Renovation 4th Edition

by Michael Litchfield

  ing joists, rafters, or other

  Rabbet. A rectangular, longitu-

  on edge at the ridge of the roof,

  tance to heat flowing through it.

  members. Also see Nail-

  dinal groove cut in the edge of a to which the upper ends of raf-

  protection plate.

  board or a plank.

  ters are fastened.

  Saddle. See Cricket.

  Glossary of Building Terms

  597

  Sash. A frame containing one or Sill. In framing (here, a mud-

  Spray foam insulation.

  Story pole (story board). A

  more lights of glass.

  sill), the lowest member of the

  Insulation available in both

  straight board marked off in

  Sash balance. A device, usually

  frame of a structure, which

  open- and closed-cell configura-

  uniform increments, to aid in

  operated by a spring or a weight, rests on the foundation and

  tions that is typically made

  layout. Story poles are used to

  designed to counterbalance the

  supports floor joists and frame

  from polyurethane. It is sprayed mark siding intervals (see the

  weight of a window sash so it

  walls. Also, the bottom of a

  into construction assemblies as

  drawing on p. 164) and to help

  doesn’t come crashing down.

  door or window opening or

  a liquid that expands to fill the

  establish tile and joint intervals

  unit. The exterior portion of a

  surrounding cavity. Once dry,

  (see the photo on p. 466).

  Screed. A straight wood or

  doorsill or windowsill is often

  spray foam functions as both an

  metal strip drawn across con-

  Striking a joint. See Pointing.

  pitched to shed water.

  air barrier and thermal barrier.

  crete, plaster, or a mortar bed to

  Closed-cell spray foams are

  Stringers. In stairs, the supports

  create a flat surface. Also strips

  Sleeper. Usually, a wood mem-

  more dense and may also func-

  on which stair treads rest.

  embedded in those materials

  ber embedded in or placed on

  tion as a vapor retarder.

  More or less synonymous with

  and acting as thickness gauges.

  concrete, to which subflooring

  carriage.

  or flooring is attached.

  Square. A standard unit of mea-

  Scribing. Using a compass or

  sure—100 sq. ft.—usually

  Strip flooring. Solid-wood

  scribing tool to transfer the out-

  Soffit. The underside of an

  applied to roofing materials. In

  flooring that is typically 3⁄4 in.

  line of irregular shapes onto

  overhang, especially at the

  measurement, two adjacent

  thick by 21⁄4 in. wide, with

  woodwork or onto sheet materi- eaves of a roof (shown on

  pieces that join in a 90˚ angle.

  matched tongue-and-groove

  als such as drywall or resilient

  p. 158).

  edges.

  flooring.

  Soil stack. In plumbing, the

  Stair carriage. Supporting

  member for stair treads.

  Strong. To cut something a bit

  Sealer. A finishing material,

  vertical main of a system of soil, Usually of dimension lumber

  long. Also see Proud.

  clear or pigmented, usually

  waste, or vent piping.

  run diagonally, on edge, and

  Strong-ties. Various steel

  applied directly over uncoated

  Sole (sole plate). See Plate.

  notched to receive the treads.

  lumber-connectors such as rein-

  wood to seal the surface.

  Span. The distance between

  forcing plates, straps, clips,

  Distinct from sealant, which is

  STC. Sound transmission co-

  structural supports, such as

  hangers, brackets, and so on.

  the term manufacturers use for

  efficient, a measure of a materi-

  walls, columns, piers, beams,

  Pioneered by the Simpson

  their better grades of seam and

  al’s ability to reduce noise.

  girders, and trusses.

  Company, Strong-Tie

  crack sealants, commonly

  Step-flashing. L-shaped pieces

  Connectors have become the

  called caulk.

  Speed Square. Another one of

  of metal flashing, typically

  those brand names—this one

  generic name for the category.

  Semigloss paint. A paint that

  interwoven with shingle

  owned by the Swanson

  Stub-outs. Plumbing pipes that

  has some luster but that isn’t

  courses, to deflect water from

  Company—that must be driving

  protrude into an unfinished

  particularly glossy.

  roof dormers, chimneys,

  its trademark lawyers crazy.

  skylights, and the like (shown

  room.

  Set. To sink a nail below a

  That is, virtually everybody who on p. 89).

  Stucco. An exterior plaster

  surface.

  uses Swanson’s tool or a look-

  Stile. A vertical structural mem- made with portland cement as

  Shake. A thick, hand-split shingle. alike calls their tool a speed

  its base.

  square. This small framing

  ber in a panel door, sash, cabi-

  Shear wall. A wall reinforced to square with reinforced edges is net frame, or wainscoting.

  Stud. One of a series of wood or

  withstand sideways (shear)

  in every carpenter’s tool belt—

  Stock. The basic materials from metal vertical structural mem-

  forces from wind, soil loads, or

  or should be. A great tool.

  which a building element is

  bers in walls and partitions.

  earthquakes.

  Wood studs are usually 2x4s,

  SPF. Spray polyurethane foam.

  fashioned. For example, stair

  Sheathing. Structural panels

  carriages may be cut from 2x12 though 2x6s are also used.

  such as plywood or boards,

  Splash block. A small masonry

  stock, or window cap flashing

  Subfloor. Plywood panels or

  attached to framing members

  block placed beneath a down-

  may be cut from 26-gauge

  1-in. boards installed over joists

  to strengthen the structure and

  spout to carry water away from aluminum stock.

  to support a finish floor. A sub-

  provide a base for roofing,

  the building.

  Stool. A flat, horizontal mold-

  floor may also be covered with

  siding, and flooring.

  ing at the bottom of a finished

  underlayment.

  Shy. To cut something slightly

  window, the part often adorned Suspended ceiling. A ceiling

  short.

  with small flower pots. Usually

  system hung from overhead

  Siding. The exterior cladding of

  rabbeted on the underside and

 
structural framing.

  a house, whether made of wood

  fitted over the inside edge of a

  clapboards or shingles, stucco,

  windowsill.

  metal, or vinyl lap siding,

  and so on.

  598

  Tack rag. A slightly sticky

  Tie-down. A metal connector

  Unconditioned space. Space

  Weatherstripping. Narrow

  cheesecloth pad that adheres

  used to keep lumber joints from outside the thermal envelope

  lengths of spring metal, vinyl

  dust and is used between

  separating during hurricanes,

  whose temperature and mois-

  tubing, or other materials

  sandings.

  high winds, or other conditions ture level is essentially the same designed to prevent air and

  Taillight warranty. Any warranty of excessive stress. Also called

  as outdoor air.

  moisture infiltration around

  that expires when the contrac-

  hurricane tie. Also see

  UPC. Uniform Plumbing Code.

  windows and doors.

  tor’s truck leaves your driveway. Strong-Ties.

  Utility knife. A knife with

  Wick. To draw moisture by cap-

  Tail pieces. Pipe ends.

  Toenail. To drive a nail at an

  sturdy, razor-sharp, retractable, illary action.

  angle other than 90˚, thereby

  Termite shield. A shield, usually

  replaceable blades and a hollow Wind baffle. An object that

  increasing its resistance to

  of corrosion-resistant metal,

  handle for storing them.

  serves as an air barrier for the

  pull out.

  placed in or on a foundation

  Valley. The internal angle

  purpose of blocking wind wash-

  wall or other mass of masonry

  Tread. A horizontal board in

  formed by the junction of two

  ing at attic eaves.

  or around pipes to prevent ter-

  a stairway that receives foot

  sloping sides of a roof.

  Wythe. The width of a brick and

  mite migration.

  traffic.

  Vapor barrier. Impermeable

  one mortar joint.

  Thermal barrier. Term used to

  Trim. Essentially the same as

  material such as polyethylene

  XPS. Extruded polystyrene; a

  describe when flow of heat is

  molding. Also, to install door

  sheeting used to retard the

  closed-cell, rigid foam insula-

  restricted or slowed. Accom-

  and window casing, base-

  movement of water vapor into

  tion that can be readily identi-

  plished through insulation.

  boards, crown molding, and

  walls and thus prevent conden-

  fied by its pastel hues of pink,

  so on.

  Thermal bridging. Accelerated

  sation within them.

  green, blue, and yellow.

  thermal flow that occurs when

  Trimmer. In a rough opening,

  Vapor retarder. Any material

  materials that are poor insula-

  any structural member fastened that restricts the flow of mois-

  tors displace insulation.

  side by side to a like member,

  ture. Vapor retarders are com-

  thus doubling it for added

  Thermal bypass. The movement

  monly classified into four

  strength. Hence trimmer studs,

  of heat around or through insu-

  groups, based upon the degree

  trimmer joists, and trimmer

  lation. This typically occurs

  of permeance (permeability) to

  rafters.

  when gaps exist between the air

  water vapor. Class I vapor

  barrier and insulation or where Truss. A frame or jointed struc-

  retarders (impermeable) are

  air barriers are missing.

  ture of smaller elements designed rated at less than 0.1 perms and

  to span long distances. Roof

  are considered vapor barriers.

  Thermal bypass checklist.

  trusses, for example, can be engi- Class IV vapor retarders with a

  Comprehensive list of building

  neered to support great loads.

  permeance of 10 perms and

  details for Energy Star

  above are considered permeable.

  Qualified Homes addressing

  Tuck-pointing. See Repointing.

  construction details where air

  UBC. Uniform Building Code.

  Vent. A pipe or duct that allows

  barriers and insulation are

  air to flow in or out.

  U-factor. An aggregate measure

  commonly missing.

  of how well non-solar heat

  VOC. Volatile organic com-

  Thermal envelope. The building flows through a window’s glaz-

  pound; typically, a noxious sol-

  envelope, as seen through its

  ing and frame. Simply put,

  vent in solvent-based finishes or

  ability to retain or lose condi-

  U-factor is the inverse of

  adhesives. You should wear a

  tioned air.

  R-value (1 divided by the

  respirator mask with VOC-rated

  filters when working with VOCs.

  Thinset mortar. A thin, cement-

  R-value), so the lower the

  based setting material (adhe-

  U-factor, the better.

  VSR. Variable-speed reversible

  sive) troweled onto a mortar

  Underlayment panels. Specified (drill).

  setting bed or substrate to

  for resilient flooring, a layer—

  Wallcovering. Formerly wall-

  adhere tiles. Thinset formula-

  over the subflooring—designed

  paper, the collective term for

  tions vary.

  to add rigidity to the subfloor-

  any decorative sheet material

  Threshold. A strip of wood or

  ing and provide a smooth sur-

  adhered to walls, including

  metal with beveled edges

  face for the thin finish layer

  paper, vinyl, foil, cloth, cork,

  installed over the sill of an exte-

  that follows.

  and bamboo.

  rior door or over the gap

  between finish flooring and

  the doorsill.

  Glossary of Building Terms

  599

  Index

  Note: Page numbers in italics indi-

  Asphalt shingles

  circuit requirements, 274

  steel, 64, 65, 244, 245, 246

  cate glossary references.

  inspecting, 10

  countertops. See Countertop(s)

  Bearing walls, 593

  preparing/installing, 89–98

  fans, installing, 401–02

  assessing, 183

  A

  repairing, 82

  fixture clearances, 382

  illustrated, 24

  Attic

  fixture placement/selection, 380

  mapping, 25

  ABS pipe, 318, 323, 325, 330–31,

  air chute/baffle in, 400

  GFCI protection, 380 ( see also

  reinforcing/adding blocking,

  332–33, 338, 339, 340, 446

  air-sealing, 393–95

  GFCIs)

  200

  Abuse-res
istant drywall, 423

  inspecting, 14–15

  inspecting, 16

  removing plaster/drywall, 198

  Acetone, 525

  insulation, 14–15, 412–13,

  lighting, 274, 380

  replacing, 210–13

  Acrylic adhesives. See Latex

  414–15

  musty smells or mildew, 16, 545

  structural precautions, 183

  acrylic sealants/caulks

  marking electrical fixtures, 413

  planning, 23, 319–22, 380–83

  Below grade, 593

  Adfreezing, 17

  safety, 15

  rough-in dimensions, 319–20

  Bevel gauge (adjustable), 46, 479

  Adhesives, 74, 75–77

  ventilation, 14–15, 160–61,

  size requirements, 319

  Bidets, 335, 350, 382–83

  common, 76, 489

  398–99, 400

  testing toilet stability, 16

  Bids and cost-plus options, 34

  construction, 75–76, 464

  water damage, 14, 15

  ventilation, 16, 380, 401–02

  Biscuit joiner (plate joiner), 480

  drywall, 434

  Awning windows, 133, 134

  ( see also Plumbing vents)

  Biscuit joints, 487, 488, 491,

  general names of, 74

  Bathtub

  493–94

  gluing trim, 488–89, 491,

  clearances, 382

  Blind-nail, 574, 575, 593

  493–94

  B

  connecting branch drains/vents, Blistering paint, 530

  interior glues, 489

  Back venting, 334–35

  343

  Blistering roofs, 11, 102

  sealants/caulks and, 76–77

  Back-cutting, 485, 487, 593

  disconnecting drain assemblies, Block planes, 50, 51, 480–81

  tiling, 457–58, 464, 468

  Back-drafting, 384, 593

  346

  Blocking, adding, 199–200, 593

  wallpapering, 538, 539, 540, 549

  Backer board, 423, 456, 461,

  framing for, 341

  Blower-door testing, 388

  Adjustable square, 46, 479

  462–63, 464, 465, 473

  installing, 350

  Blueboard, 423, 441, 593

  Admixtures, 215

  Backfill, 259, 593

  minimum drain/trap/vent sizes,

  Bolts

  AFCIs. See Arc-fault circuit inter-

  Bahco by Snap-On, carbide

  335

  anchor, 234, 247, 248, 250–51,

  rupters (AFCIs)

  scrapers, 50, 51

  removing, 346

  593

  Aggregate, 215, 216–17

  Balusters, 205–06, 207, 593

  rough-in dimensions, 320

  types, 73

  Air barrier, 593

  Balustrade, 593

  styles/sizes/materials, 383

  Borders, 538

  Air movement. See Energy conser-

  Bamboo flooring, 557, 559

  tiling around, 458–59, 461,

  Boxes, electrical. See Electrical

  vation/air quality; Heating,

  Base molding. See Baseboards

  474–77 ( see also Tiles;