Term
Definition
- Stability 1 like
- When a material or structure is unaffected, or restored to its initial state after being impacted by a force
- 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 2 likes
- 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 1 like
- 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 2 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 1 like
- See Band Stage
- Staggered Splices 1 like
- Joints in steel reinforcing bars at different points
- Stained Glass2 likes
- 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 Bar3 likes
- 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
- 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
- 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 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 1 like
- 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 Knife2 likes
- A hand implement with detachable blades; trademark; See Board Knife
- 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 1 like
- 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 of Sources and Application of Funds 0 likes
- See Statement of Changes in Financial Position
- Static Bending 1 like
- Bending under a constant or gradually applied weight; flexure
- Static Force 1 like
- 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
- 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 1 like
- 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
- 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
- Steeplejack 0 likes
- A person who builds or repairs tall structures, usually has safety rigging
- Stenciling 0 likes
- A design created by applying a finish through a template made out of metal or thin, flat paper
- Step Flashing 1 like
- 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
- Stick Built 2 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
- 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
- Still Water 0 likes
- Static water
- 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 1 like
- Finish achieved by patting a surface with a stipple brush before paint dries
- 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 1 like
- 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 1 like
- 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
- 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
- Stool 0 likes
- Horizontal moulding installed above a window sill between jambs, connecting with the lowest rail of the lower sash
- Stop Box 1 like
- 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
- 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 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 1 like
- A sewer system that is independent from the waste water system and gathers storm water
- Storm Window 0 likes
- See Storm Sash
- 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

Garnet Paper
Abrasive, reddish, tough, sharp paper; derived from the semi-precious garnet jewel; more durable than flint paper
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