| Term | Definition |
| T & G, tongue and groove | A joint made by a tongue (a rib on one edge of a board) that fits into a corresponding groove in the edge of another board to make a tight flush joint. Typically, the subfloor plywood is T & G. |
| T bar | Ribbed, "T" shaped bars with a flat metal plate at the bottom that are driven into the earth. Normally used chain link fence poles, and to mark locations of a water meter pit. |
| T Hinge. | A surface hinge with the short member attached to the jamb and the long member attached to the door. |
| T&G Siding. | Tongue and groove exterior siding. |
| T&G. | 1. Tongue and Groove. 2. Tongued and grooved. |
| T&M. | Time and Material. |
| T-Bar Ceiling System. | A suspended ceiling system where the members are T-shaped metal that will accept acoustical board panels, lighting fixtures, or air conditioning registers and grilles. |
| T-Beam. | A reinforced concrete beam that contains of a portion of the slab above and which the two act together. |
| T-Square. | A drafting tool that, used with a drawing board, can be used to produce parallel lines on a drawing. |
| T-Stat. | Thermostat. |
| T. | Transmittance. |
| Tab | The exposed portion of strip shingles defined by cutouts. |
| Taber Abrader. | An instrument used to test the abrasion resistance of a material. |
| Table Saw. | A power saw in which the saw remains stationary on a table and the material to be cut is passed under it. |
| Table, Laboratory. | See Laboratory Table |
| Tableware. | All utensils and decorative articles used on the table for meal service. |
| Tachometer. | An instrument for measuring the speed of a rotating shaft or a moving vehicle. |
| Tack Board. | A board, often of cork, for tacking up notices and displays. |
| Tack Coat. | Application of asphaltic material on old surface to insure its bond to new construction. |
| Tack Hammer. | A small hammer for installing tacks. |
| Tack Rag. | A piece of cheesecloth or cotton rag moistened with thinned varnish, used by painters to pick up small particles of abrasive dust. |
| Tack Strip. | A wooden strip containing a series of inclined barbs for grasping the edges when installing carpeting. |
| Tack Weld. | A small weld to hold steel pieces together temporarily. |
| Tack Welding. | Before welding, pipes are properly aligned and then tack welded; special line-up clamps are used to insure correct alignment. |
| Tack. | 1. Short sharp pointed nail with large head used to secure thin or woven materials to wood and similar materials. 2. Degree of stickiness. |
| Tackboard. | Soft panel used for attachment of items with thumbtacks. |
| Tackiness. | 1. Stickiness. 2. When a painting material dries out, gels, or sets up, it loses tackiness or stickiness. |
| Tacky. | 1. Not quite dry; sticky. 2. Shabby; seedy. |
| taffeta | Fine, crisp silk with a finish that also gives it the name ìpaper taffeta.î It has numerous man-made imitations. It should be treated with care as it wrinkles badly. |
| Tail beam | A relatively short beam or joist supported in a wall on one end and by a header at the other. |
| Tail Line. | Short piece of blast hose smaller than the main hose to permit better maneuverability. |
| Tail Pipe. | Outlet pipe from the evaporator. |
| tails(1) | Hanging trail of fabric, either shaped and stiffened or falling fluidly from the end of swags. tape |
| tails(2) | A strip of fabric used in the construction of curtains. Decorator tape is used in making some headings, while hook-and-loop tape is used to attach a cornice or valance to a valance shelf. Twill tape, or web, is sometimes used to reinforce a handmade headi |
| tails(3) | A curtain heading framed by a narrow, threaded tape sewn on at the top of a curtain. When the parallel threads are pulled up, a gathered effect is created. |
| Tails. | In airless spray painting, finger-like spray pattern. |
| Take off | The material necessary to complete a job. |
| Take-Off Man. | Someone who can read blueprints and is familiar with the specifications; makes notes of special details concerning the project after gathering the necessary information and then estimates the quantities of labor, materials, equipment and special items nee |
| Take-Off Person. | See Take-Off Man. |
| Takeout Loan. | See Permanent Loan. |
| Talc. | 1. Any crystalline form of magnesium silicate that occurs in soft flat plates, used as a lubricator or dryer. also called Talcum Powder or Soapstone. 2. A fine powder applied to the back of gypsumboard to minimize friction and permit easier sliding of bun |
| Talcum Powder | See Talc. |
| Tall Oil. | A blend of resin and oil acids obtained as a by- product from the sulfate process for making paper. |
| Tamp. | Pound or press soil to compact it. |
| Tamper. | A tool for compacting soil in spots not accessible to rollers. |
| Tamping Rod. | Used in preparing concrete cylinders for testing, a round, smooth, straight steel rod, 5/8 inch in diameter and approximately 24 inches in length, having the tamping end rounded into a hemispherical tip, the diameter of which is 5/8 inch. |
| Tandem. | A device with two parts, one behind the other. |
| Tangent. | 1. A straight line that touches a curve at one point but continues on without crossing it. 2. The trigonometric ratio of the sides opposite and adjacent to an angle in a right-angled triangle. |
| Tangential. | 1. Acting along or lying in a tangent. 2. Strictly, coincident with a tangent at the circumference of a tree or log, or parallel to such a tangent; in practice, however, it often means roughly coincident with a growth ring; a tangential section is a longi |
| Tangible. | Perceptible by touch; palpable; definite; clearly intelligible. |
| Tank White. | Good hiding, self-cleaning white paint for exterior metal converging lines. |
| Tank, Supply. | See Supply Tank. |
| Tap Box. | The electrical box where the public service electrical supply line is connected with a branch to serve a particular building or structure. |
| Tap-a-Line. | See Saddle Valve. |
| Tape Creaser. | In gypsumboard joint finishing, a hand tool used in folding joint tape for use in inside corners. |
| Tape Recorder. | A mechanical device which makes sound recordings on magnetic tape. |
| Tape Test. | A particular type of adhesion test. |
| Tape. | 1. A tape measure, marked off in measuring units. 2. A narrow woven fabric. 3. A strip of narrow transparent or opaque material coated with adhesive for fastening, sticking, or insulating. 4. Gypsumboard joint reinforcing tape. 5. A plastic reinforcing me |
| Taper. | 1. A gradual and uniform decrease in size, as of a round or rectangular piece or hole. 2. The factory edge that is progressively reduced in caliper from the face to the outer edge allowing for the concealment of joint tape below the plane of the gypsum bo |
| Tapered Edge Strip. | 1. A tapered insulation strip used to elevate the roof at the perimeter and at curbs that extend through the roof. 2. A tapered insulation strip used to provide a gradual transition from one thickness of insulation to another. |
| Tapered Edge. | See Taper. |
| Tapered Pattern. | Elliptical shaped spray pattern; a spray pattern with converging lines. |
| Tapered Steel Girder. | A fabricated steel plate girder with a sloping top flange. |
| tapestry | Woven either by hand or by machine. The latter is sold by the yard as a Jacquard imitation. Available in a wide variety of designs and colors, it is used for chair upholstery and cushions. |
| Tapestry. | A looped pile fabric woven on the velvet loom. |
| Taping | The process of covering drywall joints with paper tape and joint compound. |
| Taping Compound. | Gypsumboard joint compound especially formulated to embed joint tape. |
| Taping Tools. | See Ames Tools. |
| Tapping Tile. | An inspection technique whereby a coin, key, or other small metallic object is tapped against an installed tile to determine by sound whether the tile is completely bonded to its backing; a hollow sound occurs if the tile is not set properly; tilesetters |
| Tapping Valve. | A device to open or close a duct, pipe, or other passage, or to regulate flow; it is inserted into an existing pipeline by piercing the wall of the pipe and thus tapping into the flow. |
| Tapping. | 1. The process of forming internal screw threads in a drilled hole. 2. The tapping or pounding of a brick or other masonry unit down into the bed of mortar. |
| Taproot. | A large root that grows downward from the base of a tree. |
| Tar. | A dark thick inflammable liquid distilled from wood or coal and used as a sealant, a wood preservative, and for roofing and road paving. |
| Tare. | The weight of an empty truck or container. |
| Tarp. | See Tarpaulin. |
| Tarpaulin. | A waterproofed canvas or other material used for protecting construction projects, athletic fields, goods, or other exposed objects or areas; also called a Tarp. |
| Tarred Felt. | A felt that has been saturated with refined coal tar. |
| tartan | A woolen cloth woven with a particular checked pattern of specific colors, each belonging to one of the Scottish clans. Its rich, deep colors can be effective in any interior and it has good insulating qualities. |
| Taupe. | A brownish gray. |
| Tax Shelter. | The offsetting of investment income by non-cash charges, such as reserves for depreciation, for the purpose of reducing income tax. |
| Tax. | A charge imposed by authority upon persons or property for public purposes. |
| TCA. | Tile Council of America Research Center. |
| Teak Veneer. | Thin sheets of teak, a dark wood, used for plywood or other finishes. |
| Teak. | Yellowish-brown wood from the teak tree; used primarily for shipbuilding, furniture, and wood finish for buildings. |
| Tear Strip. | Heavy paper ribbon under bundling tape to facilitate opening of bundles. |
| Tear-Off. | A roofing repair job entailing complete removal of the old roof and insulation down to the deck. |
| Technical Competence. | Knowledge of business and trade practices to successfully accomplish purposes of business. |
| Technically Infeasible. | With respect to an alteration of a building or a facility, that it has little likelihood of being accomplished because existing structural conditions would require removing or altering a load-bearing member which is an essential part of the structural fra |
| Technobabble. | Incomprehensible technical jargon. |
| Technology. | 1. Applied science. 2. Technical language. |
| Teco | Metal straps that are nailed and secure the roof rafters and trusses to the top horizontal wall plate. Sometimes called a hurricane clip. |
| Tedlar. | A registered trademark name of du Pont Co.; an elastomeric membrane consisting of polyvinyl fluoride |
| Tee | A "T" shaped plumbing fitting. |
| Tee Joint. | A joint between two members located approximately at right angles to each other in the form of a T. |
| Tee Member. | A metal or precast concrete member with a cross section resembling a T. |
| Tee Square. | A 48-inch long T shaped metal guide used in scoring gypsumboard to job size requirements; also called a Hanger's Tee. |
| Tee Turn. | Turn Piece. |
| Tee Weld. | Weld in a joint between two members located approximately at right angles to each other in the form of a T. |
| Tee, Bulb. | Rolled steel in the form of a T with a formed bulb at the end of the web. |
| Tee. | A metal or precast concrete member with a cross section resembling a T. |
| Telamon. | A male figure used as a supporting column. |
| Telescopic. | Having parts that slide or pass within one another. |
| Telescoping Bleacher. | A seating structure, usually in a gymnasium, that folds back into itself. |
| Teller Window. | The opening in a wall partition through which transactions in a financial institution take place. |
| Temblor. | Earthquake. |
| Temper. | 1.The condition of metal as regards hardness and elasticity. 2. To mix plaster to a workable consistency. 3. To mix, by the adding of water to make the mortar the right consistency for use. |
| Tempera. | 1. A process of fine art painting in which an albuminous or colloidal medium, as egg yolk, is employed as a vehicle instead of oil; poster color; water color. 2. A water-thinned or water-emulsion paint. |
| Temperature Bars. | See Temperature Reinforcement. |
| Temperature Control. | Temperature-operated thermostatic device which automatically opens or closes a circuit. |
| Temperature Inversion. | The phenomenon of a layer of warmer air trapping a layer of cooler air closer to the ground thus restricting its rise and with it trapping any air pollutants. |
| Temperature Reinforcement. | Steel reinforcing bars distributed throughout the concrete to minimize cracks due to temperature changes and concrete shrinkage, also called Temperature Bars or Temperature Steel. |
| Temperature Rise. | The increase of concrete temperature caused by heat of hydration and heat from other sources. |
| Temperature Steel. | See Temperature Reinforcing. |
| Temperature, Curing. | See Curing Temperature. |
| Temperature-Humidity Index. | Actual temperature and humidity of air sample compared to air at standard conditions. |
| Temperature. | 1. Degree of heat in a body as measured by a thermometer. 2. Measurement of speed of motion of molecules. |
| Tempered | Strengthened. Tempered glass will not shatter nor create shards, but will "pelletize" like an automobile window. Required in tub and shower enclosures and locations, entry door glass and sidelight glass, and in a windows when the window sill is less than |
| Tempered Air. | See Conditioned Air. |
| Tempered Glass. | Glass that has been treated to increase it toughness and its resistance to breakage. |
| template | A shape cut from cardboard or paper and used to mark specific outlines on fabric. |
| Template Hardware. | Items of hardware that are made to template as to spacing of all holes and dimensions, as in hinges, locks, exit devices, and closers for hollow metal doors and frames. |
| Template. | A gauge, pattern, or mold used as a guide to the form of a piece being made. |
| Temple. | A building devoted to worship. |
| Temporary Centering. | Temporary forming used during the construction process for support of a masonry arch or a concrete slab. |
| Temporary Closure. | Temporary construction used during the construction process to close openings to provide weather protection or to separate construction areas from occupied areas. |
| Temporary Facility. | A structure erected for temporary use. |
| Temporary Restraining Order. | An order of brief duration issued by a court pending a hearing on the merits. |
| Temporary Services. | The utilities (water, electricity, telephone) brought onto a jobsite for the contractor's temporary use during construction. |
| Tenant at Sufferance. | A holdover tenant that remains in possession with the permission of the lessor; also called Tenant at Will. |
| Tenant at Will. | See Tenant at Sufferance. |
| Tenant. | A person who rents property or land from a landlord; a Lessee. |
| Tenant. | Lessee. |
| Tenants in Common. | Two or more persons who own land together without the right of survivorship. |
| Tender. | 1. The person who tends the needs of a mason, such as a hod carrier, pack carrier, or wheelbarrow person. 2. An offer or bid. |
| Tendon. | A concrete prestressing bar, cable, strand or wire. |
| Tenement. | 1. Apartment dwelling. 2. An apartment building of minimum standards occupied by poorer families, usually in a city. |
| Tenements. | The rights and privileges that accompany real property when it is conveyed. |
| Tennis Court. | A level, quadrangular space divided by a low net, upon which tennis is played. |
| Tennis Net. | A low net that divides a tennis court. |
| Tenon Saw. | A handsaw with fine teeth, a thin blade, and a stiffened back, for cutting tenons and other fine work. |
| Tenon. | A tongue-like protrusion on the end of a piece which is tightly fitted into a rectangular slot (mortise) in the side of another other piece. |
| Tensile Strength. | Resistance to elongation; the greatest longitudinal stress a substance can bear without rupture or remaining permanently elongated; the pulling force necessary to break a given specimen divided by the cross sectional area; units are pounds per square inch |
| Tensile Stress. | A stress caused by stretching of a material. |
| Tension Ring. | A structural element, forming a closed curve in plan, which is in tension because of the action of the rest of the structure; a concrete or masonry dome commonly has a tension ring. |
| Tension Wood. | Abnormal wood found in leaning trees of some hardwood species and characterized by the presence of gelatinous fibers and excessive longitudinal shrinkage; tension wood fibers hold together tenaciously, so that sawed surfaces usually have projecting fibers |
| Tension. | Stress which tends to elongate a member. |
| tented ceiling | A ceiling covered in fabric to imitate the inside of a tent. |
| Tepidarium. | The room containing the tepid bath in Roman baths (thermae). |
| Term Loan. | A loan generally obtained from a bank or insurance company with a maturity greater than one year and less than 7 to 10 years. |
| Term. | The time period stated in a lease or mortgage. |
| Terminal Adapters. | Electrical fittings attached to the end of a conductor or to a piece of equipment for taking power from an outlet in a way for which it was not designed. |
| Terminal Block. | A decorative element forming the end of a block structure. |
| Terminal Box. | A metal electrical box, usually with a removable cover, that contains leads from electrical equipment ready for connection to a power source. |
| Terminal Reheat Handling System. | A reheat system that is a modification of a single zone system; this system contains a cooling coil only (unless a preheat coil is needed); air is ducted to all spaces at the same temperature as in a single zone system, but at a temperature low enough to |
| Terminal. | 1. A device for fastening and terminating an electrical conductor. 2. A final ending. 3. A terminus for trains or long-distance buses. |
| Termination for Cause. | The right of an owner or contractor to end a construction contract if the other commits certain specified acts. |
| Termination for Owner's Convenience. | The owner's right to end a construction contract for any reason to suit the owner's convenience. |
| Termite Control. | The act or process of spraying chemicals into buildings and structures to control the spread of termites. |
| Termite shield | A shield, usually of galvanized metal, placed in or on a foundation wall or around pipes to prevent the passage of termites. |
| Termite shield | A shield, usually of noncorrodible metal, placed in or on a foundation wall or other mass of masonry or around pipes to prevent passage of termites. |
| Termite Shield. | A sheet metal barrier to discourage entry into the structure by subterranean termites. |
| Termite. | A wood destroying social insect; Subterranean Termites live in the earth, and will build mud tunnels from the earth up to the wood structure; Kalotermes, also called Drywood Termites, swarm and will enter the structure where they will bore into the wood a |
| Termites | Insects that superficially resemble ants in size, general appearance, and habit of living in colonies; hence, they are frequently called "white ants." Subterranean termites establish themselves in buildings not by being carried in with lumber, but by ente |
| Termites | Wood eating insects that superficially resemble ants in size and general appearance, and live in colonies. |
| Terms. | Conditions of payment in a sale or purchase of merchandise. |
| Terne. | An alloy of lead and tin, used to coat sheets of carbon steel, stainless steel, or copper for use as metal roofing sheet. |
| Terneplate | Sheet iron or steel coated with an alloy of lead and tin. |
| Terra cotta | A ceramic material molded into masonry units. |
| Terra Cotta. | Hard baked clayware or tile, of variable color, averaging reddish red-yellow in hue and of high saturation. |
| Terra Sigillata. | A porous red clay ware characterized by embossed decorations of the same color and a satin-like unglazed surface; originated on the Island of Samoa. |
| Terrazzo Concrete. | SeeTerrazzo. |
| Terrazzo Divider. | A metal strip that separates areas of terrazzo. |
| Terrazzo Epoxy. | A two-part adhesive, employing epoxy resin, an epoxy hardener used for bonding marble or other stone chips set in Portland cement to a backup material. |
| Terrazzo Floor. | A high polished floor made from small marble or stone fragments embedded in a portland cement matrix. |
| Terrazzo Receptor. | A shallow sink of a shower, forming its floor, made of Terrazzo. |
| Terrazzo Removal. | The act or process of demolishing and discarding old terrazzo floors or walls or terrazzo tile. |
| Terrazzo Tile. | A terrazzo surface, on a portland cement and sand body, made by a mixture of marble chips and portland cement and usually ground smooth. |
| Terrazzo Wainscot. | A wainscot made of terrazzo or terrazzo tile wall facing. |
| Terrazzo. | A finish floor material consisting of concrete with an aggregate of marble chips selected for size and color, which is ground and polished smooth after curing; may also be precast and pre-finished. |
| Terrestrial. | Of or relating to the earth. |
| Tertiary Color. | A color produced by mixing two secondary colors or by mixing a primary color with a secondary color. |
| Tessera (pl. tesserae). | A small chip of glass or marble used in mosaic formations. |
| Test Cut. | A sample of the roof membrane, usually 4 inches x 40 inches in size, that is cut from a roof membrane to determine the weight of the membrane, the number of plies, and the average interply bitumen poundages. |
| Test Light. | Light provided with test leads; used to test or probe electrical circuits to determine if they have electricity. |
| Test Pattern. | Spray pattern used in adjusting spray gun. |
| Test Pile. | A foundation pile which is driven before the final design is done to see what bearing is developed and what length of pile is actually needed; a pile which is tested by placing a predetermined load on it, commonly done by erecting a crib on the pile and t |
| Test Plug. | A temporary plumbing fitting which is inserted into the end of a plumbing system to facilitate in pressure and leakage testing. |
| Test Set. | Equipment used to check standards of water condition. |
| Test. | A trial, examination, observation, or evaluation used as a means of measuring the physical or chemical characteristics of a material, or a physical characteristic of a structural element or a structure. |
| Testate. | One who dies leaving a will. |
| Testimony. | Oral evidence offered by a witness in the course of a hearing, a trial, or a deposition. |
| Testing Laboratory. | A place equipped to test construction materials to determine if they meet certain specified chemical, physical, and engineering criteria. |
| Testing Machine. | A device for applying test conditions and accurately measuring results. |
| Testing Weld. | The act or process of testing the strength of a weld. |
| TEV. | Thermostatic Expansion Valve. |
| Texas Forest Service (TFS). | PO Box 310, Lufkin, Texas 75902-0310, (409) 639-8180. |
| Texture | Refers to relative proportions of clay, silt, and sand in soil. |
| Texture Paint. | One which may be manipulated by brush, trowel or other tool to give various patterns. |
| Texture. | 1.Visual or tactile surface characteristics. 2. A surface decoration. 3. In carpet, a surface effect obtained by using different heights of pile or two or more forms of yarn, or by alternating the round and cut pile wires, by brocade engraving, simulated |
| TFS. | Texas Forest Service. |
| Thai silk | An iridescent fabric, slubbed and dyed in vivid colors. It is very expensive. |
| The Dodge Report | widely used by those wishing to keep abreast of construction activity. |
| Theater Equipment. | Props, lighting, curtains, stage platforms and other devices and objects used in a theater. |
| Theater Stage. | A raised platform where plays, musicals or other theatrical events are performed. |
| Theodolite. | A surveyor's instrument for measuring vertical and horizontal angles; a transit. |
| Theoretical. | In spot, seam and projection welding, the force, neglecting friction and inertia, available at the electrodes of a resistance-welding machine by virtue of the initial force application and the theoretical mechanical advantage of the system. |
| Therm. | A heat unit; 100,000 BTUs. |
| Thermae. | Roman public baths; see Calidarium. |
| Thermal Capacity. | 1. A measure of how much energy is needed to heat up a substance. 2. The quantity of heat needed to warm a collector up to its operating temperature. |
| Thermal Conductance (C). | A unit of heat flow that is used for specific thicknesses of material or for materials of combination construction, such as laminated insulation. The formula for thermal conductance is. C = k times the thickness in inches |
| Thermal Conductivity (k). | The heat energy that will be transmitted by conduction through one square foot of one inch thick homogeneous material in one hour when there is a difference of 1 degree Fahrenheit perpendicularly across the two surfaces of the material. The formula for th |
| Thermal Cutout. | An overcurrent protective device which contains a heater element in addition to and affecting a renewable fusible member which opens the circuit; it is not designed to interrupt short circuit currents. |
| Thermal Fracture. | A compression crack caused by expansion of peripheral building components. |
| Thermal Inertia. | The tendency of a building to remain at the same temperature or to fluctuate only very slowly. |
| Thermal Insulation. | Material used to retard the flow of heat through an enclosing surface. |
| Thermal Insulator. | An insulation material that lowers the thermal conductivity of a part of a building system, such as a floor, wall, ceiling, or roof assembly. |
| Thermal Lag Factor. | The time interval between the time heat enters a material at one side and exits at the other side. |
| Thermal Movement. | The expansion and contraction of any material caused by temperature differences. |
| Thermal Protector. | An electrical device that automatically opens a circuit in the event of overheating, thereby protecting the appliance from possible damage. |
| Thermal Radiation. | Electromagnetic radiation emitted by a warm body. |
| Thermal Relay. | Heat operated electrical control used to open or close a refrigeration system electrical circuit; this system uses a resistance wire to convert electrical energy into heat energy; also called Hot Wire Relay. |
| Thermal Resistance (R). | An index of a material's resistance to heat flow; it is the reciprocal of thermal conductivity (k) or thermal conductance (C). The formula for thermal resistance is. |
| Thermal Shock. | 1. Stress built up by sudden and appreciable changes in temperature. 2. The shock produced and also the stress produced resulting from sudden temperature changes in a roof membrane; for example, when a rain shower follows brilliant sunshine. 3. A stress c |
| Thermal System Insulation. | Insulative material applied to pipes, fittings, boilers, tanks, ducts or other interior structural components to prevent heat loss or gain or water condensation. |
| Thermal Transmission Value. | The resistance factor to the conductance of heat. |
| Thermal. | Pertaining to heat. |
| Thermistor. | A semiconductor which has electrical resistance that varies with temperature. |
| Thermocouple Thermometer. | Electrical instrument using thermocouple as source of electrical flow, connected to a milliammeter calibrated in temperature degrees. |
| Thermocouple. | A pair of dissimilar metals create a thermoelectromotive force that can be measured and converted to temperature differences. |
| Thermodisk Defrost Control. | Electrical switch with bimetal disk controlled by temperature changes. |
| Thermodynamics. | The science dealing with the relationship between heat and other forms of energy. |
| Thermoelectric Refrigeration. | Refrigerator mechanism that depends on Peltier effect; direct current flowing through electrical junction between unlike metals provides heating or cooling effect depending on direction of flow of current. |
| Thermometer. | Device for measuring temperatures. |
| Thermomodule. | A number of thermocouples used in parallel to achieve low temperatures. |
| Thermopane Window. | Tradename; atype of glass constructed in a manner to protect against sound, heat, heat loss or moisture; double or triple glazed glass. |
| Thermopile. | Number of thermocouples used in series to create a higher voltage. |
| Thermoplastic Glues and Resins. | Glues and resins that are capable of being repeatedly softened by heat and hardened by cooling. |
| Thermoplastic. | Having the property of softening when heated and rehardening when cooled. |
| Thermosetting Glues and Resins. | Glues and resins that are cured with heat and do not soften when subjected later to high temperatures. |
| Thermosetting. | Material which undergoes irreversible chemical reaction when heated and molded; once formed, it cannot be reheated and reshaped. |
| Thermostat | A device which relegates the temperature of a room or building by switching heating or cooling equipment on or off. |
| Thermostat Cable. | A specific electrical system cable which operates an automatic device for regulating the temperature in a room, space, or area. |
| Thermostat. | Device which senses ambient temperature conditions and, in turn, acts to control a circuit. |
| Thermostatic Control. | Device which operates system or part of system based on temperature change. |
| Thermostatic Expansion Valve (TEV). | Control valve operated by temperature and pressure within evaporator. It controls flow of refrigerant; control bulb is attached to outlet of evaporator. |
| Thermostatic Motor Control. | Device used to control cycling of unit through use of control bulb; bulb reacts to temperature changes. |
| Thermostatic Valve. | Valve controlled by temperature change response elements. |
| Thermostatic Water Valve. | Valve used to control flow of water through system, actuated by temperature difference; used in units such as water-cooled compressor and/or condenser. |
| Thickness. | 1. The smallest of the three dimensions of a solid object. 2. The quality of being thick. 3. A layer of material. 4. The dimension at right angles to the face of the wall, floor, or other assembly in which masonry units are used. |
| Thin Coat. | A one coat plaster system over gypsum board. |
| Thin Set. | The bonding of tile with suitable materials, applied approximately 1/8" thick. |
| Thin Shell. | A three dimensional spatial structure made up of one or more curved concrete slabs or folded plates whose thicknesses are small compared to their other dimensions; thin shells are characterized by their three dimensional load carrying behavior which is de |
| Thin Wall Conduit. | See EMT Conduit. |
| Thincoat-High Strength Plaster. | See Veneer Plaster. |
| Thingamabob. | See Thingamajig. |
| Thingamajig. | Something that is difficult to classify or whose proper name is unknown or forgotten; a Thingamabob. |
| Thinner. | A volatile liquid added to finishing material to make it flow more easily and smoothly; also called a Diluent. |
| Thinners. | Volatile liquids used to reduce the viscosity of paint and varnish; also called Diluents. |
| Third Party Beneficiary. | A person who is not a party to a contract but who is an intended beneficiary thereof and may therefore enforce it. |
| Thixotropic Paint. | Property exhibited by some paint of becoming fluid when shaken or disturbed; after cessation of mechanical disturbance, such as stirring or putting brush into paint, rigidity develops again. |
| Thixotropy. | The property of various gels of becoming fluid when disturbed, as by shaking or stirring. |
| Thomas Jefferson Ideas. | The advocacy of grid pattern planning where frequent public squares are left open between building blocks. |
| Threaded Coupling. | A fitting for joining two lengths of threaded pipe. |
| Threading. | The process of forming external screw threads on a rod or pipe. |
| Threadless Coupling. | A fitting for joining two lengths of pipe fastened by soldering or cementing. |
| Threads. | Spiral ridges on a member, like a pipe, by which parts can be screwed together. |
| Three Coat Plastering. | The application of plaster in three successive coats, leaving time between coats for setting and drying of the plaster. |
| Three Dimensional. | Having, or appearing to have, three dimensions, height, width, and depth. |
| Three Point Lock. | A device to lock a door to the jamb at three points. |
| Three Quarter. | A brick with one end broken off; a three quarter brick. |
| Three-dimensional shingles | Laminated shingles. Shingles that have added dimensionality because of extra layers or tabs, giving a shake-like appearance. May also be called "architectural shingles". |
| Three-Phase. | Operating by means of combination of three alternating current circuits which differ in phase by one-third of a cycle. |
| Three-Quarter Bath. | A room containing a toilet, lavatory, and shower. |
| Three-Way Switch. | A switching circuit enabling a light fixture to be controlled from two points. |
| Three-Way Valve. | Multi-orifice flow control valve with three fluid flow openings. |
| Threshold | A strip of wood or metal with beveled edges used over the finish floor and the sill of exterior doors. |
| Threshold | The bottom metal or wood plate of an exterior door frame. Generally they are adjustable to keep a tight fit with the door slab. |
| Threshold Limit Value (TLV). | Maximum concentration of solvent vapor in parts per million parts of air in which a worker may work eight consecutive hours without an air fed mask; the lower the TLV number the more toxic the solvent. |
| Threshold, Door. | A beveled piece of floor trim over which a door swings. |
| Threshold. | 1. The wood or metal beveled floor piece at door openings which commonly separates non-continuous floor types. 2. A strip of wood or metal beveled on each edge and used above the finished floor under outside doors; also called a Sill or a Saddle. |
| Throat. | The opening at the top of a fireplace, through which the smoke passes into the smoke chamber and chimney; the damper is placed in the throat. |
| Throne. | A chair of state for a sovereign or bishop. |
| Throttling. | Expansion of gas through an orifice or controlled opening without gas performing any work as it expands. |
| Through Dry. | Ability of film to show no loosening, detachment or evidence of distortion when the thumb, placed on film with maximum arm pressure, is turned through 90 degrees in the plane of the film. |
| Through-Wall Flashing. | A sheet metal sleeve through a parapet wall, integrated with the abutting counterflashing and roofing to prevent water from intruding. |
| Throw. | The distance that a door latch or bolt may be fully extended. |
| Thrust Block. | A concrete mass around water piping to prevent movement caused by the sudden change in velocity of water flow. |
| Thrust Fault. | A geological fault caused by compression in which the upper older layers of rock are thrust over the lower younger ones at a very low angle. |
| Thrust. | A lateral or inclined force resulting from the structural action of an arch, vault, dome, suspension structure, or rigid frame. |
| Thumb Screw. | A screw with a knurled or flat-sided head that may be grasped between the thumb and forefinger for turning. |
| Thumb Tack. | A tack with a broad flat head so it may be pressed into a surface with the thumb. |
| Thumbnail Proof. | Checking hardness of a finish by pressing thumbnail against it. |
| Thyristor. | An electrical semiconductor device for converting alternating current into direct current. |
| ticking | A striped cotton originally used to cover mattresses. Traditional ticking has narrow black-and-white stripes, but modern tickings come in a range of colors. White downproof ticking is intended for cushion pads but can also be made up into curtains and sha |
| Ticky-Tacky. | 1. Sleazy or shoddy material. 2. Cheap, repetitive housing built of shoddy materials. |
| Tide | The periodic rising and falling of water that results from gravitational attraction of the moon and sun acting on the rotating earth. |
| Tie Bars. | 1. Steel reinforcing bars at right angles and tied to main reinforcement to keep it in place. 2. Bars extending across a construction joint. |
| Tie Beam. | A reinforced concrete beam cast as part of a masonry wall, whose primary purpose is to hold the wall together, especially against seismic loads, or cast between a number of isolated foundation elements to maintain their relative positions. |
| Tie Beam. | See Collar Beam. |
| Tie Elements. | Elements which serve to transmit inertia forces and prevent separation of such building components as footings and walls. |
| Tie Rod. | A steel rod that acts in tension and commonly holds together wall forms while concrete is being poured. |
| Tie Strap. | A metal plate that fastens two parts together as a post, rod, or beam. |
| Tie Wire. | 1. Light gauge wire used as temporary fasteners in construction work. 2. Soft annealed steel wire used to join lath supports, attach lath to supports, and attach accessories. 3. Wire (generally No. 16, No. 15 or No. 14 gauge) used to secure intersections |
| Tie, Masonry. | See Masonry Tie. |
| Tie, Mesh. | See Mesh Tie. |
| Tie-back | A variety of techniques used to secure the bulkhead, seawall, or revetment in place against the bank. |
| Tie-In. | The point or line of interface of new materials with old in alterations or repairs. |
| Tie. | 1. A device for holding components together, a structural device that acts in tension. 2. A stirrup tie. |
| tieback | A band, cord, ribbon, chain, or other means of tying back a curtain to the wall. |
| Tied Column. | A square or rectangular reinforced concrete column containing longitudinal reinforcing and lateral ties. |
| Tied in | An expression used to indicate that a revetment or dike is constructed to prevent or minimize streamflow between the structure and the bank. See Wingwall. |
| Tier. | 1. A row or rank or unit of a structure, as one of several placed one above another. 2. One of the vertical layers in the thickness of a masonry wall. |
| Ties. | The attaching of metal lath to furring channels by use of light gauge malleable wire; see Butterfly Tie, Saddle Tie, and Stub Tie. |
| TIG Welding. | See Gas Tungsten-Arc Welding. |
| Tile Adhesive. | Organic adhesive used for bonding tile to a surface; rubber solvents and resin-based and rubber emulsions can be used as adhesives. |
| Tile Assemblies. | Tile assembled into units or sheets by suitable material to facilitate handling and installation; tile may be face-mounted, back-mounted or edge-mounted. |
| Tile Council of America Research Center (TCA). | PO Box 326, Princeton, New Jersey 08542, (609) 921-7050. |
| Tile Cutter. | Any device that cuts tile; one of the most efficient and economical tools is the adjustable hand-drawn tile cutting board. |
| Tile Mounted. | Tile fastened together in sheets to facilitate handling and setting. |
| Tile Setting. | The skilled trade of installing ceramic tile on floor, wall, stairs, or counter surfaces. |
| Tile, Acoustical. | See Acoustical Tile. |
| Tile, Back Mounted. | See Back Mounted Tile. |
| Tile, Clay. | See Clay Tile. |
| Tile, Conductive. | See Conductive Tile. |
| Tile, Face Mounted. | See Face Mounted Tile. |
| Tile, Mounted. | See Mounted Tile. |
| Tile, Quarry. | See Quarry Tile. |
| Tile, Resilient. | See Resilient Flooring. |
| Tile, Sewer. | See Sewer Tile. |
| Tile, Terrazzo. | See Terrazzo Tile. |
| Tile. | 1. To install ceramic tiles, flooring tiles, roofing tiles, or drainage tiles. 2. A ceramic surfacing unit, usually relatively thin in relation to facial area, made from clay or a mixture of clay and other ceramic materials, called the body of the tile, h |
| Tilt Angle. | The angle that a flat solar collector surface forms with a horizontal. |
| Tilt-Up Construction. | A method of constructing concrete walls in which panels are cast and cured flat on the floor slab, then tilted up into their final positions. |
| Tilt-Up Wall. | See Tilt-Up Construction. |
| Tilter | The mechanism of a horizontal blind which causes the slats to swivel. |
| Timber Framing. | Structural framing by the use of timber for load carrying applications. |
| Timber Parking Barrier. | A barrier made from thick wood to prevent the encroachment of vehicles. |
| Timber, Standing. | Timber still on the stump. |
| Timber. | Lumber with cross-section over 4 by 6 inches, such as posts, sills, and girders. |
| Time and Material. | A method of paying a contractor for work, consisting of reimbursement for time expended and cost of materials. |
| Time and materials contract | A construction contract which specifies a price for different elements of the work such as cost per hour of labor, overhead, profit, etc. A contract which may not have a maximum price, or may state a 'price not to exceed'. |
| Time Clock. | A clock that stamps an employee's starting and ending times on a time card. |
| Time-Sharing Ownership. | A method of sharing in the ownership, usually of recreational properties, in which each co-owner has the right to occupancy at specified times only. |
| Time-Weighted Average. | In air sampling, this refers to the average air concentration of contaminants during a particular sampling period. |
| Timekeeper. | A clerk who keeps records of the time worked by employees. |
| Timer-Thermostat. | Thermostat control which includes a clock mechanism; unit automatically controls room temperature and changes temperature range depending on time of day. |
| Timer. | Clock-operated mechanism used to control opening and closing of an electrical circuit. |
| Tin Shingle. | A small piece of tin used in flashing and repairing a shingle roof. |
| Tin Snip. | A hand tool for shearing tin. |
| Tin. | A soft faintly bluish white lustrous low-melting crystalline metallic element that is malleable and ductile at ordinary temperatures and that is used as a protective coating, in tinfoil, and in soft solders and alloys. |
| Tinge. | Slight trace of color. |
| Tinner | Another name for the heating contractor. |
| Tinner. | A tinsmith. |
| Tinning. | In soldering, coating the metals to be joined with a thin layer of solder. |
| Tinsmith. | A worker in tin. |
| Tint. | 1. A hue lightened by addition of white; a color produced by adding white pigment or paint to a colored pigment or paint, with the amount of white greater than the amount of colored pigment. |
| Tinted Glass. | Glass that has been treated to reduce transmitted glare. |
| Tip up | The downspout extension that directs water (from the home's gutter system) away from the home. They typically swing up when mowing the lawn, etc. |
| Tissue Dispenser. | A container with a slim opening that holds tissues and allows one to be drawn at a time. |
| Titania Porcelain. | A vitreous ceramic whiteware for technical application in which titania, TiO2, is the essential crystalline phase. |
| Titanium Calcium. | Paint pigment made by combining titanium dioxide of rutile type and calcium sulphate. |
| Titanium Dioxide. | White pigment used extensively in paint making; comes in two forms, rutile and anatase; it is chemically inactive and is not affected by dilute acids, heat or light. |
| Titanium. | A metal which is the basis for the pigment, titanium dioxide. |
| Title | Evidence (usually in the form of a certificate or deed) of a person's legal right to ownership of a property. |
| Title Deed. | Evidence if ownership of property. |
| Title Insurance. | A guarantee of title issued by an insurance company. |
| Title Search. | A research of the county records to determine the condition of title of a parcel of real property. |
| Title. | The right to ownership of property. |
| TJI or TJ | Manufactured structural building component resembling the letter "I". Used as floor joists and rafters. I-joists include two key parts: flanges and webs. The flange or from of the I joist may be made of laminated veneer lumber or dimensional lumber, usual |
| TL. | Transmission Loss. |
| TLV. | Threshold Limit Value. |
| TMS. | The Masonry Society. |
| To the Weather. | A term applied to any part of the structure which faces the elements; a shingled roof is to the weather, but the framing system is not. |
| Toe | The break in slope at the foot of a bank where the bank meets the bed. |
| Toe Nail. | Nailing at an angle, as from the bottom of a stud to the sole plate. |
| Toe Plate. | 1. A metal bar or plate fastened to the outer edge of a floor grating. 2. A metal plate fastened to the rear of a stair tread. 3. A protective metal plate fastened to the bottom rail of a door. |
| Toe Space. | A recess at the bottom of a cabinet supporting a work counter, to provide space for the worker's toes. |
| Toeboard. | Wood or metal vertical metal member at floor or landing level placed at floor or landing edge to prevent objects from falling or persons from stepping off the edge. |
| Toenailing | To drive a nail at a slant with the initial surface in order to permit it to penetrate into a second member. |
| Toenailing | To drive a nail in at a slant. Method used to secure floor joists to the plate. |
| Toggle Bolt. | A bolt and nut assembly to fasten objects to hollow construction assembly from only one side. Nut has pivoted wings that close against spring when nut end of assembly is pushed through hole and spring open on other side in void of construction assembly. |
| toile | Printed cotton fabric. The original copperplate printing was done in Ireland in mid 18th century, and the famous factory at Jouy began printing them some 20 years later. Depicting charming rural scenes or Classical designs, it is used for curtains, bed ha |
| Toilet Bowl. | The oval part of a toilet which receives the waste and fills with water after flushing the toilet tank. |
| Toilet Carrier. | A metal structure attached to a bathroom wall to support and mount a wall-hung toilet. |
| Toilet Partition. | Privacy panels in a toilet enclosure. |
| Toilet Room Accessories. | Toilet room equipment such as toilet paper dispensers, paper towel dispensers, hand dryers, sanitary napkin dispensers, grab bars, and grab rails. |
| Toilet Room. | A room containing one or more toilets and usually one or more lavatories. |
| Toilet Seat and Cover. | A hinged seat for a toilet and its hinged cover. |
| Toilet Tank. | The reservoir located in the back of a wate. Tool used to cut internal threads. |
| Toilet. | A bathroom or washroom fixture that serves as a receptacle for human waste; also called a Water Closet. |
| Tolerance. | 1. The allowable deviation from a standard. 2. Extra space to allow for dimensional differences. |
| Toluene. | Lacquer diluent made normally by coal tar distillation; also called Toluol. |
| Toluidine Red. | Brilliant non-bleeding red pigment made from coal tar product. |
| Toluol. | See Toluene. |
| Tomb. | 1. A grave; place of entombment. 2. A house, chamber, or vault for the dead. |
| Ton of Refrigeration. | Refrigerating effect equal to the melting of 1 ton of ice in 24 hours; this may be expressed as. 288,000 Btu/24 hours or 12,000 Btu/hour or 200 Btu/minute. |
| Ton. | 1. A measure of weight equaling 2000 pounds. 2. The metric ton is 1000 kilograms or 2200 pounds. |
| Tone Down. | The process of reducing visual prominence of an installation by the application of external coatings; blending of overall color scheme with the surrounding environment. |
| Tone-on-Tone. | Carpet pattern made by using two or more shades of the same hue. |
| Tone. | 1. A sound of only a single frequency…2. A graduation of color, either a hue, a tint, or a shade, as a gray tone. |
| Toner. | A color modifier. |
| Tongue and Groove (T&G). | A type of lumber, metal, or precast concrete having matching or mated edges to provide a tight fit. |
| Tongue. | 1. A projecting edge, as on a board, that fits into a groove of another piece, as in a tongue and groove joint. 2. See Spline. 3. See Steel Square. |
| Tongued and grooved | See Dressed and matched. |
| Too Much Drag. | Refers to paint that has excessive pull or drag in its application. |
| Tool Belt. | A webbed or leather belt worn by carpenters, electricians, and other artisans from which frequently used hand tools are slung. |
| Tooled Joint. | A masonry joint where the surface has been tooled to compress the mortar; the exposed surface can be flat, concave, or v-shaped, depending on the configuration of the tool. |
| Tooling. | Compressing and shaping the face of a mortar joint with a special tool other than a trowel; also called jointing; See Jointing, 3. |
| Tooth. | 1. Profile; mechanical anchorage; surface roughness. 2. Roughened or absorbent quality of a surface which affects adhesion and application of a coating. |
| Toothed Ring. | A shear-resisting timber connector used in the manufacturing of large member wood trusses. |
| Toother. | A brick projecting from the end of a wall against which another wall will be built. |
| Toothing In. | The joining of a new masonry wall on to the old toothed wall. |
| Toothing. | The system of the construction at the end of a wall in which every other course projects one half of a brick length; then another wall may be tied into this staggered brick end. |
| Top bank | The break in slope between the bank and the surrounding terrain. |
| Top Bars. | Steel reinforcing bars near the top of reinforced concrete. |
| Top chord | The upper or top member of a truss. |
| Top Chord. | The top flat or sloping member of a truss |
| Top Coating. | Finish coat. |
| Top Colors. | Colors of the yarn used to form the design, as distinguished from ground color. |
| Top Dip. | The highest water or waste point in the bottom section of a trap. |
| Top Mopping. | The finish coat of hot bitumen on a built up roof. |
| Top plate | Top horizontal member of a frame wall supporting ceiling joists, rafters, or other members. |
| Top Plate. | The horizontal member at the top of a stud wall, usually supporting rafters. |
| Top Set Base. | Vinyl or rubber base with an integral cove, cemented to the wall, set on top of resilient floor coverings. |
| Top Weir. | The top part of the outlet of a trap. |
| Top-down/Bottom-up | Uses two sets of lift cords to either stack a honeycomb shade at the top and/or the bottom. |
| Topographic Map. | See Topographic Survey. |
| Topographic Survey. | A land survey that shows topography and all other physical features; also called a Topographic Map or a Contour Map. |
| Topography. | 1. The form of the terrain. 2. The description of the surface features in graphic terms, depicted by contour lines showing ground elevation. |
| Topology. | The study of the geometric properties and spatial relations of flat and solid shapes that are unchanged by squeezing, stretching, twisting, or changing of size. |
| Topping Compound. | A specially formulated gypsumboard joint compound designed for the final joint finishing coat; not to be used to embed tape. |
| Topping, Concrete. | See Concrete Topping. |
| Topping, Granolithic. | See Granolithic Topping. |
| Topping. | Fine material forming a surface layer or dressing for a road or grade. |
| Topsoil. | Surface soil at and including the average plow depth, soil which is used as a planting or growing medium. |
| Torch Brazing. | A brazing process wherein coalescence produced by heating with a gas flame and by using a nonferrous filler metal having a melting point above 800° F. but below that of the base metal; the filler metal is distributed in the joint by capillary attraction. |
| Torching. | Application of direct flame to a membrane for the purpose of heating, melting, or adhering. |
| Tornado. | A violent storm of whirling winds of high speed, over a narrow path often accompanied by a funnel shaped cloud. |
| Torque Wrench. | Wrench which may be used to measure torque or pressure applied to a nut or bolt. |
| Torque, Full Load. | See Full Load Torque. |
| Torque, Stall. | See Stall Torque. |
| Torque, Starting. | See Starting Torque. |
| Torque. | 1. Turning or twisting action. 2. Moment. |
| Torsion. | The rotation of a diaphragm caused by lateral forces and whose center of mass does not coincide with the center of rigidity. |
| Tort. | A negligent or intentional wrongful act that damages the person or property of another, the wrongful nature of which is independent of any contractual relationship. |
| Torus. | A geometric solid shaped like a doughnut. |
| Total Absorption. | The amount of water a masonry unit will absorb when immersed in water. |
| Total Alkalinity. | Actual amount of alkali salts present in swimming pool water. |
| Total Cost. | A method of computing damages sustained by a contractor because of breaches of contract causing the contractor to operate in an inefficient or unproductive manner. |
| Total Design Displacement. | The design-basis of earthquake lateral displacement, including additional displacement due to actual and accidental torsion, required for design of the isolation system, or an element thereof. |
| Total Heat. | Sum of both the sensible and latent heat. |
| Total Maximum Displacement. | The maximum capable earthquake lateral displacement, including additional displacement due to actual and accidental torsion, required for verification of the stability of the isolation system, or elements thereof, design of building separations, and verti |
| Total Static Head. | Static head from the surface of the supply source to the free discharge surface. |
| Touch Up Painting. | Spot repair painting usually conducted after initial painting. |
| Touch Up Primer. | Field touch-up of prime painting for steel members after erection. |
| Toughness. | A quality of a material which permits it to absorb a relatively large amount of energy, to withstand repeated shocks, and to undergo considerable deformation before yielding or breaking. |
| Towel Bar. | A horizontal rod, usually secured to a wall, on which a towel can be hung or laid. |
| Towel Dispenser. | A container that holds paper towels for future use, and which has an opening allowing one towel to be removed at a time. |
| Tower, Cooling. | See Cooling Tower. |
| Tower. | A tall structure, constructed of frames, braces, and accessories rising to a greater height than the surrounding area. |
| Townhouse. | A single-family house of two or three stories, often connected to similar houses in a row. |
| Township. | In land ownership and legal description, a township is a square 6 miles on a side, totaling 36 square miles; each square mile is called a section. |
| Toxic. | Poisonous. |
| Toxicity. | Degree of poisonousness or harmfulness. |
| Toxins. | A poison produced by a living organism. |
| TPI. | Truss Plate Institute. |
| Trace. | 1. A very small, barely perceptible, amount or vestige of a material. 2. To delineate the outline of an object. 3. To copy a drawing by use of an overlay of thin paper. |
| Tracer Gases. | Compounds, such as sulfur hexafluoride, which are used to identify suspected pollutant pathways and to quantify ventilation rates; tracer gases may be detected qualitatively by their odor or quantitatively by air monitoring equipment. |
| Tracery. | 1. Ornamental stone openwork in the upper part of a gothic window. 2. A fine decorative pattern. |
| Tracheid. | The elongated cells that constitute the greater part of the structure of the softwoods (frequently referred to as fibers); also present in some hardwoods. |
| Tracing Paper. | Transparent drafting medium from which photosensitive prints can be made of the drawing. |
| Tracing. | A reproducible drawing made on semitransparent paper called tracing paper; such a drawing on any kind of semitransparent drawing medium. |
| Track Lighting. | An assembly with a U-shaped electrified member attached to a ceiling or wall, acting as a channel for sliding light fixtures. |
| Track. | 1. A metal way serving as a guide for a movable lighting fixture. 2. Metal channel; see Runner. 3. A specially laid out course, as for racing. |
| Tract. | A defined area of land. |
| Traction. | The friction grip of a wheel or track on the surface on which it moves. |
| Tractive force | The drag on a streambank caused by passing water which tends to pull soil particles along with the streamflow. |
| Trade Discount. | A discount or deduction from a catalog or list price extended to the trade or quantity buyer. |
| Trade Union. | An organized association of workers in a trade, group of trades, formed to protect and further their rights and interests. |
| Traffic Deck. | A walking surface placed on top of a roof membrane. |
| Traffic Paint. | A paint, usually white, red or yellow, used to designate traffic lanes, safety zones, and intersections. |
| Traffic Sign. | A posted command, warning, or direction for motor vehicle drivers or pedestrians. |
| Traffic. | 1. The movement of people or vehicles through an area. 2. The passing to and fro of persons with special reference to carpet wear resulting therefrom. |
| Trailer. | A vehicle designed to be hauled or to serve parked as a dwelling or place of business. |
| Trammel Bar. | A tile layout tool used to erect perpendicular lines and to bisect angles. |
| Trammel. | A Beam Compass. |
| Transducer. | Device turned on by change of power from one source for purpose of supplying power in another form to second system. |
| Transept. | Either arm of the part of a cross-shaped church at right angles to the nave. |
| Transfer Switch. | A switch in an electrical system that transfers the load to another circuit when the voltage drops below a predetermined level. |
| Transfer. | That act of transferring stress in prestressing tendons from jacks or pretensioning bed to concrete member. |
| Transformer Pad. | A precast concrete block or stone placed under a transformer to spread and support its weight. |
| Transformer-Rectifier. | Combination transformer and rectifier in which input a-c current may be varied and then rectified into d-c current. |
| Transformer. | A device that changes, or transforms, alternating current from one voltage to another. |
| Transistor. | An electronic component that switches or amplifies a current; a semiconductor device with three connections. |
| Transit Mixed Concrete. | Concrete produced from a central batching plant, where the materials are proportioned and placed in truck mixers for mixing enroute to the job or after arrival there. |
| Transit. | See Theodolite. |
| Transition Lot. | A lot in a subdivision that consists of both cut and fill. |
| Transition Point. | In a swimming pool, the point at which the floor slope changes from shallow to deep area. |
| Transition Primer. | Coating compatible with primer and with a finish coat, though the latter is not compatible with the primer; also called Barrier Coating or Block Coating. |
| Transition. | 1. A passing or change from one place, state, or condition to another. 2. The physical part needed to effect the change, such as a piping reducer. |
| Translate. | 1. To move from one place to another, without rotation. 2. Motion of a body along a line without rotation or turning. |
| Translation. | Motion of a body along a line without rotation, or turning. |
| Translucent | Term used to describe any product that lets SOME light filter though it, like the Hunter Douglas Duette classic and the Graber Crystal Pleat. |
| Translucent Panel. | A building panel that permits the passage of light but not vision. |
| Translucent. | Permitting the passage of light. |
| Transmission Factor. | See Transmittance. |
| Transmission Loss (TL). | The reduction of airborne sound power that is caused by placing a barrier, wall or material, between the reverberant sound field of a source and its receiver; transmitted loss is a property of the barrier. |
| Transmittance. | The ratio of light transmitted through a material to the total incident light falling on it; also called Transmission Factor or T. |
| Transmitter (garage door) | The small, push button device that causes the garage door to open or close. |
| Transom Bar. | The part of a door or window frame that separates the top of a door or window from the bottom of a transom light or sash. |
| Transom Catch. | A fastener applied to a transom sash and having a ring by which the latch bolt is retracted. |
| Transom Chain. | A short length of chain used to limit the opening of a transom sash, usually with a plate provided at each end for attachment. |
| Transom Lift. | A vertically operated device attached to a door frame and transom sash by which the transom sash may be opened or closed. |
| Transom Sash. | The framework of a glass window over a door or window; may be hinged for ventilation. |
| Transom. | 1. A transverse piece in a structure, lintel. 2. A horizontal crossbar in a window, over a door, or between a door and a window or a fanlight above it. 3. A window above a door or other window built on and commonly hinged to a transom. |
| Transparent Mirror. | A mirror with a transparent coating that allows vision from the space on the darker side to the space on the more brightly lit side; from the brighter side, it reflects like a mirror; also called One-Way Glass. |
| Transudate. | A material that has transuded or seeped. |
| Transude. | To pass through a membrane or permeable substance; to seep or exude. |
| Transverse Strength. | A standard measurement of the relative flexural strength of gypsum board products conducted in accordance to ASTM C 473; expressed as pounds force or Newtons. |
| Transverse. | At right angles to the long direction of the member; crosswise; also referred to as lateral. |
| Trap | A plumbing fitting that holds water to prevent air, gas, and vermin from backing up into a fixture. |
| Trap Seal. | The vertical distance between the crown weir and the top dip of the trap. |
| Trap Vents. | In all traps it is necessary that a back vent connection be made to the drain or waste pipe on the sewer side of the trap; if the back vent is not provided, the trap could be emptied by siphonage. |
| Trap, Float. | See Float Trap. |
| Trap, Grease. | See Grease Trap. |
| Trap. | Located at a plumbing fixture waste line, designed to hold a quantity of water that provides a seal to prevent gasses in the sewer system from entering a room. |
| Trapdoor. | A door or hatch in a floor, ceiling, or roof. |
| Trash Chute. | A device either constructed on the inside of a building or structure or hung outside for the removal of waste materials from upper floors. |
| Trash Compactor. | A device that compresses waste materials to conserve storage space. |
| Trash Handling. | The act or process of transporting or removing waste materials. |
| Traveling Crane. | A tower crane mounted on tires, rails, or crawlers. |
| traverse rod | A rod that allows the curtains or draperies to be operated by a cord and pulley. A two-way traverse rod operates two curtains/draperies in opposite directions at once. |
| Traverse Rod. | A device that draperies or curtains are hooked on so they can be opened or closed. |
| Travertine Floor. | A floor constructed of richly patterned, marble-like limestone. |
| Travertine. | A richly patterned, marble-like form of limestone. |
| Tray, Cable. | See Cable Tray. |
| Tread | The horizontal board in a stairway on which the foot is placed. |
| Tread | The walking surface board in a stairway on which the foot is placed. |
| Tread, Grating. | See Grating Tread. |
| Tread. | The horizontal surface of a step in a stair. |
| Treated lumber | A wood product which has been impregnated with chemical pesticides such as CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate) to reduce damage from wood rot or insects. Often used for the portions of a structure which are likely to be in contact with soil and water. Wood ma |
| Treated Lumber. | Lumber infused or coated with stain or chemicals to retard fire, decay, insect damage, or deterioration due to weather. |
| Treated Pole. | Wooden pole infused or coated with stain or chemicals to retard fire, decay, insect damage, or deterioration due to weather. |
| Treated Post. | Vertical post infused or coated with stain or chemicals to retard fire, decay, insect damage, or deterioration due to weather. |
| Tree Ball. | See Root Ball. |
| Tree Cutting. | The trimming of leaves, branches or larger portions of a tree, or the chopping down of a tree. |
| Tree Maintenance. | The pruning or trimming of certain parts of a tree for aesthetic or practical purposes. |
| Tree Moving. | The digging out of a tree with its root system intact, to relocate it to a different place. |
| Tree Removal. | The chopping down, carrying off, or disposal of a tree or tree segments. |
| Tree Trimming. | The pruning or light cutting of branches, leaves or other portions of a tree for practical or aesthetic purposes. |
| Tree Well. | A planting space for one or more trees. |
| Treenail. | A wooden pin, peg, or spike used chiefly for fastening planking and ceiling to a framework. |
| Trefoil. | A three cusped element in Gothic tracery. |
| Trellis. | A light latticework on which trees or shrubs may be trained. |
| Tremie. | A large funnel with a tube attached, used to deliver concrete into deep forms or beneath water or slurry; a tremie slows down the concrete and resists segregation of the aggregates. |
| Trench Frame and Cover, Cast Iron. | Frame and cover of cast iron components to cover recessed lineal element designed to collect water from surface and deliver to drainage pipe or pit. |
| Trench. | A long, narrow excavation; a ditch. |
| Trencher. | A mechanical device used to dig narrow channels in the ground. |
| Trenching. | The act or process of digging narrow channels in the ground. |
| Trespass. | Unauthorized entry upon the real property of another. |
| Trestle. | 1. A braced framework bridge supporting a railroad track. 2. A table frame consisting of a horizontal member supported by a pair of divergent legs at each end. |
| Triad Color Harmony. | Harmony obtained by using colors from three equidistant points of the color wheel; red, yellow, and blue make up a triad. |
| Trial Batch. | A batch of concrete prepared to establish or check proportions of the constituents. |
| Trial. | A hearing conducted by a judge at which litigants are entitled to introduce evidence and arguments supporting, and defending against, claims. |
| Triangle. | 1. Three sided plane figure; a polygon of three sides. 2. A transparent plastic drafting tool in the shape of a triangle, usually either 45 degrees, 30-60 degrees, or adjustable. |
| Tribology. | The science dealing with friction, wear, and lubrication of interacting surfaces. |
| Trichloromonofluoroethane. | Complete name of R-113, a synthetic, nontoxoic and nonflammable Group 1 refrigerant in rather common use; chemical components which make up this refrigerant are chlorine, fluorine, and ethane. |
| Trichloromonofluoromethane. | Low pressure, synthetic chemical refrigerant which is also used as a cleaning fluid. |
| Trig. | The bricks laid in the middle of a wall between the two main leads to overcome the sag in the line and also to keep the center plumb in case there is a wind bearing upon the line. |
| Triglyphs and Metopes. | Parts of a Doric frieze; the triglyphs are vertical lines and the metopes are the spaces between. |
| Trigonometry. | The branch of mathematics dealing with the relations of the sides and angles of right triangles and with the relevant functions of any angles. |
| Trilinear. | Involving three lines. |
| Trim | The finish materials in a building, such as moldings applied around openings (window trim, door trim) or at the floor and ceiling of rooms (baseboard, cornice, and other moldings) |
| Trim (plumbing, heating, electrical) | The work that the "mechanical" contractors perform to finish their respective aspects of work, and when the home is nearing completion and occupancy. |
| Trim Enamel Paint. | Surface coating differing from ordinary house paint by faster drying, by having more gloss and showing fewer brush marks; used mostly on trim, shutters, and screens. |
| Trim Painting. | The act or process of applying paint to trim work. |
| Trim- Interior | The finish materials in a building, such as moldings applied around openings (window trim, door trim) or at the floor and ceiling of rooms (baseboard, cornice, and other moldings). Also, the physical work of installing interior doors and interior woodwork |
| Trim. | Finish materials, such as moldings applied around openings (window trim, door trim) or where walls join the floor or ceiling of a room (baseboard, cornice, and other moldings). |
| Trimmer | A beam or joist to which a header is nailed in framing for a chimney, stairway, or other opening. |
| Trimmer | The vertical stud that supports a header at a door, window, or other opening. |
| Trimmer Arch. | An arch, usually of brickwork and of low rise used for supporting the fireplace hearth. |
| Trimmer. | 1. A beam or floor joist into which joists are framed. 2. A beam or joist to which a header is nailed in framing, as for a chimney or a stairway. |
| Trimmers. | Tile units of various shapes consisting of such items as bases, caps, corners, moldings, and angles necessary or desirable to make a complete installation and to achieve sanitary purposes as well as architectural design for all types of tile work. |
| Trimming. | Putting the inside and outside finish and hardware on a building. |
| Triple Glazing. | An assembly of three panes of glass separated by air spaces; triple glass. |
| Triple Oven. | A mechanical cooking device that has three separate chambers with doors. |
| Triple Point. | The condition of temperature and pressure under which the gaseous, liquid, and solid phases of a substance can exist in equilibrium. |
| Triplex Apartment. | An apartment having rooms on three floors. |
| Triplex. | 1. A three-family house. 2. A Triplex Apartment. |
| Tripod. | A three legged support for something, such as a transit or camera. |
| Tripoli. | See Rottenstone. |
| Triptych. | A picture or carving in three panels. |
| Trisect. | 1. To divide into three parts. 2. To divide into three equal parts. |
| Trisodium Phosphate (TSP). | A crystalline compound that forms the base for cleaning compounds; especially good for washing walls prior to repainting. |
| Troffer. | A channel-like enclosure for light sources. |
| Trombe Wall. | A masonry wall, usually glazed on the outside, used to trap solar heat, as a part of a passive solar heating system. |
| trompe líoeil | Images to ìtrick the eyeî and give an illusion of reality. |
| Troposphere. | Part of the atmosphere immediately above the earth's surface in which occur most weather disturbances. |
| Troughing. | Making repeated dozer pushes in one track, so that ridges of spilled material hold dirt in front of the blade. |
| Trowel Finish. | The smooth finish coat surface of concrete, plaster, or stucco produced by troweling. |
| Trowel. | A hand tool used by masons and plasterers to apply, shape, spread, or smooth plastic materials such as plaster and mortar. |
| Trowelling. | Applying, spreading, or smoothing plastic materials such as mortar, concrete, or plaster, using a hand trowel. |
| Truck Crane. | A mechanical device mounted on the bed of a truck for hoisting or lifting materials. |
| Truck Mixer. | A concrete mixer capable of mixing concrete in transit when mounted on a truck chassis. |
| Truck Shelter. | An enclosure or structure for the storage of motorized trucks. |
| Truck Well. | A ramped-down depressed area adjacent to a loading door to allow trucks to be loaded or unloaded with the truck bed level with the building floor. |
| Truck, Refrigerated. | See Refrigerated Truck. |
| Truck. | 1. A wheeled vehicle for moving heavy articles. 2. A strong automotive vehicle for hauling. 3. A small wheelbarrow consisting of a rectangular frame having at one end a pair of handles and at the other end a pair of small, heavy wheels and a projecting ed |
| True Complement Color Harmony. | Two colors directly across the color wheel from each other are true complements; examples are red and green, and orange and blue. |
| Truncate. | To shorten by cutting off the top of an object. |
| trundle or truckle beds | 17th century beds on wheels which could be stowed away. |
| Truss | A frame or jointed structure designed to act as a beam of long span, while each member is usually subjected to longitudinal stress only, either tension or compression. |
| Truss | An engineered and manufactured roof support member with "zig-zag" framing members. Does the same job as a rafter but is designed to have a longer span than a rafter. |
| Truss Panel. | A chord segment between two successive joints of a truss. |
| Truss Plate Institute (TPI). | 583 D'Onofrio Drive, #200, Madison, Wisconsin 53719, (608)833-5900. |
| Truss Reinforcing. | The addition of cross bracing or other bracing members to stiffen and strengthen a framework of trusses. |
| Truss Steel. | Steel framework of triangular units for supporting loads over long spans. |
| Truss, Wood. | See Wood Truss. |
| Truss. | 1. A triangular arrangement of structural members that reduces nonaxial forces on the truss to a set of axial forces in the members. 2. Structural framework of triangular units for supporting loads over long spans. |
| Trussed Bars. | Steel bars bent up to act as both top and bottom reinforcement. |
| Trussed Bars. | Steel reinforcing bars bent up to act as both top and bottom reinforcement. |
| Trust Deed. | A document evidencing a security interest in real property; used in some states in place of a mortgage. |
| Trustee. | In a trust deed, the entity to whom title to the property is legally entrusted for the benefit of the beneficiary (the lender). |
| Trustor. | In a trust deed, the entity that has pledged property to guarantee repayment of a loan. |
| TSG. | Tapered Steel Girder. |
| TSI. | Thermal System Insulation. |
| TSP. | Trisodium Phosphate. |
| Tsunami. | A sea wave produced by a large displacement of the ocean bottom, the result of earthquakes or volcanic activity. |
| Tub Enclosure. | An enclosure of glass or plastic mounted on a bathtub rim with sliding, folding, or swinging door panels, to keep shower spray in the compartment. |
| Tub trap | Curved, "U" shaped section of a bath tub drain pipe that holds a water seal to prevent sewer gasses from entering the home through tubs water drain. |
| Tub, Bath. | A basin with a drainage unit and water supply used primarily for bathing or washing purposes. |
| Tube, Constricted. | Tubing reduced in diameter. |
| Tube, Structural. | See Structural Tube. |
| Tube-In-Plate Absorber. | An aluminum or copper sheet metal absorber plate in which the heat transfer fluid flows through passages formed in the plate itself. |
| Tube-Within-A-Tube. | Water-cooled condensing unit in which a small tube is placed inside large unit; refrigerant passes through outer tube, water through the inner tube. |
| Tube. | 1. A duct or pipe to convey liquids. 2. A structural load-bearing member in the form of a square or round pipe. 3. A tunnel. 4. Electron tube. 5. Vacuum tube. 6. Television Tube. |
| Tubing, Non-Metallic. | A round sheath product, of round cross-section, fabricated from a moisture-resistant, flame-retardant material. |
| Tubing. | Any thin-walled pipe which can be bent easily. |
| Tubular Lock. | See Cylindrical Lock. |
| Tubular. | Having the form of a round or polygonal pipe or tube. |
| Tuck Pointing. | The process of removing deteriorated mortar from the surface of an existing brick wall, and inserting fresh mortar. |
| Tufted Carpet. | Carpet made by inserting the pile yarns through a prewoven fabric backing on a machine with hundreds of needles, similar to a huge sewing machine. |
| Tufts. | The cut loops of a carpet pile fabric; applies to both woven and tufted carpets. |
| Tumbler Switch. | A lever-operated snap switch, powered by electric current |
| Tumbler. | A lock mechanism that holds a bolt until operated by a key. |
| Tumblestone Aggregate. | A random collection of aggregate. |
| Tumbling. | Method of finishing or polishing by using a tumbling barrel; articles to be finished and finishing material are put into barrel which is turned or tumbled. |
| Tung Oil. | A yellow drying oil obtained from the seed pods of tung trees and widely used in water-resistant varnishes, lacquers, and high-gloss paints. |
| Tungsten. | 1. A gray-white dense high-melting point ductile hard metallic element that resembles chromium and molybdenum in many of its properties and is used for electric light filaments and in hardening alloys. |
| Tunnel. | A horizontal passageway through or under an obstruction; also called Wolfram. 2. Tungsten Steel. |
| Tunneling. | The act or process of digging a horizontal passageway through or under an obstruction. |
| Turbidity. | Degree to which pool water is visually obscured by suspended particles. |
| Turbine. | A rotary engine actuated by the reaction of a current of fluid, as water, steam, or air, subject to pressure and usually made with a series of curved vanes on a central rotating spindle. |
| Turf. | The layer of grass, matted roots, and earth that comprise the surface of a grassland. |
| turkey work | Use of knotted work to imitate effect of Oriental rugs. |
| Turn Piece. | A small knob, lever, or tee turn with spindle attached for operating the deadbolt of a lock or a mortise bolt. |
| Turnbuckle. | A mechanical device for tightening tie rods by turning a threaded link. |
| Turner. | One who operates a lathe. |
| Turning Vanes. | Thin curved blades placed at bends in air ducts to direct air flow with a minimum of eddying and pressure loss. |
| Turnkey | A term used when the subcontractor provides all materials (and labor) for a job. |
| Turnkey. | A project delivery system where the owner pays an all-inclusive price for the land, financing, design, and construction. |
| Turnout. | 1. A widened space in a highway for vehicles to pass or park. 2. A railroad siding. |
| Turnover Rate. | The number of times a quantity of water, which is equal to the total capacity of water in the swimming pool, passes through the filters in a given period; this is usually expressed in turnovers per day. |
| Turnstile. | A gate for admission or exit with revolving arms allowing people to pass singly. |
| Turntable. | 1. A circular revolving platform for turning a vehicle like a locomotive, truck, bus, or automobile. 2. A lazy susan installed in a corner cabinet. |
| Turpentine | A petroleum, volatile oil used as a thinner in paints and as a solvent in varnishes. |
| Turpentine | A volatile oil used as a thinner in paints and as a solvent in varnishes. Chemically, it is a mixture of terpenes. |
| Turpentine. | 1. An oleoresin secreted by various conifers. 2. A volatile pungent oil distilled from turpentine, used in mixing paints and varnishes; also called Turps. |
| Turps. | Turpentine. |
| Turret. | A small tower, often projecting from a building's wall as an ornament. |
| Turtleback. | See Blistering, 2. |
| Tuscan Red. | A red pigment consisting of a combination of iron oxides and a lake. |
| Tussah silk | A raw silk, originally Indian. Not easily dyed, it is typically a yellowy-brown color. |
| TV. | Television. |
| TVOC. | Total Volatile Organic Compound. |
| TWA. | Time-Weighted Average. |
| tweed | Made with wool yarns, it comes in a variety of textures and colors. It can be used for curtains and upholstery. |
| Twist. | A distortion caused by the turning or winding of the edges of a board so that the four corners of any face are no longer in the same plane. |
| Two Coat Work. | See Double-Up. |
| Two-Coat System. | Two-coat paint application for initial painting. |
| Two-Component Gun. | One having two separate fluid sources leading to spray head, for spraying a coating and a catalyst simultaneously. |
| Two-Family Dwelling. | A dwelling containing two dwelling units. |
| Two-Point Latch. | A device used to lock an inactive door leaf to the frame head and to the floor. |
| Two-Pole Motor. | 3600 rpm, 60 Hz electric synchronous speed motor. |
| Two-Temperature Valve. | Pressure-opened valve used in suction line on multiple refrigerator installations which maintains evaporators in system at different temperatures. |
| Two-Way Action. | Bending of a slab or deck in which bending stresses are approximately equal in the two principal directions of the structure. |
| Two-Way Concrete Joist System. | A reinforced concrete framing system in which columns directly support an orthogonal grid of intersecting joists. |
| Two-Way Flat Plate. | A reinforced concrete framing system in which columns directly support a two-way slab that is planar on both its surfaces. |
| Two-Way Flat Slab. | A reinforced concrete framing system in which columns with mushroom capitals and/or drop panels directly support a two-way slab that is planar on both its surfaces. |
| Two-Way Valve. | Valve with one inlet port and one outlet port. |
| Two-Way. | Construction with steel reinforcing running in two perpendicular directions. |
| Tyloses. | Masses of parenchyma cells appearing somewhat like froth in the pores of some hardwoods, notably the white oaks and black locust; tyloses are formed by the extension of the cell wall of the living cells surrounding vessels of hardwood. |
| Tympanum. | The recessed triangular face of a pediment. |
| Typ. | Typical. |
| Type X Gypsum Board. | A gypsumboard used where increased fire resistance is required. |
| Type X Lath. | See Gypsum Lath. |
| Typical. | Exhibiting the essential characteristics of a group; a representative example. |