Copy of `Superglossary - Construction`

The wordlist doesn't exist anymore, or, the website doesn't exist anymore. On this page you can find a copy of the original information. The information may have been taken offline because it is outdated.

Superglossary - Construction Category: Architecture and Buildings > Construction Date & country: 16/12/2013, USA Words: 722

Electric Lateral
The trench or area in the yard where the electric service line (from a transformer or pedestal) is l

Electric Resistance Coils
Metal wires that heat up when electric current passes through them and are used in baseboard heaters

Electrical Entrance Package
The entry point of the electrical power including

Electrical Rough
Work performed by the Electrical Contractor after the plumber and heating contractor are complete wi

Electrical Trim
Work performed by the electrical contractor when the house is nearing completion. The electrician in

Elevation Sheet
The page on the blue prints that depicts the house or room as if a vertical plane were passed throug

Equity
The 'valuation' that you own in your home, i.e. The property value less the mortgage loan outstandin

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

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

Estimate
The amount of labor, materials, and other costs that a contractor anticipates for a project as summa

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

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

Expansion Joint
Fibrous material (@1/2' thick) installed in and around a concrete slab to permit it to move up and d

Expansive Soils
Earth that swells and contracts depending on the amount of water that is present. ('Betonite' is an

Exposed Aggregate Finish
A method of finishing concrete which washes the cement/sand mixture off the top layer of the aggrega

Extras
Additional work requested of a contractor, not included in the original plan, which will be billed s

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

Faced Concrete
To finish the front and all vertical sides of a concrete porch, step(s), or patio. Normally the 'fac

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

Fascia
Horizontal boards attached to rafter/truss ends at the eaves and along gables. Roof drain gutters ar

Felt
Tar paper. Installed under the roof shingles. Normally 15 lb. Or 30 lb.

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

Ferrule
Metal tubes used to keep roof gutters 'open'. Long nails (ferrule spikes) are driven through these t

FHA Strap
Metal straps that are used to repair a bearing wall 'cut-out', and to 'tie together' wall corners, s

Field Measure
To take measurements (cabinets, countertops, stairs, shower doors, etc.) In the home itself instead

Finger Joint
A manufacturing process of interlocking two shorter pieces of wood end to end to create a longer pie

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

Fire Brick
Brick made of refractory ceramic material which will resist high temperatures. Used in a fireplace a

Fire Retardant Chemical
A chemical or preparation of chemicals used to reduce the flammability of a material or to retard th

Fire Stop
A solid, tight closure of a concealed space, placed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke through

Fire-Resistive Or Fire Rated
Applies to materials that are not combustible in the temperatures of ordinary fires and will withsta

Fireplace Chase Flashing Pan
A large sheet of metal that is installed around and perpendicular to the fireplace flue pipe. It's p

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

Fishplate (Gusset)
A wood or plywood piece used to fasten the ends of two members together at a butt joint with nails o

Fixed Price Contract
A contract with a set price for the work. See Time and Materials Contract.

Fixed Rate
A loan where the initial payments are based on a certain interest rate for a stated period . The ra

Fixed Rate Mortgage
A mortgage with an interest rate that remains the same over the years.

Flagstone (Flagging Or Flags)
Flat stones (1 to 4 inches thick) used for walks, steps, floors, and vertical veneer (in lieu of bri

Flakeboard
A manufactured wood panel made out of 1' - 2' wood chips and glue. Often used as a substitute for pl

Flame Retention Burner
An oil burner, designed to hold the flame near the nozzle surface. Generally the most efficient type

Flashing
Sheet metal or other material used in roof and wall construction to protect a building from water se

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

Flat Paint
An interior paint that contains a high proportion of pigment and dries to a flat or lusterless finis

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

Floating
The next-to-last stage in concrete work, when you smooth off the job and bring water to the surface

Floating Wall
A non-bearing wall built on a concrete floor. It is constructed so that the bottom two horizontal pl

Flue
Large pipe through which fumes escape from a gas water heater, furnace, or fireplace. Normally these

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

Flue Lining
2-foot lengths, fire clay or terra-cotta pipe (round or square) and usually madein all ordinary flue

Fluorescent Lighting
A fluorescent lamp is a gas-filled glass tube with a phosphur coating on the inside. Gas inside the

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

Footer, Footing
Continuous 8' or 10' thick concrete pad installed before and supports the foundation wall or monopos

Forced air heating
A common form of heating with natural gas, propane, oil or electricity as a fuel. Air is heated in t

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

Foundation
The supporting portion of a structure below the first floor construction, or below grade, including

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

Foundation Waterproofing
High-quality below-grade moisture protection. Used for below-grade exterior concrete and masonry wal

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

Framer
The carpenter contractor that installs the lumber and erects the frame, flooring system, interior wa

Framing
Lumber used for the structural members of a building, such as studs, joists, and rafters.

Frieze
In house construction a horizontal member connecting the top of the siding with the soffit of the co

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

Frost Line
The depth of frost penetration in soil and/or the depth at which the earth will freeze and swell. Th

Furring Strips
Strips of wood, often 1 X 2 and used to shim out and provide a level fastening surface for a wall or

Fuse
A device often found in older homes designed to prevent overloads in electrical lines. This protects

Gable
The end, upper, triangular area of a home, beneath the roof.

Gang Nail Plate
A steel plate attached to both sides at each joint of a truss. Sometimes called a fishplate or gusse

Gas Lateral
The trench or area in the yard where the gas line service is located, or the work of installing the

Gate Valve
A valve that lets you completely stop

General Contractor
A contractor who enters into a contract with the owner of a project for the construction of the proj

Girder
A large or principal beam of wood or steel used to support concentrated loads at isolated points alo

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

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

Gloss Enamel
A finishing paint material. Forms a hard coating with maximum smoothness of surface and dries to a s

Glued Laminated Beam (Glulam)
A structural beam composed of wood laminations or lams. The lams are pressure bonded with adhesives

Grade
Ground level, or the elevation at any given point. Also the work of leveling dirt. Also the designat

Grade Beam
A foundation wall that is poured @ level with or just below the grade of theearth. An example is the

Graduated Payment Mortgage (GPM)
A fixed-rate, fixed-schedule loan. It starts with lower payments than a level payment loan

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

Grid
The completed assembly of main and cross tees in a suspended ceiling system before the ceiling panel

Ground
Refers to electricity's habit of seeking the shortest route to earth. Neutral wires carry it there i

Ground Fault
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI, GFI) - an ultra sensitive plug designed to shut off all elec

Ground Iron
The plumbing drain and waste lines that are installed beneath the basement floor. Cast iron was once

Groundwater
Water from an aquifer or subsurface water source.

Grout
A wet mixture of cement, sand and water that flows into masonry or ceramic crevices to seal the crac

Gusset
A flat wood, plywood, or similar type member used to provide a connection at the intersection of woo

Gutter
A shallow channel or conduit of metal or wood set below and along the (fascia) eaves of a house to c

Gyp Board
Drywall. Wall board or gypsum. A panel (normally 4' X 8', 10', 12', or 16')made with a core of Gypsu

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

Hardware
All of the 'metal' fittings that go into the home when it is near completion. For example, door knob

Haunch
An extension, knee like protrusion of the foundation wall that a concrete porch or patio will rest u

Hazard insurance
Protection against damage caused by fire, windstorms, or other common hazards. Many lenders require

Header
(a) A beam placed perpendicular to joists and to which joists are nailed inframing for a chimney, st

Hearth
The fireproof area directly in front of a fireplace. The inner or outer floor of a fireplace, usuall

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

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

Heat Rough
Work performed by the Heating Contractor after the stairs and interior walls are built. This include

Heat Trim
Work done by the Heating Contractor to get the home ready for the municipal Final Heat Inspection. T

Heating Load
The amount of heating required to keep a building at a specified temperature during the winter, usua

Heel Cut
A notch cut in the end of a rafter to permit it to fit flat on a wall and on the top, doubled, exter