The Homeplans Glossary

Definitions are provided for informational purposes only.

Sconce
Any wall-mounted lighting fixture.

Service, Service Box
The main electrical panel that distributes power throughout the house.

Shakes
Wood shingles. Usually cedar thay are used for roofing and siding.

Sheathing
Any material which covers the wall and roof framing. The base material under the roof shingles, siding, etc. Sheathing is usually plywood or wafer boardwafer board, but can be other materials.

Sheet Rock
See wallboard.

Shiplap
See Clapboard

Shoe
The horizontal framing member at the bottom of a wall. The studs rest on, and are attached to, the shoe. See Plate. Also: a narrow molding at the juncture of the finish floor and baseboard.

Siding
The exterior finishing material that is applied over the sheathed on a frame house. Siding can be wood, but vinyl or aluminum siding is generally preferred today due to reduced maintenance and lower initial cost.

Sidelight
(Usually) a narrow window alongside a door.

Sill
(Framing) the horizontal wood framing that rests directly on the foundation. A flat, horizontal member, such as a window sill.

Soffit
The underside of the eaves, usually but not always covered with horizontal boards. The space above kitchen wall cabinets (for example) and similar areas.

Stringers
Most commonly, the boards that support the stair treads, either underneath or at the at the ends of the treads.Sometimes used to indicate other types of supports.

Studs
The vertical framing members in walls, usually 2x4" or 2x6" wood. Metal studs are also available but less common. Depending on their size, type, and snow load requirements, studs are spaced on 12, 16, or 24" on-center.

Sub Floor
A sheathed material which is laid directly across the floor joists to form the floor. Can be particle board, but plywood is preferable.

Surround
See tub surround.

Surrounds
The trim elements around a window or door.

T-11 (Siding)
A type of siding made from plywood sheets. It simulates board and batten siding.

Tar Paper
See building paper.

Tongue and Groove
Boards which have a groove along one edge. They have a matching projection (the tongue) along the other edge, which is fitted into the groove when the boards are fastened into place.

Transom
A small horizontal window above a door or another window. Transoms can normally be opened and closed.

Tread
The flat part of a stair, where your foot is placed. Also see riser.

Trim
The general term for molding and finishing materials.

Truss
A roof system which has rigid frames instead of individual joists and rafters. Usually pre-manufactured off-site, trusses are framing members that are fastened together and cross-braced to form single units which span the building.

Tub Surround
A pre-manufactured plastic assembly, ceramic tiles, or other material, which are attached to the walls around a bathtub or shower to waterproof the area.

Tyvek
Tyvek is a brand of permeable plastic sheeting that is wrapped over the sheathing prior to installing the finish surface. Sheathing is wrapped to reduce drafts and as an insect barrier. The material must be permeable to allow water vapor to escape.

Veneer
Veneer is a term more usually associated with furniture, but it is also used to describe the thin surfacing laminate materials that are used to surface countertops. Furniture veneers are thin layers of wood laminated to lesser quality wood or other substrates.

Verges
The portions of a roof that project beyond the gable end. Verges is a old term that is slowly coming back into use. Also see eaves.

Voltage, Volts
A measure of electrical pressure. Most (U.S.) homes are supplied with electricity at 110 and 220 volts. Also see Ampere.

Wafer Board
A medium density structural sheet material made from relatively large wood fibers, that bonded together under heat and pressure. Commonly used for sheathing and similar applications. It is reasonably strong and has good weathering capability.

Wallboard
Rigid sheets of gypsum (a plaster-like material) faced with paper. Used for interior walls. Also called gypsum board, gyp-board, Sheetrock (a brand name), plasterboard, and other names.Normally available in 4X8 and 4X12 foot lengths. Standard thickness is 1/2"; also in 3/8" and 5/8" (commercial) thickness.

Window Sash
The (usually movable) part of a window in which the glass is set.