Glossary
Ant cap Metal hat fixed on top of a stump to help prevent termite passage
Auger A drilling implement shaped like a corkscrew
Bale mallet Large wooden mallet for relocating straw bales in a wall
Barrup A roof support system utilising metal cables and adjustable fulcrum
Bearers Timber fitted on top of stumps that support the floor joist
Birdsmouth Triangular checkout in the bottom of a rafter which sits over the outside wall
Bottom boxing Timber structure at the bottom of a straw bale wall on which the straw bales are laid
Bottom plate Timber at the base of a timber framed wall
Buckle Coupling for compression strapping
Cement render Paste matericals often consisting of 1 part cement, 1 part lime, 6 parts washed sand. Also referred to as stucco
Centres A measurement from the centre of one piece of timber to the centre of a parallel piece of timber. Equivalent to common edge
Chalk line A marking system with a string line held in a holder with chalk inside it. The chalk is loaded onto the string and when flicked against a surface the chalk marks the material, leaving a straight line marked
Checked into… To fix a piece of timber into another with its face level with the face of the original piece of timber
Checkout To remove a straight-edged section of timber
Chippy Nickname for a carpenter
Cob A sticky, fibrous mixture of straw and earthen render
Collar tie A piece of timber in a roof fixed horizontally between the ceiling joist and roof peak
Common edge A measurement from the edge of one piece of timber to the edge of a parallel piece of timber. Equivalent to the centres measurement
Compression strapping Polyester strapping encircling the bottom boxing, straw bales and top boxing. The shortening of the strapping causes the compression of the straw bales
Cripple To cut part way through a piece of bowed timber to facilitate its straightening
Cutting (excavation) To excavate land, normally with a view to create a flat section on which to build a home
Door buck A frame fixed into a straw bale wall into which a door is fitted
Door chair rail The central horizontal section of a door
Door head (door frame, door fix) The top horizontal section of the door opening of a timber framed wall or door jamb into which the door is hung
Door post A vertical post adjoining a door
Door sill The bottom horizontal section of a door
Door stile The verticle timber of a door
Door stop Timber within a door jamb that a door closes against
Dumpy level A mechanical piece of equipment used for measuring land gradient
Earthen render A paste made up of sand and clay used to seal straw bale walls
Eave The section of the roof that extends beyond the outside wall
Fascia Timber fixed to the outer ends of rafters, onto which guttering is secured
First fix The carpentry to build the frame of a house
Floor clamps Clamps also referred to as floor dogs, used to clamp flooring together
Floor joist Horizontal sections of timber fixed to the bearers onto which the flooring is fixed
Framing Carpentry work on the timber frame of a house, also referred to as first fix
Framing gun A nail gun which fires 75mm nails, used to assemble the frame of a house
F7 A rating of timber strength
Fulcrum The point of rest on which a lever turns or is supported
Gang nail Metal plate with spikes protruding used to join two pieces of timber
Gripple A mechanism used to join fencing wire
Hanging beam A timber beam fixed above and to ceiling joists to support the ceiling joists
Head door, head window The top section of a door or window
Hip truss A manufactured truss running from the externam corner of a building at a 45-degree angle to the centre of the building
Hurdle A structure on which the location of a building’s foundations are recorded as a term of reference during construction (a horizontal piece of timber fixed to two uprights)
Infill A straw bale building system where straw bales are used to fill the spaces between a self-supporting structure
Jack joist Short sections of timber fixed to the outside wall running parallel to the ceiling joists, and to the first ceiling joist, onto which the ceiling is fixed (also referred to as ceiling trimmers)
Jack rafter The first full rafters to be fitted at each end of a roof
Joist strap Upright timber or metal straps fixed at the junction of the ceiling joist and hanging beam
KDHW Kiln dried hardwood
Kordon A physical and chemical barrier to termites
Laser level A piece of equipment with a laser, used for measuring land gradient
Latch A spring-loaded door lock system that can be opened by turning a door knob or key
Lath A small, flat section of timber fixed to a timber-framed wall, onto which plaster is spread to create a flat wall surface
Level A nickname for a spirit level
Lime putty A paste made up of hydrated lime and washed sand used to seal straw bale walls
Lintel A horizontal beam fitted within a wall to support a load over an opening
Load bearing A straw bale building system where the weight of the roof and/or upper floor joists of two-storey construction is supported by the straw bales
Lock-up Carpentry work resulting in the house being securely locked
Metal wall brace A length of angle iron fixed into a timber framed wall to hold it square and upright
MGP Machine Grade Pine (a measurement of the strength of pine)
Mullion Vertical piece of timber fixed within a window
Nail plate see gang nail
Noggings Short horizontal piece of timber fixed between studs in a timber framed wall (can be abbreviated to noggs)
OBHW Ordinary building hardwood
Packers Thin pieces of timber used to build up the depth or thickness of timber
Plane Method of reducing the size of timber, which results in a smooth surface
Plumb bob Implement consisting of a weight and a piece of string; used to find a vertical line
Plumb cut A vertical cut on a piece of timber, most often on a rafter
R value A measure of resistance of insulation to heat transfer; the higher the R rating, the more effective the insulation
Rafter Material supporting roof cladding
Render Paste material used for sealing straw bales. See also cement render, stucco, lime putty and earthen render
Reveal Timber fixed to the inside of an aluminium window
Ring beam Beam around the perimeter of an infill straw bale building which supports the upper floor joists and/or the roof
Rip To make a cut along the length of timber (normally along the grain)
Riser The vertical part of a staircase, which may be filled with timber or left open
Second fix The carpentry work that results in a house being able to be locked
Sheet flooring Pieces of flat flooring material approximately 3600 x 900mm, normally made of ply or particleboard
Sill The bottom horizontal section of a window or door
Sizalation Sheeting fixed beneath roof cladding and above the rafters to prevent condensed water falling on the ceiling
Sole plate Timber or concrete support for stumps
Spacings The gap between two parallel materials
Sparky Nickname for an electrician
Stile The vertical section of a door or external vertical parts of a window; the frame into which a window or day is to be fitted including a window or door buck
Stucco see cement render
Striker plate Metal plate fixed to a door jamb. The door latch passes over its face and then protrudes into it and holds the door in the closed position
Stringer The angled section of a staircase
Strip flooring Narrow pieces of timber fixed to the floor joists
Strip footing A combination of concrete and steel within a trench in the ground designed to support a building
Structural infill A straw bale building system where the roof and/or upper floor joists are supported on a frame, which is fixed into and held upright by the compressed straw bales
Stud Vertical timber within a timber framed wall
Stump Timber, concrete or metal pipe used to support a house
Stump pin A metal pin protruding from the top of a concrete stump
Subbies Nickname for sub-contractors
Sub-floor bracing Angle bracing fixed to stumps
Thermal mass A body of matter capable of absorbing and retaining heat
Top boxing Timber structure fitted to the top of a straw bale wall
Top plate Horizontal piece of timber at the top of a timber framed wall
Tradies Nickname for tradespeople
Tread The horizontal section of a staircase
Trusses Prefabricated roof structures
Vibrating plate Hand-operated machine for the compaction of sand and crushed rock
Villaboard Cement-sheet type product with a rebate at the edge of the sheets that enables joining compound to be fitted, giving a flat, patched surface. Ideal for use in wet areas, particularly as a support for ceramic tiles, etc
Wall plate Horizontal piece of timber at the top or bottom of a timber framed wall
Water level A piece of equipment utilising of water to determine multiple locations that are at the same level as one another
Wall brace Diagonal piece of material to hold a timber-framed wall square and vertical
Window buck A frame fixed within a straw bale wall into which a window is fitted
Window flashing Plastic and/or aluminium sheeting fitted to windows to prevent the penetration of water on or about windows (also used around external door jambs)