Photo deck

• Abutment


  The point where one part of a building structure adjoins another part of the structure or another building. Sometimes encountered in roof construction
• Admixture


  A material that can be added to a concrete mix in order to enhance particular characteristics of the concrete such as its workability, frost resistance or setting time
• Air entrainment


  A method of introducing air or some other gas into concrete before it has achieved its initial set. The bubbles produced reduce the overall weight of the concrete component and provide the advantages of lightweight concrete. Air entrainment can also provide extra resistance to frost in a concrete member
• Air permeability


  A measure of the amount of air leakage from a building that will affect its thermal performance
• Alum


  A mineral used in Class C plasters to accelerate their setting time
• Angle of repose


  The maximum angle at which a soil on a slope is stable
• Annealing


  A process of toughening glass by heating it and allowing it to slowly cool so that stresses produced in its initial manufacture are relieved
• Arch


  An arrangement of bricks or stones, usually curved in shape, to carry the wall above over an opening
• Architrave


  A decorative piece of timber used to cover the joint between the door frame or lining and the wall to which it is attached
• Armour plate glass


  A toughened glass produced by heating followed by rapid surface cooling producing high compression forces in the surface of the glass
• Autoclaving


  A method of curing and hardening calcium silicate and concrete bricks and blocks in a steam oven
• Balusters


  Guarding and safety members usually positioned between the handrail and the outer string of a stairway
• Barge board


  A board covering the roof construction and covering at the gable end of a pitched roof
• Batt


  A cut brick. Usually a half brick
• Batten


  A small timber member often used for fixing other components, particularly roofing tiles
• Bearer


  A temporary support to a formwork platform or deck. It performs a similar function to a joist in floor construction
• Bed face


  The bottom face of a brick
• Bevelled closer


  A brick that is cut longitudinally on the bevel such that one header face is the full width whilst the opposite header face is only half the standard width. It is used when creating stop ends in one and a half brick walls in English or Flemish bond
• Binder


  A timber member fixed to the top of ceiling joists at mid-span to prevent excessive deflection
• Bird's mouth joint


  The joint between the rafter and the wall plate
• Bottom plates or sill plates

  The bottom member in a timber framework
• Braces

  Diagonal members fixed between vertical and horizontal frame members to help keep the frame square and prevent racking
• Breather membrane


  A material that is moisture vapour permeable but water liquid impermeable. When fixed to the sheathing in a timber frame wall any excess water vapour trapped in the wall may escape to the outside air whereas any rain that may have penetrated the external wall finish will be unable to cross the breather membrane and cause dampness in the timber construction of the wall
• Browning


  An undercoat plaster generally used on masonry
• Building Line


  A nominal line used by Town and Country Planning Authorities to determine the position where building may commence relative to the front boundary of the property
• Bulbs of pressure


  The lines drawn between points of equal pressure in the ground when the soil is loaded by a building foundation
• Calendering


  A process in which a sheet is passed between rollers (often heated) to smooth it or to bond the surface finish to the background
• Cambium

  A soft substance immediately beneath the bark of a tree in which the annual growth of the wood and bark takes place
• Carbohydrates


  Organic compounds of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen often forming sugars that the tree will feed upon
• Carcassing


  Timber forming the framework to a building or parts of a building. Carcassing timber is rarely seen after the completion of the building
• Casement


  A frame in a window that can be opened
• Cellulose


  A substance that forms the essential part to the solid framework of wood
• Centre


  Temporary support when constructing an arch
• Charring


  The production of charcoal by the partial burning of wood
• Chimney


  A structure, normally in brickwork, that protrudes through the roof and provides a means for the products of combustion from open fires or boilers to be vented to the atmosphere
• Cill or sill


  The bottom of an opening (usually a window opening; see threshold for doors)
• Close couple roof


  A roof similar to a couple roof but having a ceiling joist to tie the rafters together at their base
• Collar roof


  A roof similar to a close couple roof but having the celling joists raised up the roof to provide extra height to the upper storey
• Combed joint


  A joint used in door and window frame construction to connect members together. It comprises a number of interconnecting teeth
• Compartmentation


  The division of a building into a number of fire resisting compartments to reduce the spread of fire in the building and also to provide a safe means of escape from the building in the event of a fire