Renovation 4th Edition

by Michael Litchfield

  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