Face-Nailing
To nail perpendicular to the surface or to the junction of the pieces joined. Also termed direct nailing.

Fall
The slope of a drain line, ensuring proper flow. Minimum fall is 1/4 inch per foot.

False Ceiling
A drop or suspended ceiling, hung on metal or wood grids, to permit covering exposed ducts, pipes, or beams.

Fascia
The part of a cornice that covers the ends of the rafters, where a gutter would be attached. Interior use is the vertical face of a cornice, etc.

Fascia Board
A board nailed to the ends of the rafters, below the roof edge.

Faucet - 4 inch
Also known as a close coupled faucet. These faucets are produced as an integral, one-piece unit. (The handles and the spout are molded from the same material, producing a faucet with all working parts molded together.)

Filler, Wood
A heavily pigmented preparation used for filling and leveling off the pores in open-grained woods.

Fill-Type Insulation
Loose insulating material that is applied by hand or mechanically blown into wall spaces.

Finish Screws
A small headed screw, usually square drive. The screw head is designed to be countersunk.

Finish Grade
Final ground level around a building.

Fire Blocks (fire stops)
Short horizontal members nailed between the studs to prevent the spread of fire and smoke from one level to another.

Fire Bricks
Heat resistant bricks used for lining fireplaces.

Fire-Retardant Chemical
A chemical preparation used to reduce flammability or to retard the spread of flame.

Firestop
Blocking or noncombustible material between wall studs to prevent vertical draft and flamespread. Same as Fire Blocking.

Fish Tape
Flexible metal strip used to draw wires and cable through walls, raceways, and conduit.

Fitting
Any pipe connector other than a valve.

Fixture
Any device that provides a flow of water or sanitary disposal of wastes. Examples include tubs, showers, sinks, and toilets.

Flagstone
Any kind of stone which splits into shallow slabs suitable for paving.

Flashed
A trade term applying to the attachment of articles to houses or roofs and the penetration of roofs by pipes. When these conditions exist, they are flashed to seal the area from water infiltration. Plumbing pipes exiting through a roof are flashed with neoprene or some other material to prevent leaks around the pipes. Where decks or bay windows are attached to a house, they are flashed with lightweight metal to prevent water damage behind the point of attachment.

Flashing
Material used to prevent seepage of water around any intersection or projection in a roof, including vent pipes, chimneys, skylights, dormers, and roof valleys.

Flat Paint
An interior paint with a high proportion of pigment, It dries to a flat, or lusterless, finish.

Flatwork Concrete
Any concrete work that is horizontal such as driveway, slabs and walks. Different than concrete walls or other formed concrete.

Flitch
(1) Portion of a log sawed on two or more sides and intended for manufacture into lumber or veneer. (2) The term is also applied to the sheets of veneer laid together in sequence of cutting.

Flitch Plate
Usually a metal plate sandwiched between wood beams with bolts running through all members, to increase the strength of the total product.

Float
To level concrete before it begins to cure- floating is done with a tool called a float.

Floor Joists
Framing pieces that rest on outer foundation walls or interior beams or girders, to support the floor.

Floor Plan
A drawing showing the arrangement of rooms, the locations of windows and doors, and complete dimensions- A floor plan is actually a horizontal section through the entire building.

Flue
The opening in a chimney through which smoke can pass.

Flue Lining
Fireclay or terra-cotta pipe, round or square. It is used for the inner lining of chimneys, with brick or masonry work around the outside.

Flush
Even, or in the same plane (with reference to adjacent surfaces of two materials ).

Flush Door
A door having flat surfaces.

Fly Rafter
End rafter of the gable overhang supported by roof sheathing and lookouts.

Footing
A masonry section, usually concrete, in a rectangular form wider than the bottom of the foundation wall or pier it supports. It can be level, stepped level, or follow the contour of the ground.

Footing Drain
An underground drain pipe around the footings to carry ground water away from the building.

Formica
A plastic material available in different colors that is used to veneer plywood or particle wood vanities, kitchen cabinets, and countertops. (A trade name.)

Formwork
The wooden forms that shape wet concrete.

Foundation
The part of a building or wall which supports the superstructure.

Frame
(1) The surrounding or enclosing woodwork, as around windows or doors. (2) The skeleton of a building; that is, the rough structure of a building, including interior and exterior walls, floor, roof, and ceilings.

Frame Construction
Construction in which the structural parts are of wood or depend on a wood frame for support.

Framing
The rough structure of a building, including interior and exterior walls, floor, roof, and ceilings.

Framing Square
A large L-shaped metal measuring tool used when marking boards for framing.

Frieze Board
The highest board directly above the siding and below the soffit.

Frost Heave
Movement or upheaval of the ground when there is alternate freezing and thawing of water in the soil. This is one reason concrete slabs crack, making control joints necessary.

Frost Line
The lowest depth at which the ground will freeze. It determines the code-required depth for footings.

Fungicide
A chemical that is poisonous to fungi.

Furring
Narrow strips of wood attached to a surface for the purpose of creating a plumb or level surface for attaching the wall, ceiling, or floor surface.

Fuse
A short plug in an electric panel box that opens (breaks) an electrical circuit when it becomes overloaded.

Gable
A vertical, triangular part of a building, contained between the slopes of a double-sloped roof.

Gable End
The triangular wall between the sloping ends of a roof.

Gable Studs
The studs placed between the end rafters and the top plates of the end walls.

Galvanized
A zinc coating used to prevent rusting.

Gambrel Roof
A two-sloped roof with its lower parts steeper than its upper parts. This type of roof is identified with the Dutch Colonial house style.

Gauge
A standard unit of measurement for the diameter of wire or the thickness of sheet metal.

General Contractor
A person who contracts to build a house or building, or a part of it, for another person.

Girder
A beam which supports floor joists.

Glazing
Fitting glass into windows or doors.

Glazing Compound
Caulking compound used especially for holding window glass in place because it remains soft underneath the surface.

Gloss
A shiny, lustrous finish which reflects light.

Glue Block
A small piece of wood used to strengthen and support two pieces of wood joined at an angle.

Grade
The designation of quality, as of logs or plywood.

Grade
The ground level or elevation. Also the slope of the surface of a lot or a road.

Grain
The direction, size, arrangement, and appearance of wood or veneer fibers.

Granite
A fine to medium-coarse grained igneous stone; dense and water-resistant, it is often used in garden walls, and as stepping stones and specimen rocks.

Gravel
Naturally rounded or mechanically crushed stones ranging in size from 1/4 inch to 1 1/2 inches. Often used in gravel gardens, terraces, and water features.

Green
Freshly sawed lumber, or lumber that has had no intentional drying; unseasoned.

Groove
A long, hollow channel, cut by a tool, into which a piece fits or in which it works. Carpenters have given special names to certain forms of grooves, such as dadoes and housings.

Ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)
A safety circuit breaker that compares the amount of current entering a receptacle on the hot wire with the amount leaving on the white wire. If there is a discrepancy of 0.005 volt, the GFCI breaks the circuit in a fraction of a second.

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.

Gum
A sticky substance obtained from the sap of certain trees and plants, and used in making varnishes and paints.

Gusset
A triangular or trapezoidal piece of wood or metal fastened to the exterior of a joint to strengthen it. Most commonly used on wood trusses.

Gutter
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 made to be used with sand and water for base-coat plaster.

Gypsum Wallboard
Drywall materials made of gypsum encased in paper to form boards.

Hard Water
Water rich in calcium.

Hardboard (masonite)
A brown sheet of building material made of compressed wood fibers.

Hardware Cloth
A woven steel mesh of fine wire.

Hardwood
The close-grained wood from broad-leaved trees such as oak or maple.

Headers
Double wood pieces supporting joists in a floor or double wood members placed on edge over windows and doors to transfer the roof and floor weight above the openings to the studs at the side.

Hearth
The floor of a fireplace, usually made of brick, tile, or stone.

Heartwood
In a tree, the wood extending from the pith to the sapwood, more decay-resistant than sapwood.

Heat Pump
An electric unit that cools the house during hot weather by absorbing heat from inside and discharging it to the outside. In cold weather, it absorbs heat from outside and discharges it inside.

Heated Square Feet
The square feet of a building that is climate controlled as opposed to square feet under roof which includes garage and porches.

Heel (of a rafter)
The end, or foot, that rests on the wall plate.

Hip
Outside corner formed by intersecting roofs.

Hip Rafter
The rafter extending from the corner of a building to the ridge at a hip.

Hip Roof
A roof which slopes up toward the center from all sides, requiring a hip rafter at each corner.

Hose Bibb
An outside faucet to which a hose can be attached.

House Wrap
A brand name is "Tyvek" A fabric like material that lets moisture pass through but stops air from passing. It is installed on the outside of houses under the siding or brick to slow air infiltration and therefore make them more energy efficient.

HVAC
Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning.

I-Beam
A steel beam whose section resembles the letter I.

Igneous Rock
Rock formed from solidified minerals and gases originally found within the earth's crust.

Inflammable
Easily set on fire.

Inlay
A decoration in which the design is set into the surface.

Insulated Goam Sheathing
A type of sheathing made from compressed foam and covered by a foil or other substance allowing its use as a wall sheathing with increased insulating value.

Insulated Glazing
Two or more pieces of glass in a single sash with air space between them for the purpose of insulation.

Insulation
Any material which resists the transfer of electricity, heat, or sound. For example, thermal insulation is placed in the walls, ceilings, or floors of a home to reduce the rate of heat flow.

Insulation Board (fiberboard)
A low-density board made of wood, sugar cane, cornstalks, or similar material. It is dried and usually pressed to a thickness of 1/2" or 25/32".

Isometric
A kind of drawing in which horizontal lines are 30 degrees from true horizontal and vertical lines are vertical.

Jack Rafter
Rafter between the outside wall and a hip rafter or the ridge and a valley rafter.

Jack Stud
Shorter stud in window or door framing that supports the header over the opening

Jalousies
Windows with movable, horizontal glass slats angled to admit ventilation and keep out rain; also, outside shutters of wood constructed in this way.

Jamb
Side members of a door or window frame.

Jig
A device that simplifies a hand or machine operation, usually by guiding a tool or serving as a template.

Jigsaw
An electric table or portable saw used to make curved cuts. Sometimes referred to as a sabre saw.

Jigsaw (or saber saw)
Maneuverable power saw with a thin saberlike blade.

Joint
The junction of two pieces, as of wood or veneer.

Joint Compound
A pre-mixed gypsum-based material with the consistency of mortar used to fill the seams in gypsum-board construction. Also called gypsum compound.

Jointing
(1) Smoothing and straightening the edge of a board. A jointer is a machine which does this automatically. (2) Grinding or filing the teeth or knives of power tools to the correct height. Circular saws are jointed so that there are no high or low teeth. Knives of planers and jointers are jointed so that each knife makes the same depth of cut as all others.

Jointing Sand
Often called Mason's sand.

Joist
One in a series of parallel framing members that supports a floor or ceiling load. Joists are supported by beams or bearing walls.

Joist Hanger
Metal device, shaped like a "U", used to connect two joists or a joist and beam at right angles to each other.

Joist Support
A horizontal beam that supports the floor joists.

Kerf
The void created by the width of a saw blade as it cuts.

Kiln-Dried
Artificially dried lumber, a method that produces lumber superior to the more commonly air-dried product.

Kilowatt
1,000 watts. Abbreviated kW.

Kilowatt-Hour
Unit of electrical energy consumed. One thousand watts of power for a 1 hour duration. Abbreviated kWh.

Kneewall
A wall that extends from the floor of an attic to the underside of the rafters. Kneewalls are short (usually 48" high) and often non-bearing.

Knot
A hard, irregular lump formed at the point where a branch grows out from the trunk or a large limb of a tree. A

Knurled
Having a surface covered with small knobs or beads, as a nail which may have such a surface for greater holding power.

Lacquer
A varnish-type solution used for finishing wood, metal, porcelain, and similar materials. Lacquers dry quickly and leave a tough, durable, flexible, light-weight film. They should not be used over oil-base paints because they contain solvents that will cut such paints. There are several types of lacquers. Cellulose lacquers have a base of nitrocellulose or pyroxylin; others have a resin base.

Lag Screw or Bolt
Heavy-duty screw with a bolt head for attaching structural members to a wall or to material too thick for a machine bolt to go through.

Laminate
To form a product by bonding together two or more layers of materials. Also, the product so formed, such as plastic laminate. Brand name is Formica

Laminated Wood
A product made by bonding layers of veneer or lumber with an adhesive so that the grains of all layers are generally parallel.

Landing
A platform between flights of stairs or at the termination of a flight of stairs.

Lap Joint
A joint composed of two pieces, one overlapping the other.

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.

Lattice
A framework of crossed wood or metal strips.

Layout
A full-sized drawing showing arrangement and structural features.

Ledger Strip
A strip of lumber nailed along the bottom of the side of a girder on which joists rest.

Let-In Brace
Nominal 1" thick boards applied into notched studs diagonally.

Level
(1) A term describing the position of a line or plane which is parallel to the surface of still water. (2) An instrument or tool used in testing for horizontal and vertical surfaces and in determining differences in elevation.

Light
In builder's terminology, space in a window sash for a single pane of glass; also, a pane of glass. As in 9 light window pane.

Limestone
A fine to coarse-grained sedimentary rock; often used as ashlar or flagstone because it splits easily, limestone also serves as the preferred rock for constructing rock gardens.

Linear Feet
A term used to describe a unit of measure, measuring the distance between two points in a straight line.

Linear Measure
Measurement along a line.

Linseed Oil
Yellowish drying oil made from flaxseed, widely used as a vehicle for lead-based paints.

Lintel
A horizontal structural member, usually made of stone, wood, or metal, which supports the load over an opening; a header.

Live Load
Weight of materials that are not part of the house, as furniture and appliances; also weight (combined) of occupants of house; as opposed to "dead load," the weight of the house itself.

Load-Bearing Wall
A wall that is used to support the house structure and transfer weight to the foundation.

Lock Set
Complete set of hardware including the lock, knobs, screws, and strikeplate.

Louver
Slanted slat of wood, plastic, or metal. Used to admit air but block rain and visibility.

Lumber
The product of the sawmill and planing mill by sawing, planing, cutting to length, and grading. 1" stock is sawed to 1" thickness then finished (planed) to final size of 3/4", 5/4" stock finishes out to 1" thickness, and 2"x stock finishes out to 1 1/2".

Lumen
Measure of total light output. A wax candle gives off about 13 lumens, a 100 watt incandescent bulb about 1,200 lumens.

Mansard Roof
A roof style of Italian origin, popularized in France.

Mantel
The shelf above a fireplace. Originally it referred to the beam or lintel which supports the arch above the fireplace opening.

Marble
A fine-grained metamorphic rock that is strong and weather-resistant; more often used in indoor than outdoor paving and walls because of its cost and its slickness when wet.

Market Analysis
A study of real estate market conditions used to establish an estimated fair market value for the sale of a home.

Mason
A professional who builds brick, stone, or concrete work.

Masonry
Anything constructed of stone, brick, concrete, hollow tile, concrete blocks, gypsum blocks, or similar materials, or a combination of them.

Masonry Cement
Cement which is specially prepared for making mortar.

Mason's Line
Twine used to lay out posts, patios, footings, and structures. Preferred because it will not stretch and sag, as regular string does.

Mastic
The thick adhesive used to hold wall and floor tiles in place.

Matte Knife
A small, sharp-bladed, pointed knife often used to cut paper and cardboard.

MDF
Medium Density Fiberboard. Used in interior trim pieces. Similar to a lightweight Masonite.

Mechanic's Lien
A right given to laborers, material suppliers, contractors, and their subcontractors to secure payment for either work performed or material furnished where the value or condition of the property has been improved and the workers and material suppliers have not been paid.

Medium-Density Fiberboard MDF
A man-made constructional board formed by bonding wood fibers together with resins. Exterior-grade board is essential if used for outdoor play structures.

Membrane Roof
Roofing consisting of a single waterproof sheet.

Metal Lath
Sheets of metal slit and drawn out to form openings. Used as a plaster base for walls and ceilings and as reinforcing over other plaster bases.

Metamorphic Rock
Igneous, sedimentary, or other metamorphic rocks that have been transformed by heat, pressure, or chemical action into other kinds of stone.

Microlam or Lambeam
Heavy plywood beams usually 1 3/4" x various heights so that when two are sandwiched together they equal the thickness of a 2x4 framed wall.

Mil
One-thousandth of an inch.

Millwork
Generally, all wood materials manufactured in millwork plants and planing mills. Includes such items as inside and outside doors, window and door frames.

Miter
A joint in which the ends of two pieces of wood are cut at equal angles (typically 45o to form a corner.

Miter Box
Box with no top and slits on each side to allow a saw blade to pass through the box and cut wood laid in the box.

Miter Joint
A joint formed by fitting together two panels or pieces of wood that have been cut at the same angle.

Mobile Home
Complete factory-made home, constructed on a chassis and wheels for instant mobility.

Modular Unit
A factory-built, transportable building unit designed to be used by itself or with other, similar units. It is built with standard-size materials.

Modulus of Elasticity
A measure of the stiffness of a board.

Moisture Barrier
Treated paper or metal that retards or bars moisture from passing into walls or floors.

Molding (moulding)
In building construction, a strip of wood, often decorative, such as that on top of a baseboard or around windows and doors.

Mortar
Cement and aggregate mixture for bonding masonry units together.

Mortise-and-Tenon Joint
A joint made by cutting a hole or mortise in one piece, and a tenon, or piece to fit the hole, in the other.

Mullion
The vertical bar between the window in a frame which holds 2 or more windows.

Muntin
Small vertical and horizontal strips that separate the individual panes of glass in a window sash.

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