Search Results for W waferboard A panel product made of discrete wafers of wood bound together by resin, heat, and pressure. Waferboard can be made to timber species, such as aspen, that are not suitable for lumber or plywood manufacture. wainscot The lower portion of an interior wall whose surface differs from that of the upper wall. wainscot cap The finish molding at the top of wainscot. wale (waler, whaler) Timber placed horizontally across a structure to strengthen it. wall beam A header bolted to a wall and used to support joists or beams. wall column A steel or concrete column fully or partly embedded in a wall. wall guard A protective, resilient strip attached to a wall to protect the surface from carts, transporters, or other movable conveyors. wall plate The top plate in construction placed on top of studs and bearing the joists of the next floor above. wall tie A metal strip or wire used to tie masonry wythes together, or tie a masonry veneer to a wood or concrete frame or wall. wall-bearing construction A structural system where the weight of the floors and roof are carried directly by the masonry walls rather than the structural framing system. wallboard A manufactured sheet material used to cover large areas. Wallboards are made from many items, including wood fibers and gypsum. In north America, the most common is sheetrock, a gypsum-based panel bound by sheets of heavy paper. It is used to cover interior walls and ceilings in place of wet plaster. wane A defective edge of a board due to remaining bark or a beveled end. A wane is usually caused by sawing too near the surface of the log. warm-air heating system A heating system in which warm air is distributed through a single register or series of ducts. Circulation may be by convection (gravity system) or by a fan in the ductwork (forced system). warp Distortion in the shape of a plane surface, such as that in lumber as a result of a change in moisture content. warranty A promise made by a seller or contractor responsible for work performed under a contract that the work performed is fit for the purpose intended and is free from structural, electrical, mechanical, and other defects. waste pipe A pipe to convey discharge from plumbing pipes. water closet (W.C., flushable closet) A plumbing fixture used to receive human wastes and flush them to a waste pipe. water hammer A loud thumping noise in a water service line due to the surge of suddenly checked water. water seal The water in a trap acting as a seal against the passage of gases. water table The top surface of groundwater. water-cement ratio The ratio of the amount of water, exclusive only of that absorbed by the aggregates, to the amount of cement in a concrete or mortar mixture. The ratio is preferably stated as a decimal by weight. water-level control A control on a boiler used to maintain the water at a safe level. water-reducing agent A material that either increases workability of freshly mixed mortar or concrete without increasing water content, or maintains workability with a reduced amount or water; the effect being due to factors other than air entrainment. water-supply system The system that supplies water throughout a building, including the service pipe(s), fittings, and control valves. waterborne preservative Preservative salts dissolved in water and transferred to the wood during the treating process. waterstop A thin sheet of metal, rubber, plastic, or other material inserted across a joint to obstruct the seeping of water through the joint. wearing course A topping or surface treatment to increase the resistance of a concrete pavement or slab to abrasion. weather The length of shingle or tile that is exposed, as measured along the slope of a roof. weatherability The ability of a masonry joint to resist deteriorating in relationship to how it is jointed-off. weathering The mechanical or chemical disintergration and discoloration of the surface of wood, caused by exposure to light, the action of dust and sand carried by the wind, and the alternate shrinking and swelling of the surface fibers due to continual variation in temperature and moisture content brought on by changes in the weather. weatherstrip A strip of wood, metal, felt plastic, or other material applied at an exterior door or window to seal or cover the joint made by the door or window with the sill, casings, or threshold. web That part of a beam or truss between the flanges or chords, used mainly in resisting shear stresses. web stiffener Blocking added to the web of a composite wood structural member to prevent web buckling. weep hole A small hole in a wall or window member to allow accumulated water to drain. The water may be from condensation and/or surface penetration. weld metal That part of a weld that was melted while welding. welded-wire fabric (welded-wire mesh) A series of longitudinal and transverse wires of various gauges, arranges at right angles to each other and welded at all points of intersection; used for concrete slab reinforcement. well-graded aggregate Aggregate with a particle-size distribution producing maximum density, or minimum void space. well-point system A series of well points connected to a header and used to drain as area or to control ground water seepage into an excavation. welt A seam in sheet metal formed by folding over the edges of two sheets, interlocking the folded portions, and flattening the formed seam. wet mix Concrete containing too much water, immediately evidenced by a runny consistency. wet screeds Concrete strips placed beforehand at the proper elevation to act as height guides when pouring a concrete slab. whole-brick wall A brick wall having a thickness equal to the length on one brick. wide-flange beam A hot-rolled steel beam having a cross section resembling an "H" and having wider flanges than as I-beam. wind load The horizontal load used in the design of a structure to account for the effects of wind. wind stop A weatherstrip used around a door or window. wind uplift The upward component of the force produced as wind blows around or across a structure or an object. wind-brace A brace provided in a frame to support the frame against wind loads. winder A tread that is used where a stair turns a horizontal angle, or in a spiral stair; shaped like a wedge or truncated wedge. window wall An exterior curtain wall using a frame containing windows that may be fixed or operable. The glazing may be clear, tinted, and/or opaque. wing A section or addition extending out from the main part of a building. wire gauge The diameter of a wire as defined by several different systems. Ordinarily, the thicker the wire is, the smaller the gauge number is. wire lath A welded-wire mesh used as a base for plaster. wire nut A connector for two or more electric conductors, made in the form of a plastic cap with an internal spring-thread. It is turned over the parallel or twisted ends of the conductor wires. wiring box A box used in interior electric wiring at each junction point, outlet, or switch, which serves as protection for electric connections and as a mounting for fixtures or switches. wood block floor A finished floor consisting of rectangular blocks of a tough wood such as oak, set in mastic with the end grain exposed, usually over concrete slab. A wood block floor is used where very heavy traffic and heavy loads are expected. wood fire-retardant treatment The impregnation of wood or wood products with special solutions to reduce the flame spread of the finished product. wood lath Narrow strips of wood used as a base for plaster. wood preservative Any chemical preservative for wood, applied by washing-on or pressure-impregnating. Products used include creosote, sodium fluoride, copper sulfate, and tar or pitch. working load Forces normally imposed on a member in service. working stress design A method of proportioning structures or members for prescribed working loads at stresses well below the ultimate, and assuming linear distribution of flexural stresses. woven-wire fabric A prefabricated steel reinforcement for concrete composed of cold-drawn steel wires mechanically twisted together to from hexagonally shaped openings. wythe (leaf) Each continuous vertical section of a wall one masonry unit in thickness. Search Again