adequately wet
adjectiveConstruction
Of asbestos: made wet for safety reasons, in order to prevent the escape of harmful particles, for example during demolition.
Construction
350 terms in this trade.
ag
nounConstruction
Clipping of aggregate (“small rocks mixed into concrete”).
aged R-value
nounConstruction
thermal resistance value established by using artificial conditioning procedures for a prescribed period of time.
aggregate
nounConstruction
Crushed stone, crushed slag or water-worn gravel used for surfacing a built-up roof system.
air drain
nounConstruction
An ample space left at the foot of foundation walls for the sake of dryness.
air hammer
nounConstruction
A hammer powered by compressed air.
air-blown asphalt
nounConstruction
Asphalt produced by blowing air through molten asphalt to raise its softening point and modify other properties.
airspace
nounConstruction
The cavity in a cavity wall containing air for insulation.
alligatoring
nounConstruction
The cracking of the surfacing bitumen on a bituminous roof or coating on a SPF roof, producing a pattern of cracks similar to an alligator's hide.
aluminosis
nounConstruction
A structural defect resulting from the degradation of poor quality concrete.
apron flashing
nounConstruction
A flashing located at the juncture of the top of a sloped roof and a vertical wall, chimney or steeper-sloped roof.
architectural concrete
nounConstruction
Concrete that is exposed to view because it forms part of a surface, and may therefore need special attention given to its appearance.
architectural panel
nounConstruction
A metal roof panel, typically a double standing seam or batten seam; usually requires solid decking underneath and relies of slope to shed water
architectural shingle
nounConstruction
An asphalt shingle that provides a three-dimensional appearance.
as-built
nounConstruction
A drawing showing how a project was actually built as opposed to how it was intended to be built.
asphalt emulsion
nounConstruction
A mixture of asphalt particles and emulsifying agent, such as bentonite clay and water.
back-butter
verbConstruction
To apply adhesive to the back of (a tile) before placing it on the substrate.
barrel vault
nounConstruction
A building profile featuring a rounded profile to the roof on the short axis, but with no angle change on a cut along the long axis.
barrier board
nounConstruction
noncombustible board stock material of low thermal conductivity placed between two elements of a roof assembly.
base cap
nounConstruction
A decorative molding that is applied on top of a baseboard molding to create a layered trim and finished look.
base sheet
nounConstruction
an impregnated, saturated, or coated felt placed as the first ply in some low-slope roof systems.
battening
nounConstruction
Synonym of batten (“strip of wood used to hold things together or provide a fixing point”).
batter rule
nounConstruction
An instrument consisting of a (normally wooden) rule or frame, and a plumb line, by which the batter (slope) of a wall is regulated.
BCM
nounConstruction
Initialism of bank cubic meter, a measure of the original volume of excavated material as it was in the ground, prior to removal.
Bermuda seam
nounConstruction
a metal panel profile featuring a step-down profile that runs perpendicular to the slope of the roof.
BIM
nounConstruction
Abbreviation of Building Information Modeling.
BIPV
adjectiveConstruction
Initialism of building-integrated photovoltaic.
blanket insulation
nounConstruction
Glass fiber or other compressible fibrous insulation, generally in roll form.
blind nailing
nounConstruction
the use of nails that are not exposed to the weather.
blister
nounConstruction
An enclosed pocket of air, which may be mixed with water or solvent vapor, trapped between impermeable layers of felt or between the membrane and substrate.
blockout
nounConstruction
A void that is deliberately not filled with concrete, so that it can be used to insert something else such as pipework.
bluetop
nounConstruction
A stake or other marker set into the subgrade to indicate the desired grade elevation.
boast
verbConstruction
To dress, as a stone, with a broad chisel.
bond
nounConstruction
In building, a specific pattern of bricklaying, based on overlapping rows or layers to give strength.
bond timber
nounConstruction
A wooden beam integrated into masonry walls in order to strengthen the structure by tying sections together longitudinally.
borrow pit
nounConstruction
A pit that is dug to extract material (such as soil, gravel, or sand) for use at another location.
bottle house
nounConstruction
A structure, often a folk art construction or an eco-friendly dwelling, built primarily using glass or plastic bottles bound together with mortar or other materials.
brace up
verbConstruction
To strengthen with bracing material.
breakthrough
nounConstruction
The penetration of a separating wall or the remaining distance to an adjacent hollow (a crosscut in mining) or between two parts of a tunnel build from both ends.
breast down
To use a process of sequential drilling and blasting in building tunnels for mining, subways, etc.
bricklay
To lay brick; to use mortar to construct a structure using bricks.
broach
nounConstruction
A broad chisel for stone-cutting.
broom
verbConstruction
To improve the embedding of a membrane by using a broom or squeegee to smooth it out and ensure contact with the adhesive under the membrane.
browning
nounConstruction
A smooth coat of brown mortar, usually the second coat, and the preparation for the finishing coat of plaster.
builder's remedy
nounConstruction
A legal mechanism in the United States where, if a municipality fails to comply with state laws regarding the development of new housing, a developer can bypass or ignore certain zoning laws and begin construction in an expedited manner, or can use other legal remedies.
building site
nounConstruction
The site, the place where a building is located, is currently under construction, or shall be constructed (including structures other than buildings).
built-up roof
nounConstruction
A continuous, semi-flexible roof membrane, consisting of multiple plies of saturated felts, coated felts, fabrics or mats assembled in place with alternate layers of bitumen, and surfaced with mineral aggregate, bituminous materials, a liquid-applied coating or a granule-surfaced cap sheet.
bulb tee
nounConstruction
A T-beam with a web (vertical section) thickened into a bulbous part at its lower edge.
bullnose
nounConstruction
A rounded ceramic trim, especially in masonry and ceramic tile.
butment
nounConstruction
The mass of stone or solid work at the end of a bridge, by which the extreme arches are sustained, or by which the end of a bridge without arches is supported.
cant strip
nounConstruction
a beveled strip used under flashings to modify the angle at the point where the roofing or waterproofing membrane meets any vertical element.
cantilever
nounConstruction
A beam anchored at one end and projecting into space, such as a long bracket projecting from a wall to support a balcony.
cap sheet
nounConstruction
A sheet, often granule-surfaced, used as the top ply of some roof membranes and/or flashings.
caulk
verbConstruction
To apply caulking to joints, cracks, or a juncture of different materials.
cavity wall
nounConstruction
A double wall of masonry connected by an air space.
cellular glass insulation
nounConstruction
A rigid closed-cell insulation board made from crushed glass and hydrogen sulfide gas.
chimney flashing
nounConstruction
A strip of material around the base of a chimney, traditionally lead and sometimes including a short length of flue, that prevents rainwater from entering a building.
cladder
nounConstruction
One who applies cladding, or insulation.
cladding
nounConstruction
A weatherproof, insulating or decorative covering fixed to the outside of a building.
clearspan
nounConstruction
A span between e.g. roof timbers that is clear of obstructions.