Batter board. At each corner of
and sheathing are complete.
K. Ching’s A Visual Dictionary of Architecture (John
an excavation, one of a pair of
Brad nailer. A pneumatic nailer
Wiley & Sons). Many of the energy-related definitions
horizontal boards forming an L, often referred to as a pin tacker.
were adapted from Energy Star’s Thermal Bypass
fastened to stakes driven into
Brick veneer. A facing of brick
Checklist (Department of Energy).
the ground. Stringlines
laid against and fastened to
stretched between batter-board
sheathing of a frame-wall or
assemblies may indicate eleva-
tile-wall construction.
AFCI. Arc-fault circuit
Back-cut. To cut a board or a
tion or the outlines of founda-
Bridging (cross-bridging).
interrupter. An electrical device
piece of molding at a slight
tion walls.
Small wood or steel members
that detects minute current
angle so that more material is
Bay. The space between any
installed diagonally between the
fluctuations associated with
removed on the back face of the pair of rafters, studs, or joists.
top and the bottom edges of the
arcing and instantaneously cuts stock. Allows joints to fit tightly Bay window. Any window struc- floor joists to brace the joists power to circuits, thus prevent-
(see “Back-Cutting Trim”
ture projecting outward from the and spread the action of loads.
ing fires caused by loose or cor-
on p. 485).
walls of a building, either rectan-
By contrast, solid bridging
roded connections, punctured
Back-drafting. A state of
gular or polygonal in plan.
(blocking) consists of short
cables, and so on.
depressurization (negative pres-
lengths of dimension lumber (at
Air barrier.
Beam. A structural member,
Any material that
sure) within a house in which
usually horizontal, that sup-
least 2x6s) butted perpendicu-
restricts airflow. In wall assem-
combustion gases are pulled
ports a load.
larly between joists for similar
blies, the exterior air barrier is
back into living spaces instead
effect.
often a combination of sheath-
of exiting through a flue.
Bearing wall. A wall that sup-
Building paper. A general term
ing and either building paper,
Backfill.
ports a vertical load in addition
The replacement of
for asphalt-impregnated felt
housewrap or board insulation.
to its own weight.
excavated earth in a trench
paper as well as rosin papers.
The interior air barrier is typi-
around and against a basement
Below grade. Below the surface This term does not include plas-
cally drywall.
foundation.
of the ground, such as a base-
ticized materials such as
Air-seal. To fill holes, gaps, or
Balusters.
ment floor.
Usually, small verti-
Tyvek, usually referred to as
cracks in an air barrier.
cal members in a railing
Blind-nail. To fasten a board
housewrap.
Anchor bolts. Bolts used to
between a top rail and bottom
through its edge so the nail
Built-up roof (BUR). Low-pitch
secure a wood sill or plate to
rail or stair treads.
head isn’t visible on the face of
roofing composed of several
concrete or to masonry flooring Balustrade.
the work. For example, wood-
An assembly of bal-
layers—today, typically modi-
or walls.
strip flooring is usually blind-
usters, top rail, and sometimes
fied bitumen (MB) and fiber-
Apron.
nailed through the tongue of
The inside trim of a win-
bottom rail. Used on the edge of
glass-reinforced interplies. In
tongue-and-groove boards.
dow, installed against the wall
stairs, balconies, decks, and
the old days, three to five layers
immediately beneath the stool.
porches.
Blocking. Dimension lumber
of asphalt felt were laminated
Arcing.
installed to bolster framing and, with coal tar, pitch, or asphalt.
Electrical current jump-
Base (baseboard). A board that in the case of floor framing,
ing a gap between conductors.
finishes (or trims) the joint
Butt joint. The junction where
stiffen joists and reduce flexion.
ASHRAE.
square-cut ends of two boards
American Society of
between the bottom of the wall
Also see Bridging.
meet, or where a square-cut
Heating, Refrigeration, and
and the floor.
Blueboard. Specialized drywall
end abuts the face or edge of
Air-Conditioning Engineers.
Base molding. Molding used
panel used as a base for single-
another board.
to trim the upper edge of a
or two-coat veneer plaster.
baseboard.
593
Cant strip. A triangular piece of Condensation. In a building,
Counterflashing. Two-piece
Door jamb, interior. The sur-
lumber used at the junction of a water beads or frost that accu-
flashing, consisting of base and
rounding frame of a door, con-
flat deck and a wall to prevent
mulates on the inside of the
overlapping cap pieces that
sisting of two vertical pieces
cracking of the roofing applied
exterior covering of a building
keep water from entering joints called side jambs and a hori-
over it and to aid water runoff.
when warm, moisture-laden air around chimneys and skylights.
zontal head (head jamb).
Cap. The topmost member of a
from the interior reaches the
Cove molding. A molding with a Dormer. A roofed structure that
column, pilaster, door, or win-
point at which it can no longer
concave face, used as trim to
projects from a sloping roof,
dow molding, and so on.
hold moisture.
finish interior corners.
offering a vertical front wall
Cap flashing. Metal or vinyl
Conditioned air. Air that has
Crawlspace. A shallow space
suitable for windows.
flashing over the cap (head cas-
been heated or cooled by an
below the living quarters of a
Downspout. Vertical pipe that
ing) of a window or door; cru-
HVAC system; air within the
house without a basement, nor-
carries rain
water from roof
cial to divert water around the
thermal envelope.
mally enclosed by foundation
gutters.
unit. Also called head flashing.
Control lines. Especially useful
walls and frequently dirt
Drip cap. A molding placed on
(shown on p. 118).
in tiling, these are the primary
floored.
the exterior topside of a door or
Carriage. See Stair carriage.
layout lines that divide space
Cricket. A small drainage-
window frame, causing water to
into quadrants or smaller work-
Casing. Molding of various
diverting roof structure of sin-
drip beyond the frame.
able areas. They help in align-
widths and thicknesses, used
gle or double slope, placed at
ing joints and creating visual
Drip-edge. A metal edge pro-
to trim door and window
the junction of larger surfaces
symmetry. Sometimes called
jecting along the edge of a roof
installations.
that meet at an angle, such as
layout axes.
that causes water to drip free of
above a chimney. Sometimes
Caulk (caulking). Various flexi-
the building, rather than travel,
Convective airflow. Airflow that called a saddle (see “Chimney
ble sealants intended to stop air
by capillary motion, behind the
occurs in gaps between insula-
Flashing” on p. 87).
or water penetration along
siding or exterior trim (shown
tion and the air barrier due to
building seams. Sealant is the
Crosscut. A sawcut across the
on p. 100).
temperature differences in and
term preferred by manufactur-
grain of a board.
across the gap, resulting in a
Drip kerf. A groove under a sill
ers to distinguish better-quality, stack effect or driving forces
Crown molding. A usually com-
that causes water to drip free
more durable materials from
from more to less heat.
plex molding at the top of an
from the sill rather than cling to
caulk, a term for older, cheaper,
interior or exterior wall.
and run down the face of a
less durable materials.
Coped joint. In finish carpentry,
house.
a joint that allows two pieces of Cut-in brace. A diagonal brace
CDX. The grade of plywood
shaped molding to meet in an
notched into studs. See also
Drywall. Wall and ceiling
most often used for roof and
interior corner (see “Coping a
Let-in brace.
interior covering material,
wall sheathing and subflooring; Joint” on p. 487).
d. Indicates nail size. See Penny. usually gypsum panels.
the X in CDX indicates that is
Commonly called Sheetrock,
has exterior-grade glues.
Corbel-out. To build out one or
Dado. A rectangular groove,
after a major brand.
more courses of brick or stone
usually across the width of a
Checking. Cracks that appear
from the face of a wall, either
board or plank.
Ducts. Round or rectangular
with age in many exterior mate-
for decorative effect or to sup-
pipes that deliver air to and
rials and paint coatings.
Dense-pack. Insulation typically
port elements above.
from a heating plant or air-
made from fiberglass or cellu-
Chopsaw. Jargon for a power
conditioning device. Also chan-
Corner bead. A strip of formed
lose that is blown under pres-
miter saw, most of which can
nels that vent exhaust air driven
sheet metal installed on drywall sure—typically, 3 lb./ cu. ft.—
make compound cuts.
by a kitchen or bathroom fan.
or plaster corners to act as
into wall cavities or, on occa-
Collar tie. Member connecting
reinforcement.
sion, between rafter bays.
Eaves. The lowest parts of a
opposite roof rafters, stiffening
sloped roof, overhanging a wall.
Corner boards. Vertical trim
Dew point. The temperature at
the roof structure and keeping
along the exterior corners of a
which a vapor begins to con-
Edgebanding. A solid-wood
rafters from spreading. Also
house. The ends of the siding
dense as a liquid.
band on the edge of a laminated
called collar beams (see
often abut corner boards.
panel, such as plywood.
“Reinforcing a Roof” on p. 15).
Dimension lumber. Usually
Corner braces. Diagonal braces
2-in.-thick lumber such as 2x4s, Elastomeric. A material that
Column. See Post.
at the corners of a frame struc-
2x6s, and 2x8s, but not thicker
stays pliable during the life of
ture, installed to stiffen and
than 5 in. (Wood thicker than
its installation and is thus able
strengthen a wall.
5 in. is called timber.) Most
to expand and contract with
joists, rafters, studs, and planks temperature changes.
are dimension lumber.
594
Enamel. Any paint that dries to
of pigment and dries to a flat,
Grade. Ground level.
Hole saw. A cylindrical saw-
a hard, usually glossy finish.
lusterless finish.
Grain. The direction, size,
blade that mounts to a power
Because enamels are quite
Flue. A fire-clay (terra-cotta) or
arrangement, appearance, and
drill. Capable of drilling large-
durable, they are often specified stainless-steel liner in a chim-
quality of the fibers in wood.
diameter holes such as those
for trim, bathrooms, kitchens,
ney through which smoke, gas,
needed for doorknobs.
and other high-use areas.
Greenboard. Nickname for
and fumes ascend. A chimney
water-resistant drywall, named
HVAC. Heating, ventilation and
End-wall studs. Partition studs
may have multiple flues, each
for the green coloring of its
air-conditioning. Whole-house
that abut the studs in an exterior dedicated to a different com-
paper facing. It has a water-
systems that cool or heat a house.
wall or another partition.
bustion source.
resistant core and water-
I-beam. A steel beam with a
Energy retrofit. Any effort to
Footing. A masonry section,
repellent face. Also called
cross section resembling the
improve the energy profile of an usually concrete, in a rectangu-
WR board.
letter I.
existing structure, whether by
lar form wider than the bottom
Grout. In masonry, a specialized Infrared imaging. Heat sensing
air-sealing, upgrading insula-
of the foundation wall or pier it mortar that seals the joints
camera which helps reveal ther-
tion, installing a more energy-
supports.
between tiles. The term is also
mal bypass conditions by
efficient furnace, and the like.
Foundation. The supporting
applied to a watery mortar that
exposing hot and cold surface
EPS. Expanded polystyrene, the portion of a structure below the is thin enough to flow into the
temperatures revealing unin-
classic white styrene board; a
first-floor construction, or
joints and cavities of masonry
tended thermal flow, air flow,
closed-cell rigid foam insulation.
below grade (ground level),
work, filling them.
and moisture flow. Darker col-
Face-nail. To nail into the face
including footings.
Gutter (rain gutter). A shallow
ors indicate cool temperatures,
of a board. Also called direct
Frieze. On a building exterior, a channel of metal or wood
while lighter colors indicate
nailing.
traditional trim board between
installed below and along the
warmer temperatures.
Fascia. A flat board fastened
the top of the siding and the
eaves of a house to catch and
Insulation contact (IC). Rating
along the eaves ends of roof
soffit.
carry rainwater to a downspout. for recessed lights allowing
rafters (shown on pp. 158, 161). Frost line. The depth of frost
Hardiebacker. A cementitious
insulation to be placed directly
over the top of the fixture. IC is
Female end. The receiving end
penetration in soil.
panel used as a substrate for til-
also used to denote “insulation
of a pipe or socket.
Furring. Strips of wood or metal ing. Hardiebacker and
WonderBoard are brand names covered.”
Field. Any relatively flat, unob-
applied to a wall or another sur-
often used to refer to cement-
Insulation contact, air-tight
structed expanse of building
face to even it and, normally, to
based backer boards in general. (ICAT) lighting fixture. Rating
material.
serve as a fastening base for fin-
ish material.
Header. A beam placed perpen-
for recessed lights that can have
Finish, natural. A transparent
dicular to joists, to which joists
direct contact with insulation;
finish that largely maintains the Gable. The peaked portion of
are nailed, whether in framing
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