Once you start to build your backyard
Shed or
Gazebo, whether you purchase our plans, or someone
else's, or even if you talk with a contractor, you will find
that this business has its own jargon. So, we've put
together this basic glossary of terms you may come across
during your project research, as well as the construction of
your shed, so hopefully you can learn a few things and avoid
costly mistakes. We hope you find our glossary of
terms used in Shed Plans and Gazebo Plans
useful!
Air-dried lumber. Lumber that has been piled
in yards or sheds for any length of time. For the United
States as a whole, the minimum moisture content of
thoroughly air dried lumber is 12 to 15 percent and the
average is somewhat higher. In the South, air dried lumber
may be no lower than 19 percent.
Airway. A space between roof insulation and
roof boards for movement of air.
Alligatoring. Coarse checking pattern
characterized by a slipping of the new paint coating over
the old coating to the extent that the old coating can be
seen through the fissures.
Anchor bolts. A metal connector device used to
connect a wood mudsill to a concrete wall or slab.
Apron. The flat member of the inside trim of a
window placed against the wall immediately beneath the
stool.
Areaway. An open subsurface space adjacent to
a building used to admit light or air or as a means of
access to a basement.
Asphalt. Most native asphalt is a residue from
evaporated petroleum. It is insoluble in water but soluble
in gave. line when heated. Used widely in building for
waterproofing roof coverings of many types, exterior wall
coverings, flooring tile, and the like.
Astragal. A molding, attached to one of a pair
of swinging doors, against which the other door strikes.
Attic ventilators. In houses, screened
opening) provided to ventilate an attic space. They are
located in the soflit 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.)
Backhand. A simple molding sometimes used
around the outer edge of plain rectangular casing as a
decorative feature.
Backfill. The replacement of excavated earth
into a trench around and against a basement foundation.
Balusters. Usually small vertical members in a
railing used between a top rail and the stair treads or a
bottom rail.
Balustrade. A railing made up of balusters,
top rail, and sometimes bottom rail, used on the edge of
stairs, teal conies, and porches.
Barge board. A decorative board covering the
projecting rafter (fly rafter) of the gable end. At the
cornice, this member is a facie board.
Base or baseboard. A board placed against the
wall around a room next to the floor to finish properly
between floor and plaster.
Base molding. Molding used to trim the upper
edge of interior baseboard.
Base shoe. Molding used next to the floor on
interior base board. Sometimes called a carpet strip.
Batten. Narrow strips of wood used to cover
joints or as decorative vertical members over plywood or
wide boards.
Batter board. Scrap lumber nailed horizontally
to stakes driven near each corner of the foundation
excavation. Stretch nylon strings between batter board
to transfer reference points and to measure elevation.
Bay window. Any window space projecting
outward from the walls of a building, either square or
polygonal in plan.
Beam. A structural member transversely
supporting a load, supported by vertical posts. Beams
are typically constructed from 2 or more 2-bys, 4 -by
material, or engineered lumber.
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.
Bed molding. A molding in an angle, as between
the over hanging cornice, or eaves, of a building and the
side walls.
Blind-nailing. Nailing in such a way that the
nail heads are not visible on the face of the work—usually
at the tongue of matched boards.
Blind stop. A rectangular molding, usually ¾ ¾
by 1-3/8 inches or more in width, used in the assembly of a
window frame. Serves as a stop for storm and screen or
combination windows and to resist air infiltration.
Blue stain. A bluish or grayish discoloration
of the sapwood caused the growth of certain mold like fungi
on the surface and in the interior of a piece, made possible
by the same conditions that favor the growth of other fungi.
Bolster. A short horizontal timber or steel
beam on top of a column to support and decrease the span of
beams or girders.
Boston ridge. A method of applying asphalt or
wood shingles at the ridge or at the hips of a roof as a
finish.
Bottom Plate. In stud wall framing, the
bottom horizontal member of the wall. Also known as
the soleplate.
Brace. An inclined piece of framing lumber
applied to wall or floor to stifled the structure. Often
used on walls as temporary bracing until framing has been
completed.
Brick veneer. A facing of brick laid against
and fastened to sheathing of a frame wall or tile wall
construction.
Bridging. Small wood or metal members that are
inserted in a diagonal position between the floor joists at
mid span to act both as tension and compression members for
the purpose of bracing the joists a spreading the action of
loads.
Buck. Often used in reference to rough frame
opening members. Door bucks used in reference to metal door
frame.
Built-up roof. A roofing composed of three to
five layers of asphalt felt laminated with coal tar, pitch,
or asphalt. The top is finished with crushed slag or gravel.
Generally used on flat or low-pitched roofs.
Butt joint. The junction where the ends of two
timbers or other members meet in a square-cut joint.
Cant strip. A triangular shaped piece of
lumber used at the junction of a flat deck and a wall to
prevent cracking of the roofing which is applied over it.
Cantilever. Refers to the end portion of
a joist that extends beyond the beam.
Cap. The upper member of a column, pilaster,
door cornice, molding, and the like.
Casement frames and sash. Frames of wood or
metal enclosing part or all of the sash, which may be opened
by means of hinges affixed to the vertical edges.
Casing. Molding of various widths and
thicknesses used to trim door and window openings at the
jambs.
Checking. Fissures that appear with age in
many exterior paint coatings, at first superficial, but
which in time may penetrate entirely through the coating.
Checkrails. Meeting rails sufficiently thicker
than a window to fill the opening between the top and bottom
sash made by the parting stop in the frame of double~hung
windows. They are usually beveled.
Codes. Regulations implemented by your
local building department which control the design and
construction of buildings and other structures such as
sheds. Consult your local building department for
applicable codes before you begin to build your shed or
gazebo.
Collar beam. Nominal 1- or 2-inch-thick
members connecting opposite roof rafters. They serve to
stiffen the roof structure.
Column. In architecture: A perpendicular
supporting member, circular or rectangular in section,
usually consisting of a base, shaft, and capital. In
engineering: A vertical structural compression member which
supports loads acting in the direction of its longitudinal
axis.
Combination doors or windows. 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.
Concrete plain. Concrete either without
reinforcement, or reinforced only for shrinkage or
temperature changes.
Condensation. In a building: 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. Use of louvers or
attic ventilators will reduce moisture condensation in
attics. A vapor barrier under the gypsum lath or dry wall on
exposed walls will reduce condensation in them.
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 contrasted to plaster.
Construction, 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.
Coped joint. See Scribing.
Corbel out. To build out one or more courses
of brick or stone from the face of a wall, to form a support
for timbers.
Corner bead. A strip of formed sheet metal,
sometimes combined with a strip of metal lath, placed on
corners before plastering to reinforce them. Also, a strip
of wood finish three-quarters-round or angular placed over a
plastered corner for protection.
Corner boards. Used as trim for the external
corners of a house or other frame structure against which
the ends of the siding are finished.
Corner braces. Diagonal braces at the corners
of frame structure to stiffen and strengthen the wall.
Cornice. The structure created at the
eave overhang which typically consists of fascia board,
soffit, and moldings.
Let-in brace. Nominal 1 inch-thick boards
applied into notched studs diagonally.
Cut-in brace. Nominal 2-inch-thick members,
usually 2 by 4’s, cut in between each stud diagonally.
Cornerite. Metal-mesh lath cut into strips and
bent to a right angle. Used in interior corners of walls and
ceilings on lath to prevent cracks in plastering.
Cornice. Overhang of a pitched roof at the
cave line, usually consisting of a facie board, a soffit for
a closed cornice, and appropriate moldings.
Cornice return. That portion of the cornice
that returns on the gable end of a house.
Counter flashing. A flashing usually used on
chimneys at the roofline to cover shingle flashing and to
prevent moisture entry.
Cove molding. A molding with a concave face
used as trim or to finish interior corners.
Crawl space. A shallow space below the living
quarters of a basement less house, normally enclosed by the
foundation wall.
Cricket. A small drainage-diverting roof
structure of single or double slope placed at the junction
of larger surfaces that meet at an angle, such as above a
chimney.
Cripple Studs. Short studs that
strengthen window and door openings or the gable end of a
roof. Also known as jack studs.
Cross-bridging. Diagonal bracing between
adjacent floor joists, placed near the center of the joist
span to prevent joists from twisting.
Crown molding. A molding used on cornice or
wherever an interior angle is to be covered.
Dado. A rectangular groove across the width of
a board or plank. In interior decoration, a special type of
wall treatment.
Decay. Disintegration of wood or other
substance through the action of fungi,
Deck paint. An enamel with a high degree of
resistance to mechanical wear, designed for use on such
surfaces as porch floors.
Defect. Any defect in lumber whether as
a result of manufacturing imperfection or an irregularity in
the timber from which the lumber was cut. Some defects
are only blemishes while others can reduce strength and
durability. Grading rules establish the extent and
severity of wood blemishes.
Density. The mass of substance in a unit
volume. When expressed in the metric system, it is
numerically equal to the specific gravity of the same
substance.
Dew Point. Temperature at which a vapor begins
to deposit as a liquid. Applies especially to water in the
atmosphere. Dimension. See Lumber dimension.
Direct nailing. To nail perpendicular to the
initial surface or to the junction of the pieces joined.
Also termed face nailing.
Doorjamb, interior. The surrounding case into
which 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.
Downspout. A pipe, usually of metal, for
carrying rainwater from roof gutters.
Dressed and matched (tongued and grooved).
Boards or planks machined in such a matter that there is a
groove on one edge and a corresponding tongue on the other.
Drier paint. Usually oil-soluble soaps of such
metals as lead manganese, or cobalt, which, in small
proportions, hasten the oxidation and hardening (drying) of
the drying oils in paints.
Drip. (a) A member of a cornice or other
horizontal exterior finish course that has a projection
beyond the other parts for throwing off water. (b)A groove
in the under. side of a sill or drip cap to cause water to
drop off on the outer edge instead of drawing back and
running down the face of the building.
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. Can also be called a Drip
Edge.
Drywall. Interior covering material, such as
gypsum board or plywood, which is applied in large sheets or
panels.
Ducts. In a house, usually round or
rectangular metal pipes for distributing warm air from the
heating plant to rooms, or air from a conditioning device or
as cold air returns. Ducts are also made of asbestos and
composition materials.
Eaves. The margin or lower part of a roof
projecting over the wall.
Expansion joint. A bituminous fiber strip used
to separate blocks or units of concrete to prevent cracking
due to expansion as a result of temperature changes. Also
used on concrete slabs.
Edge. The narrowest side of a piece of
lumber which is perpendicular to both the face and the end.
Elevation. Drawing of a structure as it
will appear from the front, rear, left, and right sides.
Engineered Lumber. Refers to beams or
rafters constructed from wood fiber and glue such as glu-lams,
microlams, or wood I-beams. Often superior in strength
and durability to dimensional lumber.
Face. The widest side
of a piece of lumber which is perpendicular to both the edge
and the end.
Facia or fascia. A flat board, band, or face,
used sometimes by itself but usually in combination with
moldings, often located at the outer face of the cornice.
Filler (wood). A heavily pigmented preparation
used for fining and leveling off the pores in open-pored
woods.
Finish. Any protective coating applied
to your shed or gazebo to protect against weather.
Shed finishes are available as stains, paints, or
preservatives.
Flakeboard. A panel material made from
compressed wood chips bonded with resin. Also known as
oriented strand board (OSB) or chipboard.
Flashing. Metal material used on the
roof, eaves, and butted wall panels to prevent moisture
penetration.
Fly rafters. Rafters at the gable end
which "fly" unsupported by the tie plate. Also known
as rake, barge, or verge rafters.
Footing. Concrete footings help to
anchor your shed in the surrounding soil and distribute
weight over a larger surface area. n climates where
the soil freezes, a generous footing protects against soil
heaves and structural slippage.
Fire-resistive. In the absence of a specific
ruling by the authority having jurisdiction, applies to
materials for construction not combustible in the
temperatures of ordinary fires and 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 2 by 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.
Flagstone (flagging or flags). Flat stones,
from 1 to 4 inches thick, used for rustic walks, steps,
floors, and the like.
Flat paint. An interior paint that contains a
high proportion of pigment and dries to a flat or lusterless
finish.
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. Fire clay or terra-cotta pipe,
round or square, usually made in all ordinary flue sizes and
in 2-foot lengths, used for the inner lining of chimneys
with the brick or masonry work around the outside. Flue
lining in chimneys runs from about a foot below the flue
connection to the top of the chimney.
Foundation. The supporting portion of a
structure below the first floor construction, or below
grade, including the footings.
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 sin plate to the
roofplate and to which all floor joists are fastened.
Framing, platform. A system of framing a
building in which floor joists of each story rest on the top
plates of the story below or on the foundation sill for the
first story, and the bearing walls and partitions rest on
the subfloor of each story.
Frieze. In house construction a horizontal
member connecting the top of the siding with the soffit of
the cornice.
Frostline. 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. Microscopic plants that live in
damp wood and cause mold, stain, and decay.
Fungicide. A chemical that is poisonous to
fungi.
Furring. 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.
Gable. In house construction, the portion of
the roof above the eave line of a double-sloped roof.
Gable end. An end wall having a gable.
Galvanized Nails. Hot-dipped galvanized
nails (HDG) are dipped in zinc and will not rust.
Gloss enamel. A finishing material made of
varnish and sufficient pigments to provide opacity and
color, but little or no pigment of low opacity. Such an
enamel forms a hard coating with maximum smoothness of
surface and a high degree of gloss
Gloss (paint or enamel). A paint or enamel
that contains a relatively low proportion of pigment and
dries to a sheen or luster.
Girder. A large or principal beam of wood or
steel used to support concentrated loads at isolated points
along its length.
Grade Stamp. A stamp imprinted on
dimensional lumber which identifies wood species, grade,
texture, moisture content, and usage. Grade
descriptions such as select, finish, and common signify
limiting characteristics that may occur in lumber in each
grade. The stamp indicates a uniform measurement of
performance that permits lumber of a given grade to be used
for the same purpose, regardless of the manufacturer.
Grading. The process of excavating,
leveling, and compacting the soil or gravel beneath your
foundation to its desired finish level. Proper grading
avoids drainage problems.
Grain. The direction, size, arrangement,
appearance, or quality of the fibers in wood.
Grain, edge (vertical). Edge-grain lumber has
been sawed parallel to the pith of the log and approximately
at right angles to the growth rings; i.e., the rings form an
angle of 45° or more with the surface of the piece.
Grain, flat. Flat-grain lumber has been sawed
parallel to the pith of the log and approximately tangent to
the growth rings, i.e., the rings form an angle of less than
45° with the surface of the piece.
Grain, quartersawn. Another term for edge
grain.
Grounds. Guides used around openings and at
the floorline to strike off plaster. They can consist of
narrow strips of wood or of wide subjambs at interior
doorways. They provide a level plaster line for installation
of casing and other trim.
Grout. Mortar made of such consistency (by
adding water) that it will just flow into the joints and
cavities of the masonry work and fill them solid.
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 nave trough. A shallow channel or
conduit of metal or wood set below and along the eaves of a
house to catch and carry off rainwater from the roof.
Gypsum plaster. Gypsum formulated to be used
with the addition of sand and water for base-coat plaster.
Header. (a) A beam placed perpendicular to
joists and to which joists are nailed in framing for
chimney, stairway, or other opening. (b) A wood lintel.
Hearth. The inner or outer floor of a
fireplace, usually made of brick, tile, or stone.
Heartwood. The wood extending from the pith to
the sapwood, the cells of which no longer participate in the
life processes of the tree.
Hip. The external angle formed by the meeting
of two sloping sides of a roof.
Hip Rafter. A short rafter that forms
the hip of the roof and runs from the corner of a wall to
the ridge board. Usually set at a 45 degree angle to
the walls.
Hip roof. A roof that rises by inclined planes
from all four sides of a building.
Humidifier. A device designed to increase the
humidity within a room or a house by means of the discharge
of water vapor. They may consist of individual room size
units or larger units attached to the heating plant to
condition the entire house.
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.
IIC. A new system utilized in the Federal
Housing Administration recommended criteria for impact sound
insulation.
INR (Impact Noise Rating). A single figure
rating which provides an estimate of the impact sound
insulating performance of a floor-ceiling assembly.
Insulation board, rigid. A structural building
board made of coarse wood or cane fiber in ½- and 25/32-inch
thickness It can be obtained in various size sheets, in
various densities, and with several treatments.
Insulation, thermal. 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.
Interior finish. Material used to cover the
interior framed areas, or materials of walls and ceilings
Jack rafter. A rafter that spans the distance
from the wall plate to a hip, or from a valley to a ridge.
Jamb. The side and head lining of a doorway,
window, or other opening.
Joint. The space between the adjacent surfaces
of two members or components joined and held together by
nails, glue, cement, mortar, or other means.
Joint cement. A powder that is usually mixed
with water and used for joint treatment in gypsum-wallboard
finish. Often called "spackle."
Joist. One of a series of parallel beams,
usually 2 inches in thickness, used to support floor and
ceiling loads, and supported in turn by larger beams,
girders, or bearing walls.
Joist Hanger. A metal connector
available in many sizes and styles that attaches to a ledger
or rim joist and makes a secure butt joint between ledger
and joist.
Kiln dried lumber. Lumber that has been kiln
dried often to a moisture content of 6 to 12 percent. Common
varieties of softwood lumber, such as framing lumber are
dried to a somewhat higher moisture content.
Knot. In lumber, the portion of a branch or
limb of a tree that appears on the edge or face of the
piece.
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.
Lag Screw. Heavy-duty fastener with
hexagonal bolt head that provides extra fastening power for
critical structural connections. Use galvanized lag
screws to prevent rust.
Lattice. A framework of crossed wood or metal
strips.
Leader. See Downspout.
Ledger strip. A strip of lumber nailed along
the bottom of the side of a girder on which joists rest.
Let-in brace. Usually a 1x4 corner brace
in a wall section that runs diagonally from the bottom to
top plate.
Light. Space in a window sash for a single
pane of glass. Also, a pane of glass.
Lintel. A horizontal structural member that
supports the load over an opening such as a door or window.
Lookout. A short wood bracket or cantilever to
support an overhang portion of a roof or the like, usually
concealed from view
Louver. An opening with a series of horizontal
slats so an ranged as to permit ventilation but to exclude
rain, sun. light, or vision. See also Attic ventilators.
Lumber. Lumber is the product of the sawmill
and planing mill not further manufactured other than by
sawing, resawing, and passing lengthwise through a standard
planing machine, crosscutting to length, and matching.
Lumber, boards. Yard lumber less than 2 inches
thick and 2 or more inches wide.
Lumber, dimension. Yard lumber from 2 inches
to, but not including, 5 inches thick and 2 or more inches
wide. Includes joists, rafters, studs, plank, and small
timbers.
Lumber, dressed size. The dimension of lumber
after shrinking from green dimension and after machining to
size or pattern.
Lumber, matched. Lumber that is dressed and
shaped on one edge in a grooved pattern and on the other in
a tongued pattern.
Lumber, shiplap. Lumber that is edge-dressed
to make a close rabbeted or lapped joint.
Lumber, timbers. Yard lumber 5 or more inches
in least dimension. Includes beams, stringers, posts, caps,
sills, girders, and purlins
Lumber, yard. Lumber of those grades, sizes,
and patterns which are generally intended for ordinary
construction, such as framework and rough coverage of
houses.
Mantel. The shelf above a fireplace. Also used
in referring to the decorative trim around a fireplace
opening.
Masonry. Stone, brick, concrete, hollow-tile,
concrete block, gypsum block, or other similar building
units or materials or a combination of the same, 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 or waterproofing).
Metal Connectors. Used to augment or
replace nails as fasteners, metal connectors are critical
for lasting and sturdy shed construction.
Metal lath. Sheets of metal that are slit and
drawn out to form openings. Used as a plaster base for walls
and ceilings and as reinforcing over other forms of plaster
base.
Millwork. Generally all building materials
made of finished wood and manufactured in millwork plants
and planing mills are included under the term "millwork." It
includes such items as inside and outside doors, window and
doorframes, blinds, porch work, mantels, panel work,
stairways, moldings, and interior trim. It normally does not
include flooring, ceiling, or siding.
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. Weight of the
water contained in the wood, usually expressed as a
percentage of the weight of the ovendry wood. The
drier the lumber, the less the lumber will shrink and warp
in your finished shed or gazebo.
Molding. A wood strip having a coned or
projecting surface used for decorative purposes.
Mortise. A slot cut into a board, plank, or
timber, usually edgewise, to receive tenon of another board,
plank, or timber to form a joint.
Mullion. A vertical bar or divider in the
frame between windows, doors, or other openings.
Mudsill. The part of the wall framing that
contacts to the foundation. Should be pressure treated
to resist moisture and decay. Also known as the sill
plate.
Muntin. A small member which divides the glass
or openings of sash or doors.
Natural finish. A transparent finish which
does not seriously alter the original color or grain of the
natural wood. Natural finishes are usually provided by
sealers, oils, varnishes, water-repellent preservatives, and
other similar materials.
Newel. A post to which the end of a stair
railing or balustrade is fastened. Also, any post to which a
railing or balustrade is fastened.
Nonbearing wall. A wall supporting no load
other than its own weight.
Nosing. The projecting edge of a molding or
drip. Usually applied to the projecting molding on the edge
of a stair tread.
Notch. A crosswise rabbet at the end of a
board.
O. C., on center. The measurement of spacing
for studs, rafters, joists, and the like in a building from
the center of one member to the center of the next.
O. G., or ogee. A molding with a profile in
the form of a letter S; having the outline of a reversed
curve.
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.
Paint. A combination of pigments with suitable
thinners or oils to provide decorative and protective
coatings.
Paper, building. A general term for papers,
felts, and similar sheet materials used in buildings without
reference to their properties or uses.
Paper, sheathing. A building material,
generally paper or felt, used in wall and roof construction
as a protection against the passage of air and sometimes
moisture.
Parting stop or strip. A small wood piece used
in the side and head jambs of double-hung windows to
separate upper and lower sash.
Partition. A wall that subdivides spaces
within any story of a building.
Pea Gravel. Approximately 1/4" round gravel
material which can be used in a 4" to 6" layer to cover the
soil under your shed. Provides drainage and prevents
soil to wood contact for sheds built on wooden skids rather
than concrete foundations.
Penny. As applied to nails, it originally
indicated the price per hundred. The term now series as a
measure of nail length and is abbreviated by the letter d.
Perm. A measure of water vapor movement
through a material (grains per square foot per hour per inch
of mercury difference in vapor pressure).
Pier. A column of masonry, usually rectangular
in horizontal cross section, used to support other
structural members.
Pigment. A powdered solid in suitable degree
of subdivision for use in paint or enamel.
Pilot Hole. A slightly undersized hole
drilled in lumber which prevents splitting of the wood when
nailed.
Pitch. The incline slope of a roof or the
ratio of the total rise to the total width of a house, i.e.,
an 8-foot rise and 24-foot width is a one-third pitch roof.
Roof slope is expressed in the inches of rise per foot of
run.
Pitch pocket. An opening extending parallel to
the annual rings of growth, that usually contains, or has
contained, either solid or liquid pitch
Pith. The small, soft core at the original
center of a tree around which wood formation takes place.
Plaster grounds. Strips of wood used as guides
or strike off edges around window and door openings and at
base of walls.
Plate. 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.
Plough. To cut a lengthwise groove in a board
or plank.
Plumb. Exactly perpendicular; vertical.
Determined with either a plumb bob or a level.
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.
Pores. Wood cells of comparatively large
diameter that have open ends and are set one above the other
to form continuous tubes. The openings of the vessels on the
surface of a piece of wood are referred to as pores.
Post. A vertical support member which
bears the weight of the joists and beams. Typically
posts are 4x4 lumber.
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 Treated. Refers to the process
of forcing preservative compounds into the fiber of the
wood. Handle pressure treated lumber with caution and
do not inhale or burn its sawdust. Certain types of
pressure treated lumber are suitable for ground contact use
while others must be used above ground. While more
expensive than untreated lumber, pressure-treated wood
resist decay and is recommended where naturally decay
resistant species like cedar or redwood are unavailable or
too costly.
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. A horizontal member of the roof
framing that supports rafters or spanning between trusses.
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.
Quarter round. A small molding that has the
cross section of a quarter circle.
Rabbet. A rectangular longitudinal groove cut
in the corner edge of a board or plank.
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
panels.
Rafter. One of a series of structural members
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 2-inch-thick members.
Rail. Cross members of panel doors or of a
sash. Also the upper and lower members of a balustrade or
staircase extending from one vertical support, such as a
post, to another.
Rake. Trim members that run parallel to the
roof slope and form the finish between the wall and a gable
roof extension.
Raw linseed oil. The crude product processed
from flaxseed and usually without much subsequent treatment.
Redwood. Decay resistant and stable wood
for exterior use. Heartwood grades provide the
greatest decay resistance.
Reflective insulation. Sheet material with one
or both sun faces of comparatively low heat emissivity, such
as aluminum foil. When used in building construction the
surfaces face air spaces, reducing the radiation across the
air space.
Reinforcing. Steel rods or metal fabric placed
in concrete slabs, beams, or columns to increase their
strength.
Relative humidity. The amount of water vapor
in the atmosphere, expressed as a percentage of the maximum
quantity that could be present at a given temperature. (The
actual amount of water vapor that can be held in space
increases with the temperature.)
Resorcinol Glue. A glue that is high in both
wet and dry strength and resistant to high temperatures. It
is used for gluing lumber or assembly joints that must
withstand severe service conditions.
Ribbon (Girt). Normally a 1- by 4-inch board
let into the studs horizontally to support ceiling or
second-floor joists.
Ridge. The horizontal line at the junction of
the top edges of two sloping roof surfaces.
Ridge board. The board placed on edge at the
ridge of the roof into which the upper ends of the rafters
are fastened.
Right Triangle, 6-8-10. A means of
insuring squareness when you lay out your shed or gazebo
foundation. Mark a vertical line at exactly 8'-0" from
the angle you want to square. Then mark a horizontal
line at exactly 6'-0" from the crossing vertical line.
Measure the distance diagonally between both the 6' and 8'
marks and when the distance measures 10'-0" exactly you have
square a 90 degree angle between lines.
Rise. In stairs, the vertical height of a step
or flight of stairs.
Riser. Each of the vertical boards closing the
spaces between the treads of stairways.
Roll roofing. Roofing material, composed
of fiber and satin rated with asphalt, that is supplied in
36-inch wide rolls with 108 square feet of material. Weights
are generally 45 to 90 pounds per roll.
Roof sheathing. The boards or sheet material
fastened to the roof rafters on which the shingle or other
roof covering is laid.
Rubber-emulsion paint. Paint, the vehicle of
which consists of rubber or synthetic rubber dispersed in
fine droplets in water.
Run. In stairs, the net width of a step or the
horizontal distance covered by a flight of stairs.
Saddle. Two sloping surfaces meeting in a
horizontal ridge, used between the back side of a chimney,
or other vertical surface, and a sloping roof.
Sand float finish. Lime mixed with sand,
resulting in a textured finish.
Sapwood. The outer zone of wood, next to the
bark. In the living tree it contains some living cells (the
heartwood contains none), as well as dead and dying cells.
In most species, it is lighter colored than the heartwood.
In all species, it is lacking in decay resistance.
Sash. A single light frame containing one or
more lights of glass.
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.
Scale. A system of representation in
plan drawing where small dimensions represent an equivalent
large dimension. In typical shed plans the drawings
are said to be scaled down.
Scratch coat. The first coat of plaster, which
is scratched to form a bond for the second coat.
Screed. A small strip of wood, usually the
thickness of the plaster coat, used as a guide for
plastering.
Scribing. Fitting woodwork to an irregular
surface. In moldings, cutting the end of one piece to fit
the molded face of the other at an interior angle to replace
a miter joint.
Sealer. A finishing material, either clear or
pigmented, that is usually applied directly over uncoated
wood for the purpose of sealing the surface.
Seasoning. Removing moisture from green wood
in order to improve its serviceability.
Semigloss paint or enamel. A paint or enamel
made with a slight insufficiency of nonvolatile vehicle so
that its coating, when dry, has some luster but is not very
glossy.
Shake. A thick handsplit shingle, resawed to
form two shakes; usually edge-grained.
Sheathing. The structural covering, usually
wood boards or plywood, used over studs or rafters of a
structure. Structural building board is normally wed only as
wall sheathing.
Sheathing paper. See Paper, sheathing.
Sheet metal work. All components of a house
employing sheet metal, such as flashing, gutters, and
downspouts.
Shellac. A transparent coating made by
dissolving lac, a resinous secretion of the lac bug (a scale
insect that thrives in tropical countries, especially
India), in alcohol.
Shingles. Roof covering of asphalt. asbestos,
wood, tile, slate, or other material cut to stock lengths,
widths, and thicknesses.
Shingles, siding. Various kinds of shingles,
such as wood shingles or shakes and nonwood shingles, that
are used over sheathing for exterior sidewall covering of a
structure.
Shiplap. See Lumber, shiplap.
Shutter. Usually lightweight louvered or flush
wood or nonwood 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.
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). Wedge-shaped
boards used as horizontal siding in a lapped pattern. This
siding varies in butt thickness from ½ to ¾ inch and in
widths up to 12 inches. Normally used over some type of
sheathing.
Siding, Dolly Varden. Beveled wood siding
which is rabbeted on the bottom edge.
Siding, drop. Usually ¾ inch thick and 6 and 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.
Skid. Typically a decay resistant 4x4
member which is placed horizontally on the ground or gravel
bed and which supports shed flooring. Recommended use
is only in dry climates with stable soil.
Sleeper. Usually, a wood member embedded in
concrete, as in a floor, that serves to support and to
fasten subfloor or flooring.
Slope. A measurement of ground
inclination and expressed as a percentage of units of
vertical rise per 100 units of horizontal distance.
Soffit. Usually the underside of an
overhanging cornice.
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.
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 distance between structural supports
such as walls, columns, piers, beams, girders, and trusses.
Spirit level. A sealed cylinder with a
transparent tube nearly filled with liquid forming a bubble
used to indicate true vertical and horizontal alignment when
the bubble is centered in the length of the tube.
Splash block. A small masonry block laid with
the top close to the ground surface to receive roof drainage
from downspouts and to carry it away from the building.
Square. A unit of measure—100 square
feet—usually applied to roofing material. Sidewall coverings
are sometimes packed to cover 100 square feet and are sold
on that basis.
Stain, shingle. A form of oil paint, very thin
in consistency, intended for coloring wood with rough
surfaces, such as shingles, without forming a coating of
significant thickness or gloss.
Stair carriage. Supporting member for stair
treads. Usually a 2-inch plank notched to receive the
treads; sometimes called a "rough horse."
Stair landing. See Landing.
Stair rise. See Rise.
STC. (Sound Transmission Class). A measure of
sound stopping of ordinary noise.
Stile. An upright framing member in a panel
door.
Stool. A flat molding fitted over the window
sill between jambs and contacting the bottom rail of the
lower sash.
Storm sash or storm window. An extra window
usually placed outside of an existing one, as additional
protection against cold weather.
Story. That part of a building between any
floor and the floor or roof next above.
Strip flooring. Wood flooring consisting of
narrow, matched strips.
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.
Stucco. Most commonly refers to an outside
plaster made with Portland cement as its base.
Stud. One of a series of slender wood or metal
vertical structural members placed as supporting elements in
walls and partitions. (Plural: studs or studding.)
Subfloor. Boards or plywood laid on joists
over which a finish floor is to be laid.
Suspended ceiling. A ceiling system supported
by hanging it from the overhead structural framing.
Tail beam. A relatively short beam or joist
supported in a wall on one end and by a header at the other.
Termites. Insects that superficially resemble
ants in size, general appearance, and habit of living in
colonies; hence, they are frequently called "white ants."
Subterranean termites establish themselves in buildings not
by being carried in with lumber, but by entering from ground
nests after the building has been constructed. If
unmolested, they eat out the woodwork, leaving a shell of
sound wood to conceal their activities, and damage may
proceed so far as to cause collapse of parts of a structure
before discovery. There are about 56 species of termites
known in the United States; but the two major ones,
classified by the manner in which they attack wood, are
ground inhabiting or subterranean termites (the most common)
and dry wood termites, which are found almost exclusively
along the extreme southern border and the Gulf of Mexico in
the United States.
Termite shield. A shield, usually of
noncorrodible metal, placed in or on a foundation wall or
other mass of masonry or around pipes to prevent passage of
termites.
Terneplate. Sheet iron or steel coated with an
alloy of lead and tin.
Threshold. A strip of wood or metal with
beveled edges used over the finish floor and the sill of
exterior doors.
Tie Plate. The framing member nailed to
the top plates in order to connect and align wall sections.
Also known as the cap plate or second top plate.
Toenailing. To drive a nail at a slant with
the initial surface in order to permit it to penetrate into
a second member.
Top Plate. The horizontal top part of
the wall framing perpendicular to the wall studs.
Tongued and grooved. See Dressed and matched.
Tread. The horizontal board in a stairway on
which the foot is placed.
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 to which a header is
nailed in framing for a chimney, stairway, or other opening.
Truss. A frame or jointed structure designed
to act as a beam of long span, while each member is usually
subjected to longitudinal stress only, either tension or
compression.
Turpentine. A volatile oil used as a thinner
in paints and as a solvent in varnishes. Chemically, it is a
mixture of terpenes.
Undercoat. A coating applied prior to the
finishing or top coats of a paint job. It may be the first
of two or the second of three coats. In some usage of the
word it may, become synonymous with priming coat.
Underlayment. A material placed under finish
coverings, such as flooring, or shingles, to provide a
smooth, even surface for applying the finish.
Valley. The internal angle formed by the
junction of two sloping sides of a roof.
Vapor barrier. Material used to retard the
movement of water vapor into walls and prevent condensation
in them. Usually considered as having a perm value of less
than 1.0. Applied separately over the warm side of exposed
walls or as a part of batt or blanket insulation.
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.
Vehicle. The liquid portion of a finishing
material; it consists of the binder (nonvolatile) and
volatile thinners.
Veneer. Thin sheets of wood made by rotary
cutting or slicing of a log.
Vent. A pipe or duct which allows flow of air
as an inlet or outlet.
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 and also as aggregate in insulating and
acoustical plaster and in insulating concrete floors.
Volatile thinner. A liquid that evaporates readily
and is used to thin or reduce the consistency of finishes
without altering the relative volumes of pigment and
nonvolatile vehicles.
Wane. Bark, or lack of wood from any cause, on
edge or corner of a piece of wood.
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.
Weatherstrip. Narrower or jamb-width sections
of thin metal or other material to prevent infiltration of
air and moisture around windows and doors. Compression
weather stripping prevents air infiltration, provides
tension, and acts as a counter balance.
Wood rays. Strips of cells extending radially
within a tree and varying in height from a few cells in some
species to 4 inches or more in oak. The rays serve primarily
to store food and to transport it horizontally in the tree.
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