Engineering Dictionary

Category Terms Definition

Building constructionAbat-jourA device that is used to deflect daylight downward as it streams through a window.Building constructionAbat-ventBuilding constructionAccess door Building constructionAccordion doorA door that folds and unfolds like an accordion when it is opened and closed.Building constructionAccordion partitionBuilding constructionAcoustic treatmentBuilding constructionAcoustical ceilingA ceiling covered with or built of material with special acoustical properties.Building constructionAcoustical ceiling systemBuilding constructionAcoustical door Building constructionActive leaf Building constructionAdjustable base anchorAn item which holds a doorframe above a finished floor.Building constructionAdobe constructionWall construction with sun-dried blocks of adobe soil.Building constructionAir diffuser Building constructionAir gratingBuilding constructionAir shaftBuilding constructionBuilding constructionAir-lock stripThe weather stripping which is fastened to the edges of each wing of a revolving door.Building constructionAirwayA passage for ventilation between thermal insulation and roof boards.Building constructionAllègeA part of a wall which is thinner than the rest, especially the spandrel under a window.Building constructionAmerican basementA basement located above ground level and containing the building's main entrance.Building constructionAngle bar Building constructionAngle beadBuilding constructionAngle postA railing support used at a landing or other break in the stairs.Building constructionAngle rafterA rafter, such as a hip rafter, at the angle of the roof.Building constructionAngle stileBuilding constructionAntismudge ringBuilding constructionApplied trimBuilding constructionApron liningThe piece of boarding which covers the rough apron piece of a staircase.Building constructionApron pieceA beam that supports a landing or a series of winders in a staircase.Building constructionApron railA lock rail having a raised ornamental molding.Building constructionApron wallBuilding constructionArch braceBuilding constructionArch corner beadBuilding constructionArched constructionA method of construction relying on arches and vaults to support walls and floors.Building constructionArmor plateBuilding constructionArris filletBuilding constructionArris gutterA v-shaped wooden gutter fixed to the eaves of a building.Building constructionArris hip tileBuilding constructionArris tileAny angularly shaped tile.Building constructionAsbestos-cement claddingBuilding constructionAsh pitThe ash-collecting area beneath a fireplace hearth.Building constructionAshlar lineThe outer line of a wall above any projecting base.Building constructionAtticBuilding constructionAttic tankBuilding constructionAttic ventilator Building constructionAtticurgeBuilding constructionAuxiliary rafterA member strengthening the principal rafter in a truss.A series of sloping boards or metal strips, or some similar contrivance, to break the forceof wind without being an obstruction to the passage of air or sound, as in a louver or chimney cowl.A provision for access to concealed plumbing or other equipment without disturbing thewall or fixtures.A movable, fabric-faced partition which is fitted into an overhead track and folds like anaccordion.The use of sound-absorbing materials to give a room a desired degree of freedom fromecho and reverberation.A system for the structural support of an acoustical ceiling, lighting and air diffusers maybe included as part of the system.A solid door with gasketing along the top and sides, and usually an automatic door bottom, designed to reduce noise transmission.In a door with two leaves, the leaf which carries the latching or locking mechanism. Alsoknown as active door.An air distribution outlet, usually located in the ceiling and consisting of deflecting vanesdischarging supply air in various directions and planes, and arranged to promote mixingof the supplied air with the air already in the room.A fixed metal grille on the exterior of a building through which air is brought into or discharged from the building for purposes of ventilation.An open space surrounded by the walls of a building or buildings to provide ventilationfor windows. Also known as air well.Air-distributing acousticalceilingA suspended acoustical ceiling in which the board or tile is provided with small, evenlydistributed mechanical perforations, designed to provide a desired flow of air from apressurized plenum above.An upright bar at the meeting of two faces of a polygonal window, bay window, or bowwindow.A strip, usually of metal or wood, set at the corner of a plaster wall to protect the corner or serve as a guide to float the plaster flush with it.A narrow strip of wood used to conceal the joint between a wall and a vertical woodsurface which makes an angle with the wall, as at the edge of a corner cabinet.A frame attached around a ceiling-mounted air diffuser, to minimize the formation of rings of dirt on the ceiling.Supplementary and separate decorative strips of wood or moldings applied to the face or sides of a frame, such as a doorframe.In an exterior wall, a panel which extends downward from a windowsill to the top of awindow below.A curved brace, usually used in pairs to support a roof frame and give the effect of anarch.A corner bead which is cut on the job, used to form and reinforce the curved portion of arch openings.A metal plate which protects the lower part of a door from kicks and scratches, coveringthe door to a height usually 39 inches (l meter) or more.A triangular wooden piece that raises the slates of a roof against a chimney or wall sothat rain runs off.A special roof tile having an l-shaped cross section, made to fit over the hip of a roof.Also known as hip tile.Asbestos board and component wall systems, directly supported by wall framing, forminga wall or wall facing.The part of a building immediately below the roof and entirely or partly within the roof framing.An open tank which is installed above the highest plumbing fixture in a building andwhich supplies water to the fixtures by gravity.A mechanical fan located in the attic space of a residence, usually moves largequantities of air at a relatively low velocity.Of a doorway, having jambs which are inclined slightly inward, so that the opening iswider at the threshold than at the top.

Building constructionAwning windowBuilding constructionBack filletBuilding constructionBack gutter Building constructionBack hearthBuilding constructionBack lintelBuilding constructionBack nailingNailing the plies of a built-up roof to the substrate to prevent slippage.Building constructionBackbandBuilding constructionBackbendBuilding constructionBacking boardBuilding constructionBackplasteringA coat of plaster applied to the back side of lath, opposite the finished surface.Building constructionBackplateA plate, usually metal or wood, which serves as a backing for a structural member.Building constructionBacksetBuilding constructionBackup stripBuilding constructionBalance armBuilding constructionBalanced constructionBuilding constructionBalanced door Building constructionBalanced sashBuilding constructionBalanced stepBuilding constructionBalconetBuilding constructionBalconyA deck which projects from a building wall above ground level.Building constructionBalcony outletBuilding constructionBalusterA post which supports a handrail and encloses the open sections of a stairway.Building constructionBalustradeBuilding constructionBanisterA handrail for a staircase.Building constructionBar joistA small steel truss with wire or rod web lacing used for roof and floor supports.Building constructionBar sash liftA type of handle, attached to the bottom rail of a sash, for raising or lowering it.Building constructionBlend stopBuilding constructionBond courseA course of headers to bond the facing masonry to the backing masonry.Building constructionBond header Building constructionBond timber Building constructionBoston ridgeBuilding constructionBoxing shutter Building constructionBrick moldingBuilding constructionBrick seatA ledge on a footing or a wall for supporting a course of masonry.Building constructionBuckThe frame into which the finished door fits.Building constructionBuilt-up roofA roof constructed of several layers of felt and asphalt.Building constructionBull noseA rounded external angle, as one used at window returns and doorframes.Building constructionCamp ceilingA ceiling that is flat in the center portion and sloping at the sides.Building constructionCase bayBuilding constructionCasement windowA window hinged on the side that opens to the outside.Building constructionCavity wallBuilding constructionCeilingBuilding constructionCheck filletA curb set into a roof to divert or control the flow of rainwater.Building constructionCheck stopBuilding constructionChimney apronBuilding constructionChimney bar Building constructionCirculation areaA window consisting of a series of vertically arranged, top-hinged rectangular sections,designed to admit air while excluding rain.The return of the margin of a groin, doorjamb, or window jamb when it projects beyond awall.A gutter installed on the uphill side of a chimney on a sloping roof to divert water aroundthe chimney.That part of the hearth (or floor) which is contained within the fireplace itself. Also knownas inner hearth.A lintel which supports the backing of a masonry wall, as opposed to the lintel supportingthe facing material.A piece of millwork used around a rectangular window or door casing as a cover for thegap between the casing and the wall or as a decorative feature. Also known asbackbend.At the outer edge of a metal door or window frame, the face which returns to the wallsurface.In a suspended acoustical ceiling, a flat sheet of gypsum board to which acoustical tile isattached by adhesive or mechanical means.The horizontal distance from the face of a lock or latch to the center of the keyhole,knob, or lock cylinder.A wood strip which is fixed at the corner of a partition or wall to provide a nailing surfacefor ends of lath. Also known as lathing board.On a projected window, a side supporting arm which is constructed so that the center of gravity of the sash is not changed appreciably when the window is opened.A plywood or sandwich-panel construction which has an odd number of plies laminatedtogether so that the construction is identical on both sides of a plane through the center of the panel.A door equipped with double-pivoted hardware which is partially counterbalanced toprovide easier operation.In a double-hung window, a sash which opens by being raised or lowered and which isbalanced with counterweights or pretensioned springs so that little force is required tomove the sash.One of a series of winders arranged so that the width of each winder tread (at the narrowend) is almost equal to the tread width in the straight portion of the adjacent stair flight.Also known as dancing step, dancing winder.A pseudobalcony, a low ornamental railing at a window, projecting only slightly beyondthe threshold or sill.In a vertical rainwater pipe that passes through an exterior balcony, a fitting whichprovides an inlet for the drainage of rainwater from the balcony.The railing assembly of a stairway consisting of the handrail, balusters, and usually abottom rail.A thin wood strip fastened to the exterior vertical edge of the pulley stile or jamb to holdthe sash in position.In masonry, a stone that extends the full thickness of the wall. Also known asthroughstone.A section of wood built horizontally into a brick or stone wall in order to strengthen it or tohold it together during construction.A method of applying shingles to the ridge of a house by which the shingles alternate inoverlap from one side of the ridge to the other.A window shutter which can be folded into a boxlike enclosure or recess at the side of the window frame.A wooden molding applied to the gap between the frame of a door or window and themasonry into which the frame has been set.A division of a roof or floor, consisting of two principal rafters and the joists betweenthem.A wall constructed in two separate thicknesses with an air space between, providesthermal insulation. Also known as hollow wall.The covering made of plaster, boards, or other material that constitutes the overheadsurface in a room.A narrow length of wood or metal that is installed to hold a sliding element in place, suchas the lower part of a sash of a double-hung window.A flashing made of a nonferrous metal, such as copper, that is built into the masonry of the chimney and the roofing material at the place where the roof is penetrated by thechimney.A wrought-iron or steel lintel which is supported by the sidewalls and carries the masonryabove the fireplace opening. Also known as turning bar.The area required for human traffic in a building, including permanent corridors,stairways, elevators, escalators, and lobbies.

Building constructionCoffered ceilingAn ornamental ceiling constructed of panels that are sunken or recessed.Building constructionCollar beamA tie beam in a roof truss connecting the rafters well above the wall plate.Building constructionCommon joistAn ordinary floor beam to which floor boards are attached.Building constructionCommon rafter Building constructionCommon wallA wall that is shared by two dwelling units.Building constructionCompass roofA roof in which each truss is in the form of an arch.Building constructionConstruction areaThe area of exterior walls and permanent interior walls and partitions.Building constructionContact ceilingBuilding constructionCorner headBuilding constructionCorneriteA corner reinforcement for interior plastering.Building constructionCornerstoneAn inscribed stone laid at the corner of a building, usually at a ceremony.Building constructionCricketBuilding constructionCrippleA structural member, such as a stud above a window, that is cut less than full length.Building constructionCross bracingBuilding constructionCross furring ceilingBuilding constructionCrosslap jointBuilding constructionCrown postAny upright member of a roof truss assembly, such as a king post.Building constructionCurtain boardA fire-retardant partition applied to a ceiling.Building constructionCustodial areaBuilding constructionDado jointBuilding constructionDead-air spaceA sealed air space, such as in a hollow wall.Building constructionDeck roofA roof that is nearly flat and without parapet walls.Building constructionDivision wallA wall used to create major subdivisions in a building.Building constructionDoorstopA strip positioned on the doorjamb for the door to close against.Building constructionDormer windowAn extension of an attic room through a sloping roof to accommodate a vertical window.Building constructionDouble floor Building constructionDouble-coursedBuilding constructionDouble-hungBuilding constructionDownspoutBuilding constructionDutch doorA door with upper and lower parts that can be opened and closed independently.Building constructionFolded-plate roofA roof constructed of flat plates, usually of reinforced concrete, joined at various angles.Building constructionFootprintBuilding constructionFurred ceilingBuilding constructionFurringBuilding constructionHeadsillA horizontal beam at the top of the frame of a door or window.Building constructionK trussBuilding constructionLintelBuilding constructionLock railBuilding constructionLoft buildingA building with a large open floor area.Building constructionLong-span steel framingBuilding constructionLookoutBuilding constructionOn centerThe measurement made between the centers of two adjacent members.Building constructionOpen planArrangement of the interior of a building without distinct barriers such as partitions.Building constructionOpen valleyBuilding constructionOpen-timbered roofA roof in which the supporting timbers are left uncovered, forming part of the ceiling.Building constructionOverhangThe distance measured horizontally that a roof projects beyond a wall.Building constructionOversailTo project beyond the general face of a structure.Building constructionOversite concreteA layer of concrete that is installed below a slab or other type of floor surface.Building constructionPanel systemBuilding constructionPanel wallA nonbearing partition between columns or piers.Building constructionParquet flooringWood flooring made of strips laid in a pattern to form designs.Building constructionParting stopA thin strip of wood that separates the sashes in a double-hung window.Building constructionParty wallA wall providing joint service between two buildings.A rafter which extends from the plate of the roof to the ridge board at right angles to bothmembers, and to which roofing is attached.A ceiling in which the lath and construction are in direct contact, without use of furring or runner channels.A metal molding that is built into plaster in corners to prevent plaster from accidentallybreaking off.A device that is used to divert water at the intersections of roofs or at the intersection of a roof and chimney.Boards which are nailed diagonally across studs or other boards so as to impart rigidityto a framework.A ceiling in which furring members are attached perpendicular to the main runners or other structural members.A joint in which two wood members cross each other, half the thickness of each isremoved so that at the joint the thickness is the same as that of the individual members.Area of a building designated for service and custodial personnel, includes rooms,closets, storage, toilets, and lockers.A joint made by fitting the full thickness of the edge or the end of one board into acorresponding groove in another board. Also known as housed joint.A floor in which binding joists support the ceiling joists below as well as the floor joistsabove.Covered with a material such as shingles in such a way that no area is covered with lessthan two thicknesses.Of a window, having top and bottom sashes which are counterweighted or equipped witha spring on each side for easier raising and lowering.A vertical pipe that leads water from a roof drain or gutter down to the ground or acistern. Also known as downcomer, leader.A description of the exact size, shape, and location of a building's foundation as thefoundation has been installed on a specific site. Also known as building footprint.A ceiling in which the furring units are attached directly to the structural units of thebuilding.Thin strips of wood or metal fastened to joists, studs, ceilings, or inner walls of a buildingto provide a level surface or air space over which the finished surface can be applied.Also known as batten, furring strip.A building truss in the form of a k due to the orientation of the vertical member and twooblique members in each panel.A horizontal member over an opening, such as a door or window, usually carrying thewall load.An intermediate horizontal structural member of a door, between the vertical stiles, at theheight of the lock.Framing system used when there is a greater clear distance between supports than canbe spanned with rolled beams, girders, simple trusses, arches, rigid frames, andcantilever suspension spans are used in this system.A horizontal wood framing member that extends out from the studs to the end of raftersand overhangs a part of a roof, such as a gable.A valley formed at the intersection of two roof surfaces and lined with either metal or amineral-surfaced roofing material, the lining is exposed at the intersection.A wall composed of factory-assembled units connected to the building frame and to eachother by means of anchors.

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