| Term | Definition |
| Back | 1. The part or surface behind the front; the rear. 2. See Steel Square. 3. The back surface of gypsum board; the opposite side from the face; usually the side that would be concealed or the side in contact with the framing; also referred to as the Code Si |
| Back Blocking | A short piece of gypsum wallboard adhesively laminated behind the joints between each framing member to reinforce the joint. |
| Back Charge | Billings for work performed or costs incurred by one party that, in accordance with the agreement, should have been performed or incurred by the party to whom billed. Owners bill back charges to general contractors, and general contractors bill back charg |
| Back Clip | Specially designed clips attached to the back of gypsum board that fit into slots or other formations in the framing to hold the gypsum board in place; often used in demountable partition designs. |
| Back Filling | 1. Rough masonry built behind a facing or between two faces. 2. Filling over the extrados of an arch. 3. Masonry in spaces between structural timbers, sometimes called Nogging. 4. The filling with earth of the excavations after the concrete and masonry wo |
| Back Gouging | The forming of a bevel or groove on the other side of a partially welded joint to assure complete penetration upon subsequent welding from that side. |
| Back Mounted Tile | Mounted tile with perforated paper, fiber mesh, or other suitable bonding material applied to the backs or edges of the tile so that a relatively large portion of the tile area is exposed to the setting bed. |
| Back Nailing | In roofing, the nailing of felts under the overlap to prevent slippage of the felts. |
| Back Pressure | 1. In plumbing, a higher air pressure at the sewer side of the trap than on the fixture side of the trap; water can, under certain conditions, be forced out of the trap in the wrong direction towards the fixture. 2. In a refrigerating system, the pressure |
| Back Priming | A coat of paint applied to the back of woodwork and exterior siding to prevent moisture from entering the wood and causing the grain to swell. |
| Back Saw | Small toothed, joint-cutting saw with a metal back strip to keep the saw rigidly in line. |
| Back Seam | While all carpet seams are located on the back or underside of the carpet, those made when the carpet is turned over or face-down are called back seams, while those made with the carpet face-up are called face seams. |
| Back Siphonage | The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures, or substances into the distributing pipes of a potable supply of water from any sources other than its intended course, due to a negative pressure in such pipe. |
| Back Splash | A protective panel installed on the wall behind a counter, sink or lavatory. |
| Back Vent | A branch vent installed for the purpose of protecting fixture traps from siphoning; back vents include most of the vents not installed specially to permit circulation between vent stacks and soil or waste stacks. |
| Back Wall | The wall facing an observer who is standing at the entrance to a room, shower, or tub shower. |
| Back-Mopping | Mopping the back or underside of roofing. |
| Back-Plastering | Plaster applied to one face of a lath system following application and subsequent hardening of plaster applied to the opposite face; used primarily in construction of solid plaster partitions and certain exterior wall systems. |
| Backband | A simple molding sometimes used around the outer edge of plain rectangular casing as a decorative feature. |
| Backboard | A vertical structure used as a guard against losing thrown objects, usually specified in the design of athletic playing fields and surfaces. |
| Backcharge | An offsetting charge against a bill, often asserted by an owner against a prime contractor or a by prime contractor against a subcontractor based on supposedly defective construction work. |
| Backcheck | A valve that allows flow of a liquid in only one direction; a backflow preventer; a backcheck valve. |
| Backer Board | See Backing Board. |
| Backfill | The replacement of excavated earth into a trench around or against a basement /crawl space foundationwall. |
| Backfill, Hand | The act or process of placing excavated earth in a trench or back against the foundation of a structure, by a man and a hand shovel. |
| Backfire | In welding, a short pop of the flame from the torch tip followed by immediate reappearance or complete extinguishment of the flame. |
| Backflow | The unintentional flow of water into the supply pipes of a plumbing system from a non-supply source; back-siphonage is one type of backflow, generally due to a temporary occurrence of negative pressure (suction) in the pipes. |
| Backflow Connection | Any arrangement of pipe or fixtures which can cause backflow to occur. |
| Backflow Preventer | Backcheck valve; a device which prevents sewage from flowing backward into a building's plumbing system. |
| Backfurrow | The first cut of a plow from which the slice is laid on undisturbed soil. |
| Background Noise | The sound level present in a room or space at any given time above which speech, music, desired signal, or sound must be raised in order to be heard or made intelligible. |
| Backhand Welding | A gas-welding technique wherein the flame is directed opposite to the progress of welding. |
| Backhoe | An excavating machine with a bucket rigidly attached to a hinged stick on a boom that is drawn toward the machine in operation. |
| Backhoe/Loader | An excavation machine combining a bucket on a hinged stick on a boom on one end, and a bucket or scoop at the other. |
| Backing | 1. Something forming a back. 2. The wood blocking behind plastering for supporting the load of lighting fixtures, cabinets, and hardware attached to a wall or ceiling. 3. Any material used as a base over which a finished material is to be installed. 4. Se |
| Backing Board | A gypsum board product designed for use as the first or base layer in a multilayer system; also called Backer Board. |
| Backing Filler Material | Filler metal in the form of a ring, strip or consumable insert, fused in a single-welded joint. |
| Backing Off | See Featheredging tile. |
| Backing Ring | Backing in the form of a ring, generally used in the welding of piping. |
| Backing Rod | A foam plastic rod inserted in a joint to be sealed, to regulate the depth of sealant. |
| Backing Up | Constructing the inside section of a brick wall after the facing brick of the same wall has been laid header high. |
| Backlog | Reserve of uncompleted work. |
| Backnailing | In roofing, the practice of blind nailing (in addition to hot- mopping) all the plies to a substrate to prevent slippage on slopes of 1-1/2 inch or more for steep asphalt, 1/2 inch or more for coal-tar pitch and dead-level asphalt. |
| Backout | Work the framing contractor does after the mechanical subcontractors (Heating-Plumbing-Electrical) finish their phase of work at the Rough (before insulation) stage to get the home ready for a municipal frame inspection. Generally, the framing contractor |
| Backset of a Hinge | The distance from the edge of the door to the hinge. |
| Backset of a Lock | The distance from the centerline of a tubular door lock or cylinder to the edge of the door, measured on the high side of a beveled door. |
| Backshore | That zone of the shore or beach including the berm or berms which lies between the foreshore and the dunes or bluffs. The backshore is acted upon by waves only during severe storrns, especially when combined with exceptionally high water. |
| Backstep Sequence | A longitudinal sequence wherein the weld bead increments are deposited in the direction opposite to the progress of welding the joint. |
| Backstop | To support or bolster. |
| Backup | That part of a masonry wall behind the exterior facing. |
| Backup Bar | A small rectangular strip of steel applied beneath a joint to provide a solid base for beginning a weld between two steel structural members. |
| Backup Block | Concrete block which is used as a non-exposed structural wall and backs a finished surface to provide a complete wall system. |
| Backwash | The process of cleaning the swimming pool filter by reversing the water flow. |
| Backwash Pipe | See Filter Waste Discharge Piping. |
| Backwater area | The low-lying lands adjacent to a stream that become flooded during periods of high water. |
| Bacteria | Microorganisms present in all water supplies including swimming pools; chlorine and other chemicals are used to keep these microorganisms under control. |
| Bacteriacide | Any of a number of chemicals used to kill bacteria. |
| Bad Debt | An uncollectable debt. |
| Baffle | Plate or vane used to direct or control movement of fluid or air within a confined area. |
| Bain-Marie | A kitchen utensil that has a hot water compartment under an upper compartment that keeps food warm; also called steam table. |
| baize | Dyed green or red, baize is a flannel-like cloth used for card tables and the linings of silverware drawers. Its color and texture make it handy for improvised curtains or shades. Baize will fade in strong sunlight. |
| Bake Oven | A cooking device containing a chamber wherein food is baked by dry heat; a commercial or institutional oven. |
| Bakelite | Trademark; any of various thermosetting resins or plastics made from formaldehyde and phenol. |
| Baker, Knapp & Tubb Furniture | High quality traditional furniture manufacturer. (1661 Monroe Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505) |
| Baking Finishes | Baking at elevated temperatures improves certain types of coatings used on metal articles, such as automobiles and refrigerators; baking may be done in an oven, under infrared lamps or by induction heating according to the demands of shape, space and othe |
| Baking Japan | An enamel to which the artificial heat of an oven is usually applied in order to attain the maximum hardness or toughness of film. |
| Balance | An instrument that measures mass, consisting of a central pivot, a horizontal beam, and two scales. |
| Balance Box | A loaded box at the far side of a crane from the jib and the load, to counterbalance them. |
| Balance Sheet | A statement of financial condition of a specific date. |
| Balanced Construction | A method of constructing manufactured wood products so that moisture content changes will be uniformly distributed and therefore will not cause warping. An example would be symmetrical construction of plywood in which the grain direction of each ply is pe |
| Balanced Cuts | . 1. Cuts of tile at the perimeter of an area that will not take full tiles; the cuts on opposite sides of such an area shall be the same size. 2. The same sized cuts on each side of a miter. |
| Balanced Door | A door swung on an arm and pivot arrangement that is spaced out from the jamb so that some of the wind impinging on the door will assist in opening the door. |
| Balancing Valve | A pipe valve that is used to control the flow of a liquid rather than to shut it off. |
| Balcony | A platform that projects from the wall of a building. |
| Baldachin | An ornamental canopy over an altar; also called baldachino. |
| Bali Blinds | Blind fabricator. Products include CustoMiser miniblinds, Heritage miniblinds, Classics miniblinds, Neat Pleat Ultra, and others. A division of Springs Industries. |
| Ball | An ornament of rounded form, common as the termination of a cupola or lantern. |
| Ball Bearing | A bearing in which the two halves are separated by a ring of small metal balls which reduce friction. |
| Ball Bearing Hinge | A hinge having ball bearings positioned between the protruding, cylindrical parts of the hinge, to prevent friction. |
| Ball Check Valve | Valve assembly (ball) which permits flow of fluid in one direction only. |
| Ball Clay | A secondary clay, commonly characterized by the presence of organic matter, high plasticity, high dry strength, long verification range, and a light color when fired. |
| Ball Cock | An automatic valve whose opening and closing are controlled by a spherical float at the end of a lever, such as on a flush toilet. |
| Ball Milling | A method of grinding and mixing material, with or without liquid, in a rotating cylinder or conical mill partially filled with grinding media such as balls or pebbles. |
| Ball Peen Hammer | A hammer which has a rounded head at its opposite end, used extensively in machine shops. |
| Ball Valve | A valve in which a ball regulates the opening by its rise and fall due to fluid pressure, a spring, or its own weight. |
| Ball, Tree | See Root Ball. |
| Ballast | 1. A device used with a fluorescent and high intensity lamp, to provide the necessary circuit condition for starting and operation. 2. Any material used as non-structural fill or dead weight. 3. Heavy material, such as water, sand, or iron which has no fu |
| Ballast Replacement | 1. The replacement of broken stone, slag, and sand in railroads and highways to keep railroad ties in place and to provide drainage. 2. The replacement of the device that regulates current in a fluorescent lamp fixture. |
| Balloon | A loan that has a series of monthly payments with the remaining balance due in a large lump sum payment at the end. |
| Balloon Frame | A wooden building frame composed of closely spaced members (studs) which are continuous from the sill to the top plate of the roof line; also called Eastern Frame; compare Platform Frame. |
| Balloon framed wall | Framed walls (generally over 10' tall) that run the entire vertical length from the floor sill plate to the roof. This is done to eliminate the need for a gable end truss. |
| Balloon Payment | A large lump sum final payment to pay off an installment note, where the previous payments were much smaller. |
| balloon shade | A shade that has fullness in the width, sometimes formed into inverted pleats, and is raised and lowered by cords threaded through rings at the back. |
| Ballrace | Round or straight retainer to keep ball bearings in their proper operating position. |
| Ballroom | A large room or hall designed for dancing, balls, and similar festivities. |
| Baluster | Each of a series of often ornamental short posts or pillars supporting a rail or coping; also called banisters; Vertical members in a railing used between a top rail or the stair treads. Sometimes referred to as 'pickets' or 'spindles'. |
| Balustrade | 1. The rail, posts and vertical balusters along the edge of a stairway or elevated walkway. 2. A row of balusters topped by a railing on a stair, porch, or balcony. |
| Bamboo | Giant tropical woody grasses with hollow stems that are used for making furniture. |
| Bamboo shades | A roman styled shade made of reeds. Made by many manufacturers including Levolor and DelMar. |
| Banc | The bench on which court judges sit. |
| Band | 1. A low, flat molding. 2. A group of bars distributed in a slab or wall or footing. |
| Band Joist | A wooden joist perpendicular to the direction of the joists in a floor framing system, closing off the floor platform at the outside face of the building. |
| Band Stage | A raised platform where musicians perform. |
| Band-Aid Approach | See Quick Fix. |
| Banding | Metal or plastic strapping to secure bundles of building products, such as gypsum wallboard, together in a shipping unit. |
| Bandsaw | A machine saw with a narrow endless blade that runs over pulleys. |
| Banister | A light baluster supporting a stair handrail. |
| Banjo Taper | A mechanical device which dispenses tape and taping compound simultaneously. |
| Bank | 1. The part of the soil next to a stream, lake or body of water where the soil elevation adjacent to the water is higher than the water level. Sometimes called an embankment. 2. A building accommodating a financial establishment that receives and pays out |
| Bank Gravel | Gravel found in natural deposits, usually more or less intermixed with fine material, such as sand or clay, or combinations thereof; gravelly clay, gravelly sand, clayey gravel, and sand gravel indicate the varying proportions of the materials in the mixt |
| Bank Measure | The volume of earth in its natural site. |
| Bank Run Gravel | Excavated material that is generally 1/4 inch minimum to 6 inches maximum. |
| Bank Slip | When the bank of a stream or body of water slips downward because of erosion & stress. |
| Bank, Duct | See Duct Bank. |
| Bankruptcy | A legal proceeding by which a debtor may avoid legal and financial obligations. |
| Baptistry | A part of a church or formerly a separate building for baptism; also spelled baptistery. |
| Bar | 1. A straight wood or metal piece used as a lever, support, barrier, or fastening. 2. A barrier of any shape. 3. A submerged or partly submerged sand bank along a shore or in a river often obstructing navigation. 4. The railing in a courtroom separating t |
| Bar Chart | A simple construction scheduling technique which graphically shows the starting and finishing times for the various tasks which make up a job. |
| Bar Hanger | A metal bar, either straight or offset, to allow for the mounting of a ceiling outlet box between ceiling joists, or an outlet box, or switch box between wall studs; an adjustable hanger is one that can be made to fit the varying distances between floor a |
| Bar Hook | A semi-circular (180 degree) or a 90 degree turn at the free end of a steel reinforcing bar to provide anchorage in concrete. |
| Bar Joist | A truss-like floor joist or rafter fabricated from steel bars. |
| Bar Lap | The amount steel reinforcing bars must lap in order to develop sufficient bond to transfer their full load capacity. |
| Bar Number | A number designating the size of a steel reinforcing bar, approximately the bar diameter in eighths of inches; for example, a #5 bar is approximately 5/8 inch in diameter; a #9 bar is approximately 1-1/8 inch in diameter (9/8); bar numbers are rolled onto |
| Bar Spacing | Distance between parallel reinforcing bars measured from center to center of the bars perpendicular to their longitudinal axis. |
| Bar Support | A rigid device used to support or hold reinforcing bars in proper position to prevent displacement before or during concrete placement; Devices of formed wire, plastic or concrete, to support, hold and space reinforcing bars. |
| Bar, Parallel | A pair of bars on a support, adjustable in height and spacing, that are parallel to each other, and are used for gymnastic exercises. |
| Bar, Reinforcing | See Reinforcing Bar. |
| Barbed Nail | A nail with a barbed shank to resist withdrawal. |
| Barbed Wire | Wire that is twisted with barbs or sharp points. |
| Barbican | The outer defense of a city or castle, often a part of a system of barrier walls and consisting of a double tower above a gate or drawbridge. |
| Bare Electrode | A filler-metal electrode used in arc welding consisting of a metal wire with no coating other than that incidental to the drawing of the wire. |
| Bare Solid Wire | Uninsulated single wire used as an electric conductor. |
| Bare Stranded Wire | Uninsulated group of fine wires used as a single electric conductor. |
| Barge | 1. Horizontal beam rafter that supports shorter rafters. 2. A floating platform or vessel from which construction activities may be performed; often used in rivers to install bridge piers and also used extensively in waterfront construction. |
| Bargeboard | A board, sometimes ornamental, fixed to the end of a gable, running from ridge to eave, to hide the ends of the roof timbers. |
| Barium Sulphate | Heavy, white, extender pigment made from the mineral, barite; unaffected by acids, alkalis. |
| Bark | The tough outer layer of a tree. |
| Bark pocket | An opening between a tree's annual growth rings that contains bark. |
| Barn | 1. A large farm building for storing hay and grain and housing farm animals and equipment. 2. An unusually large and bare building, pejoratively. 3. A large building for storing a fleet of trucks or trolleys. |
| Barometer | An instrument for measuring atmospheric air pressure, it may be calibrated in pounds per square inch, or in inches or millimeters of mercury in a column. |
| Baroque | Highly ornate, grotesque, flamboyant, and extravagant in style, especially of the architecture, art, and music of the 17th and 18th centuries. |
| Barracks | 1. A building or building complex used to house soldiers. 2. A large plain building. |
| Barratry | The persistent incitement of litigation. |
| Barrel | A unit of weight for cement. 376 lbs. net, equivalent to 4 U. S. bags of portland cement. |
| Barrel Ceiling | A rounded or semi-circular ceiling. |
| Barrel Shell | A scalloped roof structure of reinforced concrete that spans in one direction as a barrel vault and in the other as a folded plate. |
| Barrel Tile | A type of ceramic or cast roofing tile. |
| Barrel Vault | A segment of a cylinder that spans as an arch; used as a structural technique to support a ceiling or roof by having all of the components act in compression as an arched ceiling; used extensively in ancient buildings and into the 19thcentury, because no |
| Barricade | A barrier; an obstruction to prevent passage or to prevent access. |
| Barrier | A fence or other obstacle that bars advance or access. |
| Barrier Coating | 1. Shielding or blocking coating or film. 2. See Transition Coating. |
| Barrier, Vapor | A type of plastic sheeting that both eliminates drafts and keeps moisture from damaging a building or structure. |
| Barroom | A room or establishment in which the principal feature is a bar for the serving of liquor. |
| Bas-Relief | Sculpture or carving in which the figures project only slightly from the background surface with no undercutting. |
| Basalt | A dark basic volcanic rock whose strata sometimes form columns. |
| Basalt Ware | A black unglazed vitreous ceramic ware having the appearance of basalt rock. |
| Base | 1. A molding or board placed along the bottom of a wall next to the floor; also called Baseboard. 2. A vinyl, wood or metal trim applied at the floor line to protect the vertical wall from damage. 3. The bottom of a column. 4. One or more rows of tile ins |
| Base Bead | See Base Screed |
| Base Bid | A stipulated construction sum based on the contract documents. |
| Base Board | See Base |
| Base Cabinet | 1. Case, box, or piece of furniture which rests on the floor with sets of drawers or shelves with doors, primarily used for storage. 2. Floor-mounted cabinets, usually with a counter, sink or appliance installed. |
| Base Cap | A finish fitting for tile. |
| Base Coat Floating | The finishing act of spreading, compacting, and smoothing of the base coat plaster to a reasonably true plane. |
| Base Course | 1. The lowest row of masonry in a wall, pier, foundation, or footing. 2. In asphaltic concrete paving, the layer of material immediately beneath the surface or intermediate course; it may be composed of crushed stone, crushed slag, crushed or uncrushed gr |
| Base Flashing | 1. A waterproof membrane that is attached to a roof and bent up the side of a chimney. 2. A waterproof membrane that is attached at a joint between any vertical member and a roof. |
| Base Grouting | The injection of grout to fill voids in subfloor slabs, foundations or concrete slabs. |
| Base Layer | The first or interior layer of gypsum board applied in a multilayer system. |
| Base Line | The main traverse or surveyed line running through the site of proposed construction, from which property lines, street lines, and buildings are located and plotted on the plan; Part of a governmental land surveying grid system covering the country, with |
| Base Metal | The metal to be welded, cut or brazed. |
| Base Molding | A strip of wood used to trim the upper edge of a baseboard. |
| Base of Structure | The level at which earthquake motions are assumed to be imparted to a building; this level does not necessarily coincide with the ground level. |
| Base or baseboard | A trim board placed against the wall around the room next to the floor. |
| Base Ply | The first layer in a built-up roof. |
| Base Screed | A preformed metal screed with perforated or expanded flanges; provides a ground for plaster and separates areas of dissimilar materials. |
| Base Shear | Total shear force acting at the base of a structure. |
| Base Sheet | This is the first ply in some multi-ply built-up roofing membranes; it is usually a saturated felt or a coated felt. |
| Base Shoe | Wood strip, with a curved or projecting surface, used to finish intersection of base and floor; also called Base Shoe Molding, Shoe Mold, or Carpet Strip. |
| Base Shoe Molding | See Base Shoe. |
| Base, Column | The plate beneath a column that distributes the load. |
| Base, Manhole | The cast iron frame into which a manhole cover fits. |
| Base, Mogul | A screw-in style base for an incandescent lamp of generally 300 watts or more. |
| Base, Stone | The beginning or starter stone of a fieldstone wall. |
| Base, Terrazzo | A subfloor slab or foundation using a flooring material made from marble or other stone chips set in portland cement and polished when dry. |
| Baseball Backstop | A construction, often of wood or chain-link fencing, that encloses the home plate area on three sides and from the top to prevent balls from leaving the field and hitting spectators. |
| Baseboard | See Base. |
| Baseboard Heater | Heating strips that are installed at the juncture of the wall and floor and may be either recessed or surface-mounted; generally along the outside walls of rooms. |
| Baseboard Radiator | A heating unit installed along a baseboard in a building or structure, is usually hydronic (hot water or steam). |
| Basecoat | Any plaster coat or coats applied prior to application of the finish coat. |
| Basement | The part of a building that is wholly or partially below ground level; cellar. |
| Basement Soil | See Subgrade. |
| Basement window inserts | The window frame and glass unit that is installed in the window buck. |
| Baseplate | A steel plate inserted between a column and the foundation, used to level the column and to spread the load of the column to a larger area of the foundation. |
| basic fibers | The vast majority of furnishing fabrics are made of cotton or cotton mixtures. Its principal charm is its versatility. Cotton can be dyed, printed, or finished in a multitude of ways. It can be made colorfast, will withstand heat and light, and yet is ine |
| Basic Lead Carbonate | A type of white lead pigment. |
| Basic Lead Sulphate | A type of white lead. |
| Basilica | 1. An ancient Roman public hall with an apse and colonnades, used as a law court and place of assembly. 2. A similar building used as a Christian church. |
| Basin | 1. A wide shallow open container. 2. A lavatory. 3. A hollow rounded depression. 4. Any sheltered area of water where boats can moor safely. 5. A round valley. 6. An area drained by rivers and tributaries. |
| Basin Wrench | A plumber's tool used for installing hard-to-get-at fittings. |
| Basis for Acceptance | The method of determining whether a lot of material is acceptable under given or accepted specifications. |
| Basket | Wire assembly to support and space dowel bars and expansion joints in concrete slabs on the ground. |
| Basketweave Bound | Module groups of brick laid at right angles to those adjacent. |
| Basswood | A popular type of wood with a smooth finish, used to make wooden blinds. |
| Bastard File | A course file for rough shaping of metal or wood. |
| Bastard Granite | A quarrier's term for nearly any stone which may not be considered a true granite, particularly applied to gneiss. |
| Bastard Sawn | Lumber, primarily hardwoods, in which the annual rings make angles of 30 to 60 degrees with the surface of the piece. |
| Bat | A broken brick; an end portion of a brick; approximately a half. |
| Batavia | Batavia dammar; see Dammar. |
| Batch Disposal | The orderly placement or distribution of freshly mixed concrete or masonry. |
| Batch Mixer | A machine which mixes batches of concrete or mortar in contrast to a continuous mixer. |
| Batch Plant/Drum Plant | 1. A manufacturing facility for producing asphalt paving mixtures that proportions the aggregate constituents into the mix by weighed batches and adds asphalt material by either weight or volume. 2.An operating installation of equipment including batchers |
| Bath | 1. A tub used for bathing. 2. The room that contains the tub. 3. Liquid solution used for cleaning, plating, or maintaining a specified temperature. |
| Bath Accessory | Bathroom equipment such as towel bars, grab bars, grab rails, soap dishes, toilet paper holders, and medicine cabinets. |
| Bath Chair | A wheelchair. |
| Bath Faucet | A valve used to draw hot or cold water into a bathtub. |
| Bath Tub | The tub in a bath room. |
| Bath Tub Door | A folding or sliding door mounted on a bath tub rim to keep water spray within the tub area when there is a shower over the tub. |
| Bath Vanity | A bathroom cabinet with a lavatory mounted in the counter top. |
| Bathhouse | A building with baths and dressing rooms for public use. |
| Bathroom | 1. A room containing a bath tub or shower and usually a toilet and lavatory. 2. A polite term for any toilet room. |
| Bathroom Lock | A non-keyed privacy lock that can be locked from the inside by push-button and opened from the outside by a small tool; a privacy lock. |
| batik | In this dyeing process developed in Java, wax and other substances that resist dye are applied, then washed out to leave dramatic patterns. |
| Batt | A section of fiber-glass or rock-wool insulation measuring 15 or 23 inches wide by four to eight feet long and various thickness'. ÊSometimes "faced" (meaning to have a paper covering on one side) or "unfaced" (without paper). |
| Batt Insulation | Fiber or wool insulation in sheet form, usually with a paper lining; a preformed section of inorganic insulation sized to fit snugly in a framed cavity. |
| Batten | 1. A thin narrow strip of wood or metal to cover or reinforce a joint; a predecorated strip or joint covering designed to conceal the junction between adjacent boards; frequently used in demountable systems. 2. A cleat; a narrow strip of board used to fas |
| Batten Seam | A seam in a sheet metal roof. |
| Batten Siding | Vertical siding which has narrow strips of metal or wood covering the joints. |
| Batter | 1. A slight receding upward slope to the outward face of a building wall or a retaining wall. 2. Stepping or sloping masonry back in successive courses; the opposite of corbel. |
| Batter Board | A temporary framework used to assist in locating the corners when laying a foundation; also used to maintain proper elevations of structures, excavations and trenches in any kind of below ground construction. |
| Batter Pile | Pile driven at an angle to brace a structure against lateral or horizontal thrust. |
| Battery | One or more cells connected together to furnish electric current by interaction of metals and chemicals. |
| Battery of Fixtures | Any group of two or more similar adjacent plumbing fixtures which discharge into a common horizontal waste or soil branch. |
| batting | A fluffy man-made fiber sometimes used to pad edges. |
| Battlement | A parapet with recesses along the top of a wall, originally as a fortification, now as ornamentation. |
| Baudelot Cooler | Heat exchanger in which water flows by gravity over the outside of the tubes or plates. |
| Bauhaus | An architectural school in Germany, founded by Walter Gropius in 1923, emphasizing technology, craftsmanship, and design aesthetics. |
| Bauxite | A claylike mineral containing varying proportions of alumina, the principal source of aluminum. |
| Bay | One of the intervals or spaces into which a building plan is divided by columns, piers, or division walls. |
| Bay window | Any window space projecting outward from the walls of a building, either square or polygonal in plan. |
| Bazaar | 1. A market in an oriental country consisting of rows of shops or stalls offering miscellaneous goods. 2. A large shop selling fancy goods. 3. A department store. |
| Beach | A deposit of unconsolidated sand along the edge of a sea that extends landward to the base of the dunes or bluff. The zone of sedimentary material that extends landward from the low water line to the place where there is marked change in material or form, |
| Beacon Hill | Fabric vendor with a European flair. (1 Design Centre Place, Suite 200, Boston, MA 02210) |
| Bead | 1. A narrow line of weld metal or sealant. 2. A strip of metal or wood used to hold a sheet of glass in place. 3. A narrow, convex molding profile. 4. A metal edge or corner accessory for plaster or gypsum board. |
| Bead Weld | A type of weld composed of one or more string or weave beads deposited on an unbroken surface; the metal added in welding. |
| Bead, Molding | 1. A half-round narrow molding, attached or milled on a larger piece. 2. A square or rectangular trim less than 1 inch in width. |
| Bead, Parting | A narrow strip between the upper and lower sashes in a double-hung window frame. |
| Bead, Plaster | Built-in edging usually metal, to strengthen a plaster angle. |
| Bead, Sash | A strip with one edge molded, against which a sash slides. |
| Beaded Moulding | A cast plaster string of beads planted in a moulding or cornice. |
| Beading | A ridge or raised linear deformation that may appear at finished gypsum board joints. |
| Beam | A straight structural member that acts primarily to resist transverse loads; a structural element which sustains transverse loading and develops internal forces of bending and shear in resisting the loads; an inclusive term for joists, girders, rafters, a |
| Beam Bolster | A fabricated wire device used to temporarily support reinforcing steel in structural formwork such as beams and slabs. |
| Beam Chair | A wire seat or support for reinforcing bars designed to maintain their location while concrete for a beam is poured around them. |
| Beam Clamp | A device which holds a horizontal structural member to a vertical member. |
| Beam Compass | A drafting tool consisting of a wood or metal bar fitted with a point and a movable pen or pencil holder to use in drawing large radius arcs and circles; a Trammel. |
| Beam Fireproofing | Fire-resistant materials that cover a horizontal structural member, to insure structural integrity in the event of a fire. |
| Beam Formwork | The system of support for freshly placed concrete for a horizontal structural member. |
| Beam Furring | Strips of wood or metal fastened to a horizontal structural member to form an airspace, to give the appearance of greater thickness, or for the application of an interior finish such as plaster. |
| Beam Hanger | 1. A strap wire or other device used to hang beam forms from another structural member. 2. A steel strap used for securing the end of a beam. |
| Beam Plaster | A combination of cementitious material and aggregate mixed with water and applied to a horizontal structural member, preserving in a rigid state the form or texture imposed during the period of elasticity. |
| Beam Rail | A solid wood band attached to a horizontal structural member. |
| Beam, Bond | A reinforced horizontal concrete masonry or concrete beam installed in place to strengthen a masonry wall and tie a masonry wall together. |
| Beam, Concrete | A horizontal structural member which transversely supports a load and transfers the load to vertical members, made of a composite material consisting of sand, coarse aggregate, cement and water. |
| Beam, Grade | An end-supported horizontal load-bearing foundation member that supports an exterior wall or other building load. |
| Beam, Precast | A concrete horizontal structural member that is cast and cured in other than its final position, on- or off-site. |
| Beam, Reinforcing | A horizontal member installed to strengthen and support the load of a structure. |
| Beam, Sheetrock | A horizontal member constructed of plasterboard. |
| Bearding | In carpeting, long fiber fuzz occurring on some loop pile fabrics, caused by fibers snagging and loosening due to inadequate anchorage. |
| Bearing | 1. Part of a machine that supports and aligns a rotating or other moving part. 2. That part of a lintel, beam, girder or truss, which rests upon a column, pier or wall. |
| Bearing Block | A piece of wood fastened to a column to provide support for a beam or girder. |
| Bearing Capacity | Allowable bearing capacity; the maximum allowable load on a structural element. |
| Bearing header | (a) A beam placed perpendicular to joists and to which joists are nailed in framing for a chimney, stairway, or other opening. (b) A wood lintel. (c) The horizontal structural member over an opening (for example over a door or window). |
| Bearing Pad | A block of metal, plastic, or synthetic material used to cushion the point at which one structural element rests upon another. |
| Bearing Partition | A partition that supports any vertical load in addition to its own weight. |
| Bearing Plate | A plate placed under a truss, beam, girder, or column to distribute the load. |
| Bearing point | A point where a bearing or structural weight is concentrated and transferred to the foundation. |
| Bearing Wall | A wall which supports any vertical loads in addition to its own weight. |
| Beating Block | A wooden block used to embed tiles in a flat plane; the method used is called beating in. |
| Becquerel | A unit for measuring radiation from radium and radon. |
| Bed | 1. The horizontal surface on which the bricks of a wall lie in courses, also the mortar on which the brick rests. 2. The bottom of a channel, creek, river, stream, or other body of water. 3. see Bed Molding |
| Bed Coat | See Bedding Coat. |
| Bed Joint | The horizontal layer of mortar in which a masonry unit is set. |
| Bed Molding | A molding in an angle, as between the overhanging cornice or eaves of a building and the sidewalls; A flat area in a cornice, designed to have enrichment planted later; also called Bed. |
| Bed slope | The inclination of the channel bottom. |
| Bedding | 1. A filling of mortar, putty, or other substance in order to secure a firm bearing. 2. Ground or supports in which pipe is laid. |
| Bedding Coat | 1. In gypsum board, the first coat of joint compound over tape, bead, and fastener heads; also called Bed Coat. 2. That coat of plaster to receive aggregate or other decorative material of any size, impinged or embedded into its surface before it sets. |
| Bedding Plane | A separation or weakness between two layers of rock, caused by changes during the building up of the rock- forming material. |
| Bedrock | A solid layer or stratum of rock beneath ground level; solid rock as distinguished from boulders. |
| Bedroom | A room for sleeping. |
| Beeswax | Wax produced by honey bee. |
| Behavioral Aspects of Management | These include human relations, cooperation, responsibility, communication and executive ability. |
| Belfry | A bell tower. |
| Bell | That portion of a pipe which, for a short distance, is sufficiently enlarged to receive the end of another pipe of the same diameter for the purpose of making a joint; also called Bell End or Hub. |
| Bell and Spigot Joint | A type of joint used in cast iron pipe where a male pipe end (the spigot) slips into a female end (the bell) and is then caulked with oakum and sealed with lead. |
| Bell End | See Bell. |
| Bell Trap | A floor drain trap consisting of an inverted bell with a water seal. |
| Belleek China | A highly translucent whiteware composed of a body containing a significant amount of grit and normally having a luster glaze. |
| Bellows | An instrument or machine that draws in air through a valve or orifice by expansion and contraction and expels it through a tube. |
| Bellows Copper | A flexible joint in copper piping that can expand or contract to allow for thermal fluctuations. |
| Bellows Seal | Method of sealing the valve stem; the ends of the sealing material are fastened to the bonnet and to the stem; the seal expands and contracts with the stem level. |
| Belly-Up | The condition of a contracting firm when it becomes insolvent and goes bankrupt. |
| Belt Course | . 1. A course of bricks or other material projecting slightly from the face of the wall. 2. A horizontal board across or around a building, usually made of a flat member and a molding. 3. A horizontal course on the face of a building; when continuous with |
| Belt Marks | A surface defect in gypsum board made by the machine's forming belt during manufacture. |
| Belt sander | An electric sanding tool where the sand paper abrasive is a continuous belt. |
| Bema | The part of an eastern church containing the altar. |
| Bench | 1. A long seat for seating several people. 2. A judge's seat in a lawcourt. 3. A working table or counter for a carpenter, artisan, or scientist. 4. A low scaffold board that allows the gypsum board hanging crew to easily reach the ceiling area; also call |
| Bench Mark | A point of known or assumed elevation used as a reference in determining and recording other elevations. |
| Bench Saw | A power saw held securely on a stationary bench. |
| Bend, Soil | A piece of short, curved pipe, like an elbow, used to connect two straight links of pipe in a sewage system; A change in the direction of a stream channel. |
| Bending | The result of a force which tends to cause curvature in a linear element; internal stresses of tension and compression are a result of this action. |
| Bending Moment | The sum of moments for all forces that occur above the neutral axis; the moment that causes a beam or other structural member to bend; see Moment. |
| Bending Spring | Coil spring which is placed on inside or outside of tubing to keep it from collapsing while bending it. |
| Bending Stress | A compressive or tensile stress resulting from the application of a nonaxial force to a structural member. |
| Bends, The | Caisson disease |
| Beneficial Occupancy | The use of a premises or a portion for the uses intended, although the work of the project may not be completed. |
| Beneficiary | 1. The person designated to receive the proceeds of an insurance policy. 2. In a trust deed, the lender. |
| Benny | Slang for benzine. |
| Bent | A plane of framing consisting of beams and columns joined together, often with rigid joints; a single vertical framework consisting of horizontal and vertical members supporting the deck of a bridge or pier. |
| Bent Bar | A steel reinforcing bar bent to a prescribed shape such as a truss bar, straight bar with hook, stirrup, or column tie. |
| Bentonite | A clay composed principally of minerals of the montmorillonoid group, characterized by high absorption and very large volume change with wetting or drying, commonly swelling to several times its dry volume when saturated with liquid. |
| Bentonite Membrane | A thin, pliable sheet or layer manufactured from bentonite; used for waterproofing retaining walls. |
| Benzene | A material derived from coal tar and widely used a solvent; also used for cleaning after painting and other finishing operations; a very powerful aromatic solvent for many materials, its use is restricted because of its toxicity and because it is a fire h |
| Benzine | A highly flammable petroleum product used by painters as thinning solvent and diluent; also used in dyeing and as a cleansing agent; also called Varnish Makers' and Painters' Naphtha (VM&P). |
| Benzol | See Benzene. |
| Berm | 1. A nearly horizontal part of the beach or backshore formed at the high water line by waves depositing material. Some beaches have no berms, others have one or several. 2. A small artificial ridge of soil at the top of an earth bank to prevent water drai |
| BernoulliÕs Theorem | In a stream of liquid the sum of elevation head, pressure head, and velocity remains constant along any line of flow provided no work is done by or upon the liquid in the course of its flow and decreases in proportion to energy lost in flow. |
| Beryllium Oxide | An inorganic material of exceptionally high thermal conductivity which is toxic in the powder form; BeO; also called Berylla). |
| Bespoke | Custom-made. |
| Bevel | 1. A slanted surface; an end or edge cut at an angle other than a right angle. 2. A type of edge preparation on metal where welding is to take place. |
| Bevel Board | A board used in framing roof or stairway to lay out bevels; also called Pitch Board. |
| Bevel Gears | Meshing gears on intersecting axes. |
| Bevel of a Door | The angle of the lock edge in relation to the face of the lock stile; standard bevel is 1/8 inch in 2 inches (3.2 mm in 50.8 mm). |
| Bevel Siding | A type of finish siding used on the exterior of a house; usually manufactured by resawing a dry, squared, surfaced board diagonally to produce two wedge- shaped pieces; also called Lap Siding. |
| Beveled Concrete | An angle in concrete or inclination of any line in concrete or concrete surface that joins another. |
| Beveled Edge | The factory edge of gypsum board that has been angled to form a vee grooved joint when two pieces are placed together. |
| Beveling | A type of chamfering. |
| BeyondWoods | Faux wood blinds made of synthetic material, made by Hunter Douglas. |
| Bezel | 1. A sloping surface on a cutting tool, as on a chisel. 2. A frame around something like a glazed opening or a built-in appliance. |
| BHMA | Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association. |
| BHMA Hinge | A hinge that has the seal of approval of the Builders Hardware Manufacturers' Association. |
| Bi-Fold Door | A door with two leaves, hinged together to close on itself; one edge of each leaf is hinged at the jamb and the other edge is connected and guided by an overhead track; Doors that are hinged in the middle for opening in a smaller area than standard swing |
| BIA | Brick Institute of America; formerly Structural Clay Products Institute. |
| bias binding | A strip of cloth cut on the bias, at 45? to the selvage, which gives stretch to the fabric. Used as an edging or to cover piping cord. |
| Bib | See Hose Bibb. |
| Bibb, Hose | See Hose Bibb. |
| Bicycle, Exercise | A stationary bicycle used for health and fitness purposes in gyms or health clubs. |
| Bid | A formal offer by a contractor, in accordance with specifications for a project, to do all or a phase of the work at a certain price in accordance with the terms and conditions stated in the offer; An offer to perform; an offer to enter into a contract us |
| Bid Bond | A bond, secured by a bidder, which guarantees that the bidder selected by the owner will accept the project, or the owner will have the project for the bid price as noted in the accepted bid. |
| Bid Date | See Bid Time. |
| Bid Package | The group of documents issued to general contractors who are bidding a construction project, consisting of the bidding requirements and the contract documents; also called the Bidding Documents. |
| Bid Rigging | Collusion; a fraudulent practice involving secret agreements between or among competing contractors or owners' agents to control the outcome of a bidding procedure. |
| Bid security | Funds or a bid bond submitted with a bid as a guarantee to the recipient of the bid that the contractor, if awarded the contract, will execute the contract in accordance with the bidding requirements of the contract documents. |
| Bid Shopping | A procedure wherein a general contractor contacts subcontractors in an attempt to receive lower subcontractor prices after having been awarded the contract for the project; considered unethical by the building industry. |
| Bid Time | The date and time designated by the architect and owner for the receiving of bid proposals; also called Bid Date. |
| Bidder | A prime contractor who submits a bid directly to an owner. |
| Bidding Documents | The bidding requirements and the proposed contract documents, including any addenda issued prior to receipt of bids. |
| Bidding or Negotiation Phase | One of the standard phases of architectural service (Schematic Design Phase, Design Development Phase, Construction Documents Phase, Bidding or Negotiation Phase, and Construction Phase-Administration of the Construction Contract). |
| Bidding Period | The time period during which contractors can prepare their bid proposals. |
| Bidding Requirements | The group of documents issued to general contractors who are bidding a construction project, other than the contract documents; bidding requirements include the Advertisement or Invitation to Bid, Instructions to Bidders, Supplementary Instructions to Bid |
| Bidet | A plumbing fixture about the size and shape of a toilet, equipped with cold and hot running water, used for personal hygiene. |
| Bifunctional | Having two functions. |
| Bike Rack | A framework installed on a site to store bicycles for the building's inhabitants, commonly specified in educational complexes. |
| Billhook | A tool with a hooked blade used for cutting and pruning. |
| Bimetallic Strip | A strip made of two metals that bends as the temperature changes; a bimetallic strip of iron and brass, when heated, will bend, as brass expands more than iron, thus bending the strip, and unbending upon cooling; this action can be used to open or close a |
| Bin | A box, container, or enclosed place for storage. |
| Bin Method | A method of computing cooling energy use requirements for commercial and industrial building with unusual operating needs and for residences utilizing passive heating/cooling design with high mass thermal storage. |
| Bin, Ice Storage | A box, frame or enclosed place used for the storage of ice and the maintaining of its solid properties. |
| Binder | 1. A substance that acts cohesively, see Cementitious Material. 2. Fines which hold gravel together when it is dry. 3. The nonvolatile portion of a paint which serves to bind or cement the pigment particles together; oils, varnishes and proteins are examp |
| Bindery | A building, workshop or factory where books are bound. |
| Binding | A strip sewed over a carpet edge for protection against unraveling. |
| Biodegradability | The ability of a material to rot away after use, by the action of microorganisms. |
| Biological Contaminants | Agents derived from or that are living organisms, for example, viruses, bacteria, fungi, and mammal and bird antigens, that can be inhaled and can cause many types of health effects including allergic reactions, respiratory disorders, hypersensitivity dis |
| Bipass doors | Doors that slide by each other and commonly used as closet doors. |
| BIPV | Building Integrated Photovoltaic Cell. |
| Birch | Hardwood, species Betula. |
| Birch Door | A door constructed or faced with a strong fine-grained birch hardwood. |
| Birch Paneling | Rectangular sheets of paneling that have been constructed of a strong fine-grained birch hardwood. |
| Birch Veneer | Thin sheets of strong fine-grained hardwood used in furniture, flooring, and building paneling. |
| Bird peck | A small hole or patch of distorted grain in wood resulting from birds pecking through the growing cells in the tree. |
| Bird's-Eye | Small, localized area in wood where the fibers are indented and otherwise contorted to form small circular or elliptical figures which look somewhat like birds' eyes; common in sugar maple and used for decorative purposes; rare in other hardwood species. |
| Bird's-Mouth | A notch cut on the underside of a rafter to fit it to the top plate; not a full notch if there is no rafter overhang. |
| Birdbath | A hollow rounded depression in asphaltic concrete paving or in portland cement concrete flatwork; see Ponding, 1. |
| Birdcage | Colloquial name for the end of a stair rail where the banisters are curved in a spiral to form a newel post. |
| Birdscreen | Wire screening attached to louvers, ventilators and openings in a building or structure to prevent birds and small animals from entering. |
| Biscuit Chips | Glazed-over chips on the edge or corner of the body of a tile. |
| Biscuit Cracks | Any fractures in the body of a tile visible both on face and back. |
| Bisect | 1. To divide into two parts. 2. To divide into two equal parts. |
| Bisque Fire | The process of kiln-firing ceramic ware prior to glazing. |
| Bit | 1. A unit of computer information expressed as a choice between two possibilities. a 0 or 1 in binary notation; short for binary digit. 2. Of a key, the projecting blade, cut in a manner that actuates the lock tumblers. 3. The removable cutting edge of a |
| Bite | The amount of the edge of a pane of glass that is covered by the stop. |
| Biting | Solvent in topcoat of a lacquer surface dissolves or bites into coat below; if lacquer solvent is too biting, the dried lacquer surface may be rough or produce an orange peel effect. |
| Bitting | The configuration of notches and hollows on the blade of a door lock key. |
| Bitumen | A class of black or dark-colored solid, semisolid, or viscous cementitious substances, natural or manufactured, composed principally of high molecular weight hydrocarbons, of which asphalts, tars, pitches and asphaltites are typical; a generic term for an |
| Bituminous | Resembling, containing, or impregnated with various mixtures of hydrocarbons, like tar or asphalt, together with their nonmetallic derivatives. |
| Bituminous Concrete | Refer Asphalt. |
| Bituminous Dampproofing | Impregnated mixtures of hydrocarbons, like tar or asphalt, together with their nonmetallic derivatives used on a surface to prevent moisture from passing through; dampproofing will not ordinarily resist water under hydrostatic pressure; see Dampproofing. |
| Bituminous Emulsion | 1. A suspension of minute globules of bituminous material in water or in an aqueous solution. 2. Invert emulsion; a suspension of minute globules of water or an aqueous solution in a liquid bituminous material. |
| Bituminous Grout | A mixture of bituminous material and fine sand that will flow into place without mechanical manipulation when heated. |
| Bituminous Membrane | A thin layer or sheet of an impregnated mixture of hydrocarbons together with their nonmetallic derivatives; used as dampproofing. |
| Bituminous Sidewalk | A walkway constructed with an impregnated mixture of hydrocarbons together with aggregate such as sand or stone; commonly called blacktop. |
| Black Iron Cap | A steel fitting, with female threads, which seals the end of a pipe. |
| Blackboard | A panel or board with a smooth, usually dark, surface for writing on with chalk. |
| blackout lining | A layer of opaque material is sandwiched between two layers of cotton fabric. In this way all light is excluded. Some are heavy and difficult to penetrate with a needle, while others are softer. Both will add to the weight but will also improve the drapin |
| Blacktop | A term used in the trade for asphaltic concrete paving. |
| Blade | 1. The flattened part of a paddle or oar. 2. The projecting parts of a fan, turbine, or propeller. 3. The sharp cutting part of a knife or saw. 4. The flat or concave part of a bulldozer. 5. See Steel Square. |
| Blade Grader | A grader. |
| Blaine Fineness | The fineness of powdered materials such as cement and pozzolans, expressed as surface area usually in square centimeters per gram, determined by the Blaine air-permeability apparatus and procedure. |
| Blanc Fixe | Artificially prepared barium sulphate; an extender pigment. |
| Blanket Insulation | Thermal insulating material made of fibrous glass or mineral wool, sometimes with paper or foil surfacing, formed in batts or rolls. |
| Blanket Mortgage | A single trust deed or mortgage that covers two or more parcels of real property. |
| Blankets | 1. Material placed on a streambank to cover eroding soil. 2. Soil or broken rock left or placed over a blast to confine or direct throw of fragments. 3. Fiber-glass or rock-wool insulation that comes in long rolls 15 or 23 inches wide. |
| Blast Angle | Angle of sand blasting nozzle with reference to surface. |
| Blast Cleaning | Cleaning with propelled abrasives. |
| Blast Freezer | Low-temperature evaporator which uses a fan to force air rapidly over the evaporator surface. |
| Blast Furnace | A smelting furnace into which compressed hot air is driven. |
| Blast Furnace Slag | A non-metallic waste product developed in the manufacture of pig iron, consisting basically of a mixture of lime, silica and alumina, the same oxides that make up portland cement, but not in the same proportions or forms; it is used both in the manufactur |
| Bleach | To remove color or stains from. |
| Bleacher, Gym | An outdoor tiered stand of benches to provide seating at a sports ground; An uncovered series of tiered planks used to seat spectators in a school or public gymnasium. |
| Bleaching | Restoring discolored or stained wood to its normal color or making it lighter by using bleaching agents. |
| Bleb | A small blister or bubble. |
| Bleed-Valve | Valve with a small opening inside which permits a minimum fluid flow when valve is closed. |
| Bleeder Gun | A spray gun with no air valve; trigger controls fluid flow only. |
| Bleeding | 1. The upward movement of asphalt in an asphalt pavement resulting in the formation of a film of asphalt on the surface; usually caused by too much asphalt in one or more of the pavement courses, resulting from too rich a plant mix, an improperly construc |
| Bleeding Stain | Stain which works up or bleeds through succeeding coats of finishing materials. |
| Blemish | A physical imperfection that affects appearance. |
| Blend | 1. To mix or make homogeneous. 2. A mixture, as of two pigments, to obtain a desired color. |
| Blind | 1. A panel, shade, or screen used on a window to block out light, give protection, add insulation, or as decoration. 2. A shutter. |
| Blind Header | A concealed header in the interior of a wall, not showing on the faces. |
| Blind Nailing | 1. Attaching boards to framing or sheathing with nails driven through the edge of each piece so as to be concealed by the succeeding board. 2. In installing tongue-and-groove flooring, the nails are placed at the root of the tongue where they will be hidd |
| Blind Stop | A rectangular wood molding, usually 3/4 by 1-38 inches, in a window assembly that receives the window screen frame. |
| Blind Story | A building story that has no windows. |
| Blind Vent | An ineffective, sometimes illegal, vent which stops in a wall thus giving the appearance of a vent but not actually functioning as a vent. |
| Blinding | Compacting soil immediately over a tile drain to reduce its tendency to move into the tile. |
| Blistering | 1. In ceramic tile, the development, during firing, of enclosed or broken macroscopic vesicles or bubbles in a body or in a glaze or other coating. 2. A bulging of the finish plaster coat as it separates and draws away from the basecoat; the resulting pro |
| Blisters | 1. Cloudy or milky-looking raised spots on finished surfaces. 2. Protuberances on the finish coat of plaster caused by application over a too damp base coat or troweling too soon. |
| Block | 1. A compact, solid piece of substantial material that is worked or altered from its natural state to serve a particular purpose. 2. A wooden or metal case enclosing pulleys and having a hook, eye, or strap by which it may be attached. 3. A building divid |
| Block Coating | See Transition Primer. |
| Block Dampproofing | The act or process of applying a water-resistant material to the surface of a concrete or masonry block to prevent passage or absorption of water or moisture; see Dampproofing. |
| Block Demolition | The act or process of tearing down an old block wall structure. |
| block fringe | A fringe trimming colored with equal blocks of contrasting color. |
| Block Grout | Mortar mixes used in block walls to fill voids and joints. |
| Block out | To install a box or barrier within a foundation wall to prevent the concrete from entering an area. For example, foundation walls are sometimes "blocked" in order for mechanical pipes to pass through the wall, to install a crawl space door, and to depress |
| Block Plane | Woodworking hand tool, for final smoothing. |
| Block Sequence | A combined longitudinal and buildup sequence for a continuous multiple-pass weld wherein separated lengths are completely or partially built up in cross-section before intervening lengths are deposited; see Backstep Sequence. |
| Block Vent | An opening serving as an outlet or inlet for air in a block structure. |
| Block, Angle | A square of tile specially made for changing direction of the trim. |
| Block, Concrete | A hollow concrete masonry unit constructed of a composite material consisting of sand, coarse aggregate, cement, and water. |
| Block, Glass | A hollow masonry unit made of glass. |
| Block, Granite | A masonry unit consisting of a very hard natural igneous rock used for its firmness and endurance. |
| Block, Splash | A small masonry block placed in the ground beneath a downspout to receive roof drainage and prevent standing water or soil erosion. |
| Block, Terminal | A decorative element forming the end of a block structure. |
| Blocked (door blocking) | Wood shims used between the door frame and the vertical structural wall framing members. |
| Blocked (rafters) | Short "2 by 4's" used to keep rafters from twisting, and installed at the ends and at mid-span. |
| Blocked Diaphragm | A diaphragm in which all sheathing edges not occurring on framing members are supported on and connected to wood blocking. |
| Blocking | 1. Pieces of wood inserted tightly between joists, studs, or rafters in a building frame to stabilize the structure, inhibit the passage of fire, provide a nailing surface for finish materials, or retain insulation. 2. A system of tying together two brick |
| Blocking, Wood | Wood blocks used as filler pieces or stabilization between framing members. |
| Blocks | The usually rectangular areas of land between the streets in a town or city. |
| Blood Analyzer | A mechanical apparatus which examines blood for medical or scientific purposes. |
| Blood Refrigerator | A mechanical cooling device or room used to keep stored blood at the proper temperature. |
| Bloom | 1. A visible exudation or efflorescence on the surface. 2. Whitening; blushing; clouded appearance on varnished surface. 3. Condition of clouding or fogging of paint film, usually caused by reactive materials in paint film coming into contact with dust, o |
| Blots | Marks or stains on the face of a tile. |
| Blow | In gypsum board, a large area of paper separated from the core during the manufacturing process; it may appear as a large puffy blister or a full loose sheet of paper. |
| Blow Back | Rebound of atomized sprayed material. |
| Blow insulation | Fiber insulation in loose form and used to insulate attics and existing walls where framing members are not exposed. |
| Blown Oil | A vegetable or fish oil which has been thickened by air blown through it. |
| Blown-In Insulation | Loose cellulose insulation that is blown into an attic, crawl space, or walls by a blowing machine. |
| Blowout | A concrete form giving way. |
| Blowtorch | A gasoline torch used in burning off paint film; should be used only by experienced painters; it is a dangerous fire hazard when used by amateurs. |
| Blue Lead | A basic sulphate of lead containing small amounts of lead sulphide and carbon that impart a bluish-gray color; used primarily for its rust-preventive value. |
| Blue Stain | A bluish or greyish discoloration of the sapwood caused by the growth of certain dark-colored fungi on the surface and in the interior of wood. |
| Blue stake | Another phrase for Utility Notification. This is when a utility company (telephone, gas, electric, cable TV, sewer and water, etc) comes to the job site and locates and spray paints the ground and/or installs little flags to show where their service is lo |
| Blue-Tops | Surveyor's stakes, marked with a blue lumber marking crayon, that should not be disturbed. |
| Blueprint | 1.An obsolete method of copying construction drawings and maps; a wet process that produces a print with white lines on a blue background; a cyanotype or sun print. 2. Loosely, any construction drawing. |
| Bluestone | A sandstone of a dark-greenish to bluish-gray color that splits into thin slabs, commonly used to pave surfaces for pedestrian traffic. |
| Bluff | A high, steep bank or cliff. |
| Blunder | A mistake or error made through clumsiness, stupidity, ignorance, or carelessness. |
| Blunging | The wet process of blending or suspending ceramic material in liquid by agitation. |
| Blushing | 1. A finish is said to blush when it takes on white or grayish cast during drying period; usually caused by the precipitation or separating of a portion of the solid content of the material, causing an opaque appearance. 2. Applied to lacquers when they b |
| BM | Bench mark. |
| Board | . 1. A flat thin piece of sawn lumber, usually long and narrow; lumber less than 2 inches thick. 2. A group of persons having supervisory, investigatory, or advisory powers. 3. A sheet of insulating material carrying circuit elements and terminals so that |
| Board and Batten | Linear vertical wood boards with wood strips covering vertical joints used as an exterior cladding for a framed wall. |
| Board Cement | An adhesive used to bond pieces of wood together. |
| Board foot | A unit of measure for lumber equal to 1 inch thick by 12 inches wide by 12 inches long. Examples: 1" x 12" x 16' = 16 board feet, 2" x 12" x 16' = 32 board feet |
| Board Insulation | Rigid form of plastic foam used as a rigid application insulating surface, commonly of polyurethane. |
| Board Knife | A hand tool holding a replaceable blade to sharply score or trim gypsumboard products; a popular brand is a Stanley knife. |
| Board Measure | The standard system for the measurement of lumber; see Board Foot. |
| Board Rafter | The wooden structural member that makes up the sloping parallel beams used to support a roof. |
| Board Saw | A short hand saw with very coarse teeth for cutting gypsumboard for door and window frame openings. |
| Board Siding | A type of lumber installed on the exterior walls of a building or structure to act as the finish sheathing. |
| Board Sub-Flooring | A wooden member that is installed on floor joists to which the finished floor is fastened. |
| Board, Composite | A board that is made of several compressed materials; used for sheathing, wallboard, or as an insulation or acoustical barrier. |
| Board, Concrete Finish | Wooden boards placed in the concrete formwork as for liners to provide a wood-pattern finish to the completed reinforced concrete. |
| Board, Diving | A narrow platform, often equipped with a spring and raised off the ground by a ladder, attached to the edge of a swimming pool and extending over the water, used to give divers altitude and lift. |
| Board, Dock | Heavy timber used in the construction of the raised platform used for the loading and unloading of trucks. |
| Board, Ridge | The board against which the tips of rafters are fastened; the top line of a roof; the ridge. |
| Boarding In | The process of nailing boards on the outside studding of a house. |
| Boatswain's Chair | A trapeze-like seat that is slung from rigging to support a worker; a Bosun's Chair. |
| BOCA | Building Officials and Code Administrators International, an organization that publishes model building codes. |
| Bodega | 1. A wine vault or cellar; a wine shop where wine is drawn from barrels. 2. A storeroom or warehouse. |
| Bodied Linseed Oil | Linseed oil that has been thickened by suitable processing with heat or chemicals; bodied oils vary greatly in viscosity; some are little thicker than raw linseed oil; others are almost jelly like. |
| Body | 1. The structural portion of ceramic articles; also refers to the material or mixture from which the article is made. 2. The structural portion of an article covered with ceramic tile. 3. Thickness, consistency, or viscosity of a fluid. 4. See Steel Squar |
| Body Coat | Intermediate coat of paint between priming and finishing. |
| Body Feed | The continuous addition of small amounts of filter aid during the operation of a diatomaceous earth filter. |
| Boiled Linseed Oil | Linseed oil to which enough lead, manganese, or cobalt salts have been added to make the oil harden more rapidly when spread in thin coatings; drying properties accentuated by heating oil to 130 to 200¡ C. |
| Boiled Oil | Drying oil treated with driers to shorten the drying time. |
| Boiler 1 | A fuel-burning apparatus for producing hot water or steam. 2. A heating system in which water is used as the distribution medium. |
| Boiler Bow Off | An outlet on a boiler to permit emptying or discharging of water or sediment in the boiler. |
| Boiler Horsepower | Term now seldom used, meaning equivalent to a heating capacity of 33,475 Btu/hr. (983 watts). |
| Boiler Plate | Standardized, formulaic, or hackneyed language in a contract. |
| Boiler Room | The space provided for a hot water or steam boiler, circulating pumps, and other mechanical and electrical equipment; engine room. |
| Boiler, High-Pressure | Boiler furnishing steam at pressures of 15 pounds per square inch gauge or higher (1.05 kg/cm2). |
| Boiler, Hot-Water and Low-Pressure Steam | A boiler furnishing hot water at pressures not more than 30 pounds per square inch gauge (2.12 kg/cm2) or steam at pressures not more than 15 pounds per square inch gauge (1.06 kg/cm2). |
| Boiling | Heated to the boiling point; the change of a liquid to a gas. |
| Boiling Point | The temperature at which a liquid boils; the point at which a liquid starts to change to gas; boiling temperature of a liquid under a pressure of 14.7 psia (760 mm); water boils at 100¡ C or 212¡ F. |
| Boiling Temperature | Boiling point; temperature at which a fluid changes from a liquid to a gas. |
| Bole | 1. The main stem of a tree of substantial diameter; roughly, capable of yielding saw timber, veneer logs, or large pole; seedlings, saplings, and small diameter trees have stems, not boles. 2. A fine soft clay, yellow or dark, colored by iron oxide, forme |
| Bollard | 1. Short steel post, usually filled with concrete, set to prevent vehicular access to or to protect property from damage by vehicular encroachment. 2. Steel or cast iron post to which ships are tied. |
| Bollard Pipe | Short pipe length, placed vertically in the ground and filled with concrete to prevent vehicular access or to protect property from damage by vehicular encroachment. |
| Bolster | 1. A short piece of timber set horizontally across the top of a post, either to afford a greater bearing surface for a girder or girders, or to allow a post above to set between the ends of the girders, or to shorten the span of girders. 2. A long wire ty |
| Bolster, Slab | Continuous, individual support used to hold steel reinforcing bars in the proper position. |
| Bolt | 1. A threaded metal rod or pin for joining parts, having a head and usually used with a threaded nut. 2. a sliding bar for locking a door or gate. 3. A bar in a lock, moved by a key. |
| Bolt Cutter | A hand tool, utilizing effective leverage, that can shear bolts and steel reinforcing rods. |
| Bolt, Anchor | Steel bolt used to secure wood construction to concrete or masonry construction. |
| Bolt, Carriage | A threaded bolt with a round smooth head and a square neck directly under the head to prevent rotation. |
| Bolt, Dead | A lock bolt having no spring action nor bevel, and which is operated by a key or a turn piece. |
| Bolt, Door | The tongue of a lock installed to prevent a door opening. |
| Bolt, Wood | Bolts specifically used in wood applications, that have an unslotted oval head and square shoulders that sink into the wood to prevent turning. |
| Bolted Steel | Steel structural system where the members are assembled and connected with bolts, as opposed to welding. |
| Bolted Truss | Beams, frames, trusses, or other supports connected to support a roof, bridge, or floor system, that are fastened together with bolts. |
| Bolting Pattern | The arrangement, spacings, and dimensions of bolts used to attach two or more structural members together. |
| Bond | 1. The solid connection of one material to another; a substance which causes such a joining to take place. 2. The adhesion between masonry units and mortar or grout. 3. The patterns and methods in which brick and block are installed, for example, American |
| Bond Beam | A horizontal grouted element within a masonry wall in which steel reinforcement is embedded; a horizontal reinforced masonry beam, serving as an integral part of the wall. |
| Bond Beam Block | A concrete masonry unit with the upper part of the ends and webs removed to make room for horizontal reinforcing bars and grout; . U-blocks are sometimes used to form bond beams, especially as over openings. |
| Bond Breaker | A material used to prevent adhesion of newly placed concrete to other surfaces. |
| Bond Coat | A material used between the back of the tile and the prepared surface; suitable bond coats include pure portland cement. dry-set portland cement mortar, latex-type portland cement mortar, organic adhesive, and the like. |
| Bond Course | The course consisting of units which overlap more than one wythe of masonry. |
| Bond or bonding | An amount of money (usually $5,000-$10,000) which must be on deposit with a governmental agency in order to secure a contractor's license. The bond may be used to pay for the unpaid bills or disputed work of the contractor. Not to be confused with a 'perf |
| Bond Plaster | A specially formulated gypsum plaster designed as a first coat application over monolithic concrete. |
| Bondability | 1. Indicating ease or difficulty in bonding a material with adhesive. 2. Ease or difficulty of a contractor in obtaining a surety bond. |
| Bonded Rubber Cushioning | Rubber or latex cushioning adhered to the carpet at the mill. |
| Bonded Stop Notice | A stop notice that is accompanied by a surety bond which guarantees any costs assessed against the claimant should the claimant lose its lawsuit; see Stop Notice. |
| Bonded Tendon | A prestressed tendon that is bonded to concrete either directly or through grouting. |
| Bonded Wall | A masonry wall in which two or more wythes are bonded to act as a structural unit; see Bonder. |
| Bonder | A bonding unit; see Header, 7. |
| Bonderized Flagpole | A metal flagpole that has been coated with a patented phosphate solution for protection against the elements. |
| Bonderizing | A five-step proprietary custom process for phosphatizing. |
| Bonding | Adhesion. |
| Bonding Agent | A substance applied to a suitable substrate to create a bond between it and a succeeding layer as between a subsurface and a terrazzo topping or a succeeding plaster application. |
| Bonding Jumper | 1. A reliable conductor to assure the required electrical conductivity between metal parts required to be electrically connected. 2. At the main service, the connection between the grounded circuit conductor and the equipment grounding conductor. 3. At eq |
| Bone Ash | Calcined bone consisting essentially of calcium phosphate. |
| Bone Black | Pigment made from calcined animal bones; dark in color, but does not have a strong tinting strength like lampblack. |
| Bone China | A translucent china made from a ceramic whiteware body composition containing a minimum of 25 percent bone ash. |
| Bonnet | The upper portion of the gate valve body into which the disc of a gate valve rises when it is opened. |
| Bonus | An extra payment to a contractor for achieving some specified goal, such as early completion. |
| Book Matched | Wood veneer where adjoining sheets are sliced from the same log so that the grain matches like an open book. |
| Bookkeeper | A person who records the accounts or transactions of a business. |
| Boom | 1. A long beam extending out from an upright to lift or carry something and guide it as needed; a derrick boom. 2. A barrier across a river or around an area of water to prevent floating logs from dispersing or to contain an oil spill. 3. To undergo swift |
| Booster | Common term applied to the use of a compressor when used as the first stage in the cascade refrigerating system. |
| Booth | 1.A small temporary roofed or unroofed structure used as a market stall. 2. A small enclosure used for various purposes, as for telephoning or voting. 3. A set of a table and benches in a restaurant or bar. |
| Booth, Spray | An area in a building or structure used for spray painting; blocked off by walls to prevent dust and dirt from work surface. |
| Border | The edge or boundary of anything; verge. |
| Bore | 1. To drill a hole. 2. The diameter of a tube. 3. Inside diameter of a motor cylinder. 4. A high tidal wave rushing up a narrow estuary. |
| Bored Lock | A door lock manufactured for installation in a circular hole. |
| Boring | 1. Making holes in wood or metal to aid in the insertion of bolts, nails or other fasteners. 2. Drilling into the ground to bring up samples of earth for testing. 3. Rotary drilling. |
| Borrow | Excavated material that has been taken from one area to be used as fill at another location. |
| Borrow Pit | An area designated as the source of earth removal to be used elsewhere for fill. |
| Borrowed Light Opening | A glazed window unit in an interior partition. |
| Boss | 1. A round knob, stud, or other protuberance on the center of a shield or in ornamental work. 2. A piece of ornamental carving covering the point where the ribs in a vault or ceiling cross. 3. The employer or contractor on a construction job. |
| Boston Ridge | Applying asphalt or wood shingles at the ridge or at the hips of a roof as a finish. |
| Bosun's Chair | See Boatswain's Chair. |
| Bottle Cooler | A container used for cooling or maintaining the coolness of bottled liquids. |
| Bottom Bars | The reinforcing bars that lie close to the bottom of a reinforced concrete beam or slab. |
| Bottom Beam | The lowest horizontal member supporting a building or structure. |
| Bottom Chord | The lower or bottom horizontal member of a truss. |
| Bottom Dip | The lowest water or waste point in a trap. |
| Bottom Line | 1. The last line on a financial report which shows the profit or loss. 2. The most important factor or statement. |
| Bottom Pivot Hinge | A flexible pair of plates joined by a pin to allow swinging of a door or gate installed at the bottom. |
| Bottom Plate | The "2 by 4's or 6's" that lay on the subfloor upon which the vertical studs are installed. Also called the 'sole plate'. |
| Bottom rail | The bottom of a shade or blind. |
| Boulder | A large stone worn smooth by erosion; a rock which is too heavy to be lifted readily by hand. |
| Bounce-Back | Spray rebound similar to blow-back. |
| Bound Material | A mixture of fine and coarse aggregates bound together with bitumen, cement etc.. |
| Boundaries | A separating line that indicates or fixes a limit or extent. |
| Boundary Elements | Portions along wall and diaphragm edges strengthened by longitudinal and transverse reinforcement; boundary elements do not necessarily require an increase in the thickness of the wall or diaphragm. |
| Boundary Survey | A survey of the property lines of a piece of land. |
| Bourdon Tube | Thin-walled tube of elastic metal flattened and bent into circular shape which tends to straighten as pressure inside is increased; used in pressure gauges. |
| Boutique | A small fashionable store or a small specialty shop within a larger store. |
| Bow | The distortion of lumber in which there is a deviation, in a direction perpendicular to the flat face, from a straight line from end-to-end of the piece. |
| Bow Trowel | A finishing trowel with a slight curve for crowning the final application of gypsum board joint treatment. |
| Bow Window | A bay window with a curved front. |
| Bowl, Toilet | The oval part of a toilet which receives the waste and fills with water after flushing the toilet tank. |
| Box Beam | A beam of metal, concrete, or plywood which, in cross section, resembles a closed rectangular box. |
| Box Culvert Formwork | The temporary wooden structure which holds wet concrete in place for the final curing of a rectangular-shaped, reinforced concrete drainage system. |
| Box Culvert Reinforcing | Iron or steel rods that are embedded in the wet concrete of a rectangular-shaped drainage system to give additional strength. |
| Box Cutter | A specially designed hand tool for shear-cutting electrical outlet holes in gypsum board. |
| box pleat | A flat symmetrical pleat formed by folding the fabric to the back at each side of the pleat. |
| Box System | A framing system that is made up of bearing walls with lateral forces being resisted by shear walls and diaphragms. |
| Box Wrench | A type of end wrench in which the gripping end surrounds the nut or bolt head. |
| Box, Distribution | A box which contains the circuit breakers, connects to the service wires, and delivers current to the various outlets throughout a building or structure. |
| Box, Floor | A metal electrical rough-in box fed by conduits in or under the floor to provide for a floor outlet. |
| Box, Gang | Electrical rough-in box constructed of metal or hard plastic, to provide for two or more outlets or switches. |
| Box, Junction | A metal or hard plastic electrical rough-in box usually square or octagonal housing only wire or cable connections. |
| Box, Plastic | An electrical box for the joining of electrical wires, constructed of hard plastic and nailed in place. |
| Box, Pull | An electrical rough-in box placed in a length of conduit, through which cables can be pulled. |
| Box, Screw Cover | A removable ornamental or protective plate that is mounted to an electrical rough-in box. |
| Box, Tap | The electrical box where the public service electrical supply line is connected with a branch to serve a particular building or structure. |
| Box, Terminal | A metal electrical box, usually with a removable cover, that contains leads from electrical equipment ready for connection to a power source. |
| Box, Weatherproof | An electrical box, designed for exterior installation, that is impervious to the outside elements, such as water. |
| Boxing | Mixing by pouring back and forth from one container to another. |
| Boyle's Law | A physical law governing the behavior of gases, stating that the volume of a gas is directly proportional to its temperature and inversely proportional to its pressure. |
| Brace | 1. A cranked hand tool to hold a bit for drilling holes. 2. A diagonal member, either in tension or compression, to strengthen a structure. |
| Braced Frame | One which is dependent upon diagonal braces for stability and capability to resist lateral forces. |
| Braced Wall Line | A series of braced wall panels in a single story. |
| Bracing | 1. Diagonal members, either temporary or permanent, installed to stabilize a structure against lateral loads. 2. Structural member used to prevent buckling or rotation of wood studs. |
| Bracket | 1. A projecting support for a shelf or other structure. 2. In furring and lathing, a superficial structure usually in angles forming a frame to support lath; used to save material and weight in ornaments or cornices. |
| Bracket Hanger | Hanger supporting a wall-hung sink. |
| Bracket, Wall | 1. A wall-mounted support for shelving or other object. 2. A wall-mounted lighting fixture. |
| Brad | A small slender wire nail with a thickened top for a head. |
| braid | A woven ribbon used as edging or trimming. |
| Brake | A machine for flanging, bending, or folding sheet metal. |
| Brake Metal | Sheet metal that has been bent into a specified configuration, such as gravel stop, flashing, L-shapes, and Z-shapes; formed on a sheet metal brake. |
| Branch | A member or part of a system or structure which diverges from the main portion, as in heating, ventilation, or electrical installations; a smaller or subordinate duct, pipe, or circuit extending from the main line. |
| Branch Breaker | A switch which stops the flow of current by opening the circuit automatically when more electricity flows through the circuit than the circuit is capable of carrying; resetting may be either automatic or manual. |
| Branch Circuit | That portion of a wiring system extending beyond the final automatic overcurrent protective device, excluding any thermal cutout or motor running overload protective device that is not approved for short circuit protection. |
| Branch Circuit (General Purpose) | A branch circuit that supplies a number of outlets for both lighting and appliances. |
| Branch Circuit (LIGHTING) | Circuits supplying energy to lighting outlets only. |
| Branch Circuit (MOTOR) | Circuits from the motor branch circuit protective device to the motor, including the controller and overload protective device. |
| Branch Circuit (MULTIWIRE) | A multiwire branch circuit is a circuit consisting of two or more ungrounded conductors having a potential difference between them, and an identified grounded conductor having equal potential difference between it and each ungrounded conductor of the circ |
| Branch Circuit Appliance | Circuits supplying energy either to permanently wired appliances or to attachment plug receptacle, that is appliance or convenience outlets, or to a combination of permanently wired appliances and additional attachment plug outlets on the same circuit; su |
| Branch Intervel | This is the vertical distance, generally a floor or story in height, but never less than 8 feet, within which the horizontal branches from one floor of the building are connected to the main DWV stack. |
| Branch Vent | A vent pipe that connects a branch of the drainage system to the main stack. |
| Brass | A metal alloy consisting essentially of copper and zinc in variable proportions. |
| Brass Fitting | Threaded pipe connector made of brass, used to join two pieces of pipe together. |
| Braze | Solder with an alloy of brass and zinc at a high temperature. |
| Braze Welding | Sometimes known as Bronze Welding. Often carried out as in fusion welding except that the base metal is not melted. The base metal is simply brought up to what is known as a tinning temperature (dull red color) and a bead deposited over the seam with a br |
| Brazed Connection | Parts that are hardened and connected by soldering with an alloy. |
| Brazing | A welding process wherein coalescence is produced by heating to suitable temperatures above 800¡ F. and by using a nonferrous filler metal having a melting point below that of the base metals; the filler metal is distributed between the closely fitting su |
| Breach of Contract | A material failure to perform an act required by contract. |
| Breadboard | A draw board in a kitchen cabinet used for kneading and slicing bread. |
| Break | 1.To damage by separating into pieces under a blow or strain; shatter. 2. An interruption as in a circuit. 3. An interruption in the continuity of an element, such as a plastered wall or cornice. |
| Break Joints | To arrange joints so that they do not come directly under or over the joints of adjoining pieces, as in shingling, siding, and brick laying. |
| Break-Even Point | The financial position wherein total revenue received equals the sum of the costs and expenses for a particular project showing neither profit nor loss. |
| Breakdown | An itemized list of building costs. |
| Breaker panel | The electrical box that distributes electric power entering the home to each branch circuit (each plug and switch) and composed of circuit breakers. |
| Breaker Strip | Strip of wood or plastic used to cover joint between outside case and inside liner of refrigerator. |
| Breaker, Circuit | A switch which stops the flow of current by opening the circuit automatically when more electricity flows through the circuit than the circuit is capable of carrying; resetting may be either automatic or manual. |
| Breaker, Main | A switch in a main electrical service panel where the service wires attach. |
| Breaker, Vacuum | An electrical breaker with a space that contains reduced air pressure. |
| Breaking Joints | The laying of bricks so that no two vertical joints come directly over one another; this is done for strength. |
| Breakpoint | The point at which a rising concentration of chlorine in swimming pools kills germs and bacteria by oxidizing organic matter; once all matter is oxidized, the amount of chlorine remaining is free or uncombined. |
| Breakwater | A structure protecting a shore area, harbor, anchorage, or basin from waves. |
| Breast | 1.The front part of a fireplace above and around the firebox opening. 2. The projecting portion of a chimney, especially when projecting into a room. |
| Breast Drill | A portable drill equipped with a plate that the operator leans against to provide pressure. |
| Breastplate | The pressure plate of a breast drill. |
| Breastsummer | A beam to carry the load above a fireplace opening, also called bressumer. |
| Breathing Zone | Area of a room in which occupants breathe as they stand, sit, or lie down. |
| Breeching | Space in hot water or steam boilers between the end of the tubing and the jacket. |
| Bressumer | See Breastsummer. |
| BRI | Building-Related Illness. |
| Brick | A solid masonry unit having the shape of a rectangular prism; usually made from clay, shale, fire clay, or a mixture of these. |
| Brick Anchor | Fasteners that are designed to attach and secure a brick veneer to a concrete or brick wall. |
| Brick and Brick | The laying of bricks by which the bricks are touching each other and the mortar used is just enough to fill the irregularities of the bricks. |
| Brick Bat | Part of a brick, usually half a brick or less. |
| Brick Bond | The pattern or arrangement of bricks in a wall. |
| Brick Firewall | A masonry wall constructed to prevent or retard the spread of fire. |
| Brick Institute of America (BIA) | 11490 Commerce Park Drive #300, Reston, Virginia 22901, (703) 620-0010. |
| Brick ledge | Part of the foundation wall where brick (veneer) will rest. |
| Brick lintel | The metal angle iron that brick rests on, especially above a window, door, or other opening. |
| Brick Manhole | A vertical access shaft from the surface to an underground area, constructed of bricks. |
| Brick Mason | A mason who builds in brick; also called a brick layer; see Mason. |
| Brick Molding | Milled trim piece designed to fill the gap between finished milled parts like door and window frames and irregular surfaces like masonry. |
| Brick Removal | The act or process of the demolition of a brick structure. |
| Brick tie | A small, corrugated metal strip @ 1" X 6"- 8" long nailed to wall sheeting or studs. They are inserted into the grout mortar joint of the veneer brick, and holds the veneer wall to the sheeted wall behind it. |
| Brick Tongs | An iron grasping device consisting of two bars pivoted in the middle like a scissors and allowing two workers to lift and move a small pile of bricks. |
| Brick Trowel | The brick trowel is larger than the buttering trowel; the primary tool of masons; used when any preparatory brick work has to be done; its greater surface and weight are advantageous in the buttering and tapping in of block, brick, or larger tiles. |
| Brick Veneer | 1. A vertical facing of brick laid against and fastened to sheathing of a framed wall or tile wall construction. 2. A one brick thick outside facing of brickwork used to cover a wall of some other material. |
| Brick, Chimney | Brick, chosen for the specific use in the construction of chimneys, because of its ability to withstand high temperatures without cracking. |
| Brick, Fire | Brick that has been tested for fire-resistance and then graded for specific construction uses; brick whose composition and characteristics make it suitable to use for masonry fireplace fire-boxes and fire chambers. |
| Brick, Masonry | Bricks that are shaped and molded in different sizes and shapes. |
| Brick, Paver | Brick units that are used in foot traffic areas; usually four inches wide, eight inches long, and 1-5/8 to 2-1/4 inches thick. |
| Bricklayer | A brick mason. |
| Brickwork | Masonry of bricks and mortar. |
| Bridge | A straightedge used as a starting line for the laying of tile; it can be blocked up to support tile over an opening. |
| Bridge Crane | A hoisting device spanning two overhead rails; the hoisting device moves laterally along the bridge with the bridge moving longitudinally along the rails. |
| Bridge Deck | The slab or other structure forming the travel surface of a bridge. |
| Bridge Glaze | Colorless or colored ceramic glaze having high gloss. |
| Bridging | 1. Diagonal or longitudinal members used to keep horizontal members properly spaced, in lateral position, vertically plumb, and to distribute load; pieces fitted in pairs from the bottom of one floor joist to the top of adjacent joists, and crossed to dis |
| Bridging Architect | An owner's architect who designs the project and then is replaced by the design/build entity's architect who prepares the construction documents. |
| Briding | A section sized to fit inside the flanges of studs and channels to stiffen construction. |
| Bright Blast | White blast. |
| Bright Glaze | A high-gloss coating with or without color. |
| Brilliant Color | Very bright |
| Brine | Water saturated or strongly impregnated with salt. |
| Brinell Hardness Test | A laboratory test for measuring the hardness of a material by hydraulically pressing a steel ball into the surface. |
| British Thermal Unit (BTU) | Quantity of heat required to raise temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. |
| Brittle | Easily broken; not tough. |
| Brittle Failure | Failure in material which generally has a very limited plastic range; material subject to sudden failure without warning. |
| Broach | 1. Any of various pointed or tapered tools, implements, or parts. 2. A drill bit. 3. A pointed tool for roughly dressing stone. |
| Broad Knife | A wide flexible finishing knife for applying joint finishing compound. |
| Broad-Leaved Trees | See Hardwoods. |
| Broadcast | To sprinkle solid particles on a surface. |
| Broadloom | Carpet woven on a broad loom in widths of 6 feet or more. usually 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18-ft. widths, and up to 30 ft. in Chenille; broadloom is not a type of weave of carpet, nor a pattern or color; it is simply a designation of width. |
| brocade | Originally of silk but can be made in cotton, linen, wool or man- made fiber. It is usually woven in one or two colors, with the additional colors applied to the woven surface, which is what distinguishes it from damask. Heavier than damask, it is often w |
| brocatelle | A type of silk strengthened with linen. It seldom uses more than two colors. It has a satin or twill figure on a plain or satin ground and is distinguished from damask by raised areas of pattern that are formed by a double warp. It does not drape well and |
| Broiler, Kitchen | A cooking device in a kitchen that cooks food by direct exposure to radiant heat. |
| Broker | An agent who, for a fee or commission, brings parties together for the leasing or sale of real property. |
| Bromide | A chemical compound containing bromine, a halogen; sodium or potassium bromide in solution will produce free bromine if chlorine is added to the pool. |
| Bronze | An alloy of copper and tin and sometimes other elements. |
| Bronze Tools | Non-sparking tools; used when fire hazards are particularly acute. |
| Bronze Welding | See Braze Welding. |
| Bronzing | Formation of metallic sheen on a paint film. |
| Bronzing Liquid | A vehicle especially formulated for use as a binder for aluminum, gold, or bronze powder. |
| Broom 1 | A long handled brush of bristles for sweeping and brushing; also used for concrete finishing. 2. To spread out in a broom shape through separation of the fibers, as when a pile is partly crushed at its head under the blows of the pile driver. |
| Broom Finish | A finish applied to an uncured concrete surface, to provide skid or slip resistance, made by dragging a broom across the freshly placed concrete surface. |
| Brooming | 1. The use of a broom (normally attached to a tractor) to remove loose material from the crushed rock surface prior to laying asphalt or seal. 2. In roofing, embedding a ply by using a broom to smooth out the ply and ensure contact with the adhesive under |
| Brown Coat | The coat of plaster directly beneath the finish coat; in two-coat work, brown coat refers to the basecoat plaster applied over the lath; in three coat work, the brown coat refers to the second coat applied over a scratch coat; brown coats are applied with |
| Brown Out | To complete application of basecoat plastering. |
| Brown Stain | Brown discoloration of the sapwood of some pines caused by a fungus. |
| Brownfield Site | . A building site that has been previously built upon and is possibly polluted with toxic chemicals; compare with Greenfield Site. |
| Brownstone | 1. A building sandstone of prevailing brown color. 2. A dwelling faced with brownstone. |
| Brunschwig & Fils | High-end fabric vendor. Very traditional and exclusive. (75 Virginia Road, North White Plains, NY 10603) |
| Brush | 1. A painter's implement composed of bristles set into a handle, used for applying paint and other coatings to a surface. 2. An electrical conductor that makes contact with a moving part. |
| Brush Cutting | The act of removing unwanted plants to clear an area. |
| Brush Hand | A painter whose ability lies in his skill in applying material. |
| Brush Hook | A long handled tool for clearing brush. |
| Brush-Off Blast | Lowest blast cleaning standard. |
| Brushability | 1. Adaptability of paint to application with a brush. 2. The ability or ease with which a paint can be brushed. |
| Brushcoating | The application of paint, stucco color, or other materials with a broad brush. |
| Brushed Surface | A sandy texture obtained by brushing the surface of freshly placed or slightly hardened concrete with a stiff brush for architectural effect or, in pavements, to increase skid resistance. |
| Brussels | A term formerly, but now rarely, used to describe a loop pile or round-wire carpet woven on the Wilton loom. |
| Brutalism | A heavy plain style of architecture. |
| BSSC | Building Seismic Safety Council. |
| BTU | British thermal unit; measurement of the heat energy required to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. |
| Bubble | A large void in the core of gypsum board caused by the entrapment of air while the core is in a fluid state during the manufacturing process. |
| Bubbling | Describes the appearance of bubbles on the surface while a coating is being applied. |
| Buck | Often used in reference to rough frame opening members. Door bucks used in reference to metal door frame. See Window Bucks |
| Bucket | Large metal container into which concrete is discharged; the bucket is raised by crane to the placement area. |
| Bucket Trap | A mechanical steam trap operating on buoyancy that prevents the passage of steam through the mechanical system it protects. |
| Buckles | In old plastering, raised or ruptured spots which eventually crack, exposing the lath beneath; most common cause for buckling is application of plaster over dry, broken or incorrectly applied wood lath. |
| Buckling | 1. Collapse, in the form of a sudden sideways deflection, of a slender element subjected to compression; structural failure by gross lateral deflection of a slender element under compressive stress, such as the sideward buckling of a long, slender column |
| buckram | An interfacing used as a stiffener inside handmade curtains, drapery, and valance headings, as well as tiebacks and cornices. Made from cotton or jute, it is available in different weights, in fusible and sew-in versions; it is normally 4in (10cm) wide. |
| buckram, fusible | This is a strip of white cotton impregnated with glue. It is used inside hand-pleated headings, giving the requisite stiffness without the visible machine stitching of a sewn-on decorator tape. This buckram is fused to the fabric with a hot iron. |
| buckram, fusible heavyweight | An open-weave fabric, made from jute, then impregnated with glue, this type of buckram is used as the base of a cornice. It is very stiff and is best cut with a heavy-duty craft knife. A hot iron will release the glue to fuse it in place. It is turned on |
| buckram, non-fusible heavyweight | Made from jute, this material is not impregnated with glue but is double starched and two-ply. It is sewn into the cornice. Use a heavy-duty craft knife because non-fusible buckram is not easy to cut. It has the same uses as the fusible version but is mor |
| Budget | A managerial plan of proposed operations to accomplish a financial objective. |
| Buffer | A pile of blasted rock left against or near a face to improve fragmentation and reduce scattering from the next blast. |
| Buffing | A router trimming of the shear cut end of gypsum board to smooth cut and adjust for length tolerances prior to the bundling tapes being applied. |
| Buffing Compound | Soft abrasive in stick form, bonded with wax. |
| Buglehead Screw | A special design screw that will seat beneath the plane of the gypsumboard surface without tearing the paper. |
| Build | Construct by putting materials or parts together. |
| Build-Up Sequence | The order in which the weld beads of a multiple-pass weld are deposited with respect to the cross- section of the joint. |
| Builder | One who constructs; a building contractor. |
| Builder's Level | A simple form of transit-level for measuring and setting levels on a construction site; also called a contractor's level. |
| Builder's Risk Insurance | Insurance coverage on a construction project during construction, including extended coverage that may be added for the contract for the customer's protections. |
| Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) | 355 Lexington Ave., 17th Floor, New York, New York 10017, (212) 661-4261. |
| Builders' Hardware | Hardware used in construction, such as bolts, nuts, screws, nails, and other fastenings, metal and plastic parts, hinges, butts, catches, and similar parts. |
| Building | A fixed structure forming an enclosure and providing shelter. |
| Building Brick | Brick for building purposes not especially treated for texture or color; also called Common Brick. |
| Building Code | A set of rules governing the quality of construction in a community; the purpose of these rules is to protect the public health and safety. |
| Building Coverage | The percentage of a specific parcel of land covered by buildings. |
| Building Demolition | The destruction, by means of explosives or otherwise, of a standing construction. |
| Building Drain | The lowest part of a drainage system which receives the discharge from soil, waste and other drainage pipes inside the walls of the building and conveys it to the building sewer beginning 3 feet outside the building wall. |
| Building Drainage System | Complete system of piping used for carrying away waste water and sewage; also called House Drainage System. |
| Building Envelope | The outer limits of a building as encompassed by the exterior walls, roof, and foundation. |
| Building Excavation | The act or process of removing an area of earth and rock to make room for a foundation. |
| Building Inspector | A public official that examines the work in the field to determine compliance with the applicable building laws. |
| Building insurance | Insurance covering the structure of the building. |
| Building Integrated Photovoltaic Cell | Photovoltaic cells that substitute for building elements or materials, such as spandrel panels or roofing panels. |
| Building Lime | A lime whose chemical and physical characteristics and method of processing make it suitable for ordinary or special construction uses; also called construction lime. |
| Building Main | Water supply pipe that carries the water from the source of supply to the first branch of the water distributing system in the building. |
| Building Official | The official charged with administration and enforcement of the applicable building code, or his duly authorized representative. |
| Building Paper | Any of various usually water repellent sheet materials such as kraft paper assemblies and asphalt saturated felt, used for moisture proofing, draft stopping, and exterior plaster backing; a general term for papers, felts, and similar sheet materials used |
| Building Related Illness | Diagnosable illness whose symptoms can be identified and whose cause can be directly attributed to airborne building pollutants, for example, Legionnaire's disease, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. |
| Building Residual | A real estate appraisal technique where a reasonable return on the land is first deducted from the income, the balance being attributable to the improvements. |
| Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) | 1015 15th Street, NW #700, Washington, DC 20005, (202) 289-7800. |
| Building Sewer | The piping that takes the soil and waste water from the building drain and conveys it to the public sewer or private sewage disposal system; also called House Sewer. |
| Building Sub-Drain | That part of the drainage system of a house that receives the discharge from the fixtures and cannot drain into the building sewer because it is located below the building sewer or building drain; this piping usually drains into a sump and is pumped up in |
| Building Trap | A trap placed in the building drain to prevent entry of sewer gases from the sewer main. |
| Building, Metal | A building or structure constructed of a structural steel frame covered by metal roof and wall panels; commonly prefabricated in a factory and assembled at the site. |
| Built-In Oven | An oven installed directly into a wall or cabinet. |
| Built-In Shelving | Shelving that is permanently installed in a cabinet frame. |
| Built-Up Member | A single structural component made from several pieces fastened together. |
| Built-Up Plaque | Layers of a localized abnormal patch on a surface. |
| Built-Up Roof | 1. A roof covering made of continuous rolls or sheets of saturated or coated felt, cemented together with bitumen, and may have a final coating of gravel or slag. 2. A roofing composed of three to five layers of asphalt felt laminated with coal tar, pitch |
| Built-Up Roof Removal | The act or process of removing many layers of old roofing material. |
| Built-Up Roofing Membrane (BUR) | Roofing material applied in sealed waterproof layers or plies, or saturated or coated felts alternated with layers of bitumen, surfaced with mineral aggregate or asphaltic materials. |
| Built-Up Steel Lintel | Lintel fabricated of two or more pieces of structural steel secured together to act as one member. |
| Built-Up Timber | A timber made of several pieces fastened together and forming one of larger dimension. |
| Bulb Tee | Rolled steel in the form of a T with a formed bulb on the edge of the web. |
| Bulb, Sensitive | Part of sealed fluid device which reacts to temperature; used to measure temperature or to control a mechanism. |
| Bulge | An irregular swelling; a lump. |
| Bulk | 1. Size; magnitude; large mass or quantity. 2. Large quantities as in bulk cement. 3. To cause to swell or bulge. 4. A small structure projecting from a building, as a booth or stall. |
| Bulk Density | 1. Can refer to the density of the aggregate or the density of compacted asphalt. Typically Asphalt is 2.3 to 2.5 t/m?. 2. The weight of a material per unit of volume. |
| Bulk Excavation | The digging out of large amounts of dirt and debris. |
| Bulk Mail Slot | An opening in a wall or door big enough to receive large pieces of mail. |
| Bulked Continuous Filament (BCF) | Continuous strands of synthetic fiber made into yarn without spinning; often extruded in modified cross section such as multi-lobal, mushroom or bean shape and/or texturized to increase bulk and covering power. |
| Bulkhead | 1. A vertical partition separating compartments, as on a ship or aircraft. 2. A structure or partition to resist pressure or shut off water, fire, or gas. 3. A retaining wall along a waterfront. 4. A projecting structure with a sloping door giving access |
| Bulkhead Formwork | The temporary formwork that blocks fresh concrete from a section of forms or closes the end of a form at a construction joint. |
| Bulking | Increase in the bulk volume of a quantity of sand in a moist condition over the volume of the same quantity dry. |
| Bulking Curve | Graph of change in volume of a quantity of sand due to change in moisture content. |
| Bulking Factor | Ratio of the volume of moist sand to the volume of the sand when dry. |
| Bulking Value | Of a pigment, its ability to add volume to a paint. |
| Bull Float | A tool comprising a large, flat, rectangular piece of wood, aluminum, or magnesium usually 8 in. (20 cm) wide and 42 to 60 in. (100 to 150 cm) long, and a handle 4 to 16 ft. (1 to 5 m) in length used to smooth unformed surfaces of freshly placed concrete. |
| Bull Nose | 1. In plastering, an external angle that is rounded in order to eliminate a sharp corner; can be made by running with plaster or using a bull nose corner bead with the proper radius. 2. Any material with a rounded edge such as a concrete block, ceramic ti |
| Bull nose (drywall) | Rounded drywall corners. |
| Bull Nose Brick | 1. A brick having one rounded corner. 2. Bricks that have their ends or corners rounded off. |
| Bull's Eye | 1. A small circular window or opening; a bull's eye window. 2. A small thick disc of glass inserted, as in a deck, to let in light. |
| Bulldozer | A tractor driven machine with a horizontal blade for clearing land, road building, or similar work. |
| Bulletin Board | A wall hanging unit upon which information or messages are attached; a thin board, often of cork, hung on a wall for the attachment of public announcements. |
| Bulletproof | Manufactured to prevent breakage or penetration from a strong external force. |
| Bulletproof Glass | A protective laminated glass sheet, heat and pressure-bonded with resin sheets to resist the passage of bullets. |
| Bulletproof Partition | A dividing wall which has been rendered bulletproof by using specific materials in its construction. |
| bullion fringe | A fringe trimming formed of twisted loops of rope, made in wool or silk and available in a variety of lengths and thicknesses. |
| Bullnose Block | A concrete masonry unit which has one or more rounded external corners. |
| Bullnose, Corner | A type of ceramic tile bullnose trim with a convex radius on two adjacent edges. |
| Bullnose, Glazed | A ceramic trim tile with a convex radius on one edge that has been given a glassy or glossy surface. |
| bump | A cotton-waste interlining used to add body and insulation. |
| bump interlining | This heavy, blanketlike cotton interlining imported from England is available bleached or unbleached. Table felt or reinforced felt is similar but is somewhat stiffer. Cotton flannel can also be used instead of bump. All interlinings are sewn into a curta |
| Bumper, Dock | Thick rubber units placed under loading dock openings to absorb the shock and prevent damage when trucks back in for loading or unloading. |
| Bumper, Door | Rubber tip devices mounted on walls or baseboards that prevent door knobs from marring walls. |
| Bund Wall | A wall built around a tank to contain its contents should the tank or its piping spring a leak. |
| Bundle | 1. A package of shingles. Normally, there are 3 bundles per square and 27 shingles per bundle. 2. Two pieces of gypsumboard packaged face to face. |
| Bundled Bars | A group of not more than four parallel steel reinforcing bars in contact with each other, usually tied together. |
| Bundling Tape | End tape to secure two pieces of gypsum board into a bundle. |
| Bunker | Space where ice or cooling element is placed in commercial installations. |
| Buoyant Uplift | The force of water or liquefied soil that tends to raise a building foundation out of the ground. |
| BUR | Built-Up Roofing. |
| Burden | The amount of money that has to be added to cover overhead. |
| Burglar Alarm | A security system that signals when any of the contacts have been interrupted. |
| Burglar Bars | A grille of steel bars to protect a window or skylight opening from intrusion. |
| Burl | A hard woody outgrowth on a tree, good for highly figured veneers. |
| Burlap | A coarse fabric of jute, hemp, or less commonly, flax, for use as a water-retaining covering in curing concrete surfaces; also called Hessian. |
| Burlap Rub | A finish obtained by rubbing burlap to remove surface irregularities from concrete. |
| Burlap, Concrete | A curing concrete surface that has had a coarse fabric of jute, hemp, or less commonly, flax applied, for use as a water-retaining covering. |
| Burling | In carpet manufacturing, a hand-tailoring operation after weaving, to remove any knots and loose ends, to insert missing tufts of surface yarn and otherwise check the condition of the fabric; also, a repair operation on worn or damaged carpet. |
| Burn | To cut metal with a gas flame. |
| Burn-Thru | A term erroneously used to denote excessive Melt-Thru or a hole. |
| Burned | Over-dried, partially calcined gypsum board. |
| Burned Finish | Wood finish in which hard portion of grain stands out in relief; produced by using blowtorch and stiff bristled brush. |
| Burner | Device in which burning of fuel takes place. |
| Burning In | Repairing a finish by melting stick shellac into the damaged places by using a heated knife blade or iron. |
| Burnish | Polish by rubbing. |
| Burnoff Rate | See Melting Rate. |
| Burnt Sienna | An earthy substance containing oxides of iron and usually of manganese; orange red or reddish brown pigment, used in paint; sienna that has been roasted. |
| Burnt Umber | A brown earthy substance containing oxides of iron and manganese; a pigment, darker than ochre and sienna, used in paint; umber that has been roasted. |
| Burr | A sharp, roughened, in-turned edge on a piece of pipe which has been cut but not reamed. |
| Burst Strength | The internal pressure required to break a pipe or fitting; this pressure will vary with the rate of build-up of the pressure and the time during which the pressure is held. |
| Bus Bar | 1. A large, flat conductor, usually solid copper, used for carrying very high electrical currents. 2. An uninsulated bar or tube used as an electrical conductor at a circuit junction. |
| Bus Duct | A prefabricated unit containing one or more electric conductors, often a metal bar, that serves as a common connection for two or more circuits. |
| Bus Duct Connection | A metal bar serving as a common connection for two or more circuits in a prefabricated unit. |
| Bus Ground | In the main electrical service panel, where the neutral service wire, generally white, attaches and is linked to the earth by the ground wire. |
| Bush Hammer | In stone dressing, a steel hammer used in finishing the harder stones; it has a square-ended prismatic head divided into a number of pyramidal points. |
| Bushed Nipple | A pipe threaded at both ends to connect two pipes of different dimensions. |
| Bushing | 1. A removable cylindrical lining for an opening used to limit the size of an opening, resist abrasion, or serve as a guide. 2. An electrically insulating lining for a hole to protect a through conductor. 3. A pipe fitting with both male and female thread |
| Bushing, Conduit | A threaded metal or plastic pipe connector used to connect conduit to a box or other housing where the hole is not threaded. |
| Business Entity Concept | The assumption that a business is separate and distinct from its owner's financial operations and holdings. |
| Busway | A rigid assembly consisting of one or more busbars. |
| Butane | A gaseous hydrocarbon (C4H10) of the alkane series used in liquefied form as fuel; also used as a low temperature application refrigerant. |
| Butler's Pantry | A service room between kitchen and dining room |
| Butt | 1. The larger of the two ends of a log. 2. See Butt Hinge. 3. Pile Butt. |
| Butt edge | The lower edge of the shingle tabs. |
| Butt Hinge | A type of hinge designed for mortising into the edge of the door and into the rabbet of a door frame, consisting of two plates with a removable connecting pin; also called a Butt. |
| Butt Joint | 1. A plain square joint between two members. 2. In wallpaper, a joint made by trimming both selvedges and butting the edges together; this is used in highest type of work. 3. The cut ends of gypsum board placed adjacent to one another. 4. The joint betwee |
| Butt Weld | A weld in a butt joint between two members lying approximately in the same plane. |
| Butt Welded Pipe | Pipe that is joined by welding. |
| Butt, Pile | See Pile Butt. |
| Butt-Welded Space | A reinforcing bar splice made by welding the butted ends. |
| Butterflies | Color imperfections on a lime putty finish wall which smear out under pressure of the trowel; caused by lime lumps not put through a screen and insufficient mixing of the gauging. |
| Butterfly Reinforcement | Strips of metal reinforcement placed diagonally over the plaster base at the corners of openings before plastering. |
| Butterfly Roof | A roof shape that is like an inverted gable, the rain gutter being in the middle instead of the ridge. |
| Butterfly Tie | See TIES. |
| Butterfly Valve | A valve constructed with a disc that rotates 90 degrees within the valve body. |
| Buttering | 1. Spreading mortar on a masonry unit before it is laid. 2. The spreading of a bond coat to the backs of ceramic tile just before the tile is placed. 3. See Surfacing. |
| Buttering Trowel | The blade of the buttering trowel is approximately 4-1/2" wide and 7" long; used in buttering rich mortar to masonry, a method commonly used in the eastern states. |
| Buttonback Tile | Tile that have round or square projections on the bondable side. |
| Buttress | 1. A projecting structure of masonry or wood for supporting or giving stability to a wall or building wall and to react against horizontal outward forces. 2. The broadened base of a tree trunk or a thickened vertical part of it. |
| Butyl Acetate | A lacquer solvent made from butyl alcohol by reaction with acetic acid. |
| Butyl Alcohol | An alcohol of higher boiling range than wood alcohol or grain alcohol; obtained from corn by fermentation. |
| Butyl Caulk | Caulking that is made from various synthetic rubbers derived from butanes. |
| Butyl Membrane | Pliable thin sheets or layers made from synthetic rubber. |
| Butylene Plastics | Plastics based on resins made by the polymerization of butene or copolymerization of butene with one or more unsaturated compounds, the butene being in greatest amount by weight. |
| Buy down | A subsidy (usually paid by a builder or developer) to reduce monthly payments on a mortgage. |
| Buzzer | An electric signaling device that produces a buzzing sound. |
| BX Cable | A type of indoor wiring consisting of two or more insulated wires protected by a wound, galvanized steel strip cover, the metal winding forming a flexible tube offering protection similar to rigid conduit. |
| BX Clamp | A clamping device to hold BX cable firmly in place against a wooden or metal member. |
| By fold door | Doors that are hinged in the middle for opening in a smaller area than standard swing doors. Often used for closet doors. |
| By pass doors | Doors that slide by each other and commonly used as closet doors. |
| By-Product | A substance obtained during the manufacture of another substance; a secondary result, sometimes unexpected or unintended, of some process. |
| Bypass | 1. Passage at one side of, or around, a regular passage. 2. A secondary pipe or bridging of any plumbing fixture allowing this fixture to be disconnected and circulation maintained. |
| Byte | In computing, a group of eight binary digits. |