CONSTRUCTION DICTIONARY

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SASH:
The part of a casement window that opens, or a single window light frame containing one or more pieces of glass.

SCAFFOLD:
A temporary structure or platform made of metal framing from which workers can access difficult-to-reach areas.

SCRATCH COAT:
An initial coat of plaster that is literally scratched while still wet so that the finish coat will bond properly.

SCREED:
A straight edge used for leveling concrete over forms. Also used to assist in leveling the application of plaster.

SEALER:
A clear or pigmented liquid that is applied directly over an uncoated material such as wood or concrete for the purpose of sealing the material against water penetration.

SECTION VIEW:
A cutaway view of something that gives a cross section view of the object and its assembly.

SEMI-DETACHED HOUSING:
A dwelling that shares one side wall with another dwelling.

SEPTIC SYSTEM:
A system designed to deal with sewage from a dwelling. The raw sewage flows through pipes (called runs) into the ground or into a septic holding tank, or a combination of the two.

SERVICE PANEL:
A separate or auxiliary breaker or fuse box separate from the main electrical service entrance. Its purpose is to tie all the electrical circuits of building into the main power line and allow each individual circuit to be protected by fuses or breakers to avoid overloading. Often referred to as the fuse box or distribution panel.

SHINGLES:
Any roof covering made of asphalt, wood, tile, slate, or other material that has been cut to various stock lengths, widths and thickness.

SHEER STRESS:
Any compression stress with support on one side.

SHIPLAP LUMBER:
Lumber with a rectangular longitudinal ell cutout at one of its edges to make a rabbeted, lapped joint.

SHUTTER:
Window coverings usually made of louvered wood in the form of two hinged panels located on each side of the window frame that can be closed in order to protect the window. Often used for decorative purposes in modern construction.

SIDE-SPLIT HOME:
A description of a house that has been split from front to back through the center of the building and one half (often containing the bedrooms and lower family room) has been raised upward and additional steps have been added. There are different styles of side-split homes, which are defined by the number of levels the home contains. E.g. 3 level, 4 level and 5 level side-split. See "BACK-SPLIT HOME".

SIDING:
Any finishing material that covers the outside walls of a frame building. Can be made of wood boards, aluminum, steel, vinyl or any other length of material that can be attached in a repetitive manner on outside walls.

SILL or SILL PLATE:
The lowest member of a wood frame structure that rests on the foundation. It supports the floor joists or uprights of the wall. It can also refer to any member forming the lower portion of an opening, such as a door sill or window sill.

SLAB:
Any flat piece of concrete such as a floor, driveway or walkway.

SLUMP TEST:
A test used to determine the fluidity of concrete as it comes from the concrete mixer.

SOFFIT:
Most commonly refers to the underside of any overhanging cornice.

SOFFIT VENT:
The vent opening located under the eaves that allows fresh air to enter the attic area and flow upward to the roof vents, where it is exhausted. Helps set up air circulation in the attic space by heat convection (hot air rises).

SOIL COVER:
Any material such as plastic film or roll roofing used to cover the soil found in crawl spaces beneath additions to help reduce moisture penetration from the ground.

SOIL STACK:
A common term used to denote the main plumbing vent that rises vertically through the roof in order to vent sewage gases form the plumbing system and sewers. Also referred to as a stack.

SPAN:
The nominal distance measured across structural supports such as posts, columns, walls or openings.

SPECS:
The shortened form of the word "specifications".

SPEC HOUSE:
A new dwelling which is being built or has been completed by a builder before a purchaser has been found to buy it.

SPECULATIVE BUILDER:
A developer who constructs housing without pre-selling.

SQUARE:
A unit of measure usually associated with measuring the amount of roofing material. One square consists of a 10ftx10ft area, or 100 square feet.

STACK:
A plumbing vent pipe that penetrates the roof line and vents sewage gases to the outside. Also referred to as a soil stack.

STAGGERED NAILS:
The placing of nails so that they do not form a straight line pattern on a board or in the grain of a board.

STANDPIPE:
A vertical piece of drain pipe that automatic washing machine drainage hoses are inserted into.

SQUARE FOOTAGE:
The estimated total area of a home calculated by measuring the outside dimensions of the actual building and multiplying by the number of stories above ground. Finished basements and attached garages are not included in this estimate.

SQUARE-FOOT METHOD:
Method of estimating cost of construction on the basis of the area of the building to be built.

STARTER HOME:
A small home, inexpensive, suitable to first-time homebuyers.

STILE:
A vertical framing member found in a door panel.

STOOL:
A piece of flat molding placed on the interior side of a window on top of the sloping surface of the windowsill jamb. It forms a weather seal for the sash.

STORM DRAIN:
A drain that carries away unwanted rain, drainage or surface water.

STORM WINDOW or STORM SASH:
An additional window usually found on the outside of an existing window to provide extra protection against the elements.

STORY:
The habitable space between each floor level of a building.

STRETCHER BLOCK:
The most common type of concrete block. Both ends of the block have cupped ends.

STRINGER:
The two parallel supports to which stair steps (treads) are attached.

STUD:
One of a series of wood or metal vertical structural members placed as supporting elements in walls or partitions.

SUBFLOOR:
The boards or plywood that is laid over floor joists onto which the final floor is to be laid.

SUMP:
A small cistern used to collect excess water from around a footing or structure.

SUMP PUMP:
The pump placed inside a sump to remove the excess water that has collected there.

SUSPENDED CEILING:
A ceiling that is suspended in the air by hanging it from the overhead structural members or surface.