Search Results for R rabbet A cut or groove along or near the edge of a piece of wood that allows another piece of wood to fit into it to form a joint. raceway Any furrow or channel constructed to loosely house electrical conductors. These conduits may be flexible or rigid, metallic or nonmetallic, and are designed to protect the cables they enclose. radiant heating system A system with heating terminals that deliver heat by radiation from a hot surface, such as those heated by the flow of hot water or electric current. rafter One of a series of sloping parallel beams used to support a roof covering. rafter plate A plate used to support the lower end of rafters and to which they are fastened. rafter tail That part of a rafter overhanging the wall. rails The horizontal members that form the outside frame of a door, including pieces used as a cross bracing between the top and bottom rails. rainwet Lumber that has excess moisture content because of exposure to rain after it was dried. rake A board or molding that is placed along the sloping edge of a frame gable to cover the edges of the siding. random ashlar (random bond) Constitutes ashlar masonry in which stones are set without continuous joints, and appear to follow a random pattern, although a large pattern may be repeated. random rubble Stone masonry, built of rubble. raveling A term for the progressive deterioration of asphalt pavement. The aggregate dislodges and becomes fragmented. ready-mixed concrete Concrete manufactured for delivery to a purchaser in a plastic and unhardened state. real estate Property in the form of land and all improvements such as buildings and paving. rebar Reinforcing bar. rebar Short for reinforcing bar. receptacle outlet An electric outlet with one or more receptacles. recessed fixture A lamp fixture the bottom edge of which is flush with the finish surface. recessed pointing A type of joint where the mortar is kept back approximately º" from the face of the wall. This particular joint protects the mortar from peeling. recirculated air Return air that is reconditioned and distributed once again, as opposed to makeup air. record drawings Construction drawings updated to show the progress of the work, usually based on data furnished by the contractor to the designer. reference standards Professionally prepared generic specifications and technical data compiled and published by competent organizations generally recognized and accepted by the construction industry. These standards are sometimes used as criteria by which the acceptability and/or performance of a product, material, assembly, or piece of equipment can be judged. reflective insulation A thermal material having one or both faces metallically coated to reflect the radiant energy that strikes its surface. refrigerant The medium used to absorb heat in a cooling cycle. refrigeration system A system in which a refrigerant is compressed, condensed, and expanded as a means of removing heat from a cold reservoir. The heat is rejected elsewhere at a higher temperature. register An opening to a room or space for the passage of conditioned air. The register has a grill and a damper for flow regulation. reglet A groove in a wall to receive flashing. reheat coil A coil in an air supply duct, used to control the temperature of air being supplied to individual spaces or a group of spaces. reinforced concrete Concrete containing adequate reinforcement, prestressed or not prestressed, and designed on the assumption that the two materials (steel and concrete) act together in resisting forces. reinforced masonry Unit masonry construction in which steel reinforcement is so embedded that the materials act together in resisting tensile, compressive, and/or shear stresses. reinforcement Bars, wires, strands, and other slender members embedded in concrete in such a manner that the reinforcement and the concrete act together in resisting forces. reinforcement ratio Ratio of the effective area of the reinforcement to the effective area of the concrete at any section of a structural member. reinforcement, distribution bar Small-diameter bars, usually at right angles to the main reinforcement, intended to spread a concentrated load on a slab and to prevent cracking. relative compaction The dry density of soil expressed as a percentage of the density of the soil after a standard compaction test. relief angle Structural angle introduced to help support masonry over an opening or at specified elevations or multistory construction. renovation The making over or renewal of a building or structure. repetitive member One of a series of framing or supporting members such as joists, studs, planks, or decking that are continuous, or spaced not more than 24 inches apart; and are joined by floor, roof, or other load-distributing elements. In repetitive-member framing, each member is connected to, and receives some shared support from, the others. resident engineer An engineer retained by the owner as a representative on the construction site. resilient flooring A manufactured interior floor covering material, in either sheet or tile form, that is resilient. resurfacing The placing of a new surface on an existing pavement to improve its conformation or increase its strength. retaining wall A structure used to sustain the pressure of the earth behind it. retempering Addition of water and remixing of concrete or mortar that has lost its workability and become too stiff. This is not usually recommended, as some of the strength is lost. retrofit To modify an existing structure or system within the structure to accommodate upgrading. return system A series of ducts, pipes, or passages that returns a substance, whether it be air or water, to the source for reuse. return-air Air returned from a conditioned room or space for processing and recirculation. return-air intake An opening, usually with a control damper, through which return air reenters an air-conditioning system. revet To face a foundation or embankment with a layer of stone, concrete, or other suitable material. rich mixture A concrete mixture containing a high proportion of cement. ridge The horizontal line formed by the upper edges of two sloping roof surfaces. ridge beam A horizontal timber to which the tops of rafters are fastened. ridgeboard (ridgepole, roof tree) The longitudinal board set on edge used to support the upper ends of the rafters. rigid connection A connection between two structural members that prevents end rotation of one relative to the other. rigid frame A structural framing system in which all columns and beams are rigidly connected. There are no hinged joints. rigid metal conduit A raceway constructed for the pulling in or withdrawing of wires or cables after the conduit is in place and made of standard weight metal pipe permitting the cutting of standard threads. rigid pavement Pavement that will provide high bending resistance and distribute loads to the foundation over a comparatively large area. rim joist Perimeter joist for wood floor framing system. Usually referred to in conjunction with composite wood floor joists. ring-shank nail A nail with ring-like grooves around the shank to improve its grip. riser A vertical member between two stair treads. roof The outer cover and its supporting structure on the top of a building. roof covering The covering material installed in a building over the roof deck. The type of covering used depends on the roofing system specified to weatherproof the structure properly. roof deck The foundation or base upon which the entire roofing system is dependent. Types of decks include steel, concrete, cement, and wood. roof drain A drain designed to accept rainwater on a roof and discharge it into a leader or downspout. roof flange A collar that fits around a pipe penetrating through the roof making the opening watertight. roof live load Any external loads that may be applied to a roof deck, such as rain, snow, construction equipment, and personnel. roof plate A wall plate that supports the lower end of rafters. roof sheathing Any sheet or board material, such as plywood or particleboard, connected to the roof rafters to act as a base for shingles or other roof coverings. roofing bond A guarantee by a surety company that a roof installed by a roofer in accordance with specifications will be repaired if it fails within a certain period of time. Failure must be due to normal weathering. rot Decay in wood caused by fungi and other microorganisms. Rot reduces the strength, hardness, and density of the wood. rough grading Cutting and filling the earth for preparation of finish grading. rough opening An opening in a wall or framework into which a door frame, window frame, sub frame, or rough buck is fitted. roughing-in Installing the concealed portion of plumbing to the point of connection for fixtures. rout To deepen and widen a crack, preparing it for patching or sealing. rowlock course (bull header) Brick pattern in which bricks are set on their face edges with the ends visible in the wall face. rubbed finish A finish obtained by using an abrasive, often a carborundum stone, to remove surface irregularities from concrete. runner A cold-rolled channel used to support steel studs in a partition or ceiling tile. running trap A U-shaped pipe fitting installed in a drain line to prevent the backflow of sewer gases. rust Any of various powdery or scaly reddish-brown or reddish-yellow, hydrated, ferric oxides formed on the surface of iron or steel that is exposed to moisture and air. Rust eventually will weaken or destroy the material if allowed to progress. rusticated A formed or cut reveal in concrete masonry or stone used to highlight or conceal joints in concrete, masonry, or stone fascia. Search Again