Glossary of Building Terms:
Back Band- The outer molding of a door or
window. Example:
Barrel Vault- A vaulted ceiling of semi-circular
shape, creating a dome-like appearance. Example:
Barge Board- An often ornamented board that conceals and protects the roof timbers projecting over gables.
Batten- A board, either narrow or wide, 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 wall 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.
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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.
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.