OLIN GLOSSARY Flashcards
ABRASION
wearing away by friction
ABSORPTION BED
A wide trench exceeding 36 in. (910 mm) in width containing a minimum of 12 in. (305 mm) of clean, coarse aggregate and a system of two or more distribution pipes through which treated sewage may seep into the surrounding soil. Also called seepage bed.
ABSORPTION COEFFICIENT
The ratio of the sound-absorbing effectiveness of 1 sq ft (0.09 m2) of a material to 1 sq ft (0.09 m2) of a perfectly absorptive material at a specific frequency; usually expressed as a decimal value (such as .70) or as a percentage.
ABSORPTION FIELD
An arrangement of absorption trenches through which treated sewage is absorbed into the soil. Also called disposal field.
ABSORPTION OF SOUND
The ability of a material to absorb rather than reflect sound waves striking it by converting sound energy to heat energy within the material.
ABSORPTION OF WATER BY CLAY MASONRY
The weight of water a brick or other clay masonry unit absorbs when immersed in either cold or boiling water for a stated length of time, expressed as a percentage of the weight of the dry unit.
ABSORPTION OF WATER BY CONCRETE MASONRY UNITS
The weight of water a concrete masonry unit absorbs when immersed in water, expressed in pounds of water per cubic foot of concrete.
ABSORPTION RATE
The weight of water absorbed when a clay brick is partially immersed for 1 minute, usually expressed in either grams or ounces per minute. Also called suction or initial rate of absorption.
ABSORPTION TRENCH
A trench not more than 36 in. (910 mm) in width, containing a minimum of 12 in. (305 mm) of clean, coarse aggregate and a distribution pipe, through which treated sewage is allowed to seep into the soil.
ACCELERATOR
An admixture used in concrete to hasten its set and increase the rate of strength gain (the opposite of (retarder).
ACCESSIBLE ROUTE
A continuous, unobstructed path connecting all accessible elements and spaces in a building or facility that can be negotiated by a person with a severe disability using a wheelchair and that is also safe for and usable by people with other disabilities.
ACID
Corrosive chemical substance that attacks many common building materials, decorative finishes, coatings, paints, and transparent finishes.
ACOUSTICAL CORRECTION
The planning, shaping, and equipping of a space to establish the best possible hearing conditions for faithful reproduction of wanted sound within the space. See also acoustics.
ACRYLIC
(1) In carpet, a generic term including acrylic and modified acrylic (modacrylic) fibers. Acrylic is a polymer composed of at least 85% by weight of acrylonitrile; modacrylic is a polymer composed of less than 85% but at least 35% by weight of acrylonitrile.
(2) In glazing applications, a transparent plastic material.
“ACTUAL DIMENSION”
The actual measured dimension of a masonry unit, piece of lumber, or other construction material or assembly. See also nominal dimension.
ADAPTABILITY
The capability of certain building spaces and elements, such as kitchen counters, sinks, and grab bars, to be altered or added so as to accommodate the needs of persons with and without disabilities, or to accommodate the needs of persons with different types or degrees of disability.
ADHESIVE, DRYWALL
Adhesives specifically intended for the application of gypsum board.
A contact adhesive is an adhesive used to bond layers of gypsum board or for bonding gypsum board to metal studs.
A laminating adhesive is an adhesive used to bond layers of gypsum board.
A stud adhesive is an adhesive used to attach gypsum board to wood supports.
ADHESIVE, TILE
Prepared organic material, ready for use with no further addition of liquid or powder, which cures or sets by evaporation; distinguished from mortars by the absence of siliceous fillers (sand) that are included in mortars either at the plant or in the field.
AGE HARDENING
The continuing increase in strength for long periods of time of aluminum alloys after heat treatment.
AGGREGATE
A hard, inert material mixed with portland cement and water to form concrete. Fine aggregate has pieces ¼ in. (6.4 mm) in diameter and smaller. Coarse aggregate has pieces larger than ¼ in. (6.4 mm) in diameter.
AGING
The period of time in which a heat-treatable aluminum alloy is allowed to remain at room temperature, after heat treatment (heating and quenching), to reach a stable state of increased strength. See also artificial aging.
AIR CHAMBER
A piece of pipe about 10 in. (250 mm) long installed above the hot and cold valves of fixtures such as sinks, lavatories, and clothes washers to cushion the rush of water as the valve is closed and prevent water hammer.
AIR ENTRAINED CONCRETE
Concrete containing minute bubbles of air up to about 7% by volume.
AIR GAP
The unobstructed vertical distance between the mouth of a water outlet and the flood level rim of the water receptacle. The water outlet may be a faucet, spout, or other outlet; the receptacle may be a plumbing fixture, tank, or other receptacle.
ALCLAD SHEET
A clad product with an aluminum or aluminum alloy coating having high resistance to corrosion. The coating is anodic to the core alloy it covers, thus protecting it physically and electrolytically against corrosion.
See also clad alloy.
ALKALI
A soluble mineral salt present in some soils. Alkalis are chemical substances characterized by their ability to combine with acids to form neutral salts. They are damaging to many coatings, paints, and transparent finishes.
ALLOY
The material formed when two or more metals, or metals and nonmetallic substances, are joined by being dissolved into one another while molten. See also brazing alloy and clad alloy.
ALLOY DESIGNATION
A numerical system used in designating the various alloys of aluminum.
ALLOYING ELEMENT
Element added in steelmaking to achieve desired properties.
ALUMINA (AL2O3)
A hydrated form of aluminum oxide found in bauxite and in ordinary clays.
AMBIENT SOUND
A continuous background sound that is a composite of
individual sounds coming from exterior sources, such as street traffic, and interior sources, such as ventilating equipment and appliances, none of which can be identified individually by a listener. Also called background noise.
AMBULATORY
Able to walk without assistance or difficulty.
AMPERAGE
Electrical rate of flow, measured in amperes (amps) and comparable to gallons per minute (gpm) in a fluid medium. The strength of a current of electricity.
AMPERE (AMP)
A unit of electrical current equivalent to that produced by 1 volt applied across a resistance of 1 ohm. One coulomb of electricity in every second.
ANCHOR
A piece or assemblage, usually metal, used to attach parts (e.g., plates, joists, trusses, studs, sills, masonry, windows, doors, and other building elements) to wood, concrete, or masonry.
ANODIC COATING
A surface coating applied to an aluminum alloy by anodizing.
ANODIZING
Applying an electrolytic oxide coating to an aluminum alloy by building up the natural surface film using an electrical current (usually dc) through an oxygen-yielding electrolyte with the alloy serving as the anode.
ANTIOXIDANT
A compound added to other substances to retard oxidation, which deteriorates plastics.
ANTIQUE FINISH
A finish usually applied to furniture or woodwork to give the appearance of age.
A MAJOR ARCH
span greater than 6ft that carries a load equal to a uniform load greater than 1,000 psf
typically known as a tudor arch, semicircular arch, gothic arch, parabolic arch
rise to span ratio greater than .15
MINOR ARCH
max span of 6ft carrying a load that does not exceed 1,000 psf
typ known as, jack arch, segmented arch, or multi-centered arch
a rise-to-span less than or equal to .15
ARCHITECTURAL BARRIER
A physical condition in a building or facility that creates unsafe or confusing conditions or prevents accessibility and free mobility.
AROMATIC SOLVENTS
Group of organic compounds derived from coal or petroleum, such as benzene and toluene.
ASHLAR MASONRY
Masonry composed of rectangular units usually larger in size than brick with sawed, dressed, or square beds bonded with mortar. Ashlar masonry is also described according to its pattern bond, which may be coursed, random, or patterned.
ATMOSPHERIC VACUUM BREAKER
A simple mechanical device consisting essentially of a check valve in a supply line and a valve member (on the discharge side of the check valve) opening to the atmosphere when the pressure in a line drops to atmospheric. Also called a siphon breaker.
ATTENUATION
Reduction of the energy or intensity of sound.
AVERAGE TRANSMISSION LOSS (TL)
The numerical average of the transmission loss
values of an assembly measured at nine frequencies. It is a single-number rating for comparing the airborne sound transmission through walls and floors.
BACK BLOCKING
A single-ply gypsum board installation procedure for reinforcing butt-end or edge joints to minimize surface imperfections such as cracking and ridging.
BACKFLOW
The unintentional flow of water into the supply pipes of a plumbing system from a nonsupply source.
BATTER
Recessing or sloping a wall back in successive courses; the opposite of corbel.
BAUXITE
A raw ore of aluminum consisting of
45 to 60% aluminum oxide,
3 to 25% iron oxide, 2.5 to 18% silicon oxide,
2 to 5% titanium oxide, other impurities, and
12 to 30% water.
This ore varies greatly in the proportions of its constituents, color, and consistency.
BAYER PROCESS
The process generally employed to refi ne alumina from bauxite.
BEARDING
Long-fi ber fuzz occurring on some loop pile fabrics, caused by fibers snagging and loosening due to inadequate anchorage.
BENEFICIATION
Concentrating process used to increase the iron content of ores prior to use. See also agglomeration.
BINDER
(1) In paint and coatings, the vehicle ingredient with adhesive qualities (linseed oil, resins, etc.) that binds
the pigment and other ingredients of a coating, paint, or transparent finish into a cohesive film and facilitates bonding with the underlying surfaces.
(2) In terrazzo, a cementitious or resinous material that
gives the matrix adhesive and other important physical properties.
BLEACHING
(1) The process of lightening raw wood.
(2) The process of restoring discolored or stained wood to its normal color or making it lighter.
BLEEDING
MASONRY / the loss of water from a masonry unit having low suction when it comes in contact with morrot OR the loss of water from mortar due to low water retention when it contacts a masonry unit. bleeding causes floating
CONCRETE / appearance of excess water rising to the surface shortly after placing of concrete
COATINGS / discoloration of a finish coat by coloring matter from the underlying surface or coat of finishing material
PLASTICS / diffusion of a colorant out of a plastic part into adjacent materials
BLEND TO A COMMON LEVEL
The meeting of two or more surfaces so that there is no abrupt rise or drop in the surface.
BLISTERING
The formation of bubbles or pimples on a coated, painted, or transparent finished surface caused by moisture in the underlying material (wood, masonry, concrete, etc.); caused by adding a coat of coating, paint, or transparent finish before the previous coat has dried thoroughly or caused by excessive heat or grease under a coating, paint, or transparent finish.
BLOW MOLDING
Shaping thermoplastic materials into hollow form by air pressure and heat; usually performed on sheets or tubes.
BLUSHING
Describes opaque lacquer that loses its gloss and becomes flat or clear lacquer that turns white or milky.
BOARD FOOT
A measure of lumber. One board foot is the equivalent of a piece of lumber whose nominal dimensions are 1 in. (25.4 mm) thick, 12 in. (305 mm) wide, and 12 in. (305 mm) long.
BOND BEAM
Course or courses of a masonry wall grouted and usually reinforced in the horizontal direction. Alternatively, maybe made of reinforced concrete. Serves as a horizontal tie of wall-bearing courses for structural members or itself as a flexural member.
BOND COURSE
A masonry course in which the units overlap more than one wythe of masonry.
BOND RUBBER CUSHIONING
Rubber or latex cushioning adhered to a carpet at the mill.
BONDERIZING
Process to improve paint adhesion on steel by dipping lightly galvanized (see galvanizing) objects in a hot phosphate solution to form a surface film of zinc phosphate.
BOND, STRUCTURAL
Tying wythes of a masonry wall together by lapping units over one another or by connecting them with metal ties.
BRAZING
A welding process in which the filler metal is a nonferrous metal or alloy with a melting point higher than 800°F (426.67°C) but lower than that of the metals joined. A brazing alloy is an alloy used as filler metal for brazing. In aluminum the brazing alloy is usually in the 4000 Series of alloys.
A brazing sheet is an unclad or specially clad sheet for brazing purposes, the surface of which has a lower melting point than the core. Brazing sheet of the clad type may be clad on either one or two surfaces.
BRICK GRADE
Designation for the durability of a unit, expressed as SW for severe weathering, MW for moderate weathering, and NW for negligible weathering.
BRICK TYPE
Designation for facing brick that controls tolerance, chippage, and distortion. Expressed as FBS, FBX, and FBA for solid brick and HBS, HBX, HBA, and HBB for hollow brick.
BRITISH THERMAL UNIT (BTU)
A measure of heat quantity equal to the amount of heat required to raise 1 lb of water 1°F (0.5556°C) at sea level.
BROADLOOM
Carpet woven on a broad loom in widths of 6 ft (1829 mm) or more.
BROWN COAT
The second plaster layer in three-coat work, which provides additional strength and a suitably true and
plane surface for the application of the finish coat.
BUILDING DRAIN
The lowest part of a building’s drainage system. It receives the discharge from soil, waste, and other
drainage pipes inside the walls of a building and conveys it to a point 3 ft (914 mm) outside the building walls, where it joins with the building sewer.
BUILDING SEWER
The horizontal piping of a drainage system, which extends from the end of a building drain to a public sewer, private sewer, individual sewage disposal system, or other point of disposal. A building sewer begins at a point 3 ft (914 mm) outside the building wall, where the building drain ends. Also called a house
sewer.
BUILDING STORM DRAIN
A type of building drain used for conveying rainwater,
surface water, groundwater, subsurface water, and cooling condensate; or a combined building sewer, extending to a point not less than 3 ft (914 mm) outside the building wall, where it joins with a storm sewer or combined storm and sewage sewer.
BULKED CONTINUOUS FILAMENT (BCF)
Continuous strands of synthetic fiber made into yarn without spinning; often extruded in modified cross section such as multilocal, mushroom, or bean shape, or textured to increase bulk and covering power.
BURLING
Removing surface defects such as knots, loose threads, and high spots to produce acceptable quality after weaving; also, filling in omissions in weaving.
CALCIUM CHLORIDE
An accelerator added to concrete to hasten setting (not to be considered an antifreeze).
CALENDERING
A process for producing plastic film or sheeting by passing the material between revolving heated rolls.
CAMBIUM
A thin layer of tissue that lies between a tree’s bark and its wood. The cambium subdivides to form the new wood and bark cells of each year’s growth.
CANT
A log slabbed on one or more sides.
CANT STRIP
A triangular filler between a roof and a parapet wall.
CAPACITY INSULATION
The ability of masonry to store heat as a result of its mass, density, and specific heat.
CAPILLARIES
(1) Thin-walled tubes or vessels found in wood.
(2) In concrete, channels that absorb water and are interrupted by entrained air bubbles.
CASE HARDENING
Hardening of the outer skin of an iron-based alloy by promoting surface absorption of carbon, nitrogen, or cyanide, generally accomplished by heating the alloy in contact with materials containing these elements and rapid cooling.
CAST IRON
High-carbon iron made by melting pig iron with other iron-bearing materials and casting in sand or loam molds; characterized by hardness, brittleness, and high compressive and low tensile strengths.
CAULKING COMPOUND
Semi drying or slowdrying plastic material used to seal joints or fill crevices such as those around windows
and chimneys. Either elastomeric or acrylic joint sealants are generally used today where caulking compounds are called for. See also sealant, joint.
C/B RATIO
The ratio of the weight of water absorbed by a clay masonry unit during immersion in cold water to the
weight absorbed during immersion in boiling water. An identification of the probable resistance of clay brick to the action of freezing and thawing.
CESSPOOL
A covered and lined underground pit used as a holding tank for domestic sewage and designed to retain the organic matter and solids, but to permit the liquids to seep through the bottom and sides. Cesspools are almost universally prohibited in this country and are not acceptable as a means of sewage disposal.
CHALKING
Formation of a loose powder on the surface of a coating or paint after exposure to the elements.
CHASE
A groove or continuous recess built in a masonry or concrete wall to accommodate pipes, ducts, or conduits.
CHECK
A lengthwise separation of wood, the greater part of which occurs across the annual growth rings. A check that passes entirely through a piece of wood is called a split.
CHECKING
Type of coating, paint, or transparent finish failure in which many small cracks appear in the surface.
CIRCUIT VENT
A branch vent that serves two or more traps and extends from in front of the last fi xture connection of a horizontal branch to a vent stack.
See also loop vent.
CIRCULATION PATH
An exterior or interior passageway from one place to another for pedestrians, including, but not limited to, walks, hallways, courtyards, stairways, and stair landings.
CLAD ALLOYS
Alloys having one or both surfaces of a metallurgically bonded coating, the composition of which may or may not be the same as that of the core, and which is applied for such purposes as corrosion protection, surface appearance, or brazing.
See also alclad sheet
and alloy.
CLADDING
Bonding thin sheets of a coating metal with desirable properties (such as corrosion resistance or chemical inertness) over a less expensive metallic core not possessing these properties. Copper cladding over steel may be applied by hot dipping; stainless steel and aluminum cladding by hot rolling.
CLEAVAGE (ISOLATION) MEMBRANE
A membrane such as saturated roofing felt, building paper, or 4 mil (0.1 mm) polyethylene film, installed between the backing and a mortar bed to permit independent movement of a tile finish.
COATING
mastic or liquid-applied surface finish, regardless of whether a protective film is formed or only decorative
treatment results.
There are two categories of coatings: coatings and special coatings. Materials called coatings in this book are those that are usually applied in the shop or factory on metal, glass, porcelain, wood, and other materials. They include such products as Kynar coatings on metal, anodizing on aluminum, and liquid-applied colored finishes on wood doors and cabinets.
Some coatings are virtually identical to paint, the major differences being that they are applied in a shop or factory and are usually sprayed on rather than being brushed or rolled on.
Special coatings are relatively thick, high-performance architectural coatings, such as highbuild glaze coatings; fire-retardant coatings; industrial coatings, such as those used in sewage disposal plants; and cementitious coatings. Special coatings are usually applied in the field.
See also fi re-retardant coating or paint, paints, and transparent finishes.
COKE
Processed form of bituminous coal used as a fuel, a reducing agent, and a source of carbon in making pig iron
COLD FLOW
Permanent change in dimension due to stress over time without heat.
COLD FORMING
Forming thin sheets and strips to desired shapes at room temperature, generally with little change in the mechanical properties of the metal; includes roll, stretch, shear, and brake forming.
See also cold working.
COLD WORKING
(1) In aluminum, forming a metal product at room temperature by means of rolling, drawing, forging, or
other mechanical methods of forming or shaping. Cold rolling is the forming of sheet metal by rolling at room temperature metal that has been previously hot rolled to a thickness of about 0.125 in. (3.2 mm).
(2) In steel, shaping by cold drawing, cold reduction, or cold rolling at room temperature; generally accompanied by an increase in strength and hardness. COLD DRAWING is shaping by pulling through a die to reduce the cross- sectional area and impart the desired shape; generally accompanied by an increase in strength, hardness, closer dimensional tolerances, and a smoother finish. COLD FINSIHING is cold working that results in finished mill products. COLD REDUCTION is cold rolling that drastically reduces sheet and strip thickness with each pass through the rolls; generally accompanied by an increase in hardness, stiffness, and strength and resulting in a smoother fi nish and improved flatness. COLD ROLLING is a gradual shaping between rolls to reduce the cross-sectional area or impart the desired shape; generally accompanied by an increase in strength and hardness.
See also cold forming and hot working.
CLOSER COURSE
the last masonry unit laid in a course.
COLLAR JOINT
Interior longitudinal vertical joint between two whythes of masonry.
COLORANT
Concentrated color added to coatings and paints to make specific colors.
COLORFAST
Fade resistant
COLOR UNIFORMITY
Ability of a coating or paint to maintain a consistent color across its entire surface, particularly during weathering.
COLUMN
A vertical structural member acting primarily in compression, whose horizontal dimension measured at right angles to its thickness does not exceed three times its thickness.
COMBINATION PROCESS
A process used to retrieve additional alumina and soda from the red mud impurities of the Bayer process.
COMMON ALLOY
An alloy that does not increase in strength when heattreated (non-heat-treatable). Common alloys may be strengthened by strain hardening.
COMMON WALL
A wall that separates adjacent dwelling units within an apartment building or adjacent tenants in townhouses and other buildings; also called a party wall.
COMPOSITE WALL
A multiple-wythe wall in which at least one of the wythes is dissimilar to the other wythe or wythes with
respect to type or grade of masonry unit or mortar.
COMPOUNDING
The thorough mixing of a polymer or polymers with other ingredients such as fi llers, plasticizers, catalysts, pigments, dyes, or curing agents.
COMPRESSION MOLDING
Forming plastic in a mold by applying pressure and, usually, heat.
CONCRETE
A composite material made of portland cement, water, and aggregates, and sometimes admixtures.
CONCRETE MASONRY UNT
CMU
A masonry unit having portland cement as its
primary cementitious material.
DECORATIVE CMU is one of various available types of concrete masonry units with beveled face shell recesses or other articulation or texture.
FACED CMU is one that has a special ceramic, glazed, plastic, polished, or ground face.
SLUMP BLOCK is a CMU produced so that it will slump or sag before it hardens; for use in masonry wall construction.
SPLIT-FACE BLOCK is a solid or hollow CMU that is machine fractured (split) lengthwise after hardening to produce a rough, varying surface texture.
CONDENSATION
The change of water from its gaseous form (water vapor) to liquid water; the liquid water so collected.
CONDENSATION POLYMERIZATION
A chemical reaction in which the molecules of two substances combine, giving off water or some other simple substance (see polymerization).
CONSISTENCY
The relative ability of freshly mixed concrete to fl ow, as measured by a slump test.
CONSTRUCTION
The method by which a carpet is made (loom or machine) and other identifying characteristics, including the number of pile rows per inch, pitch, wire height, number of shots, yarn count and plies, total pile yarn weight, and pile yarn density.
CONSTRUCTION JOINT
A joint placed in concrete to permit practical placement of the work in section with predefined boundaries.
CONTINUOUS CASTING
A process in which molten metal is used directly to produce semifinished products such as slabs or billets, bypassing ingot teaming, stripping, soaking, and rolling.
CONTROL JOINT
(1) A joint placed in concrete to form a plane of weakness to prevent random cracks from forming due to drying shrinkage and temperature changes.
(2) A prefabricated metal accessory intended to relieve shrinkage, temperature, or structural stresses in plaster, thus minimizing cracking.
COPING MASONRY UNITS
forming a finished cap on top of an exposed pier, wall,
pilaster, chimney, and the like, to protect the masonry below from penetration of water from above.
COPOLYMER
A polymer formed by the combination of two or more different monomers.
COPPER STAINING
stain usually caused by the corrosion products of copper screens, gutters, or downspouts washing down on a finished surface. Can be prevented by painting the copper or applying a transparent finish to it.
CORBEL
A shelf or ledge formed by projecting successive courses of masonry out from the face of a wall.
CORE
The innermost portion of plywood, consisting of either hardwood or softwood sawed lumber, veneer, or composition board.
CORNER CRACKING
Cracks occurring in the apex of inside corners of gypsum board surfaces, such as between adjacent walls or at walls and ceilings.
CORNER FLOATING GYPSUM BOARD
Gypsum board installation procedure that eliminates some mechanical fasteners at interior corners and permits sufficient movement of boards to eliminate corner cracking.
CORRECTION LINES
East-west reference lines used in the rectangular survey system, located at 24-mile intervals to the north and south of a base line.
CORROSION
Physical deterioration, decomposition, or loss of the cross-section of a metal due to weathering, galvanic
action, or direct chemical attack.
Galvanic action is corrosion produced by electrolytic action between two dissimilar metals in the presence of an electrolyte.
Direct chemical attack is corrosion caused by a chemical dissolving of the metal.
Weathering is galvanic or chemical corrosion produced by atmospheric conditions.
COULOMB
unit of electrical charge equal to the number of electrons conducted past a point in 1 second.
COUNT
A number identifying yarn size or weight per unit of length (or length per unit of weight), depending on the carpet spinning system used (such as denier, woolen, worsted, cotton, or jute system).
COURSE
(1) Compass direction from one reference point to the next for each leg of a metes and bounds survey. An angular course is a compass direction in degrees,
minutes, and seconds, stated as a deviation eastward or westward from due north or south; used in metes and bounds descriptions and surveys.
(2) One of the continuous horizontal layers of masonry units, bonded with mortar. One course is equal to the thickness of the masonry unit plus the thickness of one mortar joint.
COVERAGE
Area over which a given amount of coating, paint, or transparent finish will spread and hide the previous surface; usually expressed in sq ft/gal (m2/L).
CRAZING
(1) Numerous hairline cracks in the surface of newly hardened concrete.
(2) Similar cracks in a paint or coating.
CRIMPING
Method of texturing staple and continuous filament yarn to produce irregular alignment of fibers in carpet
and increase their bulk and covering power; also facilitates interlocking of fibers, which is necessary for spinning staple fibers into yarn.
CROSSBAND
A layer of veneer in a plywood panel whose grain direction is at right angles to that of the face plies.
CROSS FURRING
Furring members installed perpendicular to framing members.
CROSSLINKING
A chemical reaction in which adjacent polymer molecules unite to form a strong three-dimensional network; usually occurs during the curing of thermosetting plastics.
CROSS SLOPE
The slope of a pedestrian way that is perpendicular to the direction of travel. See also running slope.
CROWN, JOINT
The maximum height to which joint compound is applied over a gypsum board joint.
CRYOLITE SODIUM
Aluminum fluoride used with alumina in the final electrolytic reduction of aluminum. Found naturally in Greenland; generally produced synthetically from alum, soda, and hydrofluoric acid.
CUBING
The assembling of concrete masonry units into cubes after curing for storage and delivery. A cube normally
contains six layers of 15 to 18 blocks (8 × 8 × 16 in. [203 × 203 × 406 mm]) or an equivalent volume of other size units.
CUE
A device that alerts a user to an upcoming condition; includes audible, visual, and textural signals.
See also detectable warning.
AUDIBLE CUE is a sound or a verbal alert.
TACTILE CUE is one that can be detected by touch.
VISUAL CUE is one that can be seen.
CURB RAMP
A short ramp cutting through a curb or built into it.
CURE
To change the properties of a polymeric system into a final, more stable condition by the use of heat, radiation, or reaction with chemical additives. Sometimes referred to as set.
CURING
(1) The hardening of a concrete masonry unit (CMU). Atmospheric pressure steam curing is a method of curing CMUs, using steam at atmospheric pressure usually at temperatures of 120°F (48.89°C) to 180°F (82.2°C). Also called low-pressure steam curing. High- pressure steam curing is a method of curing CMUs, using saturated steam (365°F [185°C]) under pressure, usually 125 to 150 psi (87.88 to 105.46 Mg/m2). Also referred to as autoclave curing. Moist curing is a method of curing CMUs using moisture at atmospheric pressure and temperature of approximately 70°F (21.1°C).
(2) The process of keeping concrete moist for an extended period after placement to ensure proper hydration and subsequent strength and quality.
(3) Final conversion or drying of a coating, paint, or transparent finish material.
CURTAIN WALL
An exterior non-loadbearing wall. Such walls may be anchored to columns, spandrel beams, structural walls, or fl oors. See also panel wall.
CUSHIONING
Soft, resilient layer provided under carpet to increase underfoot comfort, to absorb pile-crushing forces, and to reduce impact sound transmission. Also called underlay or lining; see also padding.
CUT PILE
A carpet face construction in which the pile is cut level so that it stands erect in a low, dense, plush, even surface.
CUTTING IN
Painting of an edge, such as wall color at the ceiling line or at the edge of woodwork.
CYLINDER TEST
A laboratory test for compressive stress of a fi eld sample of concrete (6 in. [152.4 mm] in diameter by 12 in. [305 mm] in length).
DAILY DEGREE DAY
The numerical difference between 65°F (18.3°C) and the average of all recorded temperatures on a given day that are lower than 65°F (18.3°C).
DAMP COURSE
A course or layer of impervious material that prevents capillary entrance of moisture from the ground or a lower course. Often called DAMP CHECK.
DARBY
A tool used to level freshly placed concrete. Commonly long flat piece of metal or wood.
DARBYING
Smoothing the surface of freshly placed concrete with a darby to level any raised spots and fi ll depressions.
DEAD LOAD
The weight of all permanent and stationary construction or equipment included in a building.
DECAY
The decomposition of wood substances by certain fungi.
DECIBEL
A logarithmic unit expressing the ratio between a sound being measured and a reference point.
DEGRADATION
A permanent change in the physical or chemical properties of a plastic evidenced by impairment of these properties.
DEGREE
A unit of angular measure equal to the angle contained within two radii of a circle that describe an arc equal to 1/360th of the circumference of the circle;
also used to defi ne an arc equal to 1/360th of the circumference of a circle.
DEGREE DAYS HEATING
The sum of the daily degree days when the temperature dropped below 65°F (18.3°C).
DELUSTERED NYLON
Nylon on which the normally high sheen has been reduced by surface treatment.
DENIER
System of yarn count used for synthetic carpet fibers: number of grams per 9,000 meters of yarn length;
one denier equals 4,464,528 yards per pound or 279,033 yards per ounce.
DETECTABLE WARNING
A standardized surface texture applied to or built into walking surfaces or other elements to warn visually impaired people of hazards in the path of travel. See also cue.
DEW POINT
The temperature above freezing at which air becomes saturated and condensation occurs. See also frost point.
DIMENSIONAL STABILITY
The ability of a material to retain its dimensions in service.
DIRECT CHEMICAL ATTACK
Corrosion caused by a chemical dissolving a metal.
DISABILITY
A limitation or loss of use of a physical, mental, or sensory body part or function.
DISCONTINUOUS CONSTRUCTION
A construction method used to separate a continuous
path through which sound may be transmitted. Examples include the use of staggered studs, double walls, and the resilient mounting of surfaces.
DISPERSION
The distribution of a finely divided solid in a liquid or a solid.
DISTRIBUTION LINE
Open joint or perforated pipe intended to permit soil absorption of effluent. Distribution box helps ensure the even distribution of waste into the soil and ensure longevity of the septic system.
DIVIDER STRIPS
All-metal or plastic-top metal strips provided in a terrazzo fi nish to control cracking due to drying shrinkage, temperature variations, and minor structural movements; are also used for decorative purposes and convenience in placing a terrazzo topping.
DRAIN
A pipe that carries wastewater or waterborne wastes in a building drainage system.
DRAINAGE SYSTEM
That piping that conveys sewage, rainwater, or other liquid wastes up to a point of disposal, such as the mains of a public sewer system or a private septic disposal system. See also vent system and drain, waste, and vent (DWV) system.
DRAIN WASTE, AND VENT
The collection of pipes that facilitates the removal
of liquid and solid wastes and dissipates sewer gases.
DRAWING
The process of pulling material through a die to reduce the size, to change the cross-section or shape, or to harden the material.
DRESSED LUMBER
Lumber that has been surfaced with a planing machine.
DRIER
An ingredient included to speed the drying of coatings, paints, and transparent finishes.
DRIP
A projection shaped to cause water to flow away from a lower surface, thus preventing it from running down the face of the lower surface.
DRYING
The various stages of curing in a coating, paint, or transparent finish film.
Dust-free is the stage of drying when particles of dust that settle on the surface do not stick to it.
Tack-free is the stage of drying when the surface no longer feels sticky when lightly touched.
Dry enough to handle is the stage of drying when the film has hardened sufficiently so that the object or surface may be used without marring.
Dry enough to recoat is that stage of drying when the next coat can be applied.
Dry enough to sand is the stage of drying when the film can be sanded without the sandpaper sticking or clogging.
DRYING OIL
A coating, paint, or transparent finish vehicle ingredient, such as linseed oil, which, when exposed to the air in a thin layer, oxidizes and hardens to a relatively tough elastic film.
DRY LUMBER
Under Product Standard PS 20–70, lumber with a moisture content of 19% or less.
DRY ROT
A term that is loosely applied to many types of decay, which in the advanced state permit wood to be easily
crushed to a dry powder. This term is a misnomer since all fungi require moisture.
DRY WELL
A covered and lined underground pit, similar to a seepage pit but intended to receive water free of organic matter, such as from roof drains, floor drains, or laundry tubs. Used as an auxiliary to a septic disposal system to avoid overloading the septic tank absorption system. (Also called leaching well or
leaching pit.)
DUCTILE
Capable of being drawn out or hammered; able to undergo cold plastic deformation without breaking.
DURABILITY
The ability of a coating, paint, or transparent fi nish to retain its desirable properties for a long time under expected service conditions.
DUSTING
The appearance of a powdery material at the surface of a hardened concrete.
DYE OR DYESTUFF
Colored material used to change the color of a coating or paint with little or no hiding of the underlying surface.
DYNE
A unit of force, which when acting on a mass of 1 gram accelerates it 1 centimeter per second per second.
ECHO
A reflected sound loud enough and received late enough to be heard as distinct from the source.
EDGING
The finishing operation of rounding off the edge of a concrete slab to prevent chipping or damage.
EFFLORESCENCE
Deposit of soluble salts, usually white in color, appearing on the exposed surface of masonry, concrete, or plaster.
EFFLUENT
Partially treated liquid sewage flowing from any part of a septic disposal system, septic tank, or absorption system.
EGGSHELL FINISH
Surface sheen midway between flat and semigloss.
ELASTIC DEFORMATION
Deformation caused by a stress small enough that when the stress is removed, the material returns to its original shape. See also plastic deformation.
ELASTICITY
The ability to recover the original size and shape after deformation.
ELASTIC LIMIT
The amount of stress that, if exceeded, will cause a given material to deform or set permanently.
ELASTOMER
(1) A material that at room temperature can be stretched repeatedly to at least twice its original length and that, upon release of the stress, will return
instantly and with force to its approximate original length.
(2) A rubberlike substance.
ELECTROGALVANIZING
Electroplating with zinc to provide greater corrosion resistance.
ELECTROLYSIS
Also called galvanic corrosion. An electrochemical decomposition that results when dissimilar metals are
each contacted by the same electrolyte, such as water. The process is similar to that which takes place in an automobile battery. One metal acts as a cathode, the other as an anode. When the electrolyte
causes an electrical current to flow from one metal to the other, the anodic metal dissolves and hydrogen ions accumulate on the cathodic metal. Electrolysis can also take place in a single metal when one
portion of it is cathodic and another portion is anodic if an electrolyte makes a bridge between the two portions.
ELECTROLYTE
A nonmetallic substance in which electricity is conducted by the movement of ions.
ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE
Something that moves or tends to move electricity.
ELECTROPLATING
process that employs an electric current to coat a base metal (cathode) with another metal (anode) in an electrolytic solution.
EMULSION
Mixture of liquids (or a liquid and a solid) not soluble in each other, one liquid (or solid) being dispersed as
minute particles in the other, base liquid, with the help of an emulsifying agent.
ENAMEL
A coating or paint capable of forming a very smooth, hard film, sometimes using varnish as the vehicle; may be flat, gloss, or semigloss.
ENAMEL HOLDOUT
Property of producing a tight fi lm that prevents the penetration of subsequent enamel coats to underlying surfaces; prevents unequal absorption and uneven gloss.
END WALL
The wall along the short dimension of a room.
ENGINEERED BRICK MASONRY
Masonry in which the design is based on a rational, accepted structural engineering analysis.
EQUILIBRIUM MOISTURE CONTENT
The moisture content at which wood neither gains nor loses moisture when surrounded by air at a given relative humidity and temperature.
EROSION
Wearing away of a coating, paint, or transparent finish film caused by exposure.
ETCH
A surface preparation for a coating, paint, or transparent finish by chemical means to improve adhesion.
EVAPORATION
The change of water from a liquid to a gas.
EXPANDABLE PLASTIC
A plastic suitable for expansion into cellular form by thermal, chemical, or mechanical means.
EXPANSION STRIPS
Double divider strips in a terrazzo finish separated by resilient material and provided generally for the same purpose as divider strips, but where a greater degree of structural movement is expected.
EXTENDER
(1) In plastics, a low-cost material used to dilute or extend high-cost resins without appreciably lessening the properties of the original resin.
(2) In coatings, paints, and transparent finishes, an inexpensive but compatible substance that can be added to a more valuable substance to increase the volume of material without substantially diminishing its desirable properties; in coatings and paints, extender pigments improve storage and application properties.
EXTERIOR WALL
Any outside wall of a building other than a party wall.
EXTERNAL CORNER
A projecting angle formed by abutting walls or a vertical surface and soffit (not to be confused with exterior, meaning exposed to the weather).
EXTRUDE
To form lengths of shaped sections by forcing a plastic material through a shaped hole in a die.
EXTRUSION
(1) In aluminum, a product formed by extruding. (a) An extrusion billet is a solid, wrought, semifi nished
product intended for further extrusion into rods, bars, or shapes. (b) An extrusion ingot is a solid or hollow cylindrical casting used for extrusion into bars, rods,
shapes, or tubes.
(2) In plastic, forcing plastic material through a shaped orifice to make rod, tubing, or sheeting.
FACED WALL
A wall in which the facing and backing are of different materials and are bonded together to exert common action under load.
FACE SHELL
The side wall of a hollow masonry unit or clay tile.
FACING
A part of a wall that is used as a finished surface.
FADING
Loss of color due to exposure to light, heat, or weathering.
FASTENER TREATEMENT
Method of concealing gypsum board fasteners by successive applications of compound until a smooth surface is achieved.
FEATHEREDGING
(feathering) Tapering gypsum board joint compound to a very thin edge to ensure inconspicuous blending with adjacent gypsum board surfaces.
FEATHER SANDING
Tapering the edge of a dried coating, paint, or transparent finish film with sandpaper.
FERROUS ALLOYS
Composite metals whose chief ingredient is iron (ferrum), metallurgically combined with one or more alloying elements.
FIBER SATURATION POINT
The stage in drying (or wetting) of wood at which the
cell walls are saturated with water but the cell cavities are free of water, being approximately 30% moisture content in most species.
FIBER WOOD
A comparatively long (1/25 in. [1.016 mm] or less to 1/3 in. [8.47 mm]), narrow, tapering unit closed at both ends.
FIELD
(1) In ceramic tile, the general area of the tile excluding trim.
(2) In gypsum board, the surface of the board exclusive of the perimeter.
(3) In masonry walls, the expanse of wall between openings, corners, and the like, principally composed of stretchers.
(4) In resilient flooring, the area of a floor within the borders.
FIGURE
The pattern produced in a wood surface by annual growth rings, rays, knots, and deviations from the regular grain.
FILL
The sand, gravel, or compacted earth used to bring a subgrade up to a desired level.
FILLER
(1) In plastics, a relatively inert material added to modify the strength, permanence, or working properties or to lower the cost of a resin.
(2) In coatings, paints, and transparent finishes, a pigmented composition for filling the pores or irregularities in a surface in preparation for finishing.
FERROALLOYS
Iron-based alloys used in steelmaking as a source of desired alloying elements.
FILM
(1) In plastics, plastic sheeting having a nominal thickness not greater than 0.010 in. (0.254 mm).
(2) In coatings, paints, and transparent fi nishes, a thin application generally not thicker than 0.010 in. (0.254 mm).
FINENESS MODULUS
A measure of the average size of an aggregate, calculated by passing the aggregate through a series of screens of decreasing size.
FINISH COAT
The final decorative plaster layer in either two-coat or three-coat work.
FINISHED MILL PRODUCTS
Steel shapes that can be used directly in construction. Bars are hot-rolled or cold-drawn round, square, hexagonal, or multifaceted long shapes, generally larger than wire in cross-section. Also hot- or cold-rolled rectangular flat shapes (flats) generally narrower than sheets and strip.
Backplate is a cold-rolled, flat, carbon-steel product that is thinner than sheet and wider than strip, generally coated with zinc, tin, or terne metal.
Foil is a cold-rolled flat product less than 0.005 in. (0.127 mm) thick.
Plate is a hot-rolled flat product generally thicker than sheet and wider than strip.
Sheet is a hot- or coldrolled flat product generally thinner than plate and wider than strip.
Strip is a hot- or cold-rolled fl at product generally narrower than sheet and thinner than plate.
Structurals are hot-rolled steel shapes of special design (such as H beams, I beams, channels, angles, and tees) used in construction.
Terneplate is backplate or sheet metal that has been coated with terne metal. Tinplate is backplate that has been coated with tin.
Tubular products are hollow products of round, oval, square, rectangular, or multifaceted cross-sections. In construction, round products are generally called pipe; square or rectangular products with thinner wall sections are called tube or tubing.
Wire is a cold-finished product of round, square, or multifaceted cross section, generally smaller than bars; round wire is cold drawn, 0.005 in. (0.127 mm) to less than 1 in. (25.4 mm) in diameter; flat wire is cold
rolled, generally narrower than bar.
FIRE DIVISION WALL
A wall that subdivides a building to resist the spread of fi re. It is not necessarily continuous through all stories to and above the roof. See also fi re wall.
FIREPROOFING
A material or combination of materials built to protect structural members to increase their fi re resistance.
FIRE-RETARDANT COATING OR PAINT
A coating or paint that will significantly
(1) reduce the rate of flame spread,
(2) resist ignition at high temperatures, and
(3) insulate the underlying material to prolong the time required for the material to reach its ignition, melting, or structural weakening temperature.
FIRE WALL
A wall that subdivides a building to resist the spread of fire and that extends continuously from the foundation through the roof. See also fire division wall.
FIXTURE-UNIT
A mathematical factor used by engineers to estimate the probable demand on a drainage or water supply system (volume, duration of flow, and intervals between operations) by various plumbing fi xtures.
FLAKING
Form of coating, paint, or transparent finish failure characterized by the detachment of small pieces of the film from the surface or previous coat; usually preceded by cracking or blistering.
FLANKING PATH
A wall or fl oor and ceiling assembly that permits sound to be transmitted along its surface. Also, an opening that permits the direct transmission of sound through the air.
FLASHING
(1) In masonry construction, a thin, relatively impervious sheet material placed in mortar joints and across air spaces in masonry walls to collect water that may penetrate the wall and to direct it to the exterior.
(2) In masonry manufacture, the step during the burning process of clay masonry units that produces varying shades and colors in the units.
(3) In resilient flooring, the bending up of resilient sheet material against a wall or a projection, either temporarily for the purpose of fitting or permanently to form a one-piece resilient base.
FLASH POINT
Temperature at which a coating, paint, transparent finish, or solvent will ignite; the lower the flash point, the greater the hazard.
FLASH SET
Undesirable rapid setting of cement in concrete or mortar.
FLAT
Dull, nonreflective; opposite of gloss.
FLAT APPLICATOR
Rectangular flat pad with an attached handle that is used to paint shingles, shakes, and other special surfaces.
FLAT FINISH
Finish having no gloss or luster.
FLATS
Term applied to flat coatings and paints.
FLATTING AGENT
Ingredient added to coatings and paint to reduce the gloss of the dried film.
FLITCH
(1) A portion of a log sawed on two or more sides and intended for manufacture into lumber or sliced or sawed veneer.
(2) A complete bundle of veneers laid together in sequence as they were sliced or sawed.
FLOATING
(1) A concrete slab fi nishing operation that embeds aggregate, removes slight imperfections, humps, and
voids to produce a level surface and consolidates mortar at the surface.
(2) A condition in which a layer of water occurs between a mortar bed and a masonry
unit, usually due to bleeding, causing the unit and the mortar to fail to bond with each other. In this condition, the unit is said to float.
(3) Separation of pigment colors on the surface of applied paint.
FLOCKED CARPET
Single-level velvety pile carpet composed of short fibers embedded on an adhesive-coated backing.
FLOW
The ability of a coating, paint, or transparent finish to level out and spread into a smooth film; materials that have good flow usually level out uniformly and exhibit few brush or roller marks.
FLUX
A mineral that, due to its affinity to the impurities in iron ores, is used in ironworking and steelmaking to separate impurities in the form of molten slag.
Basic flux is a mineral, such as limestone or dolomite, used in basic furnaces to make basic (low-phosphorus) steel. Neutral flux is a mineral
FOOTING
The base of a foundation, column, or wall used to distribute the load over the subgrade.
FORGING
The working (shaping) of metal parts by forcing between shaped dies. Press forging is shaping by applying pressure in a press. Hammer forging is shaping by application of repeated blows, as in a forging hammer. See also hot working.
FORM
A temporary structure erected to contain concrete during placing and initial hardening.
FOUNDATION WALL
A load-bearing wall below the floor nearest to exterior grade serving as a support for a wall, pier, column, floor, or other structural part of a building.
FRAMES
Racks at the back of a jacquard loom, each holding pile yarn of a different color. In Wilton carpets, two to six frames may be used. The number is a measure of quality as well as an indication of the number of colors in the pattern, unless some of the yarns are buried in the backing.
FREEZING CYCLE DAY
A day in which the air temperature passes either above or below 32°F (0°C). The average number of freezing cycle days in a year equals the difference
between the mean number of days when the minimum temperature was 32°F (0°C) or below and when the maximum temperature was 32°F (0°C) or below.
FREQUENCY
The number of complete cycles of a vibration occurring in each second, measured in cycles per second (cps) and expressed in hertz (Hz).
FROST POINT
That temperature below freezing at which condensation occurs. See also dew point.
FUNGICIDE
Agent that helps prevent mold or mildew growth on paint.
FURNACE, BLAST
Tall, cylindrical masonry structure lined with refractory materials, used to smelt iron ores in combination with fluxes, coke, and air into pig iron.
FURNACE, STEEL
Masonry or steel structure lined with refractory materials, used to melt pig iron, scrap metal, and sometimes agglomerated ores, ferroalloys, and
fluxes into steel. A basic oxygen furnace is a suspended, tilting vessel that uses highpurity oxygen to oxidize impurities in hot pig iron and other iron-bearing materials to produce low-phosphorus (basic) steel. An electric arc suspended furnace is a kettle that melts scrap metal, ore, and sometimes ferroalloys with the heat of an electric arc to produce steels of controlled chemical composition. An electric induction furnace is a steel-encased, insulated magnesia pot in which metal, scrap, and ferroalloys are melted with the heat of an electric current induced by windings
of electric tubing; used chiefly to produce small quantities of high-grade steels such as alloy, stainless, and heat-resisting steels. An open hearth furnace is a
masonry structure with a hearth exposed to the sweep of flames in which hot pig iron, scrap metal, and fluxes are melted and oxidized by a mixture of fuel and air to produce basic or acid steel.
FURRING
A method of finishing the interior face of a concrete or masonry wall to provide space for insulation, to prevent moisture penetration, or to provide a level, plumb, and straight surface for finishing. Furring consists of metal channels or studs or of wood strips or studs.
FUSION-BONDED CARPET
Carpet made by fusing carpet yarn and a backing, then cutting the substrates in two, making two pieces of carpet.
FUZZING
Temporary condition on new carpet consisting of an irregular appearance caused by slack yarn twist, “snagging” of fibers, or breaking of yarn. Can be remedied by spot shearing.
GALVANIZING
Zinc coating by electroplating or hot dipping, which produces a characteristic bright, spangled finish and protects the base metal from atmospheric corrosion.
GANG GROOVED
Plywood panels produced by passing them under a machine with grooving knives set at certain intervals.
GAUGE
The distance between tufts across the width of knitted and tufted carpets, expressed in fractions of an inch.
GLAZE
Used to describe several types of finishing materials. Glazing putty is a compound of creamy consistency applied to fill surface imperfections. A glazing stain is
very thin, semitransparent, and usually pigmented with Vandyke brown or burnt sienna, applied over a previously stained, filled, or painted surface to soften or blend the original color without obscuring it. A glaze
coat is a clear finish applied over previously coated surfaces to create a gloss finish.
GLAZING COMPOUND
Dough-like material, consisting of vehicle and pigment, that retains its plasticity over a wide range of
temperatures and for an extended period of time. Either elastomeric or acrylic joint sealants are generally used today where glazing compounds are called for.
See also sealant, joint.
GLOSS
Shiny, reflective surface quality; term sometimes used broadly to include coatings, paints, and transparent finishes with these surface properties.
GLUELINE
The line of glue visible on the edge of a plywood panel. Also applies to the layer of glue itself.
GRADE
The designation of the quality of wood, steel, and other materials and products made from them, such as plywood.
GRADED AGGREGATE
An aggregate containing particles of uniformly graduated size from the fi nest fi ne aggregate size to the maximum size of coarse aggregate.
GRADED SAND
A sand containing particles of uniformly graduated size from very fi ne up to ¼ in. (6.4 mm).
GRAIN
The direction, size, arrangement, appearance, or quality of the fi bers in wood. Cross-grained wood is sawed with the fi bers not parallel with the longitudinal
axis of the piece. This grain may be diagonal, in a spiral pattern, or a combination of both. Diagonal-grained wood is sawn at an angle with the bark of the
tree such that the annual growth rings are at an angle with the axis of the piece. Edge-grained wood is sawn parallel with the pith of a log and at nearly right angles
to the annual growth rings, making an angle of 45 to 90 degrees with the wide surface of the piece. Also called quartersawn wood and vertical-grained wood.
Flat-grained wood is sawn parallel with the pith of the log and nearly tangent to the annual growth rings, making an angle of less than 45 degrees with the surface of the piece. Also called plain-sawn wood.
Open-grained wood is a common designation for wood with large pores, such as oak, ash, chestnut, and walnut.
GRAINING
Simulating the grain of wood by means of specially prepared colors or stains and the use of graining tools or special brushing techniques.
GRAIN RAISING
Swelling and standing up of wood grain caused by absorbed water or solvents.
GRAIN STRUCTURE
The microscopic internal crystalline structure (size and distribution of particles) of a metal that affects
its properties, known as austenitic, ferritic, and martensitic. Austenitic steels are tough, strong, and nonmagnetic. Austenitic stainless steels have a chromium content of up to 25% and a nickel content of up to 22% and can be hardened by cold working. Ferritic steels are soft, ductile, and strongly magnetic. Ferritic stainless steels usually have a chromium content of 12 to 27% and are not hardenable by heat treatment. Martensitic steels can be made very hard
and tough by heat treatment and rapid cooling. Martensitic stainless steels have a chromium content of 4 to 12%.
GREAT CIRCLE
A line described on a sphere by a plane bisecting the sphere into equal parts. The equator is a great circle, as are pairs of opposing meridians.
GREEN CONCRETE
Freshly placed concrete.
GREEN LUMBER
Under Product Standard PS 20-70, lumber with a moisture content of more than 19%. Unseasoned lumber that has not been exposed to air or kiln drying.
GRIN
Condition in which the backing shows through sparsely spaced pile tufts. A carpet may be grinned (bent back) deliberately to reveal its construction.
GROSS CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA
In masonry, the total area of a section perpendicular
to the direction of the load, including areas within cores, cellular spaces, and other openings in the material.
GROUND COAT
Base coat in an antiquing system; applied before graining colors, glazing, or other finish coat.
GROUNDS
Nailing strips placed in concrete and masonry walls as a means of attaching trim, furring, cabinetry, or equipment.
GROUT, MASONRY
(1) Mortar of a consistency that will flow or pour easily without segregation of the ingredients. (2) A liquid mixture of cement, water, and sand of pouring consistency.
GROUT, TILE
A formulation used to fill the joints between tiles; maybe cementitious, resinous, or a combination of both.
GUSSET PLATE
Wood or metal plate used as a means of joining coplanar structural members in trusses. Gusset plates lap the butt joints between members.
GYPSUM BOARD
A panel consisting of a noncombustible core of calcined gypsum, surfaced on both sides with a covering material specifically designed for various uses with respect to performance, application, location, and appearance. Wallboard is a class of gypsum board used primarily as an interior finished surface. Lath is a class of gypsum board used as a base for gypsum plaster. Backing boards are gypsum boards that serve as a base to which gypsum wallboard or tile is applied. Sheathing is a class of gypsum board used as a base for exterior finishes. Edges are gypsum board extremities that are paperbound and run the long dimension of the board as manufactured. Ends are gypsum board extremities that are mill- or job-cut, exposing the gypsum core, and run the short dimension of the board as manufactured.
HARDBOARD
A dense panelboard manufactured of wood fi bers with the natural lignin in the wood reactivated to serve as a binder for the wood fibers.
HARD-BURNED
Clay products that have been fired at high temperatures. They have relatively low absorptions and high compressive strengths.
HARDNESS
Cohesion of particles on the surface of a coating, paint, or transparent finish as determined by the ability to resist scratching or indentation.
HARDWOOD
The botanical group of trees that are broad-leaved and deciduous. The term does not refer to the actual hardness of the wood.
HEADER
A masonry unit that overlaps two or more adjacent wythes of masonry to provide structural bond. Also called bonder.
HEADER COURSE
A continuous bonding course of header brick.
HEAD JOINT
The vertical mortar joint between ends of masonry units.
HEARTWOOD
The wood that extends from the pith to the sapwood, the cells of which no longer participate in the growth process of the tree. Heartwood may be impregnated
with gums, resins, and other materials, which usually make it darker and more decay resistant than sapwood.
HEAT CAPACITY
The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 cu ft of a material 1°F (0.5556°C).
HEAT-SET NYLON
Nylon fi ber that has been heat treated to retain a desired shape.
HEAT SINK
A material or system that collects and stores heat.
HEAT-TREATABLE ALLOYS
Aluminum alloys capable of gaining strength by being heat treated. The alloying elements show increasingly
solid solubility in aluminum with increasing temperature, resulting in pronounced strengthening.
HEAT TREATMENT
(1) Of aluminum (see solution heat treatment): Annealing is a heat treatment process in which an alloy is heated to a temperature between 600°F (315.56°C) and 800°F (426.67°C) and then slowly cooled to relieve internal stresses and return the alloy to its softest and most ductile condition. (2) Of steel:
Controlled heating and cooling of steels in the solid state for the purpose of obtaining certain desirable mechanical or physical properties. Annealing is heating metal to high temperatures (1350°F [732.2°C] to 1600°F [871.1°C] for steel), followed by controlled cooling, to make the metal softer or change its ductility and toughness. Quenching is rapid cooling by immersion in oil, water, or another cooling medium to increase hardness. Tempering is reheating (in steel to less than 1350°F [732.2°C]) after hardening (as by quenching) and slow cooling to restore ductility.
HERTZ
The unit of frequency of a periodic process equal to one cycle per second.
HIDING POWER
Ability of a coating or paint to obscure the surface to which it is applied, generally expressed as the number of square feet that can be covered by 1 gal of material or the number of gallons required to cover 1000 sq ft. Also called covering power.
HIGH-EARLY-STRENGTH CEMENT
Cement used to produce a concrete that develops strength more rapidly than normal.
HIGH POLYMER
A polymer of high molecular weight.
HOLLOW WALL
A wall built of masonry units arranged to provide an air space within the wall between the facing and backing wythes.
HORIZONTAL APPLICATION
Applying gypsum board with the edges perpendicular to supporting members such as studs, joists, channels, or furring strips. See also vertical application.
HOT-DIP PROCESS
Coating a metal with another metal by immersing it in a bath of the molten coating metal. The coating metals most commonly used on steel are zinc, terne metal, and aluminum.
HOT WORKING
Forming metal at elevated temperatures at which metals can be more easily worked.
(1) For aluminum
alloys: (a) Hot working temperatures are usually in the 300°F (148.9°C) to 400°F (204.4°C) range. (b) Hot rolling is the shaping of aluminum plate by rolling heated slabs of metal. Hot rolling is usually used for work down to about 0.125 in. (3.175 mm) thick.
(2) For steel: Shaping hot plastic metal by hot rolling, extruding, or forging. (a) Hot working temperatures are above 1500°F (815.6°C). Hot working is generally accompanied by increases in strength, hardness, and
toughness. (b) Hot forming is the forming of a hot plastic metal into desired shapes, with little change in the mechanical properties of the metal. (c) Extruding is shaping lengths of hot metal by forcing them through a die of the desired profi le. (d) Forging is shaping hot metal between dies with compression force or impact.
(e) Hot rolling is gradual shaping by squeezing hot metal between rolls.
HYDRATION
The chemical reaction of water and cement that produces a hardened concrete.
IMPACT INSULATION CLASS IIC
A single number rating developed by the Federal
Housing Administration to estimate the impact of sound isolation performance of floor and ceiling assemblies.
IMPACT NOISE RATING
A singlenumber rating used to compare and evaluate the ability of floor and ceiling assemblies to isolate impact sound transmission (see sound isolation).
IMPACT SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL ISPL
The sound level in decibels measured in the receiving room resulting from the transmission of sound produced by a standard tapping machine through an adjacent floor and ceiling assembly.
IMPERVIOUS SOIL
A tight, cohesive soil, such as clay, that does not allow the ready passage of water.
INCIDENT SOUND
A sound striking a surface, as contrasted with a sound reflected from the surface. The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
INDIVIDUAL SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM
A combination of a sewage treatment plant (package plant or septic tank) and method of effluent disposal (soil absorption system or stream discharge) serving a single dwelling.
INERT
Having inactive chemical properties.
INGOT
(1) A mass of aluminum cast into a convenient shape for storage or transportation, to be later remelted for
casting or fi nishing by rolling, forging, or another process.
(2) A cast pig iron or steel shape made by pouring hot metal into a mold.
INHIBITOR
A substance that prevents or retards a chemical reaction; inhibitors are often added to plastic resins to prolong their storage life.
INJECTION MOLDING
Forming plastic by fusing it in a chamber with heat and pressure and then forcing part of the mass into a cooler chamber, where it solidifies.
INSOLATION (INCIDENT SOLAR RADIATION)
The solar radiation that strikes a surface.
INTERCOAT ADHESION
Adhesion between two coats of paint.
INTERNAL CORNER
An enclosed angle of less than 180 degrees formed by abutting walls or the juncture of walls and the ceiling (not to be confused with interior, meaning protected from the weather).
ISOLATION JOINT
A joint placed to separate a concrete slab into individual panels or from adjacent surfaces.
ISOLATION MEMBRANE
(1) In tile floors, see cleavage (isolation) membrane.
(2) In a terrazzo finish, a membrane such as asphalt-saturated roofing felt, building paper, or polyethylene film installed between the subfloor and the terrazzo underbed to prevent bonding and permit independent movement of each.
JACQUARD
Mechanism for a Wilton loom that uses punched cards to produce the desired color design.
JOINT COMPOUND
A material used for finishing joints in gypsum board.
JOINT REINFORCEMENT
Steel wire, bar, or fabricated reinforcement that is placed in horizontal mortar joints.
JOINTS
See control joint, construction joint, and isolation joint.
JOINT TAPE
Paper or paper-faced cotton tape used over joints between wallboard to conceal the joints and provide a smooth surface for painting.
JOINT TREATMENT
Method of reinforcing and concealing gypsum board joints with tape and successive layers of joint compound.
JOIST
One of a series of parallel beams used to support floor, ceiling, and roof loads. Joists are supported in turn by bigger beams, girders, or bearing walls.
JUTE
Strong, durable yarn spun from fibers of the jute plant, native to India and the Far East; used in the backings of many carpets.
KNITTED CARPET
Carpet made on a knitting machine by looping together backing, stitching, and pile yarns with three sets of needles, as in hand knitting.
KNOT
The portion of a branch or limb that has been surrounded by subsequent growth of wood.
KRAFTCORD
Tightly twisted yarn made from wood pulp fi ber, used as an alternative for cotton or jute in carpet backing.
LACQUER
Coating that dries quickly by evaporation of its volatile solvent and forms a film from its nonvolatile constituent, usually nitrocellulose; may be pigmented or clear.
LAITANCE
A soft, weak layer of mortar appearing on a horizontal surface of concrete due to segregation or bleeding.
LAMINATE
A product made by bonding together two or more layers of materials.
LAMINATED WOOD
A piece of wood built up of laminations that have been joined with glue, mechanical fastenings, or both.
LANGLEY
The measure of isolation; equal to 1 calorie per square centimeter or 3.69 Btus per square foot.
LAP
To lay or place one coat so that its edge extends over and covers the edge of a previous coat.
LATERAL
A branch of an absorption field, consisting of either (1) the length of the distribution line between overflow pipes or
(2) the length of the distribution line between the tee or cross fitting and the farthest point in a closed-loop field.
LATERAL SUPPORT OF WALLS
Means whereby walls are braced either horizontally by columns, pilasters, or cross walls or vertically by floor and roof construction.
LATEX
A water suspension of fine particles of rubber or rubber-like plastics.
LATEX PAINT
A paint containing latex and thinned with water.
LATITUDE
The position of a point on the earth’s surface north or south of the equator, stated as an angular measure
(degrees, minutes, and seconds) of the meridian arc contained between that point and the equator.
LEAD
The section of a masonry wall built up and racked back on successive courses. A line is attached to leads as a guide for building a wall between them.
LEGAL DESCRIPTION
A written, legally recorded identification of the location and boundaries of a parcel of land. A legal
description may be based on a metes and bounds survey or the rectangular survey system, or it may make reference to a recorded plat or survey.
LEVELING
Ability of a film to flow out free from ripples, pockmarks, and brush marks after application.
LEVEL LOOP PILE
A woven or tufted carpet style in which the tufts are in loop form and of the same height.
LEVEL TIP SHEAR
Randomly patterned cut and loop pile carpet.
LIFTING
Softening and penetration of a previous film by solvents in the paint being applied over it, resulting in raising and wrinkling.
LIGNIN
The second most abundant constituent of wood, making up 12 to 28% in most species. It encrusts the cell walls and cements the cells together.
LINEAR POLYMER
A polymer that is arranged in a long, continuous chain with a minimum number of side chains or branches.
LINING FELT
A mineral fiber or asphalt felt specifically manufactured for use under resilient flooring.
LINTEL
A structural member used to carry the load over an opening in a wall.
LIP
When related to barrier-free design, an abrupt vertical change in level.
LIVE LOAD
The total of all moving and variable loads that may be placed on or in a building. See also dead load.
LONGITUDE
The position of a point on the earth’s surface east or west of the Greenwich meridian, stated as an angular
measure (degrees, minutes, and seconds) of the arc on the equator contained between a meridian passing through that point and the Greenwich meridian.
LONG OIL
Varnish or paint vehicle with more than 55% of the resin consisting of oil or fatty acid.
LOOM
Machine on which carpet is woven, as distinguished from other machines on which carpets may be tufted, flocked, or punched.
LOOP PILE
A woven or tufted carpet style in which the pile surface consists of uncut loops; also called round wire.
LOOP VENT
A branch vent that serves two or more traps and extends from in front of the last fixture connection of a horizontal branch to the stack vent. See also circuit vent.
LOUDNESS
A subjective response to sound, indicating the magnitude of the hearing sensation, depending on the listener’s ear.
LUMBER
The wood product of a saw and planing mill not further manufactured than by sawing, resawing, and passing lengthwise through a standard planing
machine, cross-cut to length, and worked.
BEAMS and STRINGERS are large pieces of lumber measuring 5 in. (127 mm) or more in thickness and 8 in. (203.2 mm) or more in width. These are graded with respect to their strength in bending when loaded on the narrow face.
BOARDS are lumber up to 2 in. (50.8 mm) thick and 2 in. (50.8 mm) or more in width.
DIMENSION LUMBER is lumber 2 to 4 in. (50.8 to 101.6 mm) thick and 2 in. (50.8 mm) or more in width. Factory and shop lumber is intended to be cut again for use in further manufacture.
JOISTS and PLANKS are pieces of lumber 2 to 4 in. (50.8 to 101.6 mm) in nominal thickness and 4 in. (101.6 mm) or more in width. These are graded with respect to strength in bending when loaded either on the narrow face, as a joist, or on the wide face, as a plank.
LIGHT FRAMING is lumber 2 to 4 in. (50.8 to 101.6 mm) thick and 2 to 4 in. (50.8 to 101.6 mm) wide.
MATCHED LUMBER is lumber that has been edge dressed and shaped to make a close tongue-and-groove joint at the edges or ends when laid edge to edge or end to end.
PATTERNED LUMBER, is lumber that is
shaped to a pattern or to a molded form in addition to being dressed, matched, shiplapped, or any combination of these.
Posts and timbers are lumber that is approximately square, 5 in. (127 mm) and thicker, and having a width not more than 2 in. (50.8 mm) greater than its thickness. Stress grade lumber is the same as structural lumber.
Structural lumber is lumber that has been machine rated or visually graded into grades with assigned working stresses. Includes most yard lumber grades except boards.
Yard lumber is intended for general building purposes; includes boards, dimension lumber, and timbers.
MACHINABILITY
The ability to be milled, sawed, tapped, drilled, and reamed without excessive tool wear, with ease of chip metal removal and surface finishing.
MAIN
The principal artery of a drainage or water supply system to which branches may be connected. It is usually the lowest horizontal piping. In a drainage system the main is the building drain; in a water system it is the distributing main, whether located in the basement or on the top floor.
MAINSTREAMING
A process that seeks to integrate physically handicapped persons into society by (1) equipping them with the personal devices and adaptive skills
needed to function effectively in the built environment and (2) removing physical barriers that prevent them from functioning like able-bodied individuals.
MAIN VENT
The principal artery of a vent system to which vent branches may be connected. It may be either a vertical pipe that collects one or more branch vents or a horizontal pipe to which a number of vent stacks are connected before they go through the roof.
MALLEABILITY
The ability to be shaped without fracture by either hot or cold working.
MARINE VARNISH
Varnish specially designed for immersion in water and exposure to a marine atmosphere.
MARL
A soil or rock containing calcium carbonate (limestone).
MASKING
(1) The effect produced by ambient sound that seems to diminish the loudness of transmitted noise.
(2) Temporary covering of areas not to be painted.
MASKING TAPE
A strip of paper or cloth tape, easily removable and used temporarily to cover areas that are not to be painted.
MASONRY BONDED HOLLOW WALL
A hollow wall in which the facing and backup are bonded together with solid masonry units.
MASONRY CEMENT
A packaged premixture of portland cement, lime, and other ingredients to which sand and water are added in the fi eld to make masonry cement mortar.
MASONRY UNIT
A manufactured building unit of burned clay, shale, concrete, stone, glass, gypsum, or other material. A hollow masonry unit is one whose net cross-sectional area in any plane parallel to the bearing surface is less than 75% of the gross cross-sectional area. A modular
masonry unit is one whose nominal dimensions are based on a 4 in. (101.6 mm) module. A solid masonry unit is one whose net cross-sectional area in every plane parallel to the bearing surface is 75% or more of the gross cross-sectional area.
MASTIC
Heavy-bodied paste-like coating of high build often applied with a trowel.
MATRIX TERRAZZO
Topping mortar consisting of binders, and sometimes pigments and inert fillers, that fills the spaces between chips and binds them into a homogeneous mass.
MERIDIAN
Imaginary north-south line on the earth’s surface described by a great circle arc from the North Pole to the South Pole. All points on a meridian are of the same longitude. See also great circle.
The Greenwich meridian, also called the prime meridian, is the meridian passing through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England. It is designated as the starting line (zero degrees) for measuring east and west longitude.
A principal meridian is a meridian of specified longitude, used in the rectangular survey system, serving as the main north-south reference line for a particular state or area.
Guide meridians are north-to-south reference lines located at 24-mile intervals east and west of a principal meridian.
METALLICS
Class of paints that include metal fl akes.
METES AND BOUNDS
A system of land survey and description based on starting from a known reference point and tracing the boundary lines around an area.
MILDEW RESISTANCE
Ability of a coating, paint, or transparent finish to resist the growth of molds and mildew; mildew is particularly prevalent in moist, humid, and warm climates.
MILLWORK
Lumber that is shaped to a pattern or to a molded form in addition to being dressed, matched, shiplapped, or any combination of these. Millwork includes most finished wood products such as doors, windows, interior trim, and stairways, but not flooring or siding products.
MINERAL SPIRITS
Common solvent for coatings, paints, and transparent finishes; derived from the distillation of petroleum.
MINUTE
A unit of angular measure equal to 1/60 th of a degree.
MODIFIER
An ingredient added to a plastic to improve or modify its properties.
MODULUS OF ELASTICITY
The ratio of stresses lower than the elastic limit to their respective strains.
MOISTURE CONTEN OF A CMU
The amount of water contained in a unit, expressed as a percentage of the total absorption (e.g., a concrete masonry unit at 40% moisture content contains 40% of the water it can absorb).
MOSITURE CONTENT OF WOOD
The amount of water contained in wood at the time it
is tested, expressed as a percentage of the weight of the wood when oven-dry.
MONOLITHIC CONCRETE
Concrete placed in one continuous pour without construction joints.
MONOMER
A relatively simple compound that can react to form a polymer.
MONUMENT
A permanent reference point for land surveying whose location is recorded; either a man-made marker or a natural landmark.
MORESQUE
Multicolored yarn made by twisting together two or more strands of different shades or colors.
MORTAR
Substance used to join masonry units, tile, stone, and other materials.
MORTAR BED, TILE
A ¾-in. (19.1-mm)- to 1¼-in. (31.8-mm)-thick bed of portland cement and sand mortar onto which a layer of neat portland cement (watercement paste) is applied to receive tile. Also called thickbed.
MORTAR JOINT
The joint between masonry units. A tooled joint is one that is compressed and shaped with a special concave or V-shaped tool. A troweled joint is one finished with a trowel to form a struck joint or a weathered joint. In a raked joint the mortar is raked out to a specified depth while the mortar is still green.
MORTAR, MASONRY
A plastic mixture of one or more cementitious materials, sand, and water.
MORTAR, TILE
A mixture of portland cement and other ingredients used to install tile. A leveling- or setting-type mortar is a mixture of portland cement, sand, and sometimes lime, used as a bed in which tile is installed (setting bed), or as a coat to produce a plumb and level surface (leveling coat) so that subsequent coats can be applied in a uniform thickness. A bonding-type mortar is any one of a variety of formulations used to bond tile to a backing or mortar bed. Formulations may be mainly cementitious, such as commercial
cement mortar; resinous, such as epoxy mortar; or a combination of both, as in latex—portland cement mortar.
Also see adhesive, tile.
MULTILEVEL LOOP
A carpet style in which the yarns are looped at several levels; also called high-low loop and cut and loop.
NAIL, DRYWALL
A nail suitable for gypsum board application. Such nails are typically bright, coated, or chemically treated
low-carbon steel nails with fl at, thin, slightly fi lleted and countersunk heads approximately ¼ in. (6.4 mm) in diameter and medium or long diamond points. Annularly threaded nails (GWB-54) and smooth or deformed shank nails should conform to ASTM C514.
NAIL GLUING
A method of gluing wood in which the nails hold the wood members until the glue sets.
NAIL POPPING
Surface defect in gypsum board resulting in a conspicuous protrusion of joint compound directly over a nail head.
NAP
Length of fi bers on a paint roller cover.
NATURAL GRAY YARN
Unbleached and undyed yarn spun from a blend of black, brown, or gray wools.
NEAT CEMENT
A mixture of cement and water (no aggregates).
NEAT PORTLAND CEMENT
Unsanded mixture of portland cement and water used
as a bond coat in conventional thickbed installation of tile.
NEEDLE-PUNCHED CARPET
Carpet made by punching loose, unspun fibers through a woven sheet, which results in a pileless
carpet similar to a heavy felt; usually consists entirely of synthetic fibers.
NET CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA
The gross crosssectional area of a section minus the area of cores, cellular spaces, and other voids it contains.
NOISE REDUCTION
Reducing the level of unwanted sound by means of acoustical treatment.
NOISE REDUCTION COEFFICIENT (NRC)
A single- number index of the noise-reducing efficiency of acoustical materials. Found by averaging a material’s sound absorption coefficients at 250, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 cycles per second.
NOMINAL DIMENSION
A dimension greater than the actual dimension that is used to identify the size of a material. In masonry, the nominal dimension is greater than the actual dimension by the amount of the thickness of a mortar joint, but not more than ½ in. (12.7 mm). In wood, the nominal dimension (also called nominal size) is greater than the actual dimension by an amount roughly equivalent to the size lost due to wood shrinkage during drying, plus the amount planed off to square and smooth the piece. See also size.
NONCOMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL
A material that will neither ignite nor actively support
combustion when exposed to fire in air at a temperature of 1200°F (648.9°C).
NONDRYING OIL
Oil that does not readily oxidize and harden when exposed to air.
NON-HEAT-TREATABLE ALLOY
An alloy that is not capable of gaining strength by heat treatment and that depends on the initial strength of the alloy or cold working for additional strength. Also called a common alloy.
NON-LOAD-BEARING WALL
A wall that supports no vertical load other than its own weight. See also bearing wall.
NONVOLATILE VEHICLE
Liquid portion of coatings, paints, and transparent finishes except for their volatile thinners and water.
OCTAVE
The interval between two sounds with a frequency ratio of 2:1.
OHM
A measure of electrical resistance equal to that of a circuit that permits 1 volt to cause 1 amp to fl ow through it.
OIL COLOR
Single pigment dispersion in linseed oil used for tinting coatings and paints.
OIL STAINS
May be penetrating or nonpenetrating. Penetrating oil stains contain dyes and resins that penetrate a surface; nonpenetrating oil stains contain larger amounts of pigments and are usually opaque or translucent.
OLEFINS
Long-chain synthetic polymers composed of at least 85% by weight of ethylene, propylene, or other olefi n units.
ONE-PACKAGE FORMULATION COATING
(one-part) formulation Coating or paint formulated to contain all the necessary ingredients in one package
and generally not requiring any field additions except pigment and thinner.
OPACITY
Degree of obstruction to the passage of visible light.
OPAQUE COATING
A coating that hides the previous surface or coating.
OVEN-DRY WOOD
Wood that has been dried in an oven to a consistent moisture content and, for all practical purposes, no longer holds any water.
OXIDATION
The chemical combination of a substance with oxygen.
PACKAGE DYEING
Placing spun and wound yarn on large, perforated forms and forcing the dye through the perforations.
PADDING
Cellular rubber, felted animal hair, jute fi bers, or plastic foams in sheet form, used as cushioning under carpet.
See also cushioning.
PAINT
A liquid, pigmented material applied in the field and producing an opaque film. Primers may, however, be applied by hand or machine in a factory or shop, but are part of the paint system and are therefore also called paint. In addition, all parts of a paint system are called paint, collectively and individually. Such parts include primers, emulsions, enamels, opaque stains, sealers, fillers, and other applied materials used as prime, intermediate, or finish coats. See also coating and transparent finish.
An emulsion is a paint with a vehicle consisting of an oil, oleoresinous varnish, or resin binder dispersed in water (see also emulsion).
A latex paint is a paint with latex resin as the chief binder.
An oil paint is a paint with drying oil or oil varnish as the basic vehicle ingredient.
A paste is a paint with sufficiently concentrated pigment to permit substantial thinning before use.
Water-based paint is paint with a vehicle that is a water emulsion or water dispersion, or that has ingredients that react chemically with water.
PAINT REMOVER
Compound that softens old paint and transparent fi nishes and permits scraping off the loosened material.
PAINT SYSTEM
Collectively, the several coats that are necessary to produce a complete paint coating. Materials that are used in the various coats are called paint.
PANEL WALL
An exterior non-load- bearing wall in skeleton frame construction, wholly supported at each story. See also curtain wall.
PARALLEL
An imaginary east-west line on the earth’s surface, consisting of a circle on which all points are equidistant from one of the poles. All points on a parallel are at the same latitude.
PARAPET WALL
That part of a wall entirely above the roof line.
PARGING
(1) The application of mortar to the back of the facing material or the face of the backing material within a masonry wall; the mortar so applied. Also called back-plastering, backparging, or pargeting.
(2) The application of portland cement mortar or plaster to the exterior face of masonry, often below or near the ground; the material so applied.
PARTICLEBOARD
A composition board consisting of distinct particles of wood bonded together with a synthetic resin or other binder.
PARTITION
An interior wall, one story or less in height.
PARTY WALL
A wall used for joint service by adjoining buildings. See also common wall.
PATTERN BOND
Patterns formed by exposed faces of masonry units and their joints.
PEELING
Detachment of a dried coating, paint, or transparent finish fi lm in relatively large pieces, usually caused by moisture or grease under the finish.
PERCEIVED NOISE LEVEL PNdB
A single number rating of aircraft noise in decibels
used to describe the acceptability or noisiness of aircraft sound. PNdB is calculated from measured interior and exterior noise levels and correlates well with subjective responses to various kinds of aircraft noise.
PERFORATED WALL
A wall that contains a considerable number of relatively small openings. Often called a pierced wall or screen wall.
PERIMETER
In gypsum board work, the surface (as opposed to the edges) of a gypsum board panel near the edges and ends.
PERVIOUS SOIL
Usually a granular soil, such as sand or gravel, that allows water to pass readily through it.
PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSON
An individual who has a physical impairment,
including impaired sensory, manual, or speaking abilities, that results in a functional limitation in gaining access to and using a building or facility.
PICKLING
Removing the oxide scale formed on hot metal as it air cools by dipping it in a solution of sulfuric or hydrochloric acid.
PIECE DYEING
Immersing an entire carpet in a dye bath to produce single-color or multicolor pattern effects. See also resist printing.
PIER
An isolated column of masonry.
PIG IRON
High-carbon crude iron from a blast furnace used as the main raw material for ironworking and steelmaking. Basic pig iron is a high-phosphorus iron
used in basic steelmaking furnaces.
PIGMENT
Fine, solid particles suspended in the vehicle of a coating or paint that provide color (hiding power) as well as other properties.
PILASTER
A thickened wall section or column built as an integral part of a wall.
PILE
RAISED YARN TUFTS of woven, tufted, and knitted carpets that provide the wearing surface and desired color, design, or texture. In flocked carpets, the upstanding, nonwoven fibers.
CUT LOOP PILE is a pile surface in which tufts have been cut to reveal the fiber ends.
FRIEZE CARPET is a rough, nubby-textured carpet using tightly twisted yarns; same as twist carpet.
JASPE is a carpet surface characterized by irregular stripes produced by varying textures or shades of the same color.
MULTILEVEL CARPET has a texture or design created by different heights of tufts of either cut or uncut loop.
PLUSH CARPET has a cut pile surface that does not show any yarn texture.
SCULPTURED (carved) carpet has surface designs created by combinations of cut and loop pile and variations in pile height.
SHAG CARPET has a surface consisting of long, twisted loops.
STRIA (striped) carpet has a striped surface effect obtained by loosely twisting two strands of one shade of yarn with one strand of a lighter or darker shade.
UNCUT LOOP is pile in which the yarns are continuous from tuft to tuft, forming visible loops.
PILE CRUSHING
Bending of pile due to foot traffi c or the pressure of furniture.
PILE HEIGHT
The height of pile measured from the top surface of the backing to the top surface of the pile. Also called pile wire height.
PILE SETTING
Brushing after shampooing to restore damp pile to its original height.
PILE YARN DENSITY
The weight of pile yarn per unit of volume in carpet, usually stated in ounces per cubic yard (grams per cubic meter).
PILLING
Appearance defect associated with some staple fibers in which balls of tangled fibers are formed on the carpet surface, which are not removed readily by vacuuming or foot traffic; pills can be removed by periodic clipping.
PITCH
The number of tufts or pile warp yarns in a 27 in. (685.8 mm) width of woven carpet.
PITCH POCKET
An opening extending parallel to the annual growth rings of a tree. These contain or have contained either solid or liquid pitch.
PITH
The small, soft core occurring in the center of the growth rings of a tree, branch, twig, or log.
PLACING
The act of putting concrete in position (sometimes incorrectly called pouring).
PLAIN MASONRY
Masonry without reinforcement, or reinforced only to resist shrinkage or temperature changes.
PLASTER
All elements of a gypsum or portland cement plaster membrane, such as the several coats of plaster, metal reinforcement, accessories, and backing paper, when required.
PLASTER MIX
Mortar consisting of properly proportioned quantities of cementitious materials, aggregate, water, and sometimes pigments, plasticizers, and other admixtures.
PLASTIC
A material that contains as an essential ingredient an organic substance of large molecular weight, or a synthetic or processed substance. A plastic is solid in its finished state but at some stage in its manufacture can be shaped by flow (see polymer).
PLASTIC DEFORMATION
Deformation caused by a stress exceeding the elastic limit of a material so that it does not return to its original shape when the stress is removed.
See also elastic deformation.
PLASTICIZER
(1) In plastics, a material added to increase the workability and flexibility of a resin.
(2) In coatings, paints, and transparent finishes, a substance added in the liquid state to impart flexibility to a hardened film.
PLAT
A map of surveyed land showing the location and the boundaries and dimensions of a parcel.
A recorded plat is a plat that is recorded at an appropriate government office, usually the county recorder’s office. In addition to location notes and a boundary line layout, a recorded plat may contain information such as restrictions, easements, approvals by zoning boards and planning commission, and lot and block numbers for a subdivision.
PLUMBING FIXTURES
Devices or appliances that are supplied with water and receive or discharge liquids or wastes.
PLY
When preceded by a number, the number of single strands used in a finished yarn.
PLYWOOD
A crossbanded assembly made of layers of veneer or of veneer in combination with a core of lumber, particleboard, or another composition core, all joined with an adhesive. Standard plywood is hardwood plywood produced to meet governing industry standards. Also, unsanded interior softwood plywood for sheathing and flooring. High-density overlaid
plywood is overlaid plywood in which the overlay sheet contains 40% resin by weight. Medium-density overlaid plywood is overlaid plywood in which the overlay sheet contains 20% resin by weight. In overlaid plywood the face veneer is bonded on one or both sides with paper, resinimpregnated paper, or metal. Specialty plywood is hardwood plywood that is not necessarily manufactured to meet industry standards.
P.O.B. (PLACE OF BEGINNING)
The starting point of a metes and bounds description or survey.
POINTING
Troweling mortar into a joint after a masonry unit has been laid.
POLYMER
A chemical compound formed by the reaction of simple molecules to form more complex molecules of higher molecular weight.
POLYMERIZATION
A chemical reaction in which the molecules of a monomer are linked together to form large molecules
whose molecular weight is a multiple of that of the original substance.
PONDING
A curing method used on flat concrete surfaces whereby a small earth dam or other water-retaining material is placed around the perimeter of the surface and the enclosed area is flooded with water.
PORTLAND BLAST FURNACE CEMENT
Cement made by grinding not more than 65% of
granulated blast furnace slag with at least 35% of portland cement.
PORTLAND CEMENT
A hydraulic cement produced by pulverizing clinker consisting essentially of hydraulic calcium silicates and usually containing one or more of the forms of calcium sulfate as an interground addition.
Types I and IA portland cement are used in general construction when the special properties of other types are not required.
Types II and IIA portland cement are used in general construction where moderate heat of hydration is required.
Types III and IIIA portland cement are used when a high early strength is required.
Type IV portland cement is used when low heat of hydration is required.
Type V portland cement is used when high sulfate resistance
is required.
PORTLAND-POZZOLAN CEMENT
Cement made by blending not more than 50% pozzolan (a material consisting of siliceous or siliceous and aluminous material) with at least 50% of portland cement.
POSTFORMING
The forming of laminates that have been cured into simple shapes by heat and pressure.
POTABLE WATER
Water of sufficient quality, either through treatment or natural phenomena, to be drinkable.
POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE
The voltage difference between two points.
POT LIFE
Time period after mixing reactive components, in a two-component coating, paint, or transparent fi nish system, during which material can be satisfactorily used.
POTS
Carbon-lined vessels used in the reduction processing of aluminum. Molten aluminum is collected and siphoned off from the bottom of pots.
PRECAST CONCRETE
Concrete components that are cast and cured off-site or on-site in a location other than where they will be finally placed.
PREFABRICATED BRICK MASONRY
Masonry panels fabricated other than in their final
location in the structure. Also known as preassembled, panelized, and sectionalized brick masonry.
PREFRAMED PANELS
Panels fabricated with precut lumber and plywood.
PRESERVATIVE
A substance that will prevent, for a fi nite time that varies with quantity, the action of wood-destroying
fungi, insects of various kinds, and other destructive life in wood that has been properly impregnated with that substance.
PRESSURE GLUING
A method of gluing that places the wood members under high pressure until the glue sets.
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
Concrete that has been subjected to compressive stresses before external loads have been applied by the prestretching (or stressing) of high-strength steel reinforcement within the concrete. This prestressing may be done by pretensioning (stretching the steel
before the concrete is placed around it) or by post-tensioning (stretching the steel after the concrete has been cured).
PRIMER PAINT
First of several coats, intended to prepare a surface for the succeeding coat(s); sometimes a special product, but maybe the same as the finish coat.
PRIMER, RESILIENT FLOORING
A brushable solvent-based asphaltic preparation recommended as a first coat over porous or dusty concrete floors and panel underlayments; intended to seal the pores and improve the bond with asphaltic adhesives used for the installation of asphalt and vinyl composition tile.
PRIMER-SEALER
Product formulated to possess properties of both a primer and a sealer.
PRINT DYEING
Screen printing a pattern on carpet by successive applications of premetalized dyes, which are driven into the pile construction by an electromagnetic charge.
PUDDLING
The compacting or consolidating of concrete with a rod or other tool.
PUTTY
Dough-like material consisting of pigment and vehicle; used for sealing glass in sash or frames and for filling imperfections in wood and metal surfaces; does not retain its plasticity for extended periods, as does a glazing compound or joint sealant. Both elastomeric and acrylic joint sealants are superior to putty and are generally used today where putty is called for. See also sealant, joint.
QUOIN
A right-angled masonry corner that is usually projected when of the same material as the surrounding material, but may be flush with the surrounding masonry when of a different material. A typical example of a quoin consists of squared stones set into a rubble stone or brick wall. Quoins are often larger than the surrounding masonry units.
RAMP
When related to accessibility for handicapped persons, a walking surface in an accessible space that has a running slope greater than 1:20. The maximum slope is limited by the applicable code or law.
RANDOM SHEAR
A carpet style created by shearing only the higher loops of either level loop or multilevel loop carpet.
RANGE LINES
North-south reference lines used in the rectangular survey system, located at 6-mile intervals between guide meridians.
RAYS
Strips of cellulose extending radially within a tree. These store food and transport it horizontally in the tree.
READY-MIXED CONCRETE
Concrete mixed at a plant or in trucks en route to the job and delivered ready for placing.
RECTANGULAR SURVEY SYSTEM
A land survey system based on geographical coordinates of longitude and latitude; originally
established by acts of Congress to survey the lands of public domain and now used in most states. Also called Government Survey System.
RED MUD
Solid impurities collected by either fi ltering or gravity settling during the Bayer process of aluminum refining.
The Bayer process is the principal industrial means of refining bauxite to produce alumina and was developed by Carl Josef Bayer - Bauxite is the most important ore of aluminum
REDUCTION
(1) An electrolytic process used to separate aluminum from aluminum oxide.
(2) Separation of iron from its oxide by smelting ores in a blast furnace.
REFINING OF STEEL
Melting pig iron and other iron-bearing materials in steel furnaces to achieve desired contents of residual and alloying elements.
REFLECTION
The return from surfaces of sound not absorbed on contact with the surfaces or transmitted through the material contacted.
REFRACTORIES
When related to steel production, nonmetallic materials with superior heat and impact resistance used for lining furnaces, flues, and vessels for ironworking and steelmaking.
REINFORCED MASONRY
Masonry containing embedded steel so that the two materials act together to resist applied forces.
REINFORCED PLASTIC
A plastic material whose strength and, to a lesser degree, stiffness have been upgraded by the addition of high-strength fillers such as glass fiber.
REINFORCING BARS
Steel placed in concrete or masonry to take tensile, compressive, and shear stresses.
RELATIVE HUMIDITY
The amount of water vapor in air stated as a percentage. The ratio of the amount of water in air at a given temperature and atmospheric pressure
to the amount that same air can contain when it is saturated.
RELIEF VENT
A vent whose primary function is to provide circulation of air between drainage and vent systems.
REPEAT
The distance along the length of a carpet from one point in a figure or pattern to the same point at which it again occurs.
RESIDUAL ELEMENTS
Nonferrous elements (such as carbon, sulfur, phosphorus, manganese, and silicon) that occur naturally in raw materials and are controlled in steelmaking.
RESIN
(1) In plastics, the essential ingredients of a plastic mix before final processing and fabrication of the plastic
object.
(2) In coatings, paints, and transparent finishes, a mixture of organic or synthetic compounds with no sharply defined melting point, no tendency to crystallize, soluble in certain organic solvents but not in water. It is the main ingredient of most coatings, paints, and transparent finishes, binds the other ingredients together, and aids adhesion to the surface. Includes acrylic, alkyd, epoxy, nitrocellulose, polyurethane, polyvinyl acetate, silicone, styrene-butadiene, and vinyl. A natural resin may be a fossil of ancient origin, such as amber, or an extract of certain pine trees, such as rosin, copal, and damar. A synthetic resin is a man-made substance exhibiting properties similar to those of natural resins; typical synthetic resins used in coatings, paints, and transparent finishes include alkyd, acrylic, latex, phenolic, urea, and others.
RESIST PRINTING
Placing a dye-resist agent on carpet before piece dyeing so that the pile will absorb color according to a predetermined design.
RESONANCE
The sympathetic vibration, resounding, or ringing of such things as enclosures, room surfaces, and panels when they are excited at their natural frequencies.
RETAINING WALL
A wall that is subjected to lateral pressure other than wind pressure, such as a wall built to support a bank of earth.
RETARDER
An admixture added to concrete to retard its set.
RETEMPERING
Restoring workability to mortar that has stiffened due to evaporation by adding water and remixing.
REVERBERATION
The continuing travel of sound waves between reflective surfaces after the original source has stopped transmitting.
REVERBERATION TIME
(T) The time in seconds required for a sound to diminish 60 decibels (dB) after the source has stopped transmitting.
RIDGING
A surface defect in a gypsum board surface resulting in conspicuous wrinkling of the joint tape at treated joints.
RISER
In plumbing systems, a water-supply pipe that extends vertically one full story or more to convey water to branches or fixtures.
ROLLER
Paint applicator having a revolving cylinder covered with lambswool, fabric, foamed plastic, or other material.
ROLLING
Shaping plate and sheet metal, blooms, and billets by passing them through steel rollers. See also cold working and hot working.
ROOM ACOUSTICS
A branch of architectural acoustics dealing with both acoustical correction and noise reduction.
ROSIN
Natural resin obtained from various pine trees; an ingredient of varnishes and some man-made resins.
ROUGH-IN
The installation of those parts of a plumbing system can be completed before the plumbing fixtures are installed. This includes drainage, watersupply, and vent piping and the necessary fixture supports. Also, the plumbing system parts so installed.
ROUND WIRE
A pile wire that does not cut the pile loop; or woven carpet with an uncut loop pile.
ROWLOCK
A brick unit laid on its face edge. Usually laid in a wall with its long dimension perpendicular to the wall face.
RUNNING SLOPE
The slope of a pedestrian way that is parallel to the direction of travel. See also cross slope.
RUST PREVENTIVE PAINT OR PRIMER
First coat of paint applied directly to iron or steel structures to slow down or prevent rusting.
SABIN
The measure of sound absorption of a surface, equivalent to 1 sq ft (0.093 m2) of a perfectly absorptive surface.
SAGS
Excessive flow, causing runs or sagging in a coating, paint, or transparent finish film during application; usually caused by applying too heavy a coat or thinning too much.
SALAMANDER
A portable stove used to heat the surrounding air.
SANDING SURFACER
Heavily pigmented finishing material used for building a surface to a smooth condition; it is sanded after drying.
SANDWICH PANEL
A composite structural panel made of two thin, strong, hard facings bonded fi rmly to a core of relatively lightweight, weaker material with insulating properties.
SAPWOOD
The living wood of pale color near the outside of a tree.
SATURATED AIR
Air that contains 100% of the amount of water vapor it can contain. See also relative humidity.
SATURATED MOLECULE
A molecule that will not unite readily with another element or compound.
SCALING
The breaking away of a hardened concrete surface (to a depth of about 1/16 in. [1.6 mm] to 3/16 in. [4.76 mm]), usually occurring at an early age of the concrete.
SCARF JOINTING
A joint in which the ends of plywood panels are beveled and glued together.
SCORING
Partial cutting of concrete flat work for the control of shrinkage cracking. Also used to denote the roughening of a slab to develop a mechanical bond.
SCRAP METAL
Source of iron for ironworking and steelmaking, consisting of rolled product croppings, rejects, and obsolete equipment from steel mills and foundries and waste ferrous material from industrial and consumer products.
SCRATCH COAT
The first plaster layer in three-coat work, which embeds the reinforcement and provides a suitably rigid and roughened (scratched) surface for the following coat.
SREED
A wood or metal template to which a concrete surface is leveled.
SCREEDING
Striking off excess concrete in the finishing operation of concrete slab work.
SCREWS, DRYWALL
Screws developed for gypsum board application, usually with self-tapping, self-threading points, special- contour flat heads, and deep Phillips recesses for use with a power screwdriver.
Type S drywall screws are used for sheet metal studs and furring.
Type W drywall screws are used for wood framing and furring.
Type G drywall screws are used for attaching gypsum board to gypsum board.
SCRIBING
A method of transferring the profile of an obstruction, projection, or material edge to a piece of material, such as resilient flooring or wood trim, so that it can be accurately cut and fitted.
SCRIM
Rough, loosely woven fabric often used as a secondary backing on tufted carpets.
SCRUBBABILITY
Ability of a coating, paint, or transparent finish film to withstand scrubbing and cleaning with water, soap, and other household cleaning agents.
SCUM
A mass of sewage matter that floats on the surface of the sewage in a septic tank.
SCUM CLEAR SPACE
In a septic tank, the distance between the bottom of the scum mat and the bottom of the outlet device (tee, ell, or baffle).
SEALANT, JOINT
Any one of a number of plastic materials, including rubber, formulated to fill and seal stationary and moving joints. See also caulking compound, glazing compound, and putty, which are types of joint sealants.
SEALER
(1) In paint and coatings, a formulation intended to prevent excessive absorption of a fi nish coat of coating, paint, or transparent finish into a porous surface or to prevent bleeding through the finish coat.
(2) In resilient flooring, a solution of equal parts of wax-free shellac and denatured alcohol; recommended as a first coat over existing wood strip floors from which the finish has been removed; intended to seal wood pores, prevent excessive moisture absorption, and provide a dimensionally stable base for direct application of lining felt or resilient flooring.
SEASONING
Removal of moisture from green wood. Air drying is seasoning by exposure to air, usually in a yard. Kiln drying is seasoning in a kiln (oven) under controlled conditions of heat, humidity, and air circulation.
SECOND
A unit of angular measure equal to 1/60 th of a minute.
SECTION
An area of land used in the rectangular survey system, approximately 1 mile square, bounded by section lines.
The rectangular survey system provides for the further subdivision of sections into halves, quarters, and quarter-quarters.
A fractional section is an adjusted section of land generally containing less (sometimes more) than 1 sq mi. The deficiency (or excess) may be the result of the convergence of meridians, the presence of bodies of water, or uncertainties in surveying.
SECTION LINES
North-south reference lines used in the rectangular survey system, parallel to the nearest range line to the east, and east-west lines parallel to the nearest township line to the south; these lines divide townships into 36 approximately equal squares called sections.
SEEDS
Small, undesirable particles or granules other than dust found in a coating, paint, or transparent finish.
SEEPAGE PIT
A covered underground pit with a concrete or masonry lining designed to permit partially treated sewage to seep into the surrounding soil. Also called dry well in some parts of the country.
SEGREGATION
Separation of the heavier coarse aggregate from the mortar, or of water from the other ingredients of a concrete mix, during handling or placing.
SELF-CLEANING
Controlled chalking of a paint film so that dirt does not adhere to the surface.
SELVAGE
The fi nished long edge of woven carpet that will not unravel and will not require binding or serging.
SEMIGLOSS
Degree of surface refl ectance midway between gloss and eggshell; also coatings and paints displaying these properties.
SEMITRANSPARENT
Degree of hiding greater than transparent but less than opaque.
SEPTIC DISPOSAL SYSTEM
A system for the treatment and disposal of sewage by means of a septic tank and a soil absorption system.
SEPTIC TANK
A watertight, covered receptacle that receives the discharge of sewage from a building sewer and is designed and constructed to separate solids from
liquids, to digest organic matter during a period of retention, to store digested solids through a period of retention, and to allow the clarified liquids to discharge for final disposal or additional treatment.
SERGING
method of fi nishing a cut long edge of carpet to prevent unraveling; distinguished from fi nishing a cut end, which may require binding.
SERIAL DISTRIBUTION
A combination of several absorption trenches, seepage pits, or absorption beds arranged in sequence so that each is forced to utilize the total effective absorption area before liquid flows into the succeeding component.
SERVICE TEMPERATURE
The maximum temperature at which a material can be continuously employed without noticeable reduction in strength or other properties.
SETTLING COATING
paint, or transparent finish material separation in which pigments and other solids accumulate at the bottom of the container.
SEWAGE
The liquid and solid waste matter carried off by sewers. It contains organic (animal or vegetable) matter in suspension or solution, as well as liquids containing chemicals in solution.
SEWER
An underground conduit for carrying off sewage and rainwater.
SEWERAGE
system of sewers; the removal and disposal of liquid and solid wastes by sewers.
SHADING
Bending or crushing a pile surface so that the fibers reflect light unevenly. This is not a defect but rather an inherent characteristic of some pile fabrics.
SHAKE
(1) A separation along the grain in a tree, the greater part of which occurs between the annual growth rings.
(2) A wood shingle-like roofing material.
SHALE
Laminated clay or silt compressed by earth overburden. Unlike slate, shale splits along its bedding planes.
SHEARING
A carpet finishing operation that removes stray fibers and fuzz from loop pile and produces a smooth, level surface on cut loop pile.
SHEAR WALL
A wall that resists horizontal forces applied in the plane of the wall.
SHEDDING
A normal temporary condition of dislodged, loose short fibers in new carpet after initial exposure to traffic and sweeping.
SHEEN
Degree of luster of a dried coating, paint, or transparent finish film.
SHEEN UNIFORMITY
Even distribution of luster over the entire surface of an applied finish.
SHEETING
A form of plastic in which the thickness is very small in proportion to the length and width; usually refers to a product with a thickness greater than 0.010 in. (0.254 mm) (see also film).
SHEET LAMINATION
In multi-ply gypsum board construction, method of applying adhesive to the entire surface to be bonded.
See also strip lamination.
SHELLAC
A transparent fi nish material made from resins dissolved in alcohol.
SHORT CIRCUIT
Related to sound control, a bypassing connection or transmission path that tends to nullify or reduce the
sound-isolating performance of a construction assembly.
SHRINKAGE
Decrease in initial volume due to removal of moisture from fresh concrete or green lumber. May also refer to a decrease in volume due to subsequent decreases in temperature or moisture content in concrete.
SIDE WALL
The wall along the long dimension of a room.
SIGNAGE
Verbal, symbolic, and pictorial information.
SILICA
Silicon dioxide (SiO2), occurring as quartz, a major constituent of sand, sandstone, and quartzite.
SILICONE
Any of a number of polymeric organic silicon compounds used in paint, sealants, roof membranes, and water repellents. See also resin.
SIZE
(1) Water-based formulation, with glue or starch binders, intended as a sealer over existing wall paint or plaster; now seldom used.
(2) The size of lumber. The actual size of lumber is its measured size after seasoning and dressing. The dressed size of lumber is its size after surfacing. The face size of lumber is the exposed width of a piece of lumber when installed. The nominal size of a piece of lumber is its approximate rough-sawn commercial size by which lumber is known and sold.
SKEIN DYEING
Immersing batches of yarn (skeins) in vats of hot dye.
SKIN
Tough covering that forms on liquid coating, paint, and transparent finish materials when left exposed to air.
SLAB
(1) In concrete, a flat, thin (as compared with its other dimensions) structure. A structural slab is a suspended, self- supporting, reinforced concrete floor
or roof slab. A slab on grade is a nonsuspended, ground-supported concrete slab, usually but not always having some temperature reinforcement. An edge-supported slab on grade rests atop the perimeter foundation wall. A floating slab on grade terminates at the inside face of the perimeter foundation wall and is said to “float” independently of the foundation wall. A monolithic slab on grade is a combination slab and foundation wall formed into one
integral mass of concrete. Also called a thickened-edge slab.
(2) In wood, the outside piece cut from a log in squaring it.
SLABBED
To have removed an outer slab from a log.
SLAG
A glass-like waste product, generally from an ironworking or steelmaking furnace. Molten mass composed of fluxes in combination with unwanted elements, which floats to the surface of the hot metal in the furnace and thus can be removed.
SLOSHING
Attempting to fi ll vertical joints after units are laid by throwing mortar into the joint with a trowel from above.
SLUDGE
The accumulated solids that settle out of sewage, forming a semi-liquid mass on the bottom of a septic tank.
SLUDGE CLEAR SPACE
In a septic tank, the distance between the top of the sludge and the bottom of the outlet device.
SLUMP
A measure of the consistency of a concrete mix (in inches).
SLUMP TEST
A method of measuring slump by filling a conical mold, removing it, and measuring the sag or slump of the sample.
SMELTING
Melting of iron-bearing materials in a blast furnace to separate iron from impurities with which it is chemically combined or mechanically mixed.
SOAP
A brick or tile of normal face dimensions having a nominal 2 in. (50.8 mm) thickness.
SOFT-BURNED CLAY
Clay products that have been fired at low temperature ranges. They have relatively high absorptions and low compressive strengths.
SOFTENING RANGE
The range of temperature in which a plastic changes from a rigid to a soft state. Sometimes referred to as softening point.
SOFTNESS
Film property displaying low resistance to scratching or indentation; opposite of hardness.
SOFT TEMPER
The state of maximum workability of aluminum obtained by annealing.
SOFTWOOD
The botanical group of trees that have needle- or scale-like leaves and are evergreen for the most part. Some exceptions are cypress, larch, and tamarack.
This term does not relate to the actual hardness of the wood.
SOIL ABSORPTION SYSTEM
Any system that utilizes the soil for subsurface absorption of treated sewage, such as an absorption trench, absorption bed, or seepage pit.
SOIL PIPE
A pipe that conveys the discharge of water closets, urinals, or fixtures having functions similar to those of a building drain or building sewer (with or without the discharge from other fixtures).
SOLAR SCREEN
A perforated masonry wall used as a sunshade.
SOLDIER
Masonry unit set vertically on end with face showing on the masonry surface.
SOLID MASONRY WALL
A wall built of solid or hollow masonry units laid continuously, with joints between units completely filled with mortar.
SOLUTION DYEING
Adding dye or colored pigments to synthetic material while in liquid solution before extrusion into fi ber.
SOLUTION HEAT TREATMENT
The first temperature- raising step in the thermal treating of a heat-treatable aluminum alloy.
Also called heat treatment.
SOLVENT
The volatile portion of the vehicle of a coating, paint, or transparent finish, such as turpentine or mineral spirits, which evaporates during the drying process.
SOLVENT-BASED
Adhesives and primers consisting of cementitious binders and fillers dissolved in a volatile hydrocarbon carrier such as alcohol or cutback.
SOLVENT-THINNED
Formulation of a coating, paint, or transparent finish in which the binder is dissolved in the thinner (as in oil paint), rather than emulsified (as in latex paint).
SOUND
A vibration in an elastic medium in a frequency range capable of producing the sensation of hearing.
SOUND ISOLATION
Materials or methods of construction designed to resist the transmission of airborne and structure-borne sound through walls, floors, and ceilings; the effect of such materials or methods.
SOUND PRESSURE
The instantaneous pressure at a point as a result of the sound vibration minus the static pressure at that point; the change in pressure resulting from sound vibration. It is measured in dynes per square centimeter (cm2). A sound pressure of 1 dyne/cm2 is about that of conversational speech at close range and is approximately equal to 1 millionth of atmospheric pressure.
SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL (SPL)
Sound pressure measured on the decibel scale; the ratio in decibels between a measured pressure and a reference pressure.
SOUND TRANSMISSION
The passage of sound through a material or assembly. Airborne sound transmission is the transmission of sound through the air as a medium rather than through a solid, such as the structure of a building. Airborne sound is produced when a surface
is caused to vibrate, thus producing alternating air pressures adjacent to the surface. The alternating pressures then radiate through the air in waves of higher and lower pressures. Structure-borne sound transmission is the transmission of sound through a solid or assembly of solids, such as a wall or the structure of a building. It occurs when the vibrations
from equipment, or the impact of footsteps or dropped objects come in contact with a solid.
SOUND TRANSMISSION CLASS (STC)
A single-number rating for evaluating the efficiency of assemblies in isolating airborne sound transmission (see sound isolation). The higher the STC rating, the more efficient the assembly.
SPACE DYEING
Alternating bands of color applied to yarn by rollers at predetermined intervals before tufting.
SPACKLING COMPOUND
Material used as a crack filler for preparing surfaces before painting.
SPALL
A small fragment removed from the face of concrete or of a masonry unit by a blow or by action of the elements.
SPANDREL WALL
That part of a panel curtain wall above the head of a window; in a multistory building, includes the panel below the sill of the window in the story above.
SPAR VARNISH
Very durable varnish designed for service on exterior surfaces.
SPATTER
Small particles or drips of liquid coating, paint, or transparent finish materials thrown or expelled when applying these materials.
SPOT PRIMING
Method for protecting localized spots. The only areas primed are those that require additional protection due to rusting or peeling of the former coat of paint or transparent finish.
SPREADING RATE
Measure of the area that can be covered by a unit volume of coating, paint, or transparent fi nish material, generally expressed as square feet per gallon (m2/L).
SPRINGWOOD
The portion of the annual growth ring of a tree that is formed during the early part of the season’s growth.
This is usually less dense and weaker mechanically than summerwood.
SPROUTING
Temporary condition on new carpets in which strands of yarn work loose and project above the pile. Can be remedied by careful clipping or spot shearing.
STABILIZER
A material added to prevent or retard degradation of a plastic when exposed to sunlight or other environmental conditions.
STACK
(1) A structure or part thereof that contains a flue or fl ues for the discharge of gases.
(2) The vertical main of
a system of soil, waste, or vent piping.
STACK VENT
The extension of a soil or waste stack above the highest horizontal drain connected to the stack. It is sometimes called a waste vent or soil vent.
STAIN
(1) A discoloration of wood that may be caused by such diverse agencies as microorganisms, metals, or chemicals.
(2) A penetrating formulation intended primarily for wood surfaces. An opaque stain is classified as paint; a transparent stain is a transparent finish material. An opaque stain is a stain that hides the substrate and previous surface finish materials. A transparent stain changes the color of a wood without obscuring the grain; depending on the amount of pigment, transparent stains may be more or less transparent and may leave little or no surface film.
STAPLE FIBERS
Relatively short natural (wool) or synthetic fi bers ranging from about 1½ in. (38.1 mm) to 7 in. (177.8 mm) long, which are spun into yarn.
STEEL
Iron-based alloy containing manganese, carbon residual, and often other alloying elements, characterized by its strength and toughness; distinguished from gray cast iron by its ability to be
shaped by hot working or cold working as initially cast.
Alloy steel is steel in which residual elements exceed the limits prescribed for carbon steel or to which alloying elements are added within specified ranges.
Carbon steel is steel in which the residual elements are controlled but to which alloying elements are not usually added.
Heat-resisting steel is a low-chromium steel with at least 4% chromium which retains its essential mechanical properties at elevated temperatures.
High-strength low-alloy steel is steel with less than 1% of an alloying element, manufactured to high standards for strength, ductility, and partial chemical specifications.
Mild steel is carbon steel with a carbon content between 0.15 and 0.25%.
Stainless steel is steel that contains at least 10% chromium. It has excellent corrosion resistance, strength, and chemical inertness at high and low temperatures.
STOCK DYEING
Dyeing raw fibers before they are carded (combed) or spun.
STORM SEWER
A sewer used for conveying rainwater, surface water, condensate, cooling water, or similar liquid wastes, exclusive of sewage and industrial waste.
STORY
That portion of a building included between the upper surface of a floor and the upper surface of the floor
directly above, except that the topmost story is that portion of a building included between the upper surface of the topmost floor and the ceiling or roof above. Where a finished floor level directly above a basement or cellar is more than 6 ft (1800 mm) above grade, such a basement or cellar is considered a story.
STORY POLE
Marked pole for measuring vertical masonry courses during construction.
STRAIN
The change in cross-sectional area of a body produced by stress. Measured in inches per inch (millimeter per millimeter) of length.
STRAIN HARDENING
A method of strengthening non-heat-treatable aluminum alloys by either cold rolling or other physical or mechanical working.
STRAND CASTER
A machine that continuously casts steel slabs and billets.
STREAKING
Irregular occurrence of lines or streaks of various lengths and colors in an applied film; usually caused by some form of contamination.
STRENGTH
A term used to describe all the properties of wood that enable it to resist forces or loads.
STRESS
The intensity of a mechanical force acting on a body; either tensile, compressive, shear, or the combination
of compressive and tension forces known as bending, or the twisting force, torsion. Tensile, compressive, and shear forces are measured by dividing the total force by the area over which the force acts (force per unit of area), such as pound per square inch (kilogram per square meter), for example. In wood, the allowable unit, or working, stress is the stress used in designing
wood members. It is appropriate to the species and grade of the wood. Values for each type of stress are obtained by multiplying the basic stress for
that species by the strength ratio assigned to each grade. Most codes include the allowable working stress for each grade. In wood, the basic stress is the design stress for a clear wood specimen free from
strength-reducing features such as knots, checks, and cross grain. Such a specimen is assumed to have all the factors appropriate to the nature of structural lumber and the conditions under which it is used,
except those that are accounted for in the strength ratio.
STRETCHER MASONRY UNIT
unit laid with its length horizontal and parallel with the
face of the masonry and with its smallest dimension vertical.
STRETCH FORMING
The stretching of metal for the purpose of flattening it or for forming it to a predetermined shape.
STRIP LAMINATION
In multi-ply gypsum board construction, a method of applying adhesive in parallel strips spaced 16 in. (406.4 mm) to 24 in. (609.6 mm) apart. See also sheet lamination.
STRIP REINFORCING
In single-ply gypsum board construction, an installation procedure in which strips of gypsum board are applied to the framing members to reinforce gypsum board joints and provide a base for adhesive application.
STRUCTURAL CLAY TILE
Hollow masonry units composed of burned clay, shale, fi re clay, or mixtures of these. End-construction tile is designed to be laid with the axis of its cells vertical. Facing tile is made for exterior and interior use with its face exposed. Side-construction tile is intended for placement with the axis of its cells horizontal.
STUCCO
Portland cement, water, sand, and possibly a small quantity of lime (portland cement plaster), along with, perhaps, other aggregates; used on exterior surfaces.
STUCCO FINISH
factory-prepared mix of stucco for application as finish coats.
SUBFLOOR
The structural material or surface that supports a finish floor and floor loads and serves as a working platform during construction.
SUBGRADE
An earth surface on which another material, such as concrete, is placed.
SUBLIMATION
The transition of ice directly into water vapor.
SUBSTRATE
Surface to be covered with a coating, paint, or transparent finish.
SUCTION
The initial rate of water absorption by a clay masonry unit. See absorption rate.
SUMMERWOOD
The portion of the annual growth ring of a tree that is formed after springwood formation has ceased. It is usually denser and stronger mechanically than springwood.
SUMP
A tank or pit that receives sewage or other liquid waste, located below the normal grade of a building’s gravity sewer system, and that must be emptied by mechanical means.
SUMP PUMP
A mechanical device used for pumping out sewage, liquid, or industrial wastes from locations below a building’s gravity drain.
SURFACER
Pigmented formulation for filling minor irregularities before a finish coat of paint is applied; usually applied over a primer and sanded for smoothness.
SURVEY
The measure and marking of land, accompanied by maps and field notes that describe the measures and marks made in the field.
SWALE
A low, flat depression in the exterior grade, used to drain away stormwater.
TACK RAG
Piece of loosely woven cloth that has been dipped into a varnish oil and wrung out. When it becomes tacky or sticky, it is used to wipe a surface to remove small particles of dust.
TACTILE
Describes an object that can be perceived with the sense of touch.
TAPING IN GYPSUM
In gypsum board construction, applying joint tape over embedding compound in the process of joint treatment.
TEMPER DESIGNATION
Designation (following an alloy designation number) that denotes the temper of an aluminum alloy.
TERNE
A lead-tin alloy usually consisting of 4 parts lead and 1 part tin.
A thin steel sheet coated with an alloy of lead and tin.
terne historically used to coat sheel steel to inhibit corrosion
TERRAZZO
A floor topping made of marble or other stone chips set in cement mortar, ground smooth and polished.
TERAZZO FINISH
All elements installed by a terrazzo contractor from subfl oor to finished surface, such as a sand bed, isolation membrane, underbed, and topping.
TEXTURE
In wood, a term often used interchangeably with grain. It refers to the structure of wood.
TEXTURE PAINT
A paint that may be manipulated by brush, roller, trowel, or another tool to produce various effects.
THERMAL MASS
The heat storage capacity of a material.
THERMOPLASTIC
A plastic that can be repeatedly softened by heating and hardened by cooling.
THERMOSET
A plastic that, after curing, forms a permanently hardened product that cannot be softened again by reheating.
THINNERS
Solvents used to thin coating, paint, or transparent finish materials.
THIN-SET
(1) In terrazzo, a method of installing relatively thin toppings (¼ in. [6.4 mm] to ½ in. [12.7 mm] thick) directly over a suitable subfloor; generally possible with resinous binders only.
(2) In tile, a method of bonding tile with a thin layer (1/16 in. [1.6 mm] to ¼ in. [6.4 mm] thick) of special mortar or adhesive to a suitable backing or to a properly cured mortar bed.
THIXOTROPY
Property of a material that causes it to change from a thick, pasty consistency to a fluid consistency upon agitation, brushing, or rolling.
THREE-COAT WORK
Application of plaster in three separate layers (scratch, brown, and finish coats), totaling at least 7/8 in. (22.2 mm) in thickness.
TINT BASE
Basic paint in a custom color system to which colorants are added to make a wide range of colors.
TONE-ON-TONE
Carpet pattern made by using two or more shades of the same hue.
TOOTHING
Projecting brick or concrete masonry unit in alternate courses to provide for bond with adjoining masonry that will be laid later.
TOPPING
In terrazzo finishes, a decorative wear layer consisting of marble chips embedded in a suitable matrix and requiring grinding, polishing, or washing to form finished terrazzo.
TOUCH-UP
(1) Ability of a coating, paint, or transparent finish film to be spot repaired (usually within a few months of the initial application) without showing color or gloss differences.
(2) The repair of a coating, paint, or transparent finish film by selectively adding finishing material to damaged or missed areas after the earlier coats have dried.
TOUGHNESS
Maximum ability of a material to absorb energy without breaking, as from a sudden shock or impact.
TOWNSHIP
An area of land used in the rectangular survey system, approximately 6 miles square, bounded by range lines and township lines.
TOWNSHIP LINES
East-west reference lines used in the rectangular survey system, located at 6-mile intervals between correction lines.
TRANSFER MOLDING
Forming plastic by fusing it in one chamber with heat and then forcing it into another chamber, where it solidifies; commonly used with thermosetting plastics.
TRANSMISSION LOSS
The decrease in or attenuation of sound energy, expressed in decibels, of airborne sound as it passes
through building construction.
TRANSPARENT FINISH
A system of materials that are applied as liquids or by hand in the field or in a factory or shop to form a finish through which the substrate or previous finish is visible.
Lacquer is a transparent finish material that is employed mostly as a shop or factory finish on furniture and casework. It is not usable over existing finish films. In fact, it is an effective paint remover.
POLYURETHANE is a hard, highly abrasion- and chemical-resistant transparent finish often used as a floor finish and as a bar-top finish. Some manufacturers call their polyurethanes varnishes; others call them lacquers. In fact, although they have some characteristics of each, they are neither. POLYURETHANES are available in both oil-modified and moist-curing formulations. See also resin.
SHELLAC is a fast-drying, transparent finish material consisting of lac resins, produced by the lac insect, dissolved in alcohol. Shellac has a relatively short shelf life.
SPAR VARNISH is an exterior, weather-resistant, transparent finish material based generally on long-oil phenolic resin; the term originated from the use of this material on spars of ships.
VARNISH is a finish material that dries to a transparent or translucent film when exposed to air. Varnish is a mixture of resin, drying oil, drier, and a solvent.
TRANSPARENT FINISH SYSTEM
The several coats and materials necessary to produce a transparent finish. The various materials may include dyes, bleaches, or stains to change the color of substrates such as wood, and undercoats and finish coats of one of the materials listed under transparent finish or another transparent finish
material, such as oil.
TRAP
A fitting or device designed to provide, when properly vented, a liquid seal that will prevent the back passage of air without materially affecting the flow of sewage or wastewater through it.
TROWELING
A concrete slab finishing operation that produces a smooth, hard surface.
TUCK POINTING
Refilling defective mortar joints that have been cut out in existing masonry.
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
Surface loops of pile fabric.
TURPENTINE
Colorless liquid used as thinner for oil paints and varnishes, distilled from products of the pine tree.
TWO-COAT WORK
Application of plaster in two layers (base coat and finish coat), totaling at least 5/8 in. (15.9 mm) in thickness.
TWO-PACKAGE (TWO PART) FORMULATION
Coating, paint, or transparent finish material formulated in two separate packages and requiring that the two ingredients be mixed before characteristic properties can be obtained and the material can be applied.
UNDERBED
Layer of nonstructural portland cement mortar sometimes used over a subfloor to provide a suitable base for portland cement terrazzo and to minimize cracking.
UNDERCOAT
Primer or intermediate coat in a multicoat system.
UNDERLAYMENT
A mastic or panelboard material installed over a subfloor to provide a suitable base for resilient flooring when the subfloor does not possess the necessary properties for direct application of the flooring.
UNIFORMITY
In coating, paint, or transparent finish: not varying in gloss, sheen, color, hiding, or other property.
UNSATURATED MOLECULE
A molecule that is capable of uniting with certain other elements or compounds without creating any side products.
VACUUM FORMING
Shaping a heated plastic sheet by causing it to fl ow in the direction of reduced air pressure.
VEHICLE
Liquid portion of a coating, paint, or transparent finish, including ingredient dissolved in it.
VENEER
(1) A single-facing withe of masonry units or similar materials attached to a wall for the purpose of providing ornamentation, protection, or insulation, but not bonded or attached to intentionally exert common action under load.
(2) A thin sheet of wood. Rotary-cut veneer is veneer cut in a continuous strip by rotating a log against the edge of a knife in a lathe. Sawed veneer is veneer produced by sawing. Sliced veneer is veneer that is sliced by moving a log or flitch against a large knife.
VENEERED WALL
A wall having a face of masonry units or other weather-resisting materials attached to the backing, but not so bonded as to intentionally exert common action under load.
VENT STACK
A vertical vent pipe installed primarily for the purpose of providing circulation of air to and from a part of a drainage system.
VENT SYSTEM
A collection of pipes installed to provide a flow of air to or from a drainage system, or to provide circulation of air within such a system to protect trap seals from siphonage and back pressure.
VERTICAL APPLICATION
Gypsum boards applied with the edges parallel to supporting members and borders. See also horizontal application.
VIBRATING
A mechanical method of compacting concrete.
VIBRATOR
A mechanical device that vibrates at a speed of 3,000 to 10,000 revolutions per minute and is inserted into wet concrete or applied to its forms to compact concrete.
VINYL
A polymer derived from ethylene; used in paint, coatings, and fabric. See also resin.
VINYL FOAM CUSHIONING
Carpet cushioning made from a combination of foamed synthetic materials.
VOIDS
Air spaces between pieces of aggregate within a cement paste.
VOLT
The potential difference between two points in a wire carrying a current of 1 ampere when the power dissipated is 1 watt; equivalent to the potential difference across 1 ohm of resistance when 1 ampere is flowing through it.
VOLTAGE
Electrical pressure, measured in volts and comparable to pounds per square inch (psi) in a fluid medium. Reference to 120 and 240 nominal voltages includes typical operating ranges of 115 to 125 and 230 to 250, respectively. Same as potential difference.
WALL TIE
A header (bonder) or metal anchor that connects wythes of masonry to each other or to other materials. A cavity wall tie is a rigid, corrosion-resistant metal tie that bonds two wythes of a cavity wall. It is usually steel, 3/16 in. (4.76 mm) in diameter, and formed in a Z shape or a rectangle. A veneer wall tie is a strip or piece of bent metal used to tie a facing veneer to the backing; sometimes in two pieces to permit movement.
WANE
Bark or lack of wood, from any cause, on the edge or corner of a piece of lumber.
WARP
(1) In wood: variation from a true or plane surface. Bow is distortion of a board in which the face is convex or concave longitudinally. Crook is distortion of a board in which the edge is convex or concave. Cup is distortion of a board in which the face is convex or concave transversely. Twist is distortion caused by the turning of the edges of a board so that the four
corners of any face are no longer in the same plane.
(2) In carpet: backing yarns running lengthwise in the carpet. In chain warp, zigzag warp yarn works over and under the shot yarns of the carpet, binding the backing yarns together. Pile warp is lengthwise pile yarns in Wilton woven carpets that form part of the backing. Stuffer warp is yarn that runs lengthwise in a carpet but does not intertwine with any filling (weft shot) yarn; serves to give weight, thickness, and stability to the fabric.
WASHABILITY
Ability of a coating, paint, or transparent finish to be easily cleaned without wearing away during cleaning.
WATER-CEMENT RATIO
The ratio, by weight, of water to cement, or the amount of water, in gallons, used per 94-lb sack of cement to make concrete. It is an index of strength, durability, water tightness, and consistency.
WATER HAMMER
Pounding noises and vibrations that sometimes develop in a piping system when its air chambers become filled with water or have been omitted
entirely; the problem may also be due to worn washers in faucets.
WATERROOFING
Prevention of moisture flow through concrete or masonry due to water pressure; an impervious liquid or sheet material used to waterproof.
WATER RETENTION
A property of mortar that prevents the loss of water to masonry units having high suction. It also prevents bleeding or water gain when mortar is in contact with units having low suction. Also called water retentivity.
WATER SPOTTING
Coating, paint, or transparent finish appearance defect caused by water droplets.
WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM
In a building, consists of the water service pipe, water
distributing pipes, branches to plumbing fixtures and appliances, and necessary fittings and control valves.
WATT
(1) In acoustics, a unit of sound power equal to 1 × 107 dynes per centimeter per second, which is the basic
expression of the flow of sound energy.
(2) In electricity, a unit of electrical power equal to the work done by a current of 1 ampere under the pressure of 1 volt.
WATTAGE
The amount of electrical power measured in watts; a single unit combining the effect of both voltage (pressure) and rate of flow (amperage) by multiplying these quantities (volts times amperes equals watts).
WATT-HOUR
Unit of energy consumed, consisting of watts multiplied by time in hours; the result is often expressed in thousands of watt-hours, called kilowatthours.
WEATHERING
(1) Corrosion (galvanic or chemical) produced by atmospheric conditions.
(2) Effect of exposure to weather on a coating, paint, or transparent finish film, raw wood, and other materials.
WEATHERING INDEX
The product of the average annual number of freezing cycle days and the average annual winter rainfall.
WEAVING
Process of forming carpet on a loom by interlacing the warp and weft yarns.
WEEP HOLES
Openings placed in mortar joints of facing materials at the level of a flashing to divert to the exterior any moisture collected on the flashing.
WEFT
Backing yarns that run across the width of a carpet. In woven carpets, the weft shot (filling) yarns and the warp chain (binder) yarns interlock and bind the pile tufts to the backing. In tufted carpets, pile yarns that run across the carpet are also considered weft yarns.
WELDING
Creating a metallurgical bond between metals with heat and sometimes with the use of pressure and filler metal.
Arc welding employs an electric arc as the source of heat.
Gas welding employs a fuel gas (acetylene, hydrogen) and oxygen as the sources of heat.
Shielded welding is a process in which gases or fusible granular materials are used to shield the weld
area from the damaging effects of oxygen and nitrogen in the air.
Shielded metalarc welding is arc welding in which a
flux-coated metal electrode is consumed to form a pool of filler metal and a gas shield around the weld area. Also known as manual metal-arc welding and stick electrode welding.
Inert-gas-shielded arc welding is arc welding in which shielding is provided by an inert gas envelope (such
as argon, helium, a combination of argon and helium, or carbon dioxide) from an external supply. Filler metal is supplied either by a consumable metal electrode, as in inert-gas-shielded metal arc welding (MIG), or by a separate filler rod used with a nonconsumable tungsten electrode, as in inert-gas-shielded tungsten arc welding (TIG). Submerged arc welding is arc welding in which the weld area is shielded by a fusible granular material that melts to protect the weld area. Filler metal is obtained from either a consumable
electrode or a separate filler rod.
WHITE LEAD
Oldest white pigment, chemically known as lead sulfate or lead carbonate.
WINTER RAINFALL
The sum in inches of the mean monthly corrected precipitation occurring between the first killing frost
in the fall and the last killing frost in the spring.
WIRES
(pile wire, gauge wire, standing wire) Metal strips over which the pile tufts are formed in woven carpets. See also round wire.
WOOLEN YARN
Soft, bulky yarn spun from both long and short wool fibers that are not combed straight but lie in all directions so that they will interlock to produce a felt-like texture.
WORKABILITY
Relative ease or difficulty with which concrete can be placed and worked into its final position within
forms and around reinforcing bars. However, workability is contingent on the absence of segregation of the concrete. If the aggregate segregates, workability is considered to diminish (or terminate), regardless of how easily the concrete
flows into place.
WORSTED YARN
Strong, dense yarn made from long staple fibers that are combed to align the fibers and remove extremely short fibers.
WOVEN CARPET
Carpet made by simultaneously interweaving backing and pile yarns on one of several types of looms
from which the carpets derive their names. Axminster carpet is carpet made on an Axminster loom, which is capable of intricate color designs, usually with a level
cut-pile surface. Loomed carpet is carpet made on a modified upholstery loom with a characteristic dense, low-level loop pile, generally bonded to cellular rubber cushioning. Velvet carpet is carpet made on a simple loom, usually of a solid color or moresque, with cut or loop pile of either soft or hard-twisted yarns. Wilton carpet is carpet made on a loom employing a
jacquard mechanism, which selects two or more colored yarns to create the pile pattern.
WRINKLING
Development of ridges and furrows in a coating, paint, or transparent finish film when it dries.
WROUGHT ALUMINUM PRODUCTS
Products formed by rolling, drawing, extruding, or forging. A bar is a solid section that is long in relation to its cross-sectional dimensions and has a completely symmetrical cross section that is square or rectangular (excluding flattened wire) with sharp or rounded corners or edges, or is a regular hexagon or octagon. An aluminum bar has a width or greatest distance between parallel faces of 3/8 in.
(9.5 mm) or more. An extruded section is
a rod, bar, tube, or any other shape produced
by the extrusion process.
Foil is a solid sheet section rolled to a thickness of
less than 0.006 in. (0.1524 mm). Forging stock is a rod, bar, or other section suitable for subsequent change in cross section by forging.
A pipe is a tube having certain standardized combinations of outside diameters and wall thicknesses.
A plate is a solid section rolled to a thickness of
0.250 in. (6.4 mm) or more in rectangular form and with either sheared or sawed edges. A rod is a solid, round aluminum section 3/8 in. (9.5 mm) or greater in diameter, whose length is greater than its diameter. A sheet is a solid section rolled to a thickness ranging from 0.006 in. (0.1524 mm) to 0.249 in. (6.3246 mm)
inclusive, supplied with sheared, slit, or sawed edges.
Structural shapes are solid shapes used as load-bearing members. They include angles, channels, W shapes, tees, zees, and others.
A tube is a hollow product whose cross section is completely symmetrical and is round, square, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, or elliptical, with sharp or rounded corners, and whose wall is of uniform thickness except as affected by corner radii.
A wire is a solid section that is long in relation to its crosssectional diameter, having a completely
symmetrical cross section that is square or rectangular (excluding flattened wire) with sharp or rounded corners or edges, or is round or a rectangular hexagon or octagon, and whose diameter, width, or greatest distance between parallel faces is
less than 3/8 in. (9.5 mm).
WROUGHT IRON
Relatively pure iron, mechanically mixed with a small amount of iron-silicate slag; characterized by good corrosion resistance, weldability, toughness, and high ductility.
WROUGHT STEEL PRODUCTS
Products formed by rolling, drawing, extruding, or forging. See also finished mill products.
WYTHE
A continuous vertical section of masonry one unit in thickness. Also called withe and tier.
YELLOWING
Development of a yellow color or cast in white, pastel, colored, or clear finishes.
