Glossary of Handyman Terms and Definitions A-G

Glossary of Terms

Aggregate - A mixture of sand and stone and a major component of concrete.
Allowance(s) - A sum of money set aside in the construction contract for items that have not been selected and specified in the construction contract. An example of this would be setting aside money in your electrical budget for fixtures that you have not yet chosen.
Apron - A trim board that is installed beneath a window sill
Backfill - The replacement of excavated earth into a trench around or against a basement /crawl space foundation wall.
Bifold Door - These doors are hinged in the middle for opening in a smaller area than standard swing doors. They are often used for closet doors.
Bipass Doors - Doors that slide by each other and commonly used as closet doors.
Blow Insulation - Fiber insulation in loose form and used to insulate attics and existing walls where framing members are not exposed.
Brace - An inclined piece of framing lumber applied to wall or floor to strengthen the structure. Often used on walls as temporary bracing until framing has been completed.
Casement Window - A window with hinges on one of the vertical sides and swings open like a normal door.
Ceramic Tile - A man-made or machine-made clay tile used to finish a floor or wall. They are most commonly used in bathrooms, on kitchen counters, and as back splashes.
Chair Rail - Interior trim material installed about 3-4 feet up the wall, horizontally.
Chalk Line - A line made by snapping a taut string or cord dusted with chalk. These lines are used for alignment purposes.
Cold Air Return - This is the ductwork that carries room air back to the furnace for re-heating.
Crawl Space - A shallow space below the living quarters of a house, normally enclosed by the foundation wall and having a dirt floor.
Dead Bolt - An exterior security lock installed on exterior entry doors that can be activated only with a key or thumb-turn. Unlike a latch, which has a beveled tongue, dead bolts have square ends.
Dead Light - The fixed, non-operable window section of a window unit.
Delamination - The separation of the tiles in a panel due to failure of the adhesive. This is usually caused by excessive moisture in the area.
Double Glass - Window or door in which two panes of glass are used with a sealed air space between. This is also called Insulating Glass.
Drywall - Also known as Sheet roc, this is a manufactured panel made out of gypsum plaster and encased in a thin cardboard. It is usually 1/2" thick and 4' x 8' or 4' x 12' in size. The panels are nailed or screwed onto the framing and the joints are taped and covered with a 'joint compound.'
Ducts - The heating system. Usually round or rectangular metal pipes installed for distributing warm (or cold) air from the furnace to rooms in the home. Also a tunnel made of galvanized metal or rigid fiberglass, which carries air from the heater or ventilation opening to the rooms in a building.
Egress - A means of exiting the home. An egress window is required in every bedroom and basement. Normally a 4' X 4' window is the minimum size required.
Evaporator Coil - The part of a cooling system that absorbs heat from air in your home.
Female - Any part, such as a nut or fitting, into which another (male) part can be inserted. Any piece that has internal threads is considered to be female.
Field Measure - To take measurements (such as cabinets, countertops, stairs, shower doors, etc.) in the home itself.
Floating Wall - A non-load bearing wall built on a concrete floor. It is constructed so that the bottom two horizontal plates can compress or pull apart if the concrete floor moves up or down. These are normally built on basements and garage slabs.
Flue - Large pipe through which fumes escape from a gas water heater, furnace, or fireplace.
Flue Damper - An automatic door located in the flue that closes it off when the burner turns off; purpose is to reduce heat loss up the flue from the still-warm furnace or boiler.
Foundation - The supporting portion of a structure below the first floor construction, or below grade, including the footings.
Glazing - The process of installing glass.
Grade - The ground level.
Grain - The direction, size, arrangement, appearance, or quality of the fibers in wood.
Ground - Refers to electricity's habit of seeking the shortest route to earth.
Grout - A wet mixture of cement, sand and water that flows into masonry or ceramic crevices to seal the cracks between the different pieces.