| B |
| ( Top ) |
| Balloon Framing |
Method of framing outside walls in which studs extend the full length or height of the wall. |
| Base Plate |
The lowest part of the steel structure. The welded plate on the end of a column that attaches to the foundation. |
| Base Track |
The bottom track or plate of steel stud wall. |
| Bay |
The interval of space between individual Red Iron main frames. |
| Beam |
Load-bearing member spanning a distance between supports. |
| Blocking |
Any nonstructural member in a floor, wall or ceiling that serves primarily as a point for fastening finishing materials or accessories. |
| Bridging |
Members attached between floor joists to distribute loads over
more than one joist and to prevent twisting of the joist. |
| Building Codes |
Community ordinances governing the manner in which a home can be constructed or modified. Most codes primarily concern themselves with fire and health, with separate sections relating to electrical, plumbing and structural work. |
| C |
| ( Top ) |
| Ceiling Beam |
The horizontal Red Iron structural member that bolts at each end to the column and supports the ceiling furring. |
| Chord |
Any principal member of a truss. In a Red Iron frame the top chords are rafters and the bottom chord is a ceiling beam. |
| Clip Angle |
An L-shaped short piece of metal (normally with a 90 degree bend) typically used for connections. |
| Cold-forming |
A process where light gauge steel members are manufactured by rolling or shaping the steel after it is cold. This process makes the steel stronger. |
| Column |
Vertical, load-bearing member. |
| Cornice |
All soffit and fascia material and trim, including those above and below windows. |
| Cricket |
A superimposed construction placed in a roof area to assist drainage. |
| Cripple |
Short stud such as that used between a door or window header and the top track or between a sill and the base track. |
| C-section or Cee |
Structural framing members with a "C" shaped sectional configuration consisting of a web, flange and lip. Commonly used for studs, floor joists and Red Iron frame members. |
| Curtain Wall |
Exterior wall of a building that is supported by the structure and carries no part of the vertical load except its own. Curtain walls are designed to withstand and transfer wind loads to the structure. |
| F |
| ( Top ) |
| Fascia |
The visible flat front surface that caps the rafter tails. |
| Flange |
The part of a C-section or track that is perpendicular to the web. |
| Flat Strapping |
Sheet steel cut to a specified width without any bends, typically used for bracing. |
| Floor Joist |
A horizontal, structural framing member that supports floor loads. |
| Floor Beam |
The horizontal Red Iron structural member that bolts at each end to a column and supports floor joists and ceiling furring. |
| Floor System |
The floor joists, track, bridging and support members that make up the entire structure that forms the first floor over crawl spaces and basements |
| Footing |
Lower part of a foundation or load-bearing member that transfers the weight of building and occupants to the earth. |
| Frame |
Complete assembly of Red Iron structural steel members containing columns, rafters, ceiling beams, floor beams, etc. |
| Furring |
A hat section member that supports the ceiling finishing materials. |
| P |
| ( Top ) |
| Plumb |
The term used to define a vertical element that is perfectly perpendicular to a level surface above or below. |
| Plywood |
A piece of wood made of three or more layers of wood veneer laminated together with glue. The standard size is a 4'x8' sheet. |
| Post-and-Beam |
A method of construction that requires fewer, but heavier structural members than other methods. Loads are supported without using load bearing walls. |
| Punch-out |
A hole in the web of a steel framing member allowing for the installation of plumbing, electrical, and other trade installation. |
| Purlin |
Horizontal, hat or cee section, structural member that spans between two red-iron frames which unitizes the frames and provides support for the roof decking. |
| R |
| ( Top ) |
| Rafter |
That member forming the slanting frame of a roof. Also known as a hip, jack, or valley rafter depending on its location and use. |
| Rafter Tail |
That part of a rafter that extends beyond the wall which help to form the eaves. |
| Rake |
Roof extension projecting over an endwall following the slope of the roof. |
| Re-Bar |
Reinforcing steel used to increase the tensile strength of concrete. The size designation (e.g. # 5) is the size in eighths of an inch. For Example #5 rebar is 5/8 inch diameter. |
| Red Iron |
Structural steel coated with a red oxide coating that resists rust formation |
| Ridge |
Peak of a roof where the roof surfaces meet at an angle. |
| Rim Track |
Metal track installed over the end of floor joists to support the ends and close off the space between them. |
| Rise |
Measurement in height (related to "run"). Used for describing pitch and stair construction. |
| Roof Pitch |
Slope of the roof surface generally expressed in inches of vertical "rise" per 12 inches of horizontal distance (run). (example: written as 4/12 or said as " 4 inch rise per 12 inch run " or simply " four twelve or four in twelve ") |
| Rough Opening |
The framed-in opening, slightly larger than the actual window/door, that replaces wall studs to support the structure and accommodate a window/door. |
| Run |
Measurement of horizontal distance (related to "rise"). Used for describing pitch and stair construction.
|
| R-Value |
A measure of the resistance an insulating material offers to heat transfer. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation. |
| S |
| ( Top ) |
| Saddle |
A superimposed construction placed between two roof areas to join the roofs. |
| Self-drilling Screws |
A fastener with a drilling point able to penetrate heavy-gauge metal. |
| Shear-wall |
A wall assembly capable of resisting lateral forces to prevent racking from wind or seismic loads acting parallel to the plane of the wall. |
| Sheathing |
Plywood, gypsum, wood fiber, or composition boards encasing walls, ceilings, floors and roofs of framed buildings. |
| Sill |
The piece of track forming the lower side of a window opening. |
| Slab |
A flat (although sometimes ribbed on the underside) reinforced concrete element of a building that provides the base for the floor. |
| Soffit |
The underside of eaves and rakes (between the fascia board and the outside of the building). Soffits are usually vented to draw air into the attic. |
| Span |
Distance between two supports that carry the structural loads (ie the distance between Red Iron frames or between supports for floor joists. |
| Spreader Bar |
A device used to distribute weight while lifting wide frames. |
| Stick-Building |
Framing one member at a time on the job site, instead of raising prefabricating walls or red Iron frames as a unit. |
| Stub Column |
A short vertical structural member that bolts between two other members such as a rafter and ceiling beam. |
| Stud |
A C-section, vertical framing member used to construct walls and partitions. |
| Sub-floor |
Rough or structural floor placed directly on the floor joists to which the finished flooring is applied. As with resilient flooring,an underlayment might be required between the subfloor and finished floor. |
| T |
| ( Top ) |
| Tag-line |
A rope tied to the base of a column to assist in controlling a Red Iron frame while it is being lifted into place. |
| Thermal Break |
Material used to prevent or reduce the direct transmission of heat or cold between two surfaces. |
| Top Track |
Horizontal member of stud wall that ties all studs together at the top. |
| Track |
A U shaped member used for applications such as top and bottom track for walls and rim track for floor joists. |
| Trimmer |
Double joists or rafters framing the opening of a stairway well, dormer opening, etc. |
| Truss |
A rigid framework of wood or metal beams, designed to support a structure, such as a roof. |
