Glossary

Glossary of 7847 Property Development Terms

W

W C - An abbreviation for water closet or another name for a toilet.

Wadding - The act of hanging staff by fastening wads made of Plaster of Paris and excelsior or fiber to the casts and winding them around the framing.

Wading Pool - Any constructed or prefabricated pool used for wading which is less than twenty four (24) inches in depth.

Wafer Board - A manufactured wood panel made out of 1" & 2" wood chips and glue. Often used as a substitute for plywood in the exterior wall and roof sheathing.

Waferboard Sheathing - Exterior wall or roof covering panels of waferboard.

Waffle Slab -

• 1. A two-way concrete joist system.
• 2. Two-way slab or flat slab made up of a double system of narrow ribs or joists, usually at right angles to each other, forming a pattern of waffle-like coffers.

Wagner Fineness - The fineness of materials such as portland cement expressed as total surface area in centimeters per gram as determined by the Wagner turbidimeter apparatus and procre.

Wainscot - A panelling applied to the lower portion of a wall.

Wainscot Terrazzo - A wainscot made of terrazzo or terrazzo tile wall facing. See Wainscot.

Waiver - The intentional relinquishment of a known right.

Wale - A horizontal beam.

Wale Beam - A horizontal beam.

Waler - A horizontal structural member in a concrete forming or excavation shoring system.

Walk - A path specially arranged or paved for walking.

Walk In Condition - A property that is ready to live in and needs little or no work so that someone could virtually take up residence immediately.

Walk In Cooler - Larger commercially refrigerated space kept below room temperature, usually installed in supermarkets, restaurants, food processing plants, and wholesale meat distribution centers.

Walk Through - A final inspection of a property before closing to look for and document problems that need to be corrected.

Walk Up - A two or more story apartment building or living unit without an elevator or lift.

Walkway Aluminium Grid - Walkway fabricated of aluminium grid placed over roof surface to protect roofing surface from damage from traffic.

Walkway Roof - A permanent aisle for safe access across a roof, also serves as a protection for the roofing material when maintenance is being done.

Wall - A member, usually vertical, used to enclose or separate spaces.

Wall Angle -

• 1. An L-shaped aluminum angle used as the wall termination of T-bar suspended ceiling systems to support the perimeter acoustic tiles.
• 2. A structural steel angle attached to a masonry wall.

Wall Apron - That part of a panel wall between the window sill and the support of the panel wall.

Wall Area -

• The masonry surrounding or partly surrounding an area.
• The retaining wall around basement windows below grade.

Wall Back - The wall facing an observer who is standing at the entrance to a room, shower, or tub shower.

Wall Barbican - The outer defence of a city or castle, often a part of a system of barrier walls and consisting of a double tower above a gate or drawbridge.

Wall Blocking - Framing lumber cut in short lengths and installed horizontally between wall studs as filler pieces to stabilize the framing, to act as fire blocking, or to provide a backing for fastening a finish item.

Wall Bonded - A masonry wall in which two or more wythes are bonded to act as a structural unit.

Wall Bracket -

• 1. A wall-mounted support for shelving or other object.
• 2. A wall-mounted lighting fixture.

Wall Bund - A wall built around a tank to contain its contents should the tank or its piping spring a leak.

Wall Cabinet - Case, box, or piece of furniture which mounts on a wall, commonly with shelves and doors, used for storage.

Wall Cantilever - A retaining wall in which the wall and footing resists earth pressure by cantilever effect.

Wall Cavity - A wall formed of two thicknesses of masonry with a space between them.

Wall Cladding - Exterior wood or metal building siding.

Wall Cleanout - An opening in a wall for removal of refuse.

Wall Community - A wall in a property shared by one or more properties and/or rooms.

Wall Covering - Any of a variety of final applications to finish a wall surface.

Wall Cups Adhesive - Special clips or nails with large perforated bases for mastic application to most firm surfaces.

Wall Curtain - An interior non load bearing wall.

Wall Drum - A type of wall using stacked 55 gallon drums for heat storage

Wall Dwarf - A framed wall of less than normal full height.

Wall Expansion Joint - A break or space in wall construction to allow for thermal expansion and contraction of materials.

Wall Fabric - Wallpaper or other fabric used to cover or finish off an existing wall.

Wall Finish - The final planing, sanding, staining, varnishing, waxing, or painting of a wall.

Wall Fire - Any wall built for the purpose of restricting or preventing the spread of fire in a building. Such walls of solid masonry or concrete generally sub-divide a building from the foundations to two or more feet above the plane of the roof.

Wall Flange - A ridge on a wall that prevents movement. A supporting rim on a wall for attachments.

Wall Footing - A continuous spread footing that supports a uniform load from a wall.

Wall Formwork - The system of wood support for a freshly placed concrete wall left in place until the concrete has set.

Wall Foundation - Foundation walls support the structure of a house. Typically, foundations walls are constructed of poured concrete, concrete block, cinder block, field stone, rubble stone, or brick.

Wall Frame - Any wall made of wood framing and usually covered with drywall (also known as plasterboard, Gyprock or Gypsum Board) and/or plaster.

Wall Framing - Building construction where exterior and other bearing walls are made of wood.

Wall Furring - Strips of wood applied to make a wall surface level, form an air space, or provide fastening surfaces.

Wall Gable - A triangular area of an exterior wall formed by two sloping roofs.

Wall Gable End - The triangular area of wall on the end of the property where there is a double pitched roof.

Wall Grille - A wall grating used to cover an opening as protection or as an ornament.

Wall Heater - A heating unit installed in or on a wall.

Wall Hung - Anything hung from a wall, such as cabinets or plumbing fixtures.

Wall Hung Lavatory - A sink or lavatory mounted on brackets attached to a wall.

Wall Hung Sink - A sink or lavatory mounted on brackets attached to a wall.

Wall Hydrant - A connection to a water main cut through and mounted on a wall. See Hose Bibb.

Wall Insulation - Material placed in wall cavities for the rction of fire hazard or for protection from heat and cold.

Wall Knee - A framed wall of less than normal full height.

Wall Lath - Expanded metal, gypsum sheets, or thin strips of wood attached to stud walls, acting as a foundation for plastering.

Wall Line Braced - A series of braced wall panels in a single story.

Wall Louver - Openings in walls for ventilating spaces.

Wall Louvre - Openings in walls for ventilating spaces.

Wall Masonry - A wall made of concrete, cinderblock, or brick.

Wall Mounted Flagpole - A pole to raise or display a flag, mounted or attached to a wall.

Wall Mounted Heater - A heating unit mounted on or attached to a wall.

Wall Mounted Oven - A domestic oven for cooking purposes designed for mounting in or on a wall or other surface.

Wall Non Bearing - A wall supporting no load other than its own weight.

Wall Nonbearing - A wall supporting no load other than its own weight.

Wall Out - When a painter pray paints the interior of a property.

Wall Panel - Form sheathing, constructed from plywood, boards, or metal sheets, that are installed as a unit.

Wall Parapet - A low wall around the perimeter of a roof deck.

Wall Partition - A wall that divides and/or separates, such as a wall dividing one room or cubicle from another.

Wall Party - A wall or fence that straddles the legal boundary of two or more properties. Each side of the party wall is the responsibility of the property on that side of the wall to maintain unless agreements are made otherwise.

Wall Pier - A wall segment with a horizontal length to thickness ratio between 2.5 and 6 and whose clear height is at least two times its horizontal length.

Wall Plaster - A paste like composition that hardens on drying and is used for coating walls.

Wall Plate - Timber placed in the eaves to distribute the weight of the roof timber.

Wall Railing - A band of ornamental wood installed horizontally.

Wall Reinforcement Masonry - Steel reinforcing rods or mesh used in masonry walls between courses.

Wall Reinforcing - To strengthen a wall by the addition of new or extra materials.

Wall Retaining - A structure that holds back a slope and prevents erosion.

Wall Scupper - An opening through an exterior wall through which water can drain.

Wall Sheathing - Sheets of plywood, gypsum board, or other material nailed to the outside face of studs as a base for exterior siding.

Wall Size - Solution such as glue, starch, casein, shellac, varnish or lacquer, used to seal or fill pores of wall surface to stop suction, counteract chemicals or stains and prepare surface for paint, paper or fabric.

Wall Sizing - Solution such as glue, starch, casein, shellac, varnish or lacquer, used to seal or fill pores of wall surface to stop suction, counteract chemicals or stains and prepare surface for paint, paper or fabric.

Wall Spreader - An accessory, usually fabricated from reinforcing bar to a Z or U shape, used to separate and hold apart two faces of curtains of steel reinforcements in a concrete wall.

Wall System - A modular set of shelves and cabinets that can be arranged along a wall in various combinations.

Wall Tie - A mechanical metal fastener which connects wythes of masonry to each other or to other materials.

Wall Tie Z - A Z shaped reinforcing strip used as a support bracket from the structural wall to the masonry veneer.

Wall Tile - A glazed tile with a body that is suitable for interior use and which is usually non vitreous, and is not required nor expected to withstand excessive impact.

Wall Tiles - Tiles used to attach to walls.

Wall Tilt Up - Cast concrete units which are preformed which, when cured, are tilted to their vertical position and secured by mechanical fasteners to prior erected structural steel. May be pre-cast.

Wall To Wall - Covering the entire floor area.

Wall Z Tie - A Z shaped reinforcing strip used as a support bracket from the structural wall to the masonry veneer.

Wallboard - Large, rigid sheets of wood pulp, gypsum, pressed cellulose fibers, gypsumboard, plywood, or similar materials , used in place of plaster in interior surfaces.

Wallboard Laminated - Two or more layers of gypsum board held together with an adhesive.

Wallpaper - A decorative paper for applying to the walls of a room.

Wallpaper Paste - An adhesive used for attaching wallpaper.

Wallplate - Plates made of various affixed to walls.

Walnut - The richly grained moderate reddish-brown wood of the walnut tree, used for veneers, cabinetmaking, and moldings.

Walnut Door - A door which has a veneer of walnut.

Walnut Veneer - An overlay of a thin layer of walnut wood for outer finish or decoration.

Wandering Block Sequence - A block sequence wherein successive blocks are completed at random after several starting blocks have been completed.

Wane - Bark, or lack of wood from any cause, on edge or corner of a piece of wood.

Ward -

• 1. A large room in a hospital, that will accommodate several patient beds.
• 2. The inner court of a castle or fortress.
• 3. A local Mormon congregation.
• 4. A projecting ridge of metal on a lock to prevent insertion of a key that does not have a matching notch.

Warding File - Designed for shaping and trimming notches in locks and keys. Double cut on the faces and single cut on the edges. The tapered profile makes it useful in situations where an ordinary file won't fit.

Wardrobe - A room or freestanding closet where clothes are kept.

Wardrobe Locker - A clothes storage cabinet with a locking door.

Warehouse - A storage room or building.

Warm Air Heating - Any heating system which depends upon the circulation of warm air.

Warm Colours - Colours in which red orange predominates, so termed because of the association with fire, heat, and sunshine.

Warming Colours - Any colour except green may be warmed by adding red, green is warmed by adding yellow.

Warp -

• 1. Any variation from a true or plane surface.
• 2. Warp includes bow, crook, cup, and twist, or any combination thereof.
• 3. In carpet, the backing yarns running lengthwise.

Warp Chain - In carpet making, zigzag warp yarn that works over and under the shot yarns of the carpet, binding the backing yarns together.

Warpage - A concave or convex curvature of a material that was intended to be perfectly flat.

Warped - A board of wood that is bent out of shape.

Warping - Any distortion in a material.

Warrant Builders - An enforceable guarantee of the quality of construction offered and given as a guarantee of workmanship by a builder or property developer.

Warranty - A guarantee or assurance in respect of goods that are the subject to a contract.

Warren Truss - A truss in which the top and bottom chords are parallel or nearly so, the top chord sometimes sloping for roof drainage.

Warrington Hammer - The woodworker's choice of hammers, it has a cross-peen which enables you to start small nails and brads, then finish hammering with the opposite end

Wash - The slant of a sill, wall, parapet, or capping, to allow the water to run off easily.

Wash Coat - A very thin coat of finishing material, usually shellac.

Wash Fountain - A waist high sink which supplies a steady stream of water to cleanse the hands.

Wash Out - Lack of proper coverage and texture build up in machine dash textured plaster caused by the mortar being too soupy.

Wash Primer - A thin inhibiting paint usually chromate pigmented with a polyvinyl butyrate binder.

Washboarding - In asphalt paving, see Corrugations.

Washer - A flat thin ring or a perforated plate used in joints or assemblies to ensure tightness or relieve friction.

Washer Air - Device used to clean air while increasing or lowering its humidity.

Washer Coin - A coin operated public appliance for the washing of clothes.

Washer Extractor - A clothes washer that includes a high speed centrifugal drying cycle that removes all the free water except for dampness.

Washer Flat - A washer which goes under a bolt head or a nut to spread the load, prevent loosening, and protect the surface.

Washer Steel Welding - Washer made of steel to be used for welding in steel fabrication.

Washing -

• 1. Rapid dissolution or emulsification of a paint film when wet with water.
• 2. Erosion of a paint film after rapid chalking.

Washroom Fawcet - A device that dispenses hot and cold water, mounted above a sink.

Waste -

• 1. Valueless material.
• 2. Digging, hauling, and dumping of valueless material to get it out of the way.
• 3. Liquid discharged from any plumbing fixture, except water closets and urinals.

Waste And Overflow Fitting - A bathtub drain fitting which provides both the outlet for the bathtub drain and an overflow to drain excess water from the tub.

Waste Handling - The act or process of transporting or removing rubbish.

Waste Pipe - A plumbing line that carries waste water from fixtures except water closets and urinals.

Waste Pipe And Vent - Plumbing plastic pipe that carries waste water to the municipal sewage system.

Waste Piping - Piping that conducts waste water from a filter to a drainage system, connection to drainage system is made through an air gap or other approved methods.

Waste Receptacle - A container for the temporary storage of rubbish.

Waste Stack - A vertical line of piping that extends one or more floors and receives the discharge of fixtures other than water closets and urinals.

Waste Vent - The extension of a soil or waste stack above the highest horizontal drain connected to the stack.

Waste Vent And Pipe - Plumbing plastic pipe that carries waste water to the municipal sewage system.

Waste Water - In a swimming pool, the water from any filter, perimeter overflow, pool emptying line, or similar apparatus or appurtence.

Watchman - A guard who keeps watch over a certain area such as a building site on construction area.

Water - A colourless, transparent, odorless compound of hydrogen and oxygen, H2O.

Water Absorbed - Water held on surfaces in a material by either physical and/or chemical forces.

Water Absorption -

• 1. The amount of water absorbed by a material under specified test conditions, expressed as weight percent of the test specimen.
• 2. The amount of water ingested into the core and surface papers of gypsumboard, expressed as a percent of water added over dry weight.

Water Authority Search Fee - A fee charged by a solicitor as part of his Conveyancing work for checking the infrastructure of the local water system and sewerage.

Water Blasting - Blast cleaning using high velocity water.

Water Board - Water resistant drywall to be used in tub and shower locations. Normally green or blue coloured.

Water Boiling Point -

• The temperature at which a liquid boils
• The point at which a liquid starts to change to gas; boiling temperature of a liquid under a pressure of 14.7 psia (760 mm)
• Water boils at 100° C or 212° F.

Water Capillary - Underground water held above the water table by capillary attraction.

Water Cement Ratio - The strength of a concrete mixture depends on the water cement ratio. The water and cement form a paste. If the paste is made with more water, the concrete becomes weaker. Traditionally, concrete mixes have been identified in terms of the ratio of cement to fine aggregate to coarse aggregate. For example, the ratio 1:2:4 refers to a mix which consists of 1 cu. ft. of cement, 2 cu. ft. of sand and 4 cu. ft. of gravel. Cement and water are the two chemically active elements in concrete and when combined, form a paste or glue which coats and surrounds the particles of aggregate and upon hardening binds the entire mass together.

Water Closet (WC) - Another name for toilet.

Water Conditioner - A device used to dissolve minerals from water, normally after the minerals are removed, the water tastes better and rces the likelihood that mineral deposits will build up within the plumbing system; the water is considered to be soft after the minerals have been removed.

Water Cooled Chiller - A piece of equipment that produces chilled water for circulation through a building and used for cooling.

Water Cooled Condensor - A condenser in which water is normally circulated through a cooling tower through which heat is dispersed to the atmosphere.

Water Cooler - An apparatus that cools, holds, and dispenses cold water.

Water Defrosting - Use of water to melt ice and frost from evaporator during off cycle.

Water Fawcet - A device that dispenses hot and cold water, mounted above a sink.

Water Gain - The autogenous flow of mixing water within, or its emergence from newly placed concrete or mortar, caused by the settlement of the solid materials within the mass, also called Bleeding.

Water Gauge - An instrument to measure the depth of water, or to indicate the height of its surface, as in a steam boiler.

Water Glass -

• 1. An instrument consisting of an open box or tube with a glass bottom, used for examining objects in or under water.
• 2. A Water Gauge.
• 3. A viscous, syrupy solution of sodium or potassium silicate that is used especially as a cement, as a protective coating and fireproofing agent, and in preserving eggs.

Water Hammer - The loud thump of water in a pipe when a valve or faucet is suddenly closed.

Water Heater - An apparatus for heating and storing water.

Water Hot - Potable water that is heated to at least 120°F and used for cooking, cleaning, washing dishes, and bathing.

Water Level - A length of clear plastic hose, 3/8 to 1/2 inch in diameter and approximately 50 feet long, filled with water and used as a leveling device to check level in walls or structures.

Water Line Lateral - The underground trench and related services (electric, gas, telephone, sewer and water lines) that will be buried within the trench.

Water Loss - A measurement of the amount of free water evaporated from gypsumboard products during the drying stage in the manufacturing process, expressed in pounds per 1000 Square Feet.

Water Main - Water supply pipe generally located at the street which may supply a number of buildings.

Water Meter - An instrument for measuring water consumption.

Water Meter Pit - The box /cast iron bonnet and concrete rings that contain the water meter.

Water Meter Vault - The box /cast iron bonnet and concrete rings that contain the water meter.

Water Of Hydration - The water required to replace the water lost during the calcination process.

Water Paint - A paint in which the vehicle is a water emulsion and in which water is used as thinner.

Water Pipe Restoration - To install new linings in pipes to improve the condition of existing water pipes, usually includes the cleaning and removal of built up scale or debris out of the existing pipe and the relining with a compatible material.

Water Piping Removal - The act or process of tearing out and carrying away old water piping systems.

Water Portable - Water having no impurities present in amounts sufficient to cause disease or harmful physiological effects and conforming in its bacteriological and chemical quality to the requirements of the Public Health Service drinking water standards or meeting the regulations of the public health authority having jurisdiction.

Water Proof - So constructed or protected that moisture will not interfere with its successful operation.

Water Proofing - Treatment of a surface or structure to prevent the passage of water under hydrostatic pressure.

Water Proofing Masonry Concrete Stone - A process used on concrete, masonry or stone surfaces to repel water, the main purpose of which is to prevent the coated surface from absorbing rain water while still permitting moisture vapor to escape from the structure. (Moisture vapor readily penetrates coatings of this type.) Dampproofing generally applies to surfaces above grade; waterproofing generally applies to surfaces below grade.

Water Reducing Admixture - Material added to cement or a concrete mix to cut down on its water content.

Water Repellent -

• 1. A finish that is resistant but not impervious to penetration by water.
• 2. A liquid that penetrates wood which, after drying, materially retards changes in moisture content and in dimensions without adversely altering the desirable properties of wood.

Water Repellent Paper - A special paper treated to minimize wetting of the surface.

Water Repellent Preservative - A liquid applied to wood to give the wood water repellent properties.

Water Resistant Gypsum Backing Board - A gypsumboard designed for use on walls as a base for the application of ceramic or plastic tile.

Water Resistant Gypsumboard - A gypsumboard designed for use in locations where it may be exposed to occasional dampness, plasterboard that has had a chemical treatment to make it resistant to moisture, but not necessarily waterproof.

Water Resistent Core - A special gypsumboard core formulation with additives to rce water absorption, water resistant gypsum backing board is recommended for use as a base for ceramic tile in bathrooms and other wet areas.

Water Retentivity - That property of a mortar which prevents the rapid loss of water to masonry units of high suction, it prevents bleeding or water gain when mortar is in contact with relatively impervious units.

Water Service Pipe - The pipe from the water main or other sources of potable water supply to the water distributing system of the building served.

Water Slide - A sloping trough down which water is carried by gravity.

Water Softener - A device attached to a water system to remove unwanted minerals and substances.

Water Spotting - Spotty changes in the color or gloss of a paint film, may be caused by various factors, such as emulsification or the solution of water soluble components.

Water Stain - A coloured dye that is soluble in water.

Water Supply System - The water supply system consists of the water service pipe, the water distributing pipes, the necessary connecting pipes, fittings, control valves, and all appurtenances in or adjacent to the building or premises.

Water Table -

• 1. The level at which the pressure of water in the soil is equal to atmospheric pressure; effectively, the level to which ground water will fill an excavation.
• 2. The finish at the bottom of a house which carries water away from the foundation.
• 3. A projection on the bottom of an exterior wall to prevent rain or water from seeping through to the wall below.

Water Tank - A tank that holds the water supplied to a property.

Water Tap - The connection point where the property water line connects to the main municipal water system.

Water Valve - A device to regulate the flow of water in a pipe or other passage.

Water Vapour - Moisture existing as a gas in air.

Water Vapour Transmission (WVT). - The property of a material to permit a fluid (or gas) to pass through it, in construction, commonly refers to water vapour permeability of a sheet material or assembly and is defined as Water Vapour Permeance per unit thickness. Metric unit of measurement, metric perms per centimeter of thickness. Perm, Permeability, Permeance (ASTM E 96).

Water Wall - An interior wall of water filled containers constituting a one step heating system which combines collection and storage.

Water Waste - In a swimming pool, the water from any filter, perimeter overflow, pool emptying line, or similar apparatus or appurtence.

Water White - Transparent and colourless like water.

Waterbar - A rubber or plastic strip cast into concrete at joints to prevent water leakage, also called Waterstop.

Waterboard - A building panel made by bonding together large, flat flakes of wood.

Waterproof - So constructed or protected that moisture will not interfere with its successful operation.

Waterproof Cement - Portland cement to which waterproofing agents, such as surface repellents, have been added at time of blending materials at the mill.

Waterproof Membrane - An impermeable layer of plastic film, roofing material, bitumen, or other material placed to stop transfer of water or water vapour.

Waterproofing - The act of making water tight and preventing water infiltration into a building.

Waterproofing Coated Surface - A process used on concrete, masonry or stone surfaces to repel water, the main purpose of which is to prevent the coated surface from absorbing rain water while still permitting moisture vapor to escape from the structure. (Moisture vapor readily penetrates coatings of this type.) Dampproofing generally applies to surfaces above grade; waterproofing generally applies to surfaces below grade.

Waterproofing Foundation - High-quality below-grade moisture protection. Used for below-grade exterior concrete and masonry wall damp-proofing to seal out moisture and prevent corrosion. Normally looks like black tar.

Waterstop - A rubber or plastic strip cast into concrete at joints to prevent water leakage, also called Waterstop.

Watt - A measure of the electrical requirement of an appliance calculated by multiplying the voltage times the amperage.

Wattage - The electrical unit of power. KILOWATTS is 1000 watts and electric customers are billed on how many kilowatts of power they have used.

Wax Bee - Wax produced by honey bee.

Wax Candalilla - Wax obtained from small shrub grown in Texas and Mexico, softer than Carnuba wax.

Wax Carnuba - A hard wax obtained from species of palm grown mostly in Brazil.

Wax Honey Bee - Wax produced by honey bee.

Wayleave - A right of way over land used in respect to electricity.

WC Ratio - Water Cement Ratio

Weather Barrier - The outer most assembly of the building envelope, used to protect the inner structure and insulation from the effects of wind and rain. Materials typically used are siding, building paper and flashing.

Weather Proofing - The act of making weather tight and preventing wind, water, cold and frost infiltration into a building.

Weather Strip - Narrow sections of thin metal or other material installed to prevent the infiltration of air and moisture around windows and doors.

Weather Stripping - Any material used to prevent air or moisture infiltrating a building.

Weatherboarding - Overlapping timber cladding on the outside of a building.

Weatherisation - Work on a building exterior in order to reduce energy consumption for heating or cooling. Work involving adding insulation, installing storm windows and doors, caulking cracks and putting on weather-stripping.

Weatherproof Box - An electrical box, designed for exterior installation, that is impervious to the outside elements, such as water.

Weatherproofing - The act of making weather tight and preventing wind, water, cold and frost infiltration into a building.

Weatherstrip - Narrow sections of thin metal or other material installed to prevent the infiltration of air and moisture around windows and doors.

Weatherstripping - Narrow sections of thin metal or other material installed to prevent the infiltration of air and moisture around windows and doors.

Weatherstripping Astragal - Fabric, rubber or plastic strips attached to the molding that is attached to one of a pair of doors or casement windows to cover the joint between the two stiles.

Weep Cut - A groove in the underside of a horizontal board or masonry unit (such as a sill), which projects beyond the wall surface below to prevent water from moving back towards the wall surface.

Weep Hole - A hole which allows for drainage of entrapped water from masonry or glazing structures.

Weep Holes - Small holes in storm window frames that allow moisture to escape.

Weep Screed - Tool used to drain moisture from concrete.

Weight Air Dry - The unit weight of a light weight concrete specimen cured for seven days with neither loss nor gain of moisture at 60° F. to 80° F. and dried for 21 days in 50 plus or minus 7% relative humidity at 73.4° F. plus or minus 2° F.

Weight Avoirdupois - The weight system based on the pound of 16 ounces and the ounce of 16 drams.

Weight Barrel - A unit of weight for cement. 376 lbs. net, equivalent to 4 U. S. bags of portland cement.

Weld Axis - An imaginary line through the length of a weld perpendicular to the cross section at its center of gravity.

Weld Bead - A type of weld composed of one or more string or weave beads deposited on an unbroken surface; the metal added in welding.

Weld Butt - A weld in a butt joint between two members lying approximately in the same plane.

Weld X Ray - To examine, treat, or photograph the connection of surfaces that have been welded together.

Welded Cap - A fitting that is fastened by welding to seal the end of a pipe.

Welding Arc - A process of joining two pieces of metal by melting them together at their interface with a continuous electric spark and adding a controlled additional amount of molten metal from a metallic electrode.

Welding Atomic Hydrogen - An arc welding process wherein coalescence is produced by heating with an electric arc maintained between two metal electrodes in an atmosphere of hydrogen; shielding is obtained from the hydrogen; pressure may or may not be used and filler metal may or may not be applied.

Welding Backhand - A gas welding technique wherein the flame is directed opposite to the progress of welding.

Welding Braze - Sometimes known as Bronze Welding. Often carried out as in fusion welding except that the base metal is not melted. The base metal is simply brought up to what is known as a tinning temperature (dull red colour) and a bead deposited over the seam with a bronze filler rod.

Welding Bronze - Sometimes known as Braze Welding. Often carried out as in fusion welding except that the base metal is not melted. The base metal is simply brought up to what is known as a tinning temperature (dull red colour) and a bead deposited over the seam with a bronze filler rod.

Welding Carbon Arc - An arc welding process wherein coalescence is produced by heating with an electric arc between a carbon electrode and the work and no shielding is used, pressure may or may not be used and filler metal may or may not be applied.

Welding Washer Steel - Washer made of steel to be used for welding in steel fabrication.

Well Air - A space within a building, enclosed by walls, partially or totally open to the outside air at the roof, and intended solely as a means of ventilation for bathrooms, kitchens and service rooms.

Well Artesian -

• A bored well from which water flows from internal pressure.
• A deep bored well.

Well Dry - A pipe made of stones buried below the elevation of the footings to collect water from the drainpipe and evaporate it during hot weather.

Wet Rot - Decay of timber due to damp conditions but not as serious as dry rot.

Wet Saw - If the job is cutting several bricks, pavers or tiles, this tool uses water to keep the blade and brick cool as well as decrease dust and flying debris.

Wet Seal - Application of an elastomeric sealant between the glass and sash to form a weather tight seal.

Whatchamacallit - Common technical term for whatever it is that you can't remember the real name of.

Wheel Guard Cast Iron - Lineal component placed at intersection of wall and horizontal surface to restrain wheels of vehicles from coming close to wall surface, protecting it from vehicular damage.

White Water - Transparent and colourless like water.

Whiting - Earth product obtained from deposits of chalk or dolomite,used as extender pigment.

Whole House Fan - A fan designed to move air through and out of a property and normally installed in the ceiling.

Width Quarter - The unit of yard measure (1/4) used in referring to carpet or loom widths, early European carpet was woven in widths of 27 inches or 3/4 yards; hence, 4/4 = 1-yard width or 3feet; 12/4 width = 9feet and 16/4 width = 12feet.

Wind Bracing - Metal straps or wood blocks installed diagonally on the inside of a wall from bottom to top plate, to prevent the wall from twisting, racking, or falling over domino fashion.

Wind Break - A hedge, fence or row of trees that serves as a protection from wind.

Wind Energy - The kinetic energy of air motion over the earth's surface caused by the sun's heating of the atmosphere.

Wind Uplift - The upward force exerted by wind traveling across a roof.

Winding Sticks - Two narrow, thin, pieces of material whose edges are perfectly parallel which are placed on each end of a workpiece. The worker then sights across the top of them to determine if the piece is flat.

Window -

• An opening constructed in a wall or roof that functions to admit light or air to an enclosure and is often framed and spanned with glass mounted to permit opening and closing.
• A framework enclosing a pane of glass for such an opening; a sash.
• A pane of glass or similar material enclosed in such a framework.

Window Awning - A window hinged along the top edge.

Window Bay - A window extension to the main building. Otherwise referred to as a canted or splayed window when angled back at the side, and squared when perpendicular.

Window Bay Projection - The area of a Bay window projecting from a structure.

Window Board - A horizontal board fixed internally at the sill level.

Window Bow - A bay window with a curved front.

Window Buck - Square or rectangular box that is installed within a concrete foundation or block wall. A window will eventually be installed in this buck during the siding stage of construction.

Window Canted - A window extension to the main building. Otherwise referred to as a canted or splayed window when angled back at the side, and squared when perpendicular.

Window Combination - Combination window used over regular openings. They provide winter insulation and summer protection and often have self storing or removable glass and screen inserts. This eliminates the need for handling a different unit each season.

Window Dormer - A window projecting from a room.

Window Double Hung - A window which operates by means of two sashes that slide vertically past each other.

Window Eyebrow - A small, horizontally rectangular window, often located on the uppermost story, aligned with windows below.

Window Frame - The stationary part of a window unit; window sash fits into the window frame.

Window French - A glazed full length (usually double glazed) opening casement window.

Window Jalousies - Windows with movable, horizontal glass slats angled to admit ventilation and keep out rain. This term is also used for outside shutters of wood constructed in this way.

Window Lattice - A window with diamond-shaped leaded lights or glazing bars arranged like an openwork screen.

Window Leaded - A window decorated by artistic inserts of lead.

Window Light - Space in a window sash for a single pane of glass. Also, a pane of glass.

Window Louver - A window that has a series of static or horizontal moving slats.

Window Louver - A window that has a series of static or horizontal moving slats.

Window Parts -

• Window Parts:
• Balance A device used to counteract the weight of the sash for ease of operation.
• Window pane; the term is used to designate the number of separate panes which make up the entire window.
• Lintel The horizontal top piece of the window framework.
• Mullion The perpendicular members which divide the bays or lights of windows or screen-work.
• Muntin A secondary framing member (horizontal, vertical or slanted) to hold the window panes in the sash. This term is often confused with Mullion.
• Pane A glass surface in a window. A window may include a number of panes or may consist of a single pane.
• Rough Frame Framing of the enclosure in which the finished window frame is placed.
• Sash A light frame of wood, metal or plastic either fixed or movable which holds the glass.
• Sill The base of the window frame sloped on the outside to shed rain.

Window Sash - The operating or movable part of a window; the sash is made of window panes and their border.

Window Schedule - A table on blueprints that list the sizes, quantities and locations of the windows.

Window Sills - The flat piece of wood, stone, or the like, at the bottom of a window frame.

Window Single Hung - A window with one vertically sliding sash or window vent.

Window Sliding - A window that opens by sliding large panes from one side to the other.

Window Splayed - A window extension to the main building, otherwise referred to as a canted or splayed window when angled back at the side and squared when perpendicular.

Window Storm - An extra window usually placed outside of an existing one, as additional protection against cold weather.

Window Types -

• Window Types:
• Awning Window A frame containing one or more sash, each of which is installed in a vertical plane and is hinged to permit the bottom of the sash to open outward.
• Bay Window Window which projects outside the main line of a building and the compartment in which it is located.
• Casement Window A frame which contains a sash hinged at the side to open in or out.
• Check Rail Window A frame containing at least a pair of sash which are engaged when closed. The sash are installed in a vertical plane and designed to be moved either vertically or horizontally.
• Clerestory Window A window which occurs in the wall of a clerestory.
• Dormer Window A vertical window in a dormer for lighting a room adjoining a sloping roof.
• Double-Hung Window A window with an upper and lower sash, each balanced by springs or weights to be capable of vertical movement with relatively little effort.
• Fire Window A window with its frame, sash and glazing which, under standard test conditions, meets the fire protection requirements for the location in which it is to be used.
• Hopper Window A frame containing one or more sash, each of which is installed in a vertical plane and hinged to permit the top of the sash to open inwards.
• Jalousie Window A frame containing a number of movable, shutter-like, overlapping glass panels.
• Oriel Window A window or group of windows that projects beyond the wall of a building and is usually carried on brackets or corbels.
• Sashless Window A window with a wood frame containing at least two lights of glass with polished or ground edges, or sash with light metal or plastic edges. At least one light of glass slides horizontally or vertically.

Window Venetian - A window with one large fixed central pane and smaller panes at each side.

Wire Aluminium - Conductors made of aluminium for carrying electricity. Aluminium generally is limited to the larger wire sizes. Due to its lower conductivity, aluminium wire smaller than No. 12 is not made. Aluminium is lighter and less expensive than copper but not as good a conductor. It also breaks easily.

Wire Aluminium - Electrical conductors and cable manufactured from aluminium.

Wire Bar Stranded - Uninsulated group of fine wires used as a single electric conductor.

Wire Barbed - Wire that is twisted with barbs or sharp points.

Wire Bare Solid - Uninsulated single wire used as an electric conductor.

Wire Fish - Material used to advance wire through a conduit.

Wire Guy - A strong steel wire or cable strung from an anchor on the roof to any tall slender projection for the purpose of support.

Wire Mesh - A reinforcement for concrete, plaster or stucco, usually expanded metal or woven wire.

Wire Neutral - The wire in an electrical system (usually white) that carries current when there is unbalance load.

Wire Nut - A plastic device used to connect bare wires together.

Wire Size - Conductors for building wiring are available in AWG (American Wire Gauge) sizes ranging from No. 14 to 4/0. The larger the number size, the smaller the diameter. For example #10 is smaller than #8. The larger the diameter of a wire, the lesser the resistance.

Wire Uninsulated - Uninsulated single wire used as an electric conductor.

Witness Marks - These are marks put on boards or pieces to keep them in order during gluing, joining and assembly.

Wobbly Dado Head - A single blade dado cutter where the blade is adjusted to wobble the width of the cut.

Wood Anchor - A bolt or fastening device which attaches wood to wood or wood to other materials.

Wood Bark - The tough outer layer of a tree.

Wood Bit - A bit designed specifically for boring holes into wood.

Wood Blocked - Wood blocks used as filler pieces or stabilization between framing members.

Wood Bolt - Bolts specifically used in wood applications, that have an unslotted oval head and square shoulders that sink into the wood to prevent turning.

Wood Damage Fungi - Disintegration of wood or other substance through the action of fungi,

Wood Decay - The disintegration of wood or other substance through the action of fungi.

Wood Deck - A flat wood constructed area that serves as an extension to a house or it can also stand on its own.

Wood Disintegration - Disintegration of wood or other substance through the action of fungi,

Wood Filler - A heavily pigmented preparation used for fining and leveling off the pores in open-pored woods.

Wood Finish - A stain that goes on wood to add colour and protection to the natural wood.

Wood Frame Construction - A type of construction in which the structural parts are wood or depend upon a wood frame for support. In codes, if masonry veneer is applied to the exterior walls, the classification of this type of construction is usually unchanged.

Wood Framing -

• Types Of Framing:
• Balloon Framing A method of wood frame construction in which the studs extend in one piece from the foundation wall to the top plate supporting the roof.
• Bridging A method used to resist twisting of joists and for stiffening floor construction by fitting either crossed pieces or solid blocks between the joists.
• Cap The upper half of the top plate in wood frame walls and partitions.
• Plank Framing A type of construction which employs flat vertical structural members with horizontal beams let into them and having an infilling of planks on edge.
• Post and Beam Framing A system of construction in which posts and beams support the loads and the infilling walls are non-load bearing.
• Western Framing (Platform Framing) A system of framing a building on which floor joists of each storey rest on the top plates of the storey below (or on the foundation sill for the first storey) and the bearing walls and partitions rest on the subfloor of each storey.

Wood Fungi - Microscopic plants that live in damp wood and cause mold, stain, and decay.

Wood Grain - The fibres found in pieces of wood or timber.

Wood Infestation - Microscopic plants that live in damp wood and cause mold, stain, and decay.

Wood Laminated - A product made by bonding layers of veneer or lumber with an adhesive so that the grain of all layers is generally parallel.

Wood Mallet - Use this mallet for striking wood and plastic-handled chisels and gouges, for installing dowel pins and assembling wooden parts. Have tremendous resistance to cracking.

Wood Moisture Content - Weight of the water contained in the wood, usually expressed as a percentage of the weight of the ovendry wood.

Wood Pressure Treated - Lumber that has been saturated with a preservative.

Wood Primary - This is the wood that is on the main or primary surfaces of a piece of furniture. These are the premium or money woods of the cabinet. Woods of lesser value, that are on the sides or not seen is called Secondary Wood.

Wood Rays - Strips of cells extending radially within a tree and varying in height from a few cells in some species to 4 inches or more in oak. The rays serve primarily to store food and to transport it horizontally in the tree.

Wood Ridge - The ridge poll on a roof.

Wood Ridge Bevelled - A wood strip that covers the ridge pole; commonly found on wood-shake roofs.

Wood Saw - A wood saw which is powered by hand, commonly called a Carpenters Saw or Wood Saw.

Wood Secondary - This is the material used in furniture that is not seen or on the sides or back of an object. These are the materials that make up the drawer sides, dust panels, backs and other hidden parts.

Wood Soft - Easily worked wood or wood from a conebearing conifer tree.

Woodborer Infestation - Infestation in wood/timber in a property by any of various insects, insect larvae, or mollusks that bore into wood.

Woodfiber Plaster - Consists of calcified gypsum integrally mixed with selected coarse cellulose fibers which provide bulk and greater coverage. It is formulated to produce high-strength base coats for use in highly fire-resistant ceiling assemblies.

Woodgrain - The fibres found in pieces of wood or timber.

Woodwork Architectural - Finish work using wood or composites for ornamental designs or casework.

Woodworkers Vise - Indispensable for the workshop. A solid investment for a workbench. Has smooth jaws designed to not damage wood.

Woodworm - A large beetle which infests timber and can cause severe structural damage. If suspected, seek professional advice.

Work Cessation - The ending of work on a construction project without completion.

Work Life Sealant - The time during which a curing sealant remains suitable for use after being mixed with a catalyst.

Wrapped Drywall - Areas that get complete drywall covering, as in the doorway openings of bi-fold and bi-pass closet doors.

Wrench Adjustable - A wrench that has an adjustable head to fit various sizes of nuts and bolts. Some adjustable wrenches feature a locking mechanism to prevent slippage.

Wrench Allen - An L-shaped hexagonal rod designed to fit into a hexagonal hole in a bolt head; also called an Allen Key.

Wrench Basin - A plumbers tool used for installing hard-to-get-at fittings.

Wrench Box - A type of end wrench in which the gripping end surrounds the nut or bolt head.

Writ - Method of starting legal proceedings against someone.

Writer of the Signet (WS) - Member of an ancient society of solicitors who used to be very involved with property transactions but now no longer have any special legal rights.

WS (Writer Of The Signet) - Member of an ancient society of solicitors who used to be very involved with property transactions but now no longer have any special legal rights.

WVT (Water Vapour Transmission) - The property of a material to permit a fluid (or gas) to pass through it, in construction, commonly refers to water vapour permeability of a sheet material or assembly and is defined as Water Vapour Permeance per unit thickness. Metric unit of measurement, metric perms per centimeter of thickness. Perm, Permeability, Permeance (ASTM E 96).

Wythe - A continuous vertical section of a masonry wall having a thickness of one masonry unit.

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