Glossary

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Gable The end of a building as distinguished from the front or rear side. The triangular end of an exterior wall from the level of the eaves to the ridge of a double-sloped roof. In house construction, the portion of the roof above the eave line of a double-sloped roof.
Gable End An end wall having a gable.
Gambrel Roof A type of roof which has its slope broken by an obtuse angle, so that the lower slope is steeper than the upper slope. A double sloped roof having two pitches.
Galvanize To coat a metal with zinc by dipping it in molten zinc after cleaning.
Gaskets pre-formed shapes, such as strips, grommets, etc., of rubber or rubber-like composition, used to fill and seal a joint or opening either alone or in conjunction with a supplemental application of a sealant.
Gauge The thickness of sheet metal and wire, etc.
Gauge Board (Spot Board) Board used to carry grout needed to patch small jobs.
General Contractor (Primary Contractor) A contractor responsible for all facets of construction of a building or renovation.
GFI or GFCI Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters - Special devices capable of opening a circuit when even a small amount of current is flowing through the grounding system.
GFRC Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete; Material used in wall systems that resembles but generally does not perform as well as concrete. Usually a thin cementitious material laminated to plywood or other lightweight backing.
Girder A main beam upon which floor joists rest used to support concentrated loads at isolated points along its length, usually made of steel or wood.
Glass A hard, brittle substance, usually transparent, made by fusing silicates under high temperatures with soda, lime, etc.
Glaze Coat In roofing, a light, uniform mopping of bitumen on exposed felts to protect them from the weather, pending completion of the job.
Glazing A generic term used to describe an infill material such as glass, panels, etc. (v) the process of installing an infill material into a prepared opening in windows, door panels, partitions, etc.
Glazing Bead In glazing, a strip surrounding the edge of the glass in a window or door which holds the glass in place.
Glazing Channel In glazing, a three-sided, U-shaped sash detail into which a glass product is installed and retained.
Grade The surface of the ground;  to move earth for the purpose of bringing the surface of the ground to an intended level or profile.
Grade MW Moderate Weather grade of brick for moderate resistance to freezing used, for example, in planters.
Grade NW No Weather brick intended for use as a back-up or interior masonry.
Grade SW Severe Weather grade of brick intended for use where high resistance to freezing is desired.
Grain The direction, size, arrangement, appearance, or quality of the fibers in wood.
Granules The mineral particles of a graded size which are embedded in the asphalt coating of shingles and roofing.
Grapple A heavy set of tongs with fine teeth on the inside used to load and move logs.
Gravel Loose fragments of rock used for surfacing built-up roofs, in sizes varying from 1/8" to 1 3/4".
Green Log Freshly cut logs
Ground System The connection of current-carrying neutral wire to the grounding terminal in the main switch which in turn is connected to a water pipe. The neutral wire is called the ground wire.
Grounding Rod Rod used to ground an electrical panel.
Grout or Grouting A cement mortar mixture made of such consistency (by adding water) that it will just flow into joints and cavities of masonry work to fill them solid.
Guide Board Usually 2x2 cedar inserted between the log siding and roof to insure the log ends stay dry and help prevent rotting.
Gun Consistency Sealant formulated in a degree of viscosity suitable for application through the nozzle of a caulking gun.
Gunite A construction material composed of cement, sand or crushed slag and water mixed together and forced through a cement gun by pneumatic pressure, used in the construction of swimming pools.
Gutter Metal or wood trough at the eaves of a roof to carry rain water from the roof to the downspout.
Gutter Strap Metal bands used to support the gutter.
Gusset A flat wood, plywood, or similar type member used to provide a connection at intersection of wood members. Most commonly used at joints of wood trusses. They are fastened by nails, screws, bolts, or adhesives.
Guy Wire A strong steel wire or cable strung from an anchor on the roof to any tall slender projection for the purpose of support.
Gypsum Plaster Gypsum formulated to be used with the addition of sand and water for base-coat plaster.
Gypsum Board See Drywall
Gypsum Keene Cement Material used to obtain a smooth finish coat of plaster, for use over gypsum plastic base coats only and in areas not subject to moisture. It is the hardest plaster.

 

N5821 County Road S | PO Box 902 | Plymouth, WI 53073 | (800) 707-0449