Visual Dictionary

Air Barrier Paper

A sheet material used to cover the exterior sheathing and seal the envelope of a building

Air Barrier paper blocks moisture and air from penetrating the exterior walls of a building.

Attic VentilationSoffit and Ridge Vent

Soffit Vent – intake to allow natural convection to cool attic space.

Ridge Vent- Exaust at the highest point to allow heat to escape and permit natural convection.

Attic Ventilation is required to allow water vapor and solar heat in attic space to escape

Attic VentilationGable Vent and Roof Turbine

Attic Ventilation is required to allow water vapor and solar heat in attic space to escape

Gable Vent- Allows cross draft through attic space when the wind blows

Roof Turbine- uses wind to pull hot and humid air out of an attic

BackhoeBackhoe- piece of excavation equipment that consists of a bucket and 2 part articulating arm attached to the back end of a front end loader, tractor, or mounted on tracks used for various earth work jobs especially trenches and footings.

Bucket Width =17”

Batter Boards

Brick Arches

Roman Arch Gothic Arch

Arch with Keystone

Roman Arch with Keystone

Centering

Brick Bonds

Running Bond

Flemish Bond

RowlockRowlock

Headers

Headers

Soldiers and Sailors

Soldier BondSailor

Stretcher Rowlocks

Brick Size

Standard size (3 5/8”2 1/4”x8”) (WxHxL)

Modular Size (35/8”x21/4”x71/2”) (WxHxL)

BulldozerLarge, powerful piece of earth moving equipment equipped with tracks and a large blade used to push soil, rock, or any other kind of debris.

CladdingBrick Clad

Brick Clad

CladdingEIFS Clad and Stone Clad

EIFS

Random Ashlar Stone Clad

CladdingWood Board and Wood Shake

Wood Board Cladding

Wood shingles are sawn and wood shakes are split from wood blocks. This house appears to have wood shakes due to the rough texture

Wood Shake Cladding

Code Requirements Egress Window

Height: 19 ½”

Width: 34”

Height AFF: 34 ½”

IBC requirements:Width: 34 ¼”Height: 24”Height AFF: <44”Net opening area 5.7 sq. feet

Egress net opening: 4.6 square feet

This window does not meet egress requirements due to open height and net open area deficiencies.

Code RequirementsStair Tread and Riser

9 3/4”

7 5/8”

IBC stair requirementsTread >= 10” with no more that 3/8” variation

Riser <= 7 ¾” with no more than 3/8” variation

Studied StairsTread: Longest 9 ¾” Shortest 9 ½” Variation ¼”

Riser: Highest 7 5/8” Lowest 7 ½” Variation 1/8” This stair does not meet IBC Code

Concrete JointsControl Joint

An intentional break in the surface of concrete to create a point of weakness where cracking can occur in order to minimize cracking elsewhere in the concrete.

Concrete JointsIsolation Joint

A joint that extends through the slab that completely separates the slab from a wall or column and is filled with a sealant. They are used to compensate for the different rates at which differing materials expand and contract, in this case a concrete sidewalk and a brick wall.

Concrete Masonry Unit

1 CMU= 3 Brick

A CMU is a block of hardened concrete laid using mortar. They usually contain hollow cavities that can be filled with rebar and concrete grout to reinforce the wall. They provide a means for building economical retaining, basement and crawlspace walls. They can be painted on both sides and function as interior and exterior wall as seen at Wal-mart. Typical nominal dimensions are either 8”x8”x16” or 8”x12”x16” (HeightxDepthxLength)

Concrete Masonry Units6” and 12”

12” Thick6” Thick

Decorative CMUSplit block and Ribbed Block

Split Face Block

DoorsFlush and Panel

Exterior Flush Door

Exterior Panel Door

Top Rail

Stile

Panel

Lock Rail

Bottom Rail

DoorsTransom

Transom - Fixed window over a door

Sidelight- Fixed window on the side of a door

Electrical ComponentsPower Pole with Transformer and Service Head

The transformer steps down the voltage from distribution voltage down to 120 volt that is used in residences.

The service head provides a watertight means for the power lines from the transformer to enter the meter box

Electrical ComponentsMeter and Service Panel

The electric meter measure the amount of electricity that flows into a house and is the point at which the electric system is no longer the responsibility of the utility but that of the homeowner/contractor.

The service panel is the point that distributes the current to all of the branch circuits in a building including lights, appliances, and outlets.

Electrical Components Duplex Receptacle

Point at which 120v devices can be connected to a homes electrical system.

Framing

#1 Anchor Bolt

#2 Sill Plate

Framing

#3 Floor Joist

#4 Subfloor

Framing#5 Sole Plate

#6 Stud

Framing

#7 Top Plate

#8 Ceiling Joist

#9 Rafter#10 Roof Decking

Framing

#11 Sheathing#12 Stringer

Front End Loader

Front end loader- Piece of heavy equipment used to load soil, sand, rock, asphalt, debris and many other materials into dump trucks or other pieces of equipment using a large rectangular bucket.

Gypsum BoardInterior facing panel consisting of a gypsum core between 2 paper faces that is finished with joint compound and creates a seamless interior wall ready for paint.

Heat Pump

Compressor/Condenser

Transfers the heat from inside the house into the atmosphere by compressing refrigerant.

Advantage: extremely efficient Disadvantage: Does not operate well at very low temps and may require a backup system

The air handler is located inside the house and conditions the air by heating or cooling via refrigerant and the condenser/compressor unit outside

Insulation

Material of low thermal conductivity used to reduce heat flow in or out of a building

Batt/blanket insulation

Foam Insulation

Rigid Board InsulationLoose-fill Insulation

Lintel

A piece of angle iron or precast concrete that carries the load of a wall over the opening of a window or door

Mortar #1Raked

Tooled joint5/8”Used on an engineering classroom buildingType N- used as a masonry veneer

Mortar #2Concave

Tooled Joint3/8”Apartment complexType N-used as a masonry veneer

Oriented Strand Board

OSB- a nonveneered panel product made by gluing and pressing small strands of wood in alternating directions. OSB is used for roof sheathing, wall sheathing, and subfloors.

PlumbingLavatory and Water Closet

Lavatory drain piping- 1 ½”

Water closet waste piping- 3”

PlumbingManufactured Shower

PlumbingRoof Vent and Sink

Vent piping allows air to enter the drain and waste piping to break the vacuum that would be created by a sealed pipe and allow the water and waste to flow freely

Drop-in Sink

PlywoodWood panel made up of multiple veneers of wood glued together in alternating directions under high pressure.

A veneer is a very thin sheet of wood.

Plywood

Radiant Barrier

Rebar

Steep Roof DrainageGutter- Metal or plastic channel that collects rainwater or snowmelt at the eave of a roof and channels it to a downspout

Downspout- Vertical pipe that carries water from a roof gutter to a lower level, usually a lower level of the roof or the ground.

Splash block- a small block of precast concrete or plastic used to divert water at the bottom of a downspout away from the foundation of a building

Splash Block

Steep Roof Materials Underlayment and Clay Tile

A layer of waterproofing (building felt) installed between roof sheathing and the roof. It temporarily protects the OSB sheathing before the roof can be installed and provides another layer of defense against water for the finished roof

Underlayment

Steep Roof MaterialsShingle and Metal Panel

Metal roof typically made from aluminum or galvanized metal painted with a polymer coating

Shingle- a small, single, water resistant material nailed in overlapping pattern to make a water tight roof or wall

Wood Shingle Roof

Steep Roof Shapes

Gable Roof

Gambrel Roof

Steep Roof Terms Ridge- Intersection of 2 roof planes in a gable roof, the highest point or peak of a gable roof

Valley- A trough formed by 2 roof slopes

Steep Roof Terms

Eave- horizontal edge at the low side of a roof

Rake- sloping edge of a roofSoffit- underside of a roof overhang

Fascia- exposed vertical face of an eave

Stone

Random Ashlar Stone Pattern Coursed Ashlar Stone Pattern

Random Rubble Stone Pattern

Vapor RetarderA Vapor Retarder slows the passage of moisture through a wall cavity to prevent condensation in a wall which can lead to mold. It should be placed on the side of the insulation closest to the interior since the hotter more humid air inside contains the moisture that is trying to work its way into the wall.

Waterproofing

Waterproofing- material placed to resist the penetration of water in a structure, in this case a foundation. The type pictured is liquid applied spray-on.

Weep Hole

A small opening (missing head joint or string laid in mortar) whose purpose is to permit drainage of water that accumulates behind a brick wall

Welded Wire Fabric

6”

6”

Welded Wire Fabric

Window #1Casement

This is a casement window because it is hinged on one side and swings outward, allowing the entire window area to be open. This is useful in catching breezes.

Window #2Single Hung

Single Hung- A window with 2 sashes, only one of which moves. The other is fixed.

Window #3Sliding

This is a sliding window because one sash moves along a track at the top and bottom of the frame and the other remains fixed.