- Glossary of Wood Related Terms -
A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z
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Air Space - The area between insulation facing and interior of exterior wall coverings. For best results, manufacturers recommend filling this space with insulation and allowing at least 3/4" air space in installing reflective faced insulation.
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Balusters - Spindles that help support a staircase handrail.
Band Joist - Piece of lumber to which the ends of the joists are nailed or screwed. Critical to the strength of the floor system because it holds the regular joists in their vertical position.
Base Shoe - Molding placed at the corner between the base molding and floor. Usually used when a wood finish floor is installed.
Batt - A section of fiber-glass or rock-wool insulation measuring 15 or 23 inches wide by four to eight feet long.
Batten - A narrow strip used to cover joints between boards or panels.
Bead Board - A board having a half-round profile milled into one edge.
Beam - A horizontal support member.
Beam Pocket - Notch or opening at the top of a bearing wall or supporting column which secures and bears the weight of a beam.
Bearing Wall - An interior or exterior wall that helps support the roof or the floor joists above.
Bevel - Bevel is produced by resawing lumber at an angle to produce two pieces thicker on one edge than the other.
Bird Stop - Material used to fill the space under the first course of tile at the eave line to prevent birds from nesting in the roofing.
Biscuit - Joint between two boards made by using a biscuit saw to notch out the ends of the joined boards. A premanufactured biscuit fits into the slots made by the biscuit saw. The gluid biscuit swells as the glue soaks in, forming a very tight fit when the joint dries.
Blankets - Fiber-glass or rock-wool insulation that comes in long rolls 15 or 13 inches wide.
Blind Nailing - To drive a nail into a part of the board that will not be visible on the finished product.
Board Foot - A unit of measure for lumber equal to 1 inch think by 12 inches wide by 12 inches long.
Bottom Chord - The lower or bottom member of a truss.
Bow - Longitudinal distortion of lumber from a true plane, from end to end.
Box Joint - A corner joint made up of interlocking "fingers".
Bracing - In a stick built roof system, it is the W-shaped structural member which provides support to the roof rafter.
- A peice of dimensional lumber or metal, used diagonally on the corner of a home.
Brad Nail - A slender wire nail with a small barrel-shaped head.
Brick Veneer - A brick facing used over a sub-wall to provide an exterior finish for a house.
Butt Joint - A woodworking joint where the edges of two boards are placed against each other.
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Camber - The curvature built into a beam (in a direction opposite to the expected deflection) to prevent it from appearing to sag.
Cantilever - The portion of a structural beam which extends or "cantilevers" beyond the end support, and whose end is not supported.
Caulk - Any variety of different compounds used to seal seams and joists against infiltration of water and air.
CDX - Structural panel grades are generally identified in terms of the veneer grade used on the face and back of the panel. The minimum grade of veneer permitted in exterior plywood is C-grade.
Ceiling Joist - One of a series of parrallel framing members used to support ceiling loads and supported in turn by larger beams, girders, or bearing walls.
Chair Rail - A molding installed on a wall at a height that will protect the wall from damage due to the backs of chairs coming in contact with it. In modern times, used more for decoration than function.
Channel - A patterned shiplapped siding that may be applied vertically or diagonally.
Checks - Lengthwise splits in wood which may occur as wood is dried or seasoned. Typically occurs across the rings of annual growth.
Clear - A board that is usually free of knots.
Compound Cut - An angled cut to both the edge and face of a board.
Compression Web - A member of a truss which connects the bottom and top chords and provides downward support.
Convection - Currents created by heating air, which then rises and pulls cooler air behind it.
Coping - A cap at the top of a wall that's rounded or beveled to shed water. Also, a curved cut made so that one contoured molding can joing neatly with another.
Cord - A unit of measure mostly used for firewood stacked 4' wide x 4' high x 8' long.
Corner Bead - Lightweight, perforated metal angle used to reinforce outside corners in drywall construction.
Corner Brace - Diagonal supports set into studs to reinforce the area where a wall changes direction in a frame structure. In many areas plywood is used.
Cornice - The projection from a building that crowns or finishes the edge. Horizontal projection at the top of exterior wall which finishes the eaves of a building.
Countersink - A tool that allows you to drill a hole so that the head of a screw will sit flush with the face of the board.
Courses - Parallel layers of building materials such as bricks, shingles, or siding laid up horizontally.
Cove - A concave curve where vertical and horizontal surfaces join.
Crawl Space - Space between floor and ground of a house or building.
Cripple Rafter - Rafter that runs from a hip rafter to a valley rafter. A cripple rafter never reaches the wall top plate or the ridge board.
Cripples - Short studs above or below a door or window opening.
Crook - Warping along the edge from one end to the other.
Crosscutting - Sawing across the grain of a peice of wood.
Crown - Paving sloightly humped so that the water will run off. Also a countoured molding sometimes installed at the junctures of walls and ceilings.
Crowning - Arranging all framing members so that all crowns are in the same direction.
Cupping - A type of warping that causes boards to curl up at their edges.
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Dado - A rectangular channel cut partway into a board.
Dampproofing - The coating applied to the exterior of a foundation wall with a waterproofing material such as foundation coating.
Dead Load - Permanent load consisting of all building parts and built-in fixtures that will be supported by a structural part.
Deciduous - Trees are classified as deciduous if they shed their leaves annually. Typically these trees are of the hardwood variety however some softwood varieties also drop their needles annually.
Decking - The material installed over the supporting framing members to which the roofing material is applied.
Defect - An abnormality in a piece of lumber that lowers its strength and commercial value such as a check or knot.
Deflection - Downward vertical displacement due to a load.
Design Span - Span used to calculate the strength and deflection of a member usually measured from center to center of the bearing surface at each support.
Dimension Lumber - Lumber that is sawn and planed to standard sizes and lengths 2x4 through 2x12 across the grain by 8 to 24 feet in length.
Double Hung Window - A window that has a top sash and bottom sash, both of which move up and down.
Double Pane Window - Two panes of glass sealed at the edges to create dead air space. The sealed air acts as an insulator.
Dovetail Joint - A method of joining wood at corners by the use of interlocking pins and tails.
Dowel - A cylindrical wooden pin that is used to reinforce a wood joint.
Dressed Lumber - Wood which has one or more planed surfaces.
Drywall - A basic interior building material consisting of big sheets of pressed gypsum faced with heavy paper on both sides. Also known as gypsum board, plasterboard, and Sheetrock™.
DWV (drain waste vent) - The section of a plumbing system that carries water and sewer gases out of a home.
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End Grain - The surface of wood exposed after cutting across the fibers.
Engineered Wood - Lamination technology allows the bonding or gluing of individual, thin sections of wood together to form long straight lengths of lumber commonly called engineered wood products.
Expansion Joint - Flexible material between two surfaces that enables joints to ride out differing rates of expansion and contraction.
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Facing Brick - The brick used and exposed on the outside of a wall. Usually these have a finished texture.
Fascia Board - Horizontal trim attached to the outside ends of rafters or to the top of an exterior wall.
Felt or Felt Paper - Highly absorbent fiber material saturated and impregnated with asphalt and used as backing for rock surfaced roofing materials. Made from organic, asbestos or glass fibers result in a strong, absorbent and flexible product.
Fiber & Cement Shingle - Shingle made from a combination of wood fiber and Portland cement. Can be made to resemble slate, tile or wood.
Finger Joint - A manufacturing process of interlocking two shorter prices of wood end to end to create a longer peice of dimensional lumber or molding. Often used in jambs and casings.
Fire Brick - Brick made of refactory ceramic material which will resist high temperatures. Used in a fireplace.
Fire Blocking - Short horizontal members sometimes nailed between studs, usually about halfway up a wall.
Firebrick - Highly heat-resistant brick for lining fireplaces and boilers.
Flashing - Metal or composition strips used to seal junctions between roofing and outer surfaces, or in the valleys between different slopes.
Flitch Beam - A structural beam comprised of layers of laminate to form a wider, more solid beam.
Floating - The next to last stage in concrete work, when you smooth off the job and bring water to the surface.
Floor girder (girder) - A horizontal beam supporting the floor joists.
Floor Joist - One of a series of parallel framing members used to support floor loads and supported in turn by larger beams, girders, bearing walls or foundation.
Floor Truss - May be used instead of regular joists or I-Joists, floor trusses are generally placed on wider centers, are deeper and more expensive than other joists. Designed to allow utilities (plumbing, electrical, etc.) to be placed inside of them instead of below them.
Flue - A pipe or other channel that carries off smoke and combustion gasses to the outside air.
Fly Rafter - Gable rafter which is located under the overhang part of the roof sheathing on the gable end. It is not directly supported by the exterior wall.
Footing - The base on which a masonry wall rests. It spreads out the load to prevent settling.
Framing - The wood skeleton of a building.
Framing In - The construction process generally considered to be from the foundation plate up to the appliaction of exterior finish materials.
Frieze Board - Horizontal trim peice installed at the top of the exterior wall, covering the joint between the soffit and the exterior wall.
Frost Line - The depth to which the ground freezes below the surface. This varies from region to region, and determines how deep footings must be.
Furring strips - Lightweight wood or metal strips that even up a wall or ceiling for paneling or drywall. On masonry, furring provides as a surface on which to nail.
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Gable - The triangular end of an exterior wall above the eaves of a pitched roof.
Gable End Truss - Truss used at the ends of a gable roof, it has vertical members which are spaced to allow convenient attachment of the exterior wall sheathing.
Gable Roof - A roof which slopes from two sides only.
Gable Stud - The stud at the gable of a roof where the exterior finish is applied.
Gang Nail Plate - A steel plate attached to both sides at each joint of a truss.
Girder (floor girder) - A horizontal beam supporting floor joists.
Glazing - The process of installing glass, which commonly is secured with glazier's points and glazing compound.
Glulam - Structural glued laminated timber. An engineered timber, used as load carrying structural framing for roofs and other structural portions of buildings.
Grade - Ground level, or the elevation at any given point.
Grain - The direction of fibers in lumber or other materials.
Green Lumber - Lumber with a moisture content over 19%.
Grout - Thin mortar that fills the joints between tiles or other masonry.
Gypsum Board - A basic interior building material consisting of big sheets of pressed gypsum faced with heavy paper on both sides. Also known as drywall, plasterboard, and Sheetrock™.
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Hardboard - A manufactured building material made by pressing wood fibers into sheet goods.
Header - Heavier framing - usually doubled and laid on edge - at the top of a window, door, or other opening. In masonry, a header course of bricks or stones laid on edge provides strength.
Heat Gain - Heat coming into a home from sources other than its heating/cooling system. Most gains come from the sun.
Heat Loss - Heat escaping from a home usually to outside air. Heat gains and losses are expressed in BTUs per hour.
Heel - Point on a truss at which the top and bottom chords intersect.
Hip Roof - A roof with four sloping sides.
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Jack Post - A type of structure support made of metal, which can be raised or lowered through a series of pins and a screw to meet the height required. Basically used as a replacement for an old supporting member in a building.
Jambs - The top and sides of a door, window, or other opening. Includes studs as well as the frame and trim.
Joint Compound - A synthetic based formula used in combination with paper tape to conceal joints between drywall panels.
Joists - Horizontal framing members that support a floor and/or ceiling.
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Kiln Dried - Lumber that is dried in a closed chamber in which the required moisture content (19% or less) is obtained by artificial heat and/or humitidy control.
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Laminate - A thin plastic material used to cover a board. Most common in counter and table tops.
Laminating - Bonding together two or more layers of materials.
Lap Siding - A generic term that refers to a type of siding in which one board overlaps the other.
Lath - Strips of wood, expanded metal mesh, or a special drywall that serve as a base for plaster or stucco.
Lineal Foot - A unit of measure for lumber equal to any thickness by any width by 12 inches long.
Lintel - A load bearing beam over an opening in masonry, such as a door or fireplace.
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MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) - A composite panel made from wood fibers combined with synthetic resin or other suitable binder, bonded under heat and pressure.
Millwork - Woodwork such as doors, sashes and trim that have been shaped, usually by a milling machine.
Miter - A joint formed by beveling the edges or ends of two peices at 45-degree angles, then fitting them together to make a 90 degree angle.
Moisture Content - A measure of the amount of water in a piece of lumber.
Mortar - The bonding agent between bricks, blocks, or other masonry units. Consists of water, sand, and cement - but not gravel.
Mortise - A hole, slot, groove, or other recess into which another element fits. Most hinges, for example, are mortised so they lie flush.
Mortise and Tenon Joint - A joinery technique where the tenon from one board fits into the mortise of another.
Muriatic Acid - Commonly used as a brick cleaner after masonry work is completed.
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Newel Post - A post at the bottom, landing, or top of a staircase to which the handrail is secured.
Nominal Size - The rough sawn size of a piece of lumber.
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OC (On Center) - The distance from the center of one regularly spaced framing member to the next. Studs and joists are commonly 16 or 24 inches OC.
OSB (Oriental Strand Board - Structural, multi-layer panel of compressed strands (narrow wafers) bonded with a resin under heat and pressure in a press. Strands are oriented for strength in the core and face layers.
Overhang - Outward projecting eave-soffit area of a roof; the part of the roof that hangs out or over the outside wall.
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Panel - Wood, glass, plastic, or other material set into a frame, such as in a door. Also, a large, flat, rectangular building material such as plywood, hardboard, or drywall.
Paralam - Engineered beam composed of thin strips of wood laminated together to form a structural framing member.
Particleboard - Panel manufactured from wood particles bonded together with synthetic resins under heat and pressure.
Partition - An interior dividing wall. Partitions may or may not be bearing.
Pier - A masonry post. Piers often serve as footings for wood or steel posts.
Pilot Hole - A small-diameter hole that guides a nail or screw.
Pitch (roof) - The slope of a roof expressed in feet rise per foor of run. Example: A pitch of 7/12 means that the roof raises 7 feet for every 12 feet of run.
Plain Sawn - A term used to describe how a piece of wood has been sawn. The log is cut with growth rings that meet the faces of the board at angles of less than 45 degrees.
Plumb - True vertical.
Plumb Bob - A lead weight attached to a string. It is the tool used in determining plumb.
Plywood - A building panel made by gluing together thin layers of wood. Alternating grain directions from one layer to the next adds strength.
Post - Any vertical support member.
Post and Beam - A basic building method that uses just a few hefty posts and beams to support an entire structure. Contrasts with stud framing.
Pressure Treated Wood - Lumber that has been saturated with a preservative.
Primer - A first coating formulated to seal raw surfaces and hold succeeding finish coats.
PVC - Polyvinyl chloride - A type of plastic pipe that's suitable for cold water, but not hot.
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Quarter Sawn - A term used to describe a piece of wood that has been cut from a log with growth rings between 60 and 90 degrees to the faces of the board.
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Rabbeted - A process by which a square channel is routed out of the corner of a board to affect a tightly sealed corner with another board.
Radiation - Energy transmitted from a heat source to the air around it.
Rafters - Parallel framing members that support a roof.
Rail - Any relatively lightweight horizontal element, especially those found in fences. Also the horizontal peices between panels in a panel door.
Retaining Wall - A structure that holds back a slope and prevents erosion.
Ridge Board - The topmost beam at the peak of a roof to which rafters tie.
Rip Cut - Sawing parallel to the grain.
Rise - The vertical distance from one point to another above it; a measurement you need in planning a stairway or ramp.
Riser - The upright between two stairsteps.
Roof Decking - Subsurface material on which roof shingles or built up roofing is applied. Some roof decking is made with one side finished to serve as both roof deck and finished ceiling.
Roof Sheathing - The sheets or boards for sheathing over rafters. Also called roof decking, roof underlayment.
Roofing Cement - A pliable asphalt - or plastic-based compound used as an adhesive and to seal flashings, minor leaks, etc.
Rough Opening - The openings in walls and partitions for doors and windows as formed by the framing members.
Rough Sill - The framing member at the bottom of a rough opening for a window. It is attached to the cripple studs below the rough opening.
Roughing-In - The initial stage of a plumbing, electrical, carpentry, or other project, when all components that won't be seen after the second finishing phase are assembled.
Run - The horizontal distance a ramp or stairway traverses.
R-Value - A measure of the resistance an insulation material offers to heat transfer. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.
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S4S - Surfaced 4 Sides - A board that has been milled on all 4 faces so that opposing faces are parallel to each other.
Saddle - The plate at the bottom of some (usually exterior) door openings. Sometimes called a threshold.
Sash - The openable part of a window, consisting of a frame and one or more panes of glass.
Selects - In softwood, lumber which has been graded strictly for its appearance. In hardwood, lumber which is one grade below first and second.
Setback - The distance a home must be built from property lines (this is dictated by local zoning ordinances.
Settlement - Shifts in a structure, usually caused by freeze-thaw cycles underground.
Sheathing - The first covering on a roof or exterior wall, usually fastened directly to rafters or studs.
Sheetrock™ - A type of wall and ceiling finish made from ground gypsum covered with a paper finish. Common sizes are 4'x8', 4'x12'. Most commonly used as a wall finish that is then painted or wallpapered. Also, drywall, gypsum wall board.
Shim - Thin material inserted to make adjustments in level or plumb. Tapered wood shingles make excellent shims in carpentry work.
Shingle - A covering used to finish the sides or the roof of a house.
Shiplap - A board that has been rabbeted on both edges of one piece to provide a close lapped joint by fitting two pieces together. Most commonly used for siding.
Shoe Molding - Strips of quarter round commonly used where a baseboard meets the floor. Also sometimes known as base shoe.
Siding - The finish material of an exterior wall. Types include wood, aluminum, vinyl and hardboard.
Sill - The lowest horizontal peice of window, door, or wall framework.
Sill Plate - Bottom horizontal member of an exterior wall frame which rests atop foundation, sometimes called mudsill. Also sole plate, bottom member of interior wall frame.
Slab - A term referring to a flat area of concrete.
Sleepers - Boards laid directly over a masonry floor to serve as nailers for plywood, or strip or plank flooring.
Soffit - Covering attached to the underside of eaves or a staircase.
Sole Plate - The bottommost horizontal part of a stud partition. When a plate rests on a foundation, it's called a sill plate.
Span - The distance between supports, generally walls, for rafters or trusses.
Spandrel - The space between two openings which are one above the other in a wall.
Spec Home - A house built before it is sold. The builder speculates that he can sell it at a profit.
SPF Stud - Spruce-Pine-Fir is a commercial softwood grade of 2x4 used for framing.
Square - A situation that exists when two elements are at right angles to each other. Also a tool for checking this. An area of roofing which is 10' square or comprising 100 square feet.
Steam Bending - The process of "bending" or shaping boards into curved pieces by exposing them to steam.
Stick Built - A house built without prefabricated parts. Also called conventional building.
Stile - The vertical upright on either side (and sometimes the center) of a panel door.
Stringer - The side or inclined member of a stair system used to support the treads and risers.
Stops - Moldings along the inner edges of a door or window frame. Also valves used to shut off water to a fixture.
Strike - The plate on a door frame that engages a latch or dead bolt.
Stucco - A mixture of Portland cement, sand, lime and water used to cover cement blocks for decoration purposes.
Stud Framing - A building method that distributes structural loads to each of a series of relatively lightweight studs. Contrasts with post and beam.
Studs - Vertical 2x3, 2x4, or 2x6 framing members spaced at regular intervals within a wall.
Subfloor - Bottom layer of plywood or boards in a two-layer floor.
Surfaced Lumber - A piece of wood that has been planed smooth on one or more surfaces.
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Take-Off - A list of materials developed from a set of blueprints.
Taper - A piece of wood that has been cut so that it is wider on one edge than the other.
Taping - The process of covering drywall joints with paper tape and joint compound.
Tenon - A protrusion from a board that fits into a matching mortise to form a joint.
Threshold - The plate at the bottom of some (usually exterior) door openings. Sometimes called a saddle.
Throat - The opening at the top of a fireplace through which smoke passes enroute to the flue.
Tie - A metal strip used to tie a brick or masonry wall to the wooden frame wall.
Toe Kick - An indentation designed into the bottom of a cabinet to provide room to allow the user to stand closer to the countertop.
Toe Nail - To drive nails at an angle.
Tongue and Groove - A style of lumber in which the pieces interlock to form a strong solid formation.
Top Chord - The upper or top member of a truss.
Top Plate - The topmost horizontal element of a stud-frame wall.
Treads - The level parts of a staircase.
Treated Lumber - A chemical treatment applied to dimensional lumber to prevent rot or decay.
Trimmers - Studs at either side of a door, window, or other opening that are used to support the header.
Truss - A prefabricated structure made of wood members designed to form a rigid framework for supporting loads over a given span.
Trusses - Pre-engineered and wood frames designed to support roof or floor loads.
Twist - Warping in lumber where the ends twist in opposite directions.
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Underlayment - Top layer of plywood (or other material) in a two-layer floor. Provides a smooth base for carpet, tile or sheet flooring.
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Valley - The intersection of two roof slopes.
Vapor Barrier - A waterproof membrane in a floor, wall, or ceiling that blocks the transfer of condensation.
Veneer - A thin sheet of wood cut from a log.
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Waferboard - Structural panels of compressed wafer bonded with resin under heat and pressure in a press. The wafers, of flakes, are either randomly or directionally oriented.
Wane - A defect in lumber characterized by bark or a lack of wood at a corner or edge.
Warping - Any distortion in a material.
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