Explanation of Some of the Technical Terms Used in This Book
Barrel-vault (berceau de voûte), means a vault forming simply a portion of a cylinder.
Basement (soubassement), part of a building which receives the ground floor; that is to say, what is comprised between the floor within and the ground without the building.
Bay-window (bretêche), a closed and covered balcony or loge, having front and lateral views, forming a projection without and a recess within. When supported on corbels it is termed an oriel.
Bearer (lambourde), piece of wood fixed horizontally against a wall, and intended to receive the ends of the joists of a floor. The term is also given to the strips of oak fastened on the plaster bed of a floor, and on which are screwed the slabs of parquetry.
Bed (banc), the word bed, as a geological term, signifies a homogeneous layer comprised between two natural horizontal beds or fissures, supposing that the mass has not been deformed by an upheaving. Limestones and some sandstones are extracted in beds. Their thickness is very variable.
Bed-stones (libage), stone suitable for foundations.
Bed of the stone (lit de la pierre), is the upper, or under surface of the layer. Bottom-bed is the term used to designate the under-surface of a stone. Calcareous stones should be laid on their bed just as they were in the quarry.
Blade, or Principal-rafter (arbalétrier), piece of timber inclined, according to the slope of a roof, which is joined at the upper end into the king-post, at its lower end into the tie-beam, and which supports the purlins (see next page).
Bond (harpe), projection formed by a dressed-stone for the purpose of a tie into brick or stone-walling.
Broken-backed roof (bresis), a roof so called is one composed of two planes of inclination, one of which is little and the other considerably inclined. The dormer windows are generally opened in the lower and more inclined plane.
Chimney-stack (souche de cheminée), is the part of the smoke-shaft which surmounts the roofs, and is sometimes terminated with pots of earthenware or of sheet metal.
Clip (moise), comparatively thin piece of timber, serving to connect the parts of a framing by means of notches which hold them, and of bolts. Clips are usually placed in couples.
Concrete (béton), a compound of lime, sand, and gravel rammed in horizontal layers, and thus forming a compact and homogeneous mass, which hardens more or less rapidly, according to the nature of the lime; and on which the heaviest superstructure may be raised without fear of cracks or settlements. In the making of concrete great care and attention is always necessary, and a thorough acquaintance with the nature of the lime made use of.
Corbel (corbeau), support of stone or wood projecting from the face of a wall, having its front moulded or carved, its sides vertical and carrying a beam, cornice, shaft, vault-springer, &c.
Elevation (élévation). By this word is designated in architecture the geometrical view of a façade; properly speaking the vertical projection.
Embankment (cavalier), heap of excavated earth, regularly placed and raised above the surface of the ground.
Filleting (solin), weathering formed above a roof-covering and following its slope against the walls which surmount it, to hinder the rain from penetrating between the covering and the wall.
Foot-piece (blochet), piece of wood notched at right-angles on to the wall-plates of a roof to receive the foot of the rafters, and the foot-post, which hinders the rafter from sliding.
Frame (dormant), fixed frame of wood, which receives the leaves of a door or the opening casements of a window.
Gable (pignon), terminal part of a wall, which masks the timbering of a roof and follows its slopes.
Hip (arêtier), exterior angle formed by the meeting of two roof-surfaces on different planes.
Jamb (jambage), vertical side of a window or doorway. The term is only applied to sides of masonry.
Joint (joint), vertical space left between two stones. It is called dry-joint, when the stones are laid close-fitting, without mortar or cement between them; and mortar-joint, when this interval is filled with mortar.
Jointing (appareil), combination of worked stones.
Joist (solive), piece of wood laid horizontally to form flooring and receive the plaster bed on which are laid the floor quarries or the slabs of parquetry. Wood joists cannot, without bending, have a bearing greater than 16 or 17 feet. Their strength and distance apart are determined by their bearing and the weight they should sustain.
Joist-spaces (entrevous), intervals left between the joists of a floor.
Keeping account (attachement). By this is meant memoranda of the work done or materials used on a building by means of written notes or figures.
King-post (poinçon), vertical piece of wood, which in a principal receives the two blades, and suspends the middle of the tie-beam.
Lintel (linteau), piece of timber or block of stone which, laid across horizontally on the jambs of a door or window-opening, completes the enclosure.
Made-ground (remblai). This term signifies earth and débris that have been shifted by man to raise a piece of ground or fill up its hollows.
Meeting-stile (battement), vertical stile of a door or of a casement on the fastening side.
Mortise (mortaise), oblong hole made in a piece of framing to receive a tenon. The lengthways of a mortise should always follow the grain of the wood.
Newel (noyau), pillar or column around which wind the steps of the stairs.
Notching (embrèvement), sinking made in a piece of wood to receive a mortise and tenon framing.
Pole (échasse), trunk of a tree, long and small, which, fixed up perpendicularly, is employed for scaffolding buildings as they rise.
Post (poteau) vertical piece of wood, which on its head receives one or more cross pieces. The term frame-post is applied to the uprights of a framed partition, and especially those which serve as door-frames.
Principal (ferme), framing of carpentry intended to carry the covering of a roof.
Profile (profil), section of the member of a moulding of an architectural detail.
Pugging (plâtras), filling-in of plaster work between the joists of a floor or the uprights of a lath-and-plaster partition.
Purlin (panne), roofing-timber placed horizontally on the blade of a principal and which carries the rafters.
Put-log (boulin), piece of wood which, resting in the wall at one end, and upon the scaffold runners at the other, serves to carry the platform upon which the men work in raising a building.
Rafter (chevron), piece of timber of small scantling, on which is nailed the boarding or laths which receives the slates or tiles. In good roofing rafters are placed 20 inches apart, centre and centre, at most. They rest at bottom upon wall-plates, or upon foot-pieces, in their length on the side-pieces or purlins, at their upper extremity against the ridge-piece.
Rebate (feuillure), longitudinal sinking made in frames, posts, and lintels, to receive doors and window-casements, &c.
Ridge-pole (faîtage), horizontal piece of wood which, resting on the top of the king-posts of the principals, forms the apex of the roof and receives the rafters. The ridge-poles are supported in their bearing, from one king-post to another, by struts.
Riser (contre-marche), the upright face of a step.
Scale of proportion (échelle de proportion). The text sufficiently explains the use of the scale in architectural drawing, rendering it needless to enlarge on the usefulness of this practical method. By scale is also understood the relative proportions of an edifice. Certain architectural members give the scale of the whole. Thus, a balustrade ought not to exceed elbow height, nor fall short of it; it then gives the scale of the building, that is to say, it indicates the actual size of the whole, by taking for point of comparison the human height.
Screw-bolts (boulon), round iron pin, with a square head at one end, and a screw thread at the other, on which turns an iron nut, serving to hold pieces of timber together.
Section (coupe), view of a building, or an architectural detail cut through.
Sill (tableau), part of the casing of a door or window which comes outside the enclosure.
Staircase (cage d’escalier), is the casing of masonry or timber-work in which are enclosed the steps of the stairs.
Stile (montant), term in joinery applied to all upright pieces.
Strap (étrier), band of iron forming a stirrup, and passing beneath the tie-beam of a principal, suspends it to the king-posts by means of bolts.
Straight-tread (giron-droit), signifies a step of equal width all its length; winding-tread, a step narrow towards the outer string, and enlarging towards the wall of the staircase. It is said, the steps of the stairs have a narrow tread when the width is small, and have a wide tread when their width is large.
String-board (crémaillère), piece of wood on which rests the ends of the steps of the stairs, and which is grooved to ramp with and receive the ends of the steps.
Strut (lien), slanting piece of wood connecting the blade to the king-post of a principal, or a horizontal bearer to a post.
Tenon (tenon), tongue left at the end of a piece of framing, and which fits into the end of the mortise.
Tie-beam (entrait), horizontal piece of timber, which receives at its extremities the foot of the blades of a principal or truss, and which is suspended in the middle by the king-post.
Tread (giron), is the width of a stair-step.
Tread (pas), is the level surface of a step on which the foot is placed.
Trimmer (chevêtre), piece of wood which, framed into two trimmer-joists, receives the ends of the joists, the space of the hearth-stone from the fireplace, or across the openings of doors or windows.
Trimmer-joist (solive d’enchevêtrure), stronger joist to receive the trimmers in front of a hearth-stone or across a chimney-breast.
Valley (noue), interior angle, formed by the meeting of two planes of roof.
Wall (mur). A gutter-wall is that which carries a gutter and receives the eaves of a roof; a gable-wall that which closes in the timber-work of a roof; a partition-wall that which within a building divides the rooms—takes the bearing of the floors and the chimney-flues.
Wall-face (parement), outer or inner surfaces of a wall.
Wall-plate (sablière), horizontal piece of wood laid on the top of a wall lengthwise, and on which rest the tie-beams of the principals and the feet of the rafters.
Water-bar (jet d’eau), projecting moulding affixed to the bottom rail of window-casements and to the wood-sills, and contrived to throw off the rain from the rebate, and from the junction of the wood-sill with the stone-sill.
The End