GLOSSARY OF CONSTRUCTION TERMS

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V [W] X Y Z

Wafer board - A manufactured wood panel made out of 1" - 2" wood chips and glue. Often used as a substitute for plywood in the exterior wall and roof sheathing.

Walk Thru - A final inspection of a home before "Closing" to look for and document any problems that need to be corrected.

Wall out - When a painter pray paints the interior of a home.

Warping - Any distortion in a material.

Warranty - In construction there are two general types of warranties. One is provided by the manufacturer of a product such as roofing material or an appliance. The second is a limited builder's warranty.

Waste pipe and vent - Plumbing plastic pipe that carries waste water to the municipal sewage system.

Water board - Water resistant drywall to be used in tub and shower locations. Normally green or blue colored

Water closet - Another name for toilet.

Water meter pit (or vault) - The box /cast iron bonnet and concrete rings that contains the water meter.

Water -repellent preservative - A liquid applied to wood to give the wood water repellant properties

Water table - The location of the underground water, and the vertical distance from the surface of the earth to this underground water.

Water tap - The connection point where the home water line connects to the main municipal water system.

Watt - A measure of the electrical requirement of an appliance calculated by multiplying the voltage times the amperage. For example: a 150 watt light bulb which uses 110 volt power needs a little less than 1 amp (110 volts X 1 amp= 110 watts).

W C - An abbreviation for water closet (toilet).

Weatherization - Work on a building exterior in order to reduce energy consumption for heating or cooling.  Work involving adding insulation, installing storm windows and doors, caulking cracks and putting on weather -stripping.

Weatherstrip - Narrow sections of thin metal or other material installed to prevent the infiltration of air and moisture around windows and doors.

Weep holes - Small holes in storm window frames that allow moisture to escape.

Whole house fan - A fan designed to move air through and out of a home and normally installed in the ceiling.

Wind bracing - Metal straps or wood blocks installed diagonally on the inside of a wall from bottom to top plate, to prevent the wall from twisting, racking, or falling over "domino" fashion.

Window buck - Square or rectangular box that is installed within a concrete foundation or block wall. A window will eventually be installed in this "buck" during the siding stage of construction

Window frame - The stationary part of a window unit; window sash fits into the window frame.

Window sash - The operating or movable part of a window; the sash is made of window panes and their  border.

Wire nut - A plastic device used to connect bare wires together.

Wonderboard (tm) - A panel made out of concrete and fiberglass usually used as a ceramic tile backing material. Commonly used on bathtub decks.

Wrapped drywall - Areas that get complete drywall covering, as in the doorway openings of bifold and bipass closet doors.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V [W] X Y Z