Glossary of Terms
Glossary of Common Terms in Consrtuction
Professional Builders tend to use a lot of “jargon” and other words to describe things in their business that most of us will have no idea what they mean. So to “de-mystify” the secret language here is a short translation or glossary of common building terminology.
- Window Lights (lites) – can often mean a glazed section of the window that opens (top lite / side lite)
- Window Cill (sill) – the bottom section or “shelf” of a window (inside or outside)
- Leaded Lights (lites) – window panes that have decorative lead patterns
- Georgian (Astrical) Bars – the bars that divide a large window into smaller panes
- Window Head – the top of a window frame
- Window or Door reveals – the inner recessed wall that surrounds the window or door
- (Door) Jamb – the vertical sides of the window or door frame
- Profile – refers to the cross section design of a frame
- Left or Right Handing – for double doors its which one opens first
- Lead (pronounced Leed) Door – the main opening door
- Furniture – handles, locks, letter boxes, hinges etc.
- Sash – the vertical moving window section
- Brush Seals – weather proofing strips fitted to window & door frames
- uPVC – the abbreviation for Unplasticised Poly Vinyl Chloride
- Engineered Wood – wood made from laminated sections of timber glued together to form a new piece
- Bumping, Snapping & Drilling – methods used by burglars to break door & window locks
- WER Label – Window Energy Rating for energy efficiency, shows how good the whole installation is at keeping in heat (A+ is best).
- Veneer – a thin surface layer overlaid onto the core material of a door
- Composite Door – one constructed from a combination of GRP Wood & uPVC
- GRP – Fiberglass or Glass reinforced plastic
- Low-e or Low emissivity – energy efficient glass that is coated (with a metal oxide)
- Air Gap – refers usually to the space between the panes of glass in a double or triple glazed window. Can be filled with an inert gas such as Argon to enhance energy efficiency
- Trickle Vent – a small air ventilation gap that help prevent condensation fitted to double glazed windows.
- Laminated Glass – a “sandwich” of glass/plastic/glass which makes it harder to break & safer when it does break
- Solar Gain – usually mentioned when describing the ability of double glazed windows to let in more heat than they let out.
- Beads (window or door) – strips that fit around a window or door panel to hold the panel (or glass pane) into place. Interior beading is preferred to prevent removal by burglars.
- Standard door – 2’ 6” wide x 6’ 6” high (1981mm x 762mm)
- Non Standard Door – typically 2’ 9” inches wide
- NFR – Non “fire rated” door
- FD – safety door that is Fire Rated and can last longer in a fire (FD60 = 60 minutes of protection)
- Impossible – can be done, but at a suitable extra cost. Usually spoken by a builder when faced with changing some aspect of your project.
Get Free Quotes to Compare Windows Prices Online
Send us a few simple details & we will find you prices for fully fitted double glazed windows & doors for your home.
