Building terms you need to know
Posted: June 25th, 2020
Building a new home is kind of like stepping onto another planet if you never been on a building site before. There are people every, using tools you’ve never seen and saying building terms you’ve never heard of!
At some point, your builder is going to ask you what type of architraves you want and so it’s handy if you know what he is talking about. Thankfully, it’s not hard to learn! Below we’ve laid out the most common terms you’ll hear around a worksite and what they all mean!
12 building terms you need to know:
Alcove
– a recess in a wall or a garden, often a small space set back into the wall. This is sometimes called a niche.
Architrave
– The moulded frame a door sits in.
Buttress
– A structure of stone or brick, built against a wall to strengthen or support it.
Cladding
– The application of one material over another, often chosen for aesthetic appeal but it is also waterproof as it’s often the final ‘layer’ of a structure.
Cornice
– A horizontal, decorative moulding that lines the upper rim of an interior wall. It covers the seam between the wall’s surface and the ceiling.
Facade
– The front or face of the building.
Juncture
– Where different materials intersect, ultimately influencing how the building will age or if any maintenance issues will arise.
Moulding
– A decorative feature built into the walls and ceilings of many homes. These details vary often according to different trends.
Skirting board
– Sometimes called a base board, this is a wooden board that covers the lowest part of the interior wall. It covers the seam between the wall’s surface and the floor.
Sustainable/green building
– A green or sustainable building refers to the structure, and the processes related to the structure, that’s environmentally responsible and energy-efficient.
Shoring
– Shoring is the method in which metal or timber props are assembled temporarily to support the structure during construction.
Truss
– A truss is a supporting structure or framework that’s composed of beams, girders or rod, usually made of steel of wood.