Terms | Description |
Aggregate | Particles of sand or stone of varying sizes mixed with cement and water to make concrete, or added to paint to make a textured finish. |
Airlock | A blockage in a water pipe caused by trapped air. |
Appliance | A machine or device powered by electricity. or A functional piece of equipment connected to the plumbing-a basin, sink, bath etc. |
Architrave | The moulding around a door or window |
Arris | The sharp edge at the meeting of two surfaces. |
Back-siphonage | The siphoning of part of a plumbing system caused by the failure of mains water pressure. |
Balanced flue | A ducting system which allows a heating appliance. such as a gas boiler, to draw fresh air from, and discharge gases to, the outside of a building. |
Ballast | Naturally occurring sand and gravel mix used as aggregate for making concrete. |
Baluster | One of a set of posts supporting a stair handrail. |
Balustrade or Banister | The protective barrier oten made of posts alongside a staircase or landing. |
Batt | A short, cut length of glass-fibre insulant or mineral-fibre insulant. |
Batten | A narrow strip of wood. |
Batter | The slope of the face of a wall that leans backwards or tapers from bottom to top. |
Blind | To cover with sand. |
Blown | To have broken away, as when the plaster sounds hollow on a solid wall when tapped or when a layer of cement rendering has parted from a wall. |
Bore | The hollow part of a pipe or tube. Or To drill a hole. |
Burr | The rough raised edge remaining on a workpiece (typically metal or plastic) after cutting or filing and before sandpapering or filing. |
Buttercoat | The top layer of cement render. |
Came | The grooved strip of lead which holds the glass in a leaded light or a stained-glass window. |
Cap-nut | The nut used to tighten a fitting onto pipework. |
Casing | The timber lining of a door opening. |
Catenary wire | A length of wire cable suspended horizontally between two points. |
Cavity wall | A wall of two separate masonry skins with an air-space between them most often it is an external wall. |
Chamfer | A narrow flat surface on the edge of a piece of wood – it is normally at an angle of 45 degrees to adjacent surfaces. Or To plane at an angle to create the angled surface. |
Chase | A groove cut in masonry or plaster to accept pipework or an electrical cable. or To cut such grooves. |
Circuit | A complete path through which an electric current can flow. |
Concave | Curving inwards. |
Conductor | A component, usually a length of copper wire, along which an electric current will pass. |
Convex | Curving outwards. |
Cornice | The horizontal moulding between walls and ceiling. |
Counter-bore | To cut a hole which allows the head of a bolt or screw to lie below a surface. or the hole where the nut sits itself. |
Countersink | To cut a tapered recess which allows the head of a screw to lie flush with a surface. or the tapered recess itself. |
Coving | A pre-fabricated moulding used to make a cornice. |
Cup | Vital for Tea or the bend as a result of shrinkage- specifically across the width of a piece of wood. |
Dado | The lower part of an interior wall- usually defined with a moulded rail. |
Dado Rail | The moulded rail that is mounted horizontal along a wall half way up that splits the wall in half. (If the rail is at head height this is called a picture rail) |
Damp-proof course (DPC) | A layer of impervious material which prevents moisture rising from the ground into the walls of a building. |
Damp-proof membrane (DPM) | A layer of impervious material typically plastic or Butyl which prevents moisture rising through a concrete floor. |
Datum point | The point from which all measurements are taken for a specific project |
Drip groove | A groove cut or moulded in the underside of a door or windowsill to prevent rainwater running back to the wall and causing damp. |
Drop | The length of wall measured from top to bottom that will need to be covered by wallpaper |
Earth (Electrical term) | A connection from an electrical circuit to the ground giving a safe passage for electricity in case of a fault. Or A terminal within a plug to which the earth wire (Green/Yellow) is connected. |
Eaves | The edges of a roof that project beyond the walls. |
Efflorescence | A white powdery deposit caused by soluble salts migrating to the surface of a wall or ceiling it appears typically at the edge of a damp patch or after damp has been cured.. |
ELCB | Earth-leakage circuit breaker. Same as a residual-current circuit breaker. |
End grain | The surface of wood that can be seen after cutting across the fibres. |
Ergonomics | The study of the physical relationship between the human body and its surroundings. |
Extension | A length of electrical flex for temporarily connecting the short permanent flex of an appliance to a wall socket. or A room or rooms added to an existing building. |
Face edge | In woodworking, the surface planed square to the face side. |
Face side | In woodworking, the flat planed surface from which other dimensions and angles are measured. |
Fall | A downward slope. |
Fascia board | Strip of wood which covers the ends of rafters and to which external guttering is fixed. |
Feather | To wear away or smooth an edge until it is undetectable. |
Fence | An adjustable guide to keep the cutting edge of a tool a set distance from the edge of a workpiece. |
Filing | Using a handfile, sander or glasspaper to remove the top surface of your workpiece, either to help it to fit or to make it smoother |
Flashing | A weatherproof junction between a roof and a wall or chimney, or between one roof and another. Often made with lead. |
Flaunching | A mortared slope around a chimney pot or at the top of a fireback. |
Flute | A rounded concave groove. |
Footing | A concrete foundation for a wall typically half as wide again as the width of the wall. |
Frass | Powdered wood produced by the activity of woodworm or a boring insect. |
Frog | The angled depression in one face of some housebricks that provides a key for the mortar. |
Furring battens or Furring strips | Parallel strips of wood fixed to a wall or ceiling to provide a framework for attaching panels. |
Fuseboard | Where the main electrical service cable is connected to the house circuitry. or The accumulation of consumer unit, meter etc. |
Galvanized | Covered with a protective coating of zinc. |
Gel | A substance with a thick jelly-like consistency. |
Going | The horizontal measurement between the top and bottom risers of a stair or the depth of one tread. |
Grain | The general direction of wood fibres. Or The pattern produced on the surface of timber by cutting through the fibres. See also end grain and short grain. |
Grommet | A ring of rubber or plastic lining a hole to protect electrical cable from chafing. |
Groove | A long narrow channel cut in wood in the general direction of the grain. or To cut such channels. |
Grounds | Strips of wood fixed to a wall to provide nail-fixing points for skirting boards and door casings. See also pallets. |
Gullet | The notch formed between two saw teeth. |
Hardcore | Broken bricks or stones used to form a sub-base below foundations. floors, paving etc. |
Hardwood | Timber cut from deciduous trees. |
Head | The height of the surface of water above a specific point- used as a measurement of pressure; e.g. a head of 2m. or The top horizontal member of a wooden frame. |
Head plate | The top horizontal member of a stud partition. |
Heave | An upward swelling of the ground caused by excess moisture. |
Helical | Spiral shaped. |
Hoggin | A fine ballast. usually with a clay content. used to form a sub-base for concrete pads or paving. |
Hone | To finely sharpen a cutting edge. |
Horns | Extended door or window stiles designed to protect the corners from damage while in storage. |
Housing | A long narrow channel cut across the general direction of wood grain to form part of a joint. |
Insulation | Materials used to reduce the transmission of heat or sound. or Nonconductive material surrounding electrical wires. |
Jamb | The vertical side member of a door or window frame. |
Joist | A horizontal wooden or metal beam used to support a structure like a floor, ceiling or wall. |
Kerf | The groove cut by a saw. |
Key | To abrade or incise a surface to provide a better grip when gluing something to it or the hole or depression made for this purpose. |
Knurled | Impressed with a series of fine grooves designed to improve the grip. |
Lath and plaster | A method of finishing a timber- framed wall or ceiling. Narrow strips of wood are nailed to the studs or joists to provide a supporting framework for plaster. |
Lead | A stepped section of brick or blockwork built at each end of a wall to act as a guide to the height of the intermediate coursing. |
Lintel | A horizontal beam used to support the wall over a door or window opening. |
Live | The part of an electrical circuit which carries the flow of current to an appliance or accessory. |
Marine plywood | Superior exterior-grade plywood. |
Mastic | A non-setting flexible compound used to seal joints. |
Micro porous | Used to describe a finish which allows timber to breath while protecting it from rainwater. |
Mitre | A joint formed between two pieces of wood by cutting bevels of equal angles at the ends of each piece. or To cut the joint. |
Mole | A tallow-soaked felt pad used to smooth a soldered lead joint or a machine used to lay pipe underground without disturbing the ground above. |
Mono-pitch roof | A roof which slopes in one direction only. |
Mortar | A sand cement mix used primarily to keep bricks apart |
Mortise | A rectangular recess cut in timber to receive a matching tongue or tenon. |
Mouse | A small weight used to pass a line through a narrow vertical gap. |
Muck | See Mortar |
Mud Sill | The lowest wooden member of a shed that runs across the foundation stones |
Mullion | A vertical dividing member of a window frame. |
Muntin | A central vertical member of a panel door. |
Needle | A stout wooden beam used with props to support the section of a wall above an opening prior to the installation of an RSJ or lintel. |
Neutral | The section of an electrical circuit which carries the flow of current back to source. or A terminal to which the connection is made. or A colour composed mainly of benign colours. |
Newel | The post at the top or bottom of a staircase that supports the handrail. |
Nogging | A short horizontal wooden member between studs. |
Nosing | The front edge of a stair tread. |
Outer string | See string. |
Oxidize | To form a layer of metal oxide as in rusting. |
Pallet | A wooden plug built into masonry to provide a fixing point for a door casing. |
Pare | To remove fine shavings from wood with a chisel. |
Pargeting | The internal render of a chimney. |
Party wall | The wall between two houses and over which each of the adjoining owners has equal rights. |
Penetrating oil | A thin lubricant which will seep between corroded components. |
Pile | Raised fibres which stand out from a backing material as with a carpet. |
Pilot hole | A small-diameter hole drilled prior to the insertion of a woodscrew to act as a guide for its thread or prior to using a bigger drill. |
Pinch rod | A wooden batten used to gauge the width of a door casing. |
Point load | The concentration of forces on a very small area. |
Primer | The first coat of a paint system to protect the workpiece and reduce absorption of subsequent coats. |
Profile | The outline or contour of an object. |
Protective multiple earth (PME) | A system of electrical wiring in which the neutral part of the circuit is used to take earth- leakage current to earth. |
PTFE | Polytetrafluorethylene – used to make tape for sealing threaded plumbing fittings. |
Purlin | A horizontal beam that provides intermediate support for rafters or sheet roofing. |
Rafter | One of a set of parallel sloping beams that form the main structural element of a roof. |
Ratchet | A device that permits movement in one direction only by restricting the reversal with a toothed wheel or rack. |
Rebate | A stepped recess along the edge of a workpiece. Usually as part of a joint. or To cut such a recess. |
Render | A thin layer of cement-based mortar applied to exterior walls to provide a protective finish. Sometimes fine stone aggregate is embedded in the mortar (AKA Pebble-dashed). or To apply the mortar. |
Residual-current circuit breaker (RCCB) | A device which monitors the flow of electrical current through the live and neutral wires of a circuit. When it detects an imbalance caused by earth leakage, it cuts off the supply of electricity as a safety precaution. |
Reveal | The vertical side of an opening in a wall. |
Ring Main | A circular electrical circuit that supplies the electrical wall sockets of a house, current is delivered to each socket from both ways round the circle. Typically there is one per floor of a modern house. |
Riser | The vertical part of a step. |
Rising main | The pipe which supplies water under mains pressure, usually to a storage cistern in the roof. |
Rolled steel joist (RSJ) | A steel beam usually with a cross section in the form of a letter I, this can also be known as a I-beam |
Rub joint | Glued wood rubbed together and held by suction until set. |
Rubber | A pad of cotton wool wrapped in soft cloth used to apply stain, shellac polish etc. |
Sash | The opening part of a window. |
Sash cord | The rope that connects the sash window to the counterweights |
Score | To scratch a line with a pointed tool. See also scribe. |
Scratchcoat | The bottom layer of cement render. |
Screed | A thin layer of mortar applied to give a smooth surface to concrete etc. |
Screed batten | A thin strip of wood fixed to a surface to act as a guide to the thickness of an application of plaster or render. |
Scribe | To copy the profile of a surface on the edge of sheet material which is to be butted against it: to mark a line with a pointed tool. See also score. |
Set | A small rectangular paving block. |
Sheathing | The outer layer of insulation surrounding an electrical cable or flex, |
Short circuit | The accidental rerouting of electricity from the live wire to earth or netural which increases the flow of current and blows a fuse. |
Short grain | When the general direction of wood fibres lies across a narrow section of timber. |
Sill | The lowest horizontal member of a stud partition. Or The lowest horizontal member of a door or window frame. |
Sleeper wall | A low masonry wall used as an intermediate support for ground-floor joists. |
Soakaway | A pit filled with rubble or gravel into which water is drained. |
Soffit | The underside of a part of a building such as the eaves, archway etc. |
Softwood | Timber cut from coniferous trees. |
Sole plate | Another term for a stud partition sill. or A wooden member used as a base to level a timber-framed load bearing wall. |
Spalling | Flaking of the outer face of masonry or tiles caused by expanding moisture in icy conditions. |
Spandrel | The triangular infill below the outer string of a staircase. |
Staff bead | The innermost strip of timber holding a sliding sash in a window frame. |
Stile | A vertical side member of a door or window sash. |
Stopper | A wood filler which matches the colour of the timber. |
String | A board, which runs from one floor level to another, into which staircase treads and risers are jointed. The one on the open side of a staircase is an outer string, the one against the wall is a wall string. |
Stud partition | An interior timber-framed dividing wall. |
Studs | The vertical members of a timber-framed wall. |
Subsidence | A sinking of the ground caused by the shrinkage of excessively dry soil or rotting tree roots. |
Supplementary bonding | The connecting to earth of exposed metal appliances and pipework in a bathroom or kitchen. |
Tamp | To pack down firmly with repeated blows. |
Template | A cut-out pattern to help shape something accurately. |
Tenon | A projecting tongue on the end of a piece of wood which fits in a corresponding mortise. |
Terminal | A connection for an electrical conductor. |
Thinners | A solvent used to dilute paint or varnish. |
Thixotropic | A property of some paints which have a jelly-like consistency until stirred or applied. at which point they become liquefied. |
Top coat | The outer layer of a paint system. |
Torque | A rotational force. |
Transom | A horizontal dividing member of a window frame. |
Trap | A bent section of pipe below a bath, sink etc. It contains standing water to prevent the ingress of gases. |
Tread | The horizontal part of a step or the pattern on a tyre |
Undercoat | A layer of paint used to obliterate the colour of a primer and to build a protective body of paint prior to the application of a top coat. |
Vapour barrier or Vapour check | A layer of impervious material which prevents the passage of moisture-laden air. |
Wall plate | A horizontal timber member placed along the top of a wall to support joists and to spread their load. |
Wall string | See string. |
Wall tie | A strip of metal or bent wire used to bind sections of masonry together. |
Waney edge | A natural wavy edge on a plank. It might still be covered by tree bark. |
Warp | To bend or twist as a result of to much damp or heat. |
Water closet (WC) | A lavatory flushed by water. |
Water hammer | A vibration in water pipework produced by fluctuating water pressure. |
Weathered | Showing signs of exposure to the weather. or Sloped so as to shed rainwater. |
Weep hole | A small hole at the base of a cavity wall to allow absorbed water to drain to the outside. |
Workpiece | An object being shaped, produced or otherwise worked upon. Sometimes shortened to ‘work’. |