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GLOSSARY OF BUILDERS TERMS
Back Band- The outer
molding of a door or window.
Barrel Vault- A vaulted ceiling of semi-circular
shape, creating a dome-like appearance.
Barge Board- An often ornamented board that conceals
and protects the roof timbers projecting over
gables.
Batten- A board nailed on the back of two or more
other boards to hold them together. It seals or
reinforces the joint.
Bolection Molding- A heavy molding located partly on
the panel and partly on the stile of the panel work.
It projects beyond the general surface of the panel.
Brick Bond- The orientation of brick in the wall, as
English Bond, using stretchers on one course and
headers on the next, or Flemish Bond, alternating
stretchers and headers in the same course or Running
Bond, which overlaps the stretchers only.
Capital- The crowning member of a column or
pilaster.
Casement Windows- Windows
that open from the side on hinges, like doors, out
from the plane of the wall.
Chair Rail- A molding at chair height carried around
a room to prevent chair backs from damaging the
plastering when placed against it.
Coffered Ceiling- A ceiling with recessed square
panels, bordered with trim for ornamental
purposes.Corbel- To build outward, by projecting
successive courses of masonry beyond those below.
Dormer Window- A window in a sloping roof, with
vertical sides and front.
Entablature- The top member of a classic order,
being a richly molded continuous lintel supported by
columns.
Facade- An elevation or exterior front of a
building, especially the principle or entrance
front.
Fascia- A flat horizontal member of an order or
building having the form of a flat board.
Fenestration- The arrangement in a building of its
windows, especially the more important or larger
ones.
Fillet- A small square member between two moldings
or between a molding and a wider flat surface.
Gable- A triangular-shaped piece of wall closing the
end of a double pitched roof.
Gambrel Roof- A roof that has a double pitch, the
lower being steep and the upper being flatter.
Hipped Roof- A roof that pitches inward from all
four sides.
Keystone- A wedge-shaped stone at summit of
an arch designed to lock the unit together.
Niche-
A recess in a wall, usually designed to contain
ornamental statues or other decorations.
Nights- The panes of glass in a window or
door, such as 9 light, 15 light or other.
Plant Shelf- A decorative feature
approximately 8 feet above the floor, normally
associated with volume ceilings
that add high spaces/shelves to use for decorative
purposes.
Mullion-
An upright piece connecting two or more windows into
a unit.
Plinth- The lowest member of a base; a
sub-base; a block upon which the moldings of an
architrave or trim are stopped at the bottom.
Porte-cochere- A large gateway allowing
vehicles to drive into a courtyard
Portico- A porch consisting of a low-pitched
roof supported on classical columns and finished in
front with an entablature and pediment.
Quoin- The bricks or stones laid in
alternating directions, which bond and form the
exterior corner angle of a wall.
Radius Window-
A window with an arched top.
STORIED
HOMES:
1 1/2 Story Home- A home with one full lower
level and a partial upper level. The majority of
these homes have the master suite on the first
floor.
2 Story Home- A home with one full
lower level and a full upper level. While the master
bedroom can be on the lower level, the majority of
these homes have the master suite on the upper
floor.
Tray Ceiling-
A decorative ceiling treatment used to add volume
and/or height to a room. 2 Common types are: 1)
Angled area toward the center leading to a flat
ceiling surface, and 2) Stepped square edged leading
toward the center of the ceiling.
Vaulted Ceiling- A ceiling that angles upward
on one or both sides to create volume in the room.
Transom Window- A horizontal,
rectangular window placed directly above a door
window. These small windows are often sectioned by
trim and allow additional light to enter the home
when placed above an exterior window. When placed
above interior doors, the purpose of transoms is
usually ornamental.
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