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Construction Terms and Slang

Click on a letter to go to the appropriate set of definitions (e-mail us if we forgot a term!)

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Walkways
Designated areas for foot traffic.

Wane
Bark, or lack of wood from any cause, on edge or corner of a piece of wood.

Water Repellant Coating
Transparent coating or sealer applied to the surface of concrete and masonry surfaces to repel water.

Water Repellent Preservative
A liquid designed to penetrate into wood and impart water repellency and a moderate preservative protection. It is used for millwork, such as sash and frames, and is usually applied by dipping.

Water Vapor
Moisture existing as a gas in air.

Water-Cement Ratio
The strength of a concrete mixture depends on the water cement ratio. The water and cement form a paste. If the paste is made with more water, the concrete becomes weaker. Traditionally, concrete mixes have been identified in terms of the ratio of cement to fine aggregate to coarse aggregate. For example, the ratio 1:2:4 refers to a mix which consists of 1 cu. ft. of cement, 2 cu. ft. of sand and 4 cu. ft. of gravel. Cement and water are the two chemically active elements in concrete and when combined, form a paste or glue which coats and surrounds the particles of aggregate and upon hardening binds the entire mass together.

Waterproofing
The process where a building component is made totally resistant to the passage of water and/or water vapor.

Wattage
The electrical unit of power. Kilowatts is 1000 watts and electric customers are billed on how many kilowatts of power they have used.

Weatherstrip
Narrower or jamb-width sections of thin metal or other material to prevent infiltration of air and moisture around windows and doors. Compression weather stripping prevents air infiltration, provides tension, and acts as a counter balance.

Weep Hole
A hole which allows for drainage of entrapped water from masonry or glazing structures.

Weep Screed
Tool used to drain moisture from concrete.

Weld
The joining of components together by fusing. In thermoplastics, refers to bonding together of the membrane using heat or solvents.

Wet Seal
Application of an elastomeric sealant between the glass and sash to form a weather tight seal.

Wind Uplift
The upward force exerted by wind traveling across a roof.

Wire Size
Conductors for building wiring are available in AWG (American Wire Gauge) sizes ranging from No. 14 to 4/0. The larger the number size, the smaller the diameter. For example #10 is smaller than #8. The larger the diameter of a wire, the lesser the resistance.

Wood Filler
A heavily pigmented preparation used for fining and leveling off the pores in open-pored woods.

Wood Rays
Strips of cells extending radially within a tree and varying in height from a few cells in some species to 4 inches or more in oak. The rays serve primarily to store food and to transport it horizontally in the tree.

Woodfiber Plaster
Consists of calcified gypsum integrally mixed with selected coarse cellulose fibers which provide bulk and greater coverage. It is formulated to produce high-strength base coats for use in highly fire-resistant ceiling assemblies.

Work Life
The time during which a curing sealant remains suitable for use after being mixed with a catalyst.