125 lb/ft3 (2000 kg/m3) or greater.

Obsidian
A glassy phase of lava.

Ogee
A stone profile with a reverse curved edge

Onyx
So called in trade, is a crystalline form, commonly microcrystalline, of calcium carbonate deposited usually from cold water solutions. It is generally translucent and shows a characteristic layering. The term onyx marble is technically a misnomer, as true onyx is a variety of cryptocrystalline fibrous silica (chalcedony), and is closely related in form and origin to agate.

Mosaic
A veneering which is generally irregular with no definite pattern. Nearly all the stone used in a mosaic pattern is irregular in shape.

Net Section
The minimum cross section of the member under consideration.