Stability 1 like

When a material or structure is unaffected, or restored to its initial state after being impacted by a force

Stack 0 likes

To properly position trusses on walls

Stack Bond 1 like

A brick bond with all headers, stretchers and vertical joints aligned; also called plumb joint bond, straight stack, checkerboard bond, jack bond, and jack on jack

Stack Effect 1 like

Air flow created by convection as heated air rises producing a positive pressure region at the uppermost point of a building and a negative pressure area at the lowest part of a building; the stack effect can override the mechanical system and interrupt ventilation and flow in a building structure

Stacking Tile 0 likes

Installing glazed tiles on a wall in direct contact with adjoining tiles with either straight or broken joints; string is not employed to position the tiles

Stadia Rod 0 likes

A special employed by land surveyors to observing and record distances and elevations

Staff 0 likes

Plaster casts produced in molds, strengthened with fiber and generally nailed or wired into position

Staff Plaster 0 likes

Employed for precast plaster moldings, this rigid plaster is composed of fibrous material

Staff Room 0 likes

A room where staff personnel congregate

Stage, Band 0 likes

See Band Stage

Stage, Theater 1 like

See Theater Stage

Staggered Splices 0 likes

Joints in steel reinforcing bars at different points

Staging 0 likes

See Scaffold

Stain 1 like

A discoloration flaw

Material used to apply color to wood, glass or other substances

Stain Wax, Penetrating 1 like

See Penetrating Stain Wax

Stain, Wood1 like

See Wood Stain

Stained Glass1 like

Colored or stained glass employed in windows

Colored glass employed in a lead framework

Staining 0 likes

Discoloration produced when a foreign substance chemically alters a material

Applying paint while the grain of wood shows through

Stainless Grab Bar1 like

A stainless steel metal handrail in a bathroom, shower, or bathtub; facilitates safe use of bathroom fittings

Stainless Steel1 like

Alloy of steel, chromium and other metals that is almost rustproof and non-corrosive

Stair Carriage 0 likes

Supporting 2 X 12 inch plank for stair treads, notched to accept the treads; sometimes called a Rough Horse

Stair Formwork 0 likes

Reinforcement for newly poured concrete for a stairway

Stair Landing 0 likes

A platform, generally at least 3 square feet in size, between or at the end of flights of stairs; frequently employed when stairs take a different direction; the horizontal platform amid stair flights

Stairway 0 likes

Stairs and landings spanning from floor to floor

Stake 1 like

A post in the earth that serves as a support or boundary marker

An investment or share in a financial activity

Stake, Side 0 likes

A stake on the outside edge line of a planned pavement

Stall 1 like

A booth or compartment in a market or building where goods are displayed and sold

When a motor stops suddenly due to lack of fuel or mechanical failure

A compartment in a stable where a domestic animal is accommodated

A compartment where water is sprayed; a stall shower

A space marked off for parking a car

An area allocated for parking a vehicle in a parking lot

Stall Torque 0 likes

The torque created on starting in an electric motor

Stanchion1 like

An upright support or strut

Stand Oil1 like

A thick vegetable oil, or combination, including linseed, tung and soya oils that have been heated to more than 300 degrees centigrade

Standard Air 0 likes

See Standard Conditions

Standard Conditions 0 likes

Circumstances for air conditioning measurement; temperature of 68°F (20°C), pressure of 29.92 inches of mercury, and relative humidity of 30 percent; also called Standard Air

Standard Details 0 likes

A detailed drawing that can be employed on other projects with very few or no changes

Standard Dimension 0 likes

A specific measurement for a manufactured item

Standard Grade Tile 0 likes

The best ceramic tile grade

Standard of Living 0 likes

Amount of comfort afforded to people living in an area

Standard Operating Procedure 0 likes

Detailed, written instructions to achieve uniformity in performing a specific function; acronym is SOP

Standard Practices of the Trade 0 likes

The way in which construction work is usually accomplished by the average professional in the field in that vicinity; usually included as a clause in construction contracts; does not necessitate best practices

Standardize 0 likes

To conform to a standard

Standards of Professional Practice 1 like

Code of professional responsibility; description of minimum acceptable ethical principles and practices selected by professional organizations to direct the conduct of their members; these guidelines enable recipients to have confidence that they are receiving proper care and can be critical if there is a legal dispute over the quality of care provided

Standing Finish 0 likes

The finish woodwork of apertures, foundation, and all inside finishing

Standing Seam Roof 0 likes

A durable exposed metal roof system in which preformed overlapping panels are attached with concealed fasteners; structural standing seam roofing is stronger, more water-tight and more flexible than architectural panel systems

Standpipe1 like

A pipe spanning the height of a building with connections to a hose to provide water in case of fire; See Dry Standpipe and Wet Standpipe

Stanley Knife1 like

A hand implement with detachable blades; trademark; See Board Knife

Stannous 0 likes

Composed of or associated with tin

Staple1 like

Double pointed, U-shaped metal fastener that is driven into a surface to secure a hasp, hook, rope, wire or other materials

Staple Fibers 0 likes

Fibers ranging from 1-1/2 inches to 7 inches long that are spun into yarn

Staple Gun1 like

A spring-loaded or pneumatic tool for driving staples into a surface

Star Drill1 like

A drill bit for producing holes in concrete

A cold chisel with a cross-shaped head for boring holes in concrete that a person hits with a hammer and rotates each time

Start Date 0 likes

The date that marks the beginning of a project

Starter Strip 0 likes

Asphalt roofing at the eaves that fills in the areas below the cutouts and joints of the first course of shingles; provides protection

Statement 0 likes

A summary of an account over a given time period: See Invoice

Statement of Sources and Application of Funds 0 likes

See Statement of Changes in Financial Position

Stateroom 0 likes

A private passenger compartment with sleeping facilities on a ship or train

Static Bending 0 likes

Bending under a constant or gradually applied weight; flexure

Static Force 0 likes

Static Load

Static Friction 0 likes

Friction between two or more solid objects that are not moving relative to each other

Statical Moment 0 likes

The product of a particular area and the distance from its center of mass to a point of rotation 

Statically Determinant Structure 0 likes

A structural frame where the bending moments and reactions can be ascertained by the laws of statics

Statically Indeterminant Structure 0 likes

A structural frame where the bending moments and reactions cannot be ascertained from the laws and equations of statics

Statics 0 likes

The science of bodies at rest or forces in equilibrium; a branch of mechanics

Station Yards of Haul 0 likes

The quantity of material in cubic years multiplied by the number of 100 foot stations that excavated earth or fill is moved

Stationary 0 likes

Staying in one place; static; fixed in position; not mobile

Stationary Blade Compressor 0 likes

Rotary pump that employs a non-revolving blade inside pump to isolate the intake chamber from the exhaust chamber

Stator 0 likes

A static component in a machine where a rotor revolves

Stator, Motor1 like

See Motor Stator

Statute of Fraud 0 likes

Invoked by a defendant in a breach of contract action, a statute that requires particular contracts be articulated in writing

Statute of Limitations 0 likes

The period of time in which legal action is viable for an alleged injury or damage; the time period starts at the discovery of the alleged injury or damage; in construction situations, the time period may begin when the work is completed

Statute of Repose 0 likes

Measured from the end of a work of improvement, a statute of limitations that protects architects, engineers, and contractors from liability for flaws for an indefinite time while accomplishing the improvement

Stay-Tackling 0 likes

Short-lived nailing of carpet in stages during a long stretch to maintain the stretch until the end of the carpet is kicked over the pins

STC 1 like

Sound Transmission Class; the measure of sound stopping of ordinary noise

Std 0 likes

Standard

Steam 0 likes

Gaseous form of water, created by boiling

Steel1 like

Iron combined with other metals for increased strength, durability or corrosive resistance

Steel Deck Institute (SDI) 1 like

P. O. Box 3812, St. Louis, Missouri 63122, Tel: (314) 965-1741, URL: www.sdi.org

Steel Door Institute (SDI) 0 likes

30200 Detroit Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44145, Tel: (440) 899-0010, URL: www.steeldoor.org/

Steel Joist Institute (SJI) 0 likes

234 W. Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Tel: (843) 407-4091, URL: www.steeljoist.org

Steel Pipe Wrench1 like

Implement that delivers leverage.

Steel Structures Painting Council (SSPC) 0 likes

4516 Henry Street, #301, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, Tel: (412) 281-2331, URL: http://www.sspc.org

Steel Stud1 like

Steel pin or rod with a head, employed for attaching components together

A vertical framing part similar to a 2 by 4 stud employed in light gauge construction

Steel Tank Institute (STI) 1 like

570 Oakwood Road, Lake Zurich, Illinois 60047-1559, Tel: (708) 438-8765

Steel Window Institute (SWI) 0 likes

1300 Summer Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, Tel: (216) 241-7333, URL: www.steelwindows.com

Steel Wool1 like

An abrasive solid material composed of steel shavings used for rubbing, cleaning, and polishing

Steel, Structural 1 like

Steel in various shapes, fabricated for use as structural weight-bearing components

Steep Asphalt 0 likes

Roofing asphalt with a softening point of around 190°F (88°C) that conforms to the ASTM Standard D 312, Type III

Steep Slope Roof 0 likes

Roofing that has more than 1-1/2 inches per foot slope or pitch

Steeple 0 likes

A tower or spire, as on a church

Steeplejack 0 likes

A person who builds or repairs tall structures, usually has safety rigging

Stem 0 likes

The upright portion of a concrete or masonry retaining wall

Stenciling 0 likes

A design created by applying a finish through a template made out of metal or thin, flat paper

Step Flashing 0 likes

When an upright surface meets an inclined roof plane, 6 inch by 6 inch galvanized metal is bent at a 90 degree angle and installed under siding and over the top of shingles; each piece overlaps the one below it throughout the sloping roof

Step Ladder1 like

A small ladder with horizontal steps

Step Return 0 likes

A circular exterior corner or edge

Stepped Foundation 0 likes

A foundation constructed in a series of steps approximating the incline of the bearing stratum to avoid h horizontal force vectors that could cause sliding

Stepping Stone 0 likes

An elevated stone employed when crossing a stream

Uniformly spaced flat stones employed as a walkway in a garden

Steri Lamp 0 likes

A high-intensity ultraviolet ray lamp that exterminates bacteria; employed in food storage cabinets and air ducts

Sterilizer 0 likes

An antimicrobials registered by EPA for public health uses, eliminating all forms of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and their spores; also known as a Sporicide

Sterilizer, Medical1 like

See Medical Sterilizer

STI 1 like

Steel Tank Institute

Stick 0 likes

A wood twig or tree branch

A thin piece of wood

Adhesive in nature

Stick Built 0 likes

A house constructed without prefabricated components; also called Conventional building

Stick Shellac 0 likes

Shellac in sold stick form; employed solely for patching furniture

Stick, Hook1 like

See Hook Stick

Sticker 0 likes

A metal channel installed in concrete or masonry walls to fasten or support wall furring channels

Sticker Stain 0 likes

A brown or blue stain in maturing lumber after contact with stickers

Stickers 0 likes

Boards or strips employed to isolate the lumber layers in a pile in order to enhance air circulation

Stickyback 0 likes

A transparent decal with technical information

Stiff 0 likes

Resistant to deformation; not supple; rigid

Stiff Mud Brick 0 likes

Brick created by squeezing somewhat stiff but still plastic clay through a die

Stiffback 0 likes

A structural component positioned on top of ceiling joists at the center, flush with the joists before plastering or drywall installation

Stiffener1 like

A flat metal shape fastened to upright studs or channels of partitions or walls to secure them

Stiffener Plate1 like

A steel plate connected to a structural part for reinforcement against heavy local weight loads or stresses

Stile 0 likes

A vertical framing component in a door panel

Still Water 0 likes

Static water

Stillson Wrench1 like

Pipe wrench

Stilts1 like

Tall columns that support a structure above land or water; installed as protection from flooding

Extensions worn on the shoes of workers to facilitate their reach to higher areas

Stipple Finishing 0 likes

Finish achieved by patting a surface with a stipple brush before paint dries

Stippling 0 likes

Shading by the creating distinct marks or points

Stipulated Sum Agreement 0 likes

A written agreement in which the total payment for completing the contract is specified; see Lump Sum Contract

Stipulated Sum Agreement 0 likes

A written agreement where a specific amount of money is appropriated as the total payment for completion of the contract; see Lump Sum Contract

Stock Dyeing 0 likes

Dyeing raw fibers prior to combing or spinning

Stockholder’s Equity 1 like

Part of a balance sheet indicating net worth or equity; holders of common stock of a business’s assets

Stone 0 likes

A hard nonmetallic solid substance

Employing a carborundum stone to remove spikey and chipped edges of tile or masonry as a result of cutting

Stone Facing Guard 0 likes

Steel parts applied to the face of upright stone construction to safeguard it from harm

Stonemason 0 likes

A mason who employs stone in building

Stonemasonry 0 likes

Stonework; a stonemason’s work

Stoneware1 like

Dense, tough, opaque, impermeable, vitreous or semi-vitreous glazed pottery, such as jasper ware, that is fired at a high temperature; typically gray or brown due to impurities in the clay from which is it manufactured

Stonework 0 likes

Masonry involving stones and mortar

Stool 0 likes

Horizontal moulding installed above a window sill between jambs, connecting with the lowest rail of the lower sash

Stoop 0 likes

A small porch without a roof

Stop 1 like

Molding that conceals a crack between a door, or window and frame

Stop Box 0 likes

Cast iron pipe with a removable cover positioned vertically underground that houses a valve to control the water supply to a building installed by a city or municipality; also installed privately when there are numerous buildings on a common well or water service; the valve is turned on and off with a wrench which is inserted down the pipe

Stop Notice 0 likes

A written substantiated statement served by a claimant who is owed money on a work of improvement; a lien on undispersed funds provided to a property owner or construction lender for the value of services or materials in a construction project

Stop Order 1 like

A formal, written notification to a contractor to discontinue some or all work on a project for reasons such as safety issues and violations, defective materials or workmanship, or cancellation of the contract

Stop Valve1 like

A device in a water supply line that facilitates closure of the water supply to one fixture while continuing service to the rest of the system; typically located near a fixture

Stop, Door1 like

See Door Stop

Stop, Gravel1 like

See Gravel Stop

Stops 0 likes

Moldings spanning the inside edges of a door or window frame

Valves employed to control the water supply to a fixture

Storage Life 0 likes

See Shelf Life

Storage Tank1 like

A large container that stores and transports various liquids or gases

Store 0 likes

A room or building where merchandise is provided for retail sales; a shop

A reserve something for future use

Store Room 0 likes

A room expressly used to store items

Storefront 0 likes

The facade on the street side of a building with windows that display goods for sale and the main entrance

A steel or aluminum tube frame and glass wall; entrance side of a business that transacts retail sales

Storm Drain 1 like

A drain employed for transporting rain water, sub–surface water, and cooling water; not employed for waste or sewage

Storm Sash 0 likes

An additional window generally located outside of an existing window that provides insulation against cold weather

Storm Sewer 0 likes

A sewer system that is independent from the waste water system and gathers storm water

Storm Window 0 likes

See Storm Sash

Story 0 likes

The part of a building between floors, or between the roof and a floor

Story High 0 likes

The height measured between floors or floor joists

Story Pole 0 likes

A rod or pole calibrated with the height of a story from joist to joist; also for brick courses, and apertures

Long wood strip marked at suitable joint spaces for tiles; checks the dimensions of tiles in ceramic tile installation; also called an Idiot Stick

Wood rod that measures heights and locates siding rows