Helpful glossary of many of the terms used in the building industry.
Ground works
Founds – Foundations
Site clearance – To clear a Greenfield site ready for setting out of digging lines.
Setting out – Term used to plot the foundation lines on to the site as per architects drawings.
Dumpy level – The tool used to measure depth or height compared to a known height point or datum.
The Dig – The time when the digger begins the digging out work.
The pour – The pouring of concrete.
Neutons – The unit measure of strength of concrete.
Hardcore – Stone used to form a base for the concrete.
804 – A particular size of hardcore stone mostly used by builders in ground works
DPC – Damp proof Course. Plastic sheet layer laid down before concrete.
Sand Blinding – Term used for the layer of sand over the hardcore.
Radon Barrier – A thicker, purpose made plastic sheet laid before concrete in a radon suspected area
Radon Gas – The harmful gases omitted by decaying organic material.
Rising wall – Term used for the block walls that rise up from the foundations to floor level.
Drainage – Term used to cover both foul and surface water drainage pipes.
Foul line – The sewer and waste water drainage line.
Surface water line – The rainwater run off line.
Duct – The pipes used to run underground cables through.
Hydro dare – Plastic pipe use to take water from the mains to the dwelling
Wavin pipe – Pipes used in drainage of various diameters. A brand name that has stuck!
Stop cock – Water valve to enable households to shut off water supply to a dwelling
Hydrant – A water main access point generally use by the Fire Brigade
Manhole – An access entry point to enable work on drainage lines or building services i.e. NTL
Land drains – Trenches that are dug in a field and filled with pea gravel and perforated plastic 4” pipe to enable the surface water to drain away to a ditch or more preferred area
French drains – As above, but usually in gardens. Trenches are dug in consecutive ‘Y’ shapes
Paving – The product used to finish and area such as a driveway or patio
Skip – Metal container hired to dispose of waste material from site – various sizes
Blockwork
Lintels – Long, reinforced concrete heads used over doorways to carry the weight of the wall above.
A Solid – a 9” x 8” block – most common
A Soap bar – a 9” x 4” block
Perp – the bed of cement that a block or brick is laid on
Pointing – in old buildings, this entails the filling in of the cement perps that may have fallen out. Also means the tidying of fresh cement that falls out from the cement beds as blocks are laid
Muck – slang for a mix of cement for laying blocks
Neutons – The unit measure of strength of concrete.
Spot board – a piece of plywood that will be filled with cement by the labourer
Wall vent – usually a 4” hole in the external wall and covered over by a louvered vent to allow the room to breathe
Core drill – the tool used to create perfect holes of various diameters in concrete or block walls
Rockwool – A form of fibrous insulation used in ceilings, attic and walls
Sheet insulation – A stiff foam board cut to size and fitted in walls, floors and attics
Plastering
Skim – Term used for plaster
Angle beads – Metal right angled pieces that are attached to corners of walls for a good plaster finish
Scrim tape – a sticky mesh tape use on the joins of plaster slabs to give strength and stop cracking in the finished plaster
Plaster slab – 12 or 18mm thick and 8” x 4” sheets of board that take the plaster covering on walls and ceilings
Todger – the tool used to mix plaster by hand
Cornicing – The plaster made, moulded lengths that decorate the areas between wall and ceiling
Ceiling Rose – Usually a circular piece of decorative moulded plaster through which a light fitting will hang from the ceiling
Render – Term used to cover both skim and sand and cement plastering but usually means sand and cement.
Pebbledash – a rendered finish with pebbles fixed on to it
Snowcrete – a white coloured cement
Polybond – a liquid used on walls to help a sand and cement mix to adhere to walls
Plasticiser – a liquid additive used in the sand and cement mix which helps the mixture adhere to the walls
Water proofer – another liquid additive used in the sand and cement mix which makes the finished render water proof against rain
Nap finish – A sand and cement covering of a wall but finished with a slight stipple effect
Reveals – The slightly proud rendered areas on the window surrounds
Painting
Cutting in – Term used by painters when using a brush to paint the areas close to corners and angles where a roller wouldn’t be delicate enough
Paint Kettle – a small bucket with handle used to carry small amounts of emulsion
Rolling – The use of a roller in painting
Rad roller – a smaller roller used to paint behind radiators where a brush wouldn’t reach
Oil based paint – Paint made using oils. These are waterproof and are generally used on woodwork, internal and external
Under coat – a specific oil based paint used first to seal in the old paint before the finish coat
Satinwood or Gloss – The oil based paint used as the finish coat on woodwork. Usually has a shiny effect.
Water based paint – Paint made using water as its main ingredient. Usually emulsions and some varnishes.
Emulsion – a water based paint used to paint internal and external walls
White spirits – an oil based liquid designed to clean paint brushes that have been using an oil based paint
Fillers – a powder mixed with water to make a plaster like substance to fill cracks in walls and ceilings
Carpentry
1st Fix – Term used by all trades for the first part of work completed before other trades close up areas to begin the finishing items such as plaster, painting etc.
2nd Fix – The term used when trades return to the job to fit the finishing items such as electrical sockets, skirting boards or fitting of sanitary ware.
Floor / Ceiling Joists – 9”x2” timber lengths used to carry floors and ceilings across the span between two walls.
Joist hangers – The metal pieces used to fit the floor joists from wall to wall.
Stud wall – a non-structural wall made of timber
Architrave – The moulded lengths of timber that decorate the surrounds of doorways
Skirting – The moulded lengths of timber that skirt the walls at floor level
Mitre cut – a 45 degree cut on two pieces of timber and when fitted, form a perfect 90 degree angle
Proud finish – an item finished slightly protruding from its surrounding area
Shy finish – an item finished slightly short of its surrounding area
Plum – An item finished perfectly level on the vertical.
Level – An item finished perfectly level on the horizontal
Door furniture – the handles, knobs and locks fitted to doors
Door saddle – a planed and bevelled timber piece fitted to the floor in internal doorways
Door frame – the structural timber fitted in door ope’s to take the weight of the doors on their hinges
Frame fixer – a heavy duty screw and plug used to secure the door frame to the stud or block wall
Wall plug – a plastic insert that is placed in a drilled hole in a wall that accepts a screw and creates a tight fitting
Door / window ope – the gap in the wall that will be filled by a door or window
Cills – Window cills
Floor covering – carpet or wood flooring
Plumbing
Water tank – A plastic tank used to collect mains water, usually in the attic, which uses gravity to drop water under head pressure to the taps
Head pressure – Term used when water flows under gravity from a height
Water cylinder – the insulated copper tank used to house hot water and includes an emersion heater element
Pressurised cylinder – a water tank, as above, but creates its own pressure to drive the hot water through the pipes in the house
Emersion – an electrical powered heated coil that heats up water in the cylinder
Boiler – the mechanical unit that burns oil or gas to create heat in the radiators and water cylinder
Sanitary ware – Bathroom fixtures i.e. toilet, sink and bath or shower
Mixer – a tap which mixes both hot and cold water at sink, bath or shower
Upstands – the heating pipework that rises from under floor to connect the radiators to the heating system
Venting or Bleeding – term used when letting air out of the heating system at a radiator.
Electrical
MCB – Main Control Board. The electrical box housing the fuses and where the mains enter the dwelling
Fuse – the safety item which blows in the event of a power surge and stops electricity flowing through the cable from that point on
Cable – the insulated wires that carry electricity through the house
2 gang switch – a light switch with 2 controls on it
3 gang switch – as above with 3 controls
Meter box – the box housing the electric or gas meter usually externally, accessible for service visits
Downlight – a type of light fitting in ceilings that gives off a cone shaped area of light
Storage heater – an electrical heater that heats up bricks within it at night when electricity is cheaper. It then lets the heat out gradually during the day
Panel heater – a wall hung electrical heater that heats up on command