Construction Terms from A to Z

Here are the list of very important and commonly used construction terms. This list of construction terms shall be a helpful source for you while you are either hiring a professional firm in the construction field or you are yourself in that field.

1. A/C: A term or an abbreviation for air conditioner or air conditioning.
2. A/C Condenser: The outside fan unit of an air conditioning system is called the condenser. Its primary function is to remove heat from freon gas, bring down the temperature and pressure of the gas inside the refrigerant coil and release it into the atmosphere.
3. A/C Disconnect: An air conditioner disconnect , also referred to as the main electrical ON-OFF switch near the A/C condenser or an electrical disconnect box, is a safety / service device that allows the main power to be “disconnected” from a central cooling system.
4. Addendum: Addendum, or addenda, is a Latin word meaning “things to be added”. Addenda in construction are the supplementary documents to a previously shared contract, boq or a bidding document shared by the owner to the contractor.
5. Aggregates : Aggregates are generally made of sand and crushed stone, which can be used in foundations when cement is poured around. Their bulkiness provides stability to the building, allowing it to stand upright. Concrete aggregates have another use, however; they can be used in making concrete.
6. Air space: It is the area between insulation facing and interior of exterior wall coverings. The air space can be broken into two parts, the air film and the dead air space: dead air does not have much heat transfer; the air film has some heat transfer, but it is usually very small. It is usually of 1″.
7. Assignable Square Footage (ASF): Usable Square Footage is a term used in the real estate and construction industry to determine the amount of space available within a property.
8. Anchor bolts: Anchor bolts are important for attaching a wooden sill plate to concrete, or masonry floor or wall. An anchor bolt is approved to carry more load than a lag screw, and gives more resistance to deflection under load. Anchor bolts may be made from steel, copper, brass, zinc or aluminum, and fasteners may be galvanized if the wood-to-concrete joint will be exposed.
9. Architect: An architect is a professional who is trained and experienced to plan, design and supervise the construction of buildings or any other structure based on the client’s needs, physical nature of the topography and terrain, and budget.
10. Backfilling: It is a term used when excavating the earth around your foundation and then replacing it with soil. It’s also referred to as pre-wicking, sloping or grading. The work is generally done by hand using shovels and wheelbarrows if it is done by a small crew.
11. Beam: It runs horizontally along the main walls of a building at ceiling level, supporting the structure and linking all elements of the building together. The size or length, shape and number of beams used in a project will vary depending on the building’s specifications, design and purpose.
12. BIM: Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the 3-D modeling of a building during its “as-built” process. Creating a building model in architecture has been an arduous task for years. With BIM it is quite easy now to engage all parties during building design phase and before execution.
13. BOQ: A Bill Of Quantities (BOQ) is a document that contains a list of materials and workmanship involved in a construction project. It is necessary for properly pricing a project. It should be noted that the BOQ is a legal document and can be used as evidence if there are any disputes over the completed works. The idea of the BOQ was initially developed to help subcontractors when they were bidding a project. Since then its use has become widespread as it has proven to be effective in helping constructors price their projects.
14. CAD: Computer-Aided- Design is a software used to make architectural models of any building. Design and construction is a complex process. Part of this complexity results from the amount of time that it takes for things to get done. CAD basically eliminates this problem as it is used to streamline the design and architectural process. This allows more creativity which leads to clients being happier with their final product.
15. Caulking: A flexible, rubbery material that’s used to seal small gaps in joints or other imperfections in the structure. Caulking is also used to address the process of sealing a gap with some sealants.
16. Ceiling joists: The type of members that are used in a parallel framing scheme to provide support for roof and ceiling loads. There is a variety of ceiling joist construction methods depending on the size, span and loading conditions.
17. Circuit Breaker: It is like an automatic fuse in the electrical panel. Its is a mechanical electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage due to overload or circuit fault by opening ( tripping ) the electrical circuit.
18. Concrete: A firm building material composed of a mixture of cement, small rocks (gravel), sand, and water. It is used for foundations to support your home, slabs and columns to keep it standing upright. Concrete can be formed or molded into many shapes—even into complex sculptures.
19. Construction Management Software: A computer software that is designed for construction managers to help them more efficiently run a particular construction project. It includes features to manage accounting and financials, documentation, and team workloads.
20. Dimension: It is a length, width, height, area or volume. It can be used to describe a feature of a site or the environment surrounding it. Dimensions are measured in units.
21. Drywall: Also known as plasterboard or wallboard, is a panel made from gypsum plaster that is wrapped in cardboard. It is commonly used as a fundamental material for framing a building.
22. Ducts: A type of pipes made of metal, rigid foam, flexible tubing, or any combination that carry air throughout a structure. They are commonly used for heating and cooling, as well as proper ventilation in buildings.
23. Egress: A window or a door in a structure designed to exist the structure easily. In the event of a fire, certain parts of your home could be impassible due to heat or smoke. Many states have fire code restrictions which mandate that a certain number of windows in each room must be egress-capable, meaning they are large enough for someone to fit through. In these situations, it may be necessary to break out one of these egress-required windows in order to exit the building safely.
24. Field Measure: Measuring by field is the act of taking measurements within the structure itself rather than relying on blueprints or other documents.
25. Floor Plans: A floor plan is a pictorial representation, usually drawn to scale, of the levels and arrangements of spaces in a building which illustrates how the different spaces relate to each other.
26. Girder: Girder is a type of beam that provides the main horizontal support for a structure. These beams can be made from wood, steel, reinforced concrete or prestressed concrete. A girder transfers concentrated loads from a load-bearing wall to columns, posts, or larger girders.
27. HVAC: HVAC is the most common acronym to describe the indoor environmental comfort controls in your home, office, or building. It stands for “heat”, “ventilation” and “air-conditioning”.
28. I-Girder: The I-beam, also known as a rolled beam or rolled steel joist, is a beams that has a cross-section that looks like the capital letter I.  Girders often have an I-beam cross-section.
29. Insulation: Insulation is a material used in walls, floors, and ceiling to prevent heat to enter or exist from the building. There are many types of insulation used in building structure, most commonly used are foam insulations and fiberglass
30. Joist: Joist is a versatile fixture designed for joining the location where the surfaces of two components are joined. It is easily adjustable for various finished flooring applications
31. King Stud: It is a framing member that runs from the bottom to the top of a panel or sheet thereby strengthening it. It consists of two vertical members fixed to the upper and lower edges of a panel. King studs are designed to resist thrust (forces acting down) and bending (forces exerted parallel to the plane of the board).
32. Lath: A lath is a thin, flat piece of wood or metal which is used to attach plaster or stucco to a wall.
33. Load Bearing Wall: Load-bearing walls are an integral part of any building’s framework. The wall that the ceiling or floor is resting on is the load-bearing wall. A load-bearing wall carries the weight of the structure above it, which means you need a building permit to remove it.
34. Mortar: It is just like a glue that we use to bind together our bricks and build the walls of our building. Mortar is a mixture of cement, sand, and water that is used to bind building bricks or stones together. It provides added strength and durability to an already strong construction material.
35. Particle Board: Particle board (commonly called P-Board or PB) is a substitute for plywood. It is composed of sawdust, shavings and other wood particles mixed with a resin binder then, extruded or pressed into sheets.
36. Plywood: Plywood is composed of several layers of wood veneer that are molded together with the grain directions alternating between layers. It is usually manufactured for structural use, which can be glued together or mechanically fastened.
37. PVC: one of the commonly used construction terms you hear while a house construction. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is a plastic used for thousands of things like water pipes, electrical wiring and more. It’s pretty versatile material.
38. Rafter: The rafter is the main piece in a roof framing system. It’s is the beam that supports the roofing and sheathing and helps transfer the roof weight onto the walls of the building.
39. Reinforced Concrete: Reinforced concrete is a material that is made from mixing of crushed stones, water, sand and cement. Steel bars or mesh are added to the mixture which provides resistance to the concrete so that it can carry heavy loads placed upon it.
40. Section: In order to fully understand the look and construction of a building, we are able to cut it vertically and see how the various parts fit together. This is referred to as the cross-section view.
41. Skirting: Skirting is a material used to conceal the joint between the floor and the wall in the interior of a building. Common skirting materials include wood, wood-based products (MDF), plaster, painted sheetrock, tile, drywall and cloths.
42. Stucco: It refers to a material made from aggregates, a binder, and water. It is often used as a decorative coating on walls and ceilings. The stucco finish coats the outside of a wall to hide the presence of other materials.
43. Trim: Trim materials are used to provide a finished appearance to the outer building surface. Trim may cover joints and openings between siding materials, other components of the exterior wall or ceiling, or the space between such components and the floor.
44. Veneer: Veneer is a thin sheet of wood that is used for covering less attractive or quality wood. Veneers are thinner and have a smoother texture than normal wood.
45. Warping: A shifting of material and cracks that develop on the surface of a building.
46. Zoning: It is a government regulation that involves restricting how a property is used. Zoning regulations are issued by a state agency or municipal government and apply to any area of land with restrictions on its usage.

If you need further knowledge related to construction industry, keep visiting our blog. You can also share any architectural or construction inquiry with us through info@tameerkaro.com or directly visit our website tameerkaro.com.