House terms often heard, sometimes not understood

Press, 9 May 1979, Page 19

House terms often heard, sometimes not understood

Here are some of the terms which you may have heard used concerning your house but which you may not be altogether sure of: Architrave: Moulding around an opening, such as a doorway.

Bargeboard: Woodwork covering the joint, between the sloping part of a gable and the roof. Bearers: Timbers spanning from pillar to pillar in the foundations and carrying the floor joists. Casement: A window which open outwards on hinges attached to one side of it. Damp course: A waterproof layer set just above ground level in a wall to prevent dampness from rising, or fixed in chimneys or basements to stop dampness from penetrating. Dormer window: A window that projects from a sloping roof. Dwang: Short pieces of timber used to brace the studs. Eaves: The edges of a roof overhanging the walls. Fascia: A horizontal board carrying the spouting around the eaves. Flashing: A materia! (often lead or zinc) used to keep water from seeping into joints between the roof finish and a chimney, or dormer and so on. Gable: A triangular

upper portion of a wall, from the eaves line to the top of the roof. Joist: One of several perallel beams carrying a floor or ceiling. Lintel: A horizontal toppiece over a door or window.

Pitch: The angle at which a roof slopes. Rafter: A beam running from the eaves to the

ridge of the roof and supporting its weight. Ridgepole: The board which forms the central line of a roof. Sarking: Boarding or lining between the rafters and roof. Soffit: An under-surface such as under the eaves. Stud: A vertical timber, helping to form the main framework of a partition. Underpinning: Supporting the foundations of a structure, made necessary when they become faulty or fractured, or through the construction of an adjoining building.

Valley: A hallow where two different roof slopes meet.