BSSC 0 likes

Building Seismic Safety Council

BTU 0 likes

British thermal unit; measurement of the heat energy to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit

Bubble 0 likes

A large void in the core of gypsum board due to trapping air while the core is fluid during production

Bubbling 0 likes

Appearance of bubbles while a coat is being applied

Buck 0 likes

Assembly of the framing for a rough door or window opening; see Window Bucks

Bucket1 like

Large metal container in which concrete is discharged; raised by a crane to the placement area

A cylindrical open container comprised of metal or plastic with a handle that holds and carries liquids or other materials.

Bucket Trap 0 likes

Mechanical steam trap that works on buoyancy to stop the passage of steam through the mechanical system it is protecting

Buckles 0 likes

In old plastering, raised or ruptured spots which eventually crack exposing the lath beneath; usually due to applying plaster over dry, broken or improperly applied wood lath

Buckling 0 likes

Collapse in a sudden sideways deflection; structural failure by gross lateral deflection of a slender element under compressive stress

Wrinkling or ridging of the carpet after installation due to inadequate stretching, dimensional instability, or manufacturing flaws

Budget, Construction Budget 0 likes

Itemized summary of forecasted or proposed expenditures for a given period

Amount of money set aside for a specific project

Buffer 0 likes

Pile of blasted rock left against or near a face that enhances fragmentation and reduces dispersion from the next blast

Buffing Compound1 like

Soft abrasive stick bonded with wax

Buglehead Screw 0 likes

Screw that sits under the plane of the gypsum board surface without tearing the paper

Build 0 likes

Construct by combining materials or parts

Builder 0 likes

A person who constructs; a building contractor

Builder’s Risk Insurance 0 likes

Insurance coverage during a construction project, with extended coverage that may be included to protect the client

Builders Hardware 0 likes

Hardware used in construction, such as bolts, nails, nuts, screws, hinges, and other fastenings, metal and plastic parts, butts, and similar items

Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) 0 likes

355 Lexington Ave, 15th Floor, New York, New York 10017, Tel: (212) 297-2122, URL: http://www.buildershardware.com/ 

Builders Level1 like

Measures and sets levels on a construction property; also called a Contractors Level

Building 0 likes

Combining materials or parts

A fixed structure enclosed by a roof and exterior walls

Building Brick 0 likes

Brick for building purposes; also called Common Brick

Building Codes 0 likes

Legal requirements set forth by governing agencies defining the minimum acceptable standards for all types of construction; see Codes

Building Coverage 0 likes

Percentage of land covered by building structures

Building Demolition 0 likes

The destruction of an existing structure

Building Drainage System 0 likes

Pipe system that carries away waste water and sewage; also called House Drainage System

Building Envelope 0 likes

Waterproof parts of a building that enclose spaces through which thermal energy may be transferred to or from the outside

Exterior structure of the building

Building Excavation 0 likes

Removing earth and rock to make room for a foundation

Building Inspector/Official 0 likes

Government representative authorized to inspect construction for compliance with applicable building codes, regulations and ordinances

Building Insurance 0 likes

Insurance that covers the structure of the building

Building Lime 0 likes

Lime suited for usual or special construction; also called construction lime

Building Main 0 likes

Water supply pipe that transports the water from the supply source to the first branch of the building’s water distribution system

Building Official 0 likes

Representative charged with administration and enforcement of the pertinent building code

Building Paper1 like

Papers, felts, and similar sheet materials used in buildings; usually in long rolls

Building Permit 0 likes

Document issued by the appropriate governmental authority allowing construction to commence on a specified project according to specifications

Building Process 0 likes

Specified steps of a construction project from its concept to final acceptance and habitation

Building Related Illness 0 likes

Diagnosable illness where symptoms are identifiable and the cause is directly attributed to airborne building pollutants

Building Residual 0 likes

A real estate appraisal technique where a judicious return on the land is subtracted from the income, the balance then ascribed to the improvements

Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) 0 likes

A council of the National Association of Building Sciences 1090 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20005-4905 Tel: (202) 289-7800, http://www.nibs.org/

Building Sewer 0 likes

Piping that transfers soil and waste water from the building drain to the public sewer or private sewage disposal system; also called House Sewer

Building Sub-Drain 0 likes

Part of the drainage system that collects the discharge from the fixtures and cannot drain into the building sewer because it is located below the building sewer or building drain

Building Trap 0 likes

A trap placed in the building drain to stop sewer gases from the sewer main entering

Building, Metal 0 likes

Building made of a structural steel frame, metal roof and wall panels; usually prefabricated offsite and assembled at the site

Built-In Oven1 like

An oven installed in a wall or cabinet

Built-In Shelving 0 likes

Shelving permanently mounted in a cabinet frame

Built-Up Member 0 likes

A single structural component constructed from fastening several pieces

Built-Up Plaque 0 likes

Localized abnormal patch layers on a surface

Built-Up Roof 0 likes

Roofing with three to five layers of asphalt felt laminated with coal tar, pitch, or asphalt, the top finished with crushed slag or gravel; usually used on flat or low-pitched roofs

Built-Up Roofing Membrane (BUR) 0 likes

Roofing material employed in sealed waterproof layers, or saturated or coated felts interspersed with layers of bitumen, surfaced with mineral aggregate or asphaltic materials

Built-Up Steel Lintel 0 likes

Lintel constructed of two or more pieces of structural steel fastened together to function as one component

Built-Up Timber 0 likes

A timber composed of several pieces secured together and producing one larger component

Bulb Tee 0 likes

Rolled steel in the shape of a T with a formed bulb at the edge of the web

Bulb, Sensitive 0 likes

Part of sealed fluid apparatus that responds to temperature; employed to measure temperature or to control a mechanism

Bulge 0 likes

Swelling or lump

Bulk 0 likes

Large mass, size or quantity

A small structure projecting out from a building, such as a booth or stall

To cause to swell or bulge

Bulk Density 0 likes

Weight per unit of volume of a substance

Bulk Excavation 0 likes

Mining or digging out of large quantities of dirt and debris

Bulk Mail Slot 0 likes

A sufficiently large opening in a wall or door to enable receipt of large pieces of mail

Bulkhead 0 likes

A vertical divider that separates compartments on a ship or airplane

Structure with a sloping door that provides access to a cellar stairway or shaft

Structure that resists pressure or turns off water, fire, or gas

A holding wall along a waterfront

Bulkhead Formwork 0 likes

Temporary formwork blocking fresh concrete from an area of forms, or closing the end of a form at a construction joint

Bulking 0 likes

Increase in bulk volume of moist sand over the volume of the same quantity dry

Bulking Curve 0 likes

Graph of the change in volume of an amount of sand caused by adjustments in moisture content

Bulking Factor 0 likes

Ratio of the volume of moist sand to the volume of dry sand

Bulking Value 0 likes

Ability of a pigment to add volume to paint

Bull Float1 like

Flat, rectangular wood, aluminum, or magnesium tool employed to smooth unformed surfaces of fresh concrete

Bull Nose, Drywall 0 likes

Round drywall corners

Bulldozer 0 likes

A tractor driven machine with a horizontal blade that clears land, roads, and other obstacles

Bulletin Board1 like

A wall hanging unit upon which houses information and messages; a thin board usually made of cork hung on a wall to attach public announcements

Bulletproof 0 likes

Prevents breaking or penetration from any strong external force

Bulletproof Glass 0 likes

A protective laminated heat and pressure-bonded glass sheet with resin sheets to resist bullets

Bulletproof Partition 0 likes

A dividing wall that resists the transfer of bullets

Bullnose Block 0 likes

A concrete masonry unit which has one or more round external corners

Bullnose, Corner 0 likes

Ceramic tile bullnose trim with a convex radius on two adjacent edges

Bullnose, Glazed 0 likes

Ceramic trim tile with a convex radius on one edge and a glassy or glossy surface

Bulls Eye 0 likes

A small circular window or opening; bull’s eye window

A small thick disc of glass mounted to bring in light

Bumper, Dock 0 likes

Thick rubber units positioned under loading dock openings to absorb the shock and stop damage when trucks back in to load or unload

Bumper, Door1 like

Rubber tip devices installed on walls or baseboards to stop door knobs from damaging walls

Bund Wall 0 likes

A wall built around a tank to secure its contents in case the tank or its piping springs a leak

Bundle 0 likes

A package of shingles; usually, there are 3 bundles per square and 27 shingles per bundle

Bundled Bars 0 likes

A group of four or less parallel steel reinforcing bars in contact, usually secured together

Bundling Tape 0 likes

End tape to fasten two pieces of gypsum board into a bundle

Bunker 0 likes

Area where ice or cooling element is positioned in commercial installations

Buoyant Uplift 0 likes

Water or liquefied soil force that can raise a building foundation from the ground

BUR 0 likes

Built-Up Roofing

Burden 0 likes

Money that has to be added to cover overhead

Burglar Alarm1 like

Security system that indicates when any contacts are interrupted

Burglar Bars1 like

A grille of steel bars that protect a window from intrusion

Burl 0 likes

A hard wood tree outgrowth used for highly figured veneers

Burlap 0 likes

A coarse fabric of jute, hemp, or flax employed as a water–retention cover in curing concrete surfaces; also called Hessian

Burlap Rub 0 likes

A finish achieved by rubbing burlap to remove surface irregularities from concrete

Burlap, Concrete 0 likes

A curing concrete surface with a coarse fabric of jute, hemp, or flax used as a water–retention cover

Burling 0 likes

A repair process for worn or damaged carpet

Burn 0 likes

Cut metal with a gas flame

Burned 0 likes

Over-dried, partly calcined gypsum board

Burned Finish 0 likes

Wood finish where the hard part of grain stands out in relief; achieved by using blowtorch and a stiff bristled brush

Burner1 like

Device where fuel burning occurs

Burning In 0 likes

Restoring a finish by using a heated knife blade or iron

Burnish 0 likes

Polish by rubbing

Burnoff Rate 0 likes

See Melting Rate

Burnt Sienna 0 likes

Earthy substance used in paint; sienna that has been roasted

Burnt Umber 0 likes

Brown earthy substance used in paint; umber that has been roasted

Burr 0 likes

A sharp, rough, in-turned edge on a pipe that has been cut but not reamed

Burst Strength 0 likes

Internal pressure to break a pipe or fitting; pressure varies according to the rate of build-up of the pressure and the time the pressure is maintained

Bus Bar1 like

A large, flat conductor, generally solid copper that transfers very high electrical currents

Un-insulated bar or tube employed as an electrical conductor at a circuit junction

Bus Duct 0 likes

A prefabricated unit that has one or more electric conductors, often a metal bar that connects two or more circuits

Bus Duct Connection 0 likes

A metal bar that connects two or more circuits in a prefabricated unit

Bus Ground 0 likes

The place where the neutral (white) service wire connects to the earth by the ground wire in the main electrical service panel

Bush Hammer1 like

In stone dressing, a steel hammer employed in finishing the harder stones

Bushed Nipple 0 likes

A pipe threaded at both ends to connect two pipes of different sizes

Bushing 0 likes

A removable cylindrical lining for an opening that limits the size of an opening, resists abrasion, or serves as a guide

Electrically insulating lining for a hole to protect a through conductor

Pipe fitting with male and female threads employed in a fitting to decrease the size; used to connect pipes of different sizes

Bushing, Conduit 0 likes

A threaded metal or plastic pipe connector that connects conduit to a box or other housing where the hole is not threaded

Business Entity Concept 0 likes

The notion that a business is separate and distinct from its owners’ financial functions and holdings

Butane1 like

A gaseous hydrocarbon employed in liquefied form as fuel; also used as a low temperature application refrigerant

Butlers Pantry 0 likes

A service room between the kitchen and dining room

Butt 1 like

The larger of the two ends of a log

See Butt Hinge.

Pile Butt

Butt Edge 0 likes

Lower edge of the shingle tabs

Butt Hinge1 like

A leaf connects to the door‘s edge, the other to its jamb

Butt Joint 0 likes

Junction where the ends of two timbers or bricks meet, and also where sheets of drywall meet; to place materials end-to-end or end-to-edge without overlapping

Butt Weld 0 likes

A weld in a butt joint between two components lying more or less in the same plane

Butt Welded Pipe 0 likes

Pipe joined by welding

Butt, Pile 0 likes

See Pile Butt

Butterflies 0 likes

Color imperfections on a lime putty finish wall that smear under pressure from the trowel; due to lime lumps not passed through a screen and inadequate mixing of the gauging

Butterfly Reinforcement 0 likes

Metal reinforcement strips positioned diagonally over the plaster base at the corners of openings prior to plastering

Butterfly Roof 0 likes

Roof shape similar to an inverted gable, the rain gutter in the middle instead of the ridge

Butterfly Tie 0 likes

See Ties

Butterfly Valve1 like

A valve made with a disc that turns 90 degrees in the valve body

Buttering 0 likes

Spreading mortar on a masonry unit before it is positioned

Spreading of a bond coat to the backs of ceramic tile just prior to when the tile is placed

See Surfacing

Buttering Trowel1 like

The blade is around 4-1/2 inches wide and 7 inches long; employed in buttering rich mortar to masonry, a method commonly employed in the eastern states

Buttonback Tile 0 likes

Tile that have round or square projections on the bondable side

Buttress 0 likes

A projecting structure of masonry or wood for supporting or stabilizing a wall or building wall and to respond against horizontal external forces

The broad base of a tree trunk or a thick vertical part of it

Butyl Acetate1 like

A lacquer solvent

Butyl Alcohol 0 likes

Alcohol of higher boiling range than wood alcohol or grain alcohol

Butyl Caulk1 like

Caulking made from various synthetic rubbers from butanes

Butyl Membrane 0 likes

Malleable thin sheets or layers made from synthetic rubber

Buy Down 0 likes

Subsidy usually paid by a builder or developer to lower monthly payments on a mortgage

BX Cable1 like

Indoor wiring comprised of two or more insulated wires shielded by a wound, galvanized steel strip cover, the metal winding creating a pliable tube creating fortification like rigid conduit

BX Clamp1 like

Clamping device to secure BX cable in place against a wooden or metal component

By Fold Door1 like

Doors hinged in the middle for opening in a smaller area than standard swing doors; usually for closet doors

Bypass 0 likes

Passage at a side or around a regular passage

Secondary pipe or bridging of any plumbing fixture permitting its disconnection while circulation is maintained

Bypass Doors1 like

Doors that slide by each other; usually closet doors

Byproduct 0 likes

A substance acquired during the production of another substance; a secondary result, sometimes unexpected or unintentional in the process