| A | B |
|---|
| BEARING WALL | A wall which supports a vertical load in addition to its own weight. |
| BENCH MARK | A mark on a permanent object fixed to the ground from which land measurements and elevations are taken. |
| BEVEL | To cut to an angle other than a right angle, such as the edge of a board or door. |
| BIRD'S-MOUTH | A notch cut on the underside of a rafter to fit it to the top plate |
| BLIND NAILING | Refers to tongue-and-groove flooring. Nails are placed at the root of the tongue where they will be hidden. The nails pierce the sublfoor at a 45 degree angle. |
| BOARD FOOT | The equivalent of a board 1 ft. square and 1 in. thick. |
| BRIDGING | Pieces fitted in pairs from the bottom of one floor joist to the top of adjacent joists, and crossed to distribute the floor load. Sometimes pieces of solid stock of a width equal to the joist are used. |
| BUILT-UP ROOF | A roofing composed of several layers of rag felt or jute saturated with coal tar, pitch, or asphalt. The top is finished with crushed slag or gravel. Generally used on flat or low-pitched roofs. |
| CAMBER | A slight arch in a beam or other horizontal member which prevents it from bending into a downward or concave shape due to its weight or the load it is to carry. |
| CANT STRIP | A triangular shaped strip of wood used under shingles at gable ends or under the edges of roofing on flat decks. |
| CASING | The trimming around a door or window, either outside or inside, or the finished lumber around a post or beam. |
| CHAIR RAIL | An interior molding applied along the wall of a room to prevent the chair from marring the wall. |
| CHAMFER | Corner of a board beveled at a 45-degree angle. Two boards butt-joined and with chamfered edges form a V-joint. |
| CHASE | A wood frame jutting from an outside wall which supports a prefabricated chimney. A prefabricated fireplace is often enclosed. |
| CLEAT | A strip of wood fastened to a wall to support a shelf, fixture, or other objects. |
| COLLAR BEAM | A tie beam connecting rafters considerably above the wall plate. It is also called a rafter tie. |
| COLUMN | Upright supporting member circular or rectangular in shape. |
| CONTACT CEMENT | Neoprene rubber-based adhesive which bonds instantly upon contact of parts being fastened. |
