Brick Masonry Glossary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Natural Stone Glossary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ABSORPTION
The weight of water a brick unit absorbs, when immersed in either cold or boiling water for a stated length of time. Expressed as a percentage of the weight of the dry unit. See ASTM Specification C 67.
ADMIXTURES
Materials added to mortar to impart special properties to the mortar.
ANCHOR
A piece or assemblage, usually metal, used to attach building parts (e.g., plates, joists, trusses, etc.) to masonry or masonry materials.
ANSI
American National Standards Institute.
ARCH
A curved compressive structural member, spanning openings or recesses; also built flat.
Back Arch
A concealed arch carrying the backing of a wall where the exterior facing is carried by a lintel.
Jack Arch
One having horizontal or nearly horizontal upper and lower surfaces. Also called flat or straight arch.
Major Arch
Arch with spans greater than 6 ft and equivalent to uniform loads greater than 1000 lb. per ft. Typically known as Tudor arch, semicircular arch, Gothic arch or parabolic arch. Has rise to span ratio greater than 0.15.
Minor Arch
Arch with maximum span of 6 ft and loads not exceeding 1000 lb. per ft. Typically known as jack arch, segmental arch or multicentered arch. Has rise to span ratio less than or equal to 0.15.
Relieving Arch
One built over a lintel, flat arch, or smaller arch to divert loads, thus relieving the lower member from excessive loading. Also known as discharging or safety arch.
Trimmer Arch
An arch, usually a low rise arch of brick, used for supporting a fireplace hearth.
ASHLAR MASONRY
Masonry composed of rectangular units of burned clay or shale, or stone, generally larger in size than brick and properly bonded, having sawed, dressed or squared beds, and joints laid in mortar. Often the unit size varies to provide a random pattern, random ashlar.
ASHRAE
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.
ASTM
American Society for Testing and Materials.
return to top of page BACK FILLING
1. Rough masonry built behind a facing or between two faces.
2. Filling over the extrados of an arch.
3. Brickwork in spaces between structural timbers, sometimes called brick nogging.
BACKUP
That part of a masonry wall behind the exterior facing.
BAT
A piece of brick.
BATTER
Recessing or sloping masonry back in successive courses; the opposite of corbel.
BED JOINT
The horizontal layer of mortar on which a masonry unit is laid.
BELT COURSE
A narrow horizontal course of masonry, sometimes slightly projected such as window sills which are made continuous. Sometimes called string course or sill course .
BLOCKING
A method of bonding two adjoining or intersecting walls, not built at the same time, by means of offsets whose vertical dimensions are not less than 8 in.
BOND
1. Tying various parts of a masonry wall by lapping units one over another or by connecting with metal ties.
2. Patterns formed by exposed faces of units.
3. Adhesion between mortar or grout and masonry units or reinforcement.
BOND BEAM
Course or courses of a masonry wall grouted and usually reinforced in the horizontal direction. Serves as horizontal tie of wall, bearing course for structural members or as a flexural member itself.
BOND COURSE
The course consisting of units which overlap more than one wythe of masonry.
BONDER
A bonding unit. See Header.
BREAKING JOINTS
Any arrangement of masonry units which prevents continuous vertical joints from occurring in adjacent courses.
BRICK
A solid masonry unit of clay or shale, formed into a rectangular prism while plastic and burned or fired in a kiln.
Acid-Resistant Brick
Brick suitable for use in contact with chemicals, usually in conjunction with acid-resistant mortars.
Adobe Brick
Large roughly-molded, sun-dried clay brick of varying size.
Angle Brick
Any brick shaped to an oblique angle to fit a salient corner.
Arch Brick
1. Wedge-shaped brick for special use in an arch.
2. Extremely hard-burned brick from an arch of a scove kiln.
Building Brick
Brick for building purposes not especially treated for texture or color. Formerly called common brick. See ASTM Specification C 62.
Clinker Brick
A very hard-burned brick whose shape is distorted or bloated due to nearly complete vitrification.
Common Brick
See Building Brick
Dry-Press Brick
Brick formed in molds under high pressures from relatively dry clay (5 to 7 percent moisture content).
Economy Brick
Brick whose nominal dimensions are 4 by 4 by 8 in.
Engineered Brick
Brick whose nominal dimensions are 4 by 3.2 by 8 in.
Facing Brick
Brick made especially for facing purposes, often treated to produce surface texture. They are made of selected clays, or treated, to produce desired color. See ASTM Specification C 216.
Fire Brick
Brick made of refractory ceramic material which will resist high temperatures.
Floor Brick
Smooth dense brick, highly resistant to abrasion, used as finished floor surfaces. See ASTM Specification C 410.
Gauged Brick
1. Brick which have been ground or otherwise produced to accurate dimensions.
2. A tapered arch brick.
Hollow Brick
A masonry unit of clay or shale whose net cross-sectional area in any plane parallel to the bearing surface is not less than 60 percent of its gross cross-sectional area measured in the same plane. See ASTM Specification C 652.
Jumbo Brick
A generic term indicating a brick larger in size than the standard. Some producers use this term to describe oversize brick of specific dimensions manufactured by them.
Norman Brick
A brick whose nominal dimensions are 4 by 2 2/3 by 12 in.
Paving Brick
Vitrified brick especially suitable for use in pavements where resistance to abrasion is important. See ASTM Specification C 7.
Roman Brick
Brick whose nominal dimensions are 4 by 2 by 12 in.
Salmon Brick
Generic term for under-burned brick which are more porous, slightly larger, and lighter colored than hard-burned brick. Usually pinkish-orange color.
"SCR Brick" (Reg U.S. Pat Off., SCPI (BIA))
See SCR (Reg U.S. Pat. Off., SCPI (BIA)).
Sewer Brick
Low absorption, abrasive-resistant brick intended for use in drainage structures. See ASTM Specification C 32.
Soft-Mud Brick
Brick produced by molding relatively wet clay (20 to 30 percent moisture). Often a hand process. When insides of molds are sanded to prevent sticking of clay, the product is sand-struck brick. When molds are wetted to prevent sticking, the product is water-struck brick.
Stiff-Mud Brick
Brick produced by extruding a stiff but plastic clay (12 to 15 percent moisture) through a die.
BRICK AND BRICK
A method of laying brick so that units touch each other with only enough mortar to fill surface irregularities.
BRICK GRADE
Designation for durability of the unit expressed as SW for severe weathering, MW for moderate weathering, or NW for negligible weathering. See ASTM Specifications C 216, C 62 and C 652.
BRICK TYPE
Designation for facing brick which controls tolerance, chippage and distortion. Expressed as FBS, FBX and FBA for solid brick, and HBS, HBX, HBA and HBB for hollow brick. See ASTM Specifications C 216 and C 652.
BUTTERING
Placing mortar on a masonry unit with a trowel.
return to top of page CAPACITY INSULATION
The ability of masonry to store heat as a result of its mass, density and specific heat.
C/B RATIO
The ratio of the weight of water absorbed by a masonry unit during immersion in cold water to weight absorbed during immersion in boiling water. An indication of the probable resistance of brick to freezing and thawing. Also called saturation coefficient . See ASTM Specification C 67.
CENTERING
Temporary formwork for the support of masonry arches or lintels during construction. Also called center(s).
CERAMIC COLOR GLAZE
An opaque colored glaze of satin or gloss finish obtained by spraying the clay body with a compound of metallic oxides, chemicals and clays. It is burned at high temperatures, fusing glaze to body making them inseparable. See ASTM Specification C 126.
CHASE
A continuous recess built into a wall to receive pipes, ducts, etc.
CLAY
A natural, mineral aggregate consisting essentially of hydrous aluminum silicate; it is plastic when sufficiently wetted, rigid when dried and vitrified when fired to a sufficiently high temperature.
CLAY MORTAR-MIX
Finely ground clay used as a plasticizer for masonry mortars.
CLEAR CERAMIC GLAZE
Same as Ceramic Color Glaze except that it is translucent or slightly tinted, with a gloss finish.
CLIP
A portion of a brick cut to length.
CLOSER
The last masonry unit laid in a course. It may be whole or a portion of a unit.
CLOSURE
Supplementary or short length units used at corners or jambs to maintain bond patterns.
COLLAR JOINT
The vertical, longitudinal joint between wythes of masonry.
COLUMN
A vertical member whose horizontal dimension measured at right angles to the thickness does not exceed three times its thickness.
COPING
The material or masonry units forming a cap or finish on top of a wall, pier, pilaster, chimney, etc. It protects masonry below from penetration of water from above.
CORBEL
A shelf or ledge formed by projecting successive courses of masonry out from the face of the wall.
COURSE
One of the continuous horizontal layers of units, bonded with mortar in masonry.
CULLS
Masonry units which do not meet the standards or specifications and have been rejected.
return to top of page DAMP COURSE
A course or layer of impervious material which prevents capillary entrance of moisture from the ground or a lower course. Often called damp check.
DAMPPROOFING
Prevention of moisture penetration by capillary action.
DOG'S TOOTH
Brick laid with their corners projecting from the wall face.
DRIP
A projecting piece of material, shaped to throw off water and prevent its running down the face of wall or other surface.
return to top of page EBM
See Engineered Brick Masonry.
ECCENTRICITY
The normal distance between the centroidal axis of a member and the parallel resultant load.
e 1 /e 2
Ratio of virtual eccentricities occurring at the ends of a column or wall under design. The absolute value is always less than or equal to 1.0.
EFFECTIVE HEIGHT
The height of a member to be assumed for calculating the slenderness ratio.
EFFECTIVE THICKNESS
The thickness of a member to be assumed for calculating the slenderness ratio.
EFFLORESCENCE
A powder or stain sometimes found on the surface of masonry, resulting from deposition of water-soluble salts.
ENGINEERED BRICK MASONRY
Masonry in which design is based on a rational structural analysis.
return to top of page FACE
1. The exposed surface of a wall or masonry unit.
2. The surface of a unit designed to be exposed in the finished masonry.
FACING
Any material, forming a part of a wall, used as a finished surface.
FIELD
The expanse of wall between openings, corners, etc., principally composed of stretchers.
FILTER BLOCK
A hollow, vitrified clay masonry unit, sometimes salt-glazed, designed for trickling filter floors in sewage disposal plants. See ASTM Specification C 159.
FIRE CLAY
A clay which is highly resistant to heat without deforming and used for making brick.
FIRE RESISTIVE MATERIAL
See Non-combustible Material.
FIREPROOFING
Any material or combination protecting structural members to increase their fire resistance.
FLASHING
1. A thin impervious material placed in mortar joints and through air spaces in masonry to prevent water penetration and/or provide water drainage.
2. Manufacturing method to produce specific color tones.
FROG
A depression in the bed surface of a brick. Sometimes called a panel.
FURRING
A method of finishing the interior face of a masonry wall to provide space for insulation, prevent moisture transmittance, or to provide a level surface for finishing.
return to top of page GROUNDS
Nailing strips placed in masonry walls as a means of attaching trim or furring.
GROUT
Mixture of cementitious material and aggregate to which sufficient water is added to produce pouring consistency without segregation of the constituents.
High-Lift Grouting
The technique of grouting masonry in lifts up to 12 ft.
Low-Lift Grouting
The technique of grouting as the wall is constructed.
return to top of page HACKING
1. The procedure of stacking brick in a kiln or on a kiln car.
2. Laying brick with the bottom edge set in from the plane surface of the wall.
HARD-BURNED
Nearly vitrified clay products which have been fired at high temperatures. They have relatively low absorptions and high compressive strengths.
HEAD JOINT
The vertical mortar joint between ends of masonry units. Often called c ross joint.
HEADER
A masonry unit which overlaps two or more adjacent wythes of masonry to tie them together. Often called bonder.
Blind Header
A concealed brick header in the interior of a wall, not showing on the faces.
Clipped Header
A bat placed to look like a header for purposes of establishing a pattern. Also called a false header.
Flare Header
A header of darker color than the field of the wall.
HEADING COURSE
A continuous bonding course of header brick. Also called header course.
INITIAL RATE OF ABSORPTlON
The weight of water absorbed expressed in grams per 30 sq. in. of contact surface when a brick is partially immersed for one minute. Also called suction. See ASTM Specification C 67.
return to top of page IRA
See Initial Rate of Absorption.
return to top of page KILN
A furnace oven or heated enclosure used for burning or firing brick or other clay material.
Kiln Run
Brick from one kiln which have not been sorted or graded for size or color variation.
KING CLOSER
A brick cut diagonally to have one 2 in. end and one full width end.
LATERAL SUPPORT
Means whereby walls are braced either vertically or horizontally by columns, pilasters, cross walls, beams, floors, roofs, etc.
return to top of page LEAD
The section of a wall built up and racked back on successive courses. A line is attached to leads as a guide for constructing a wall between them.
LIME, HYDRATED
Quicklime to which sufficient water has been added to convert the oxides to hydroxides.
LIME PUTTY
Hydrated lime in plastic form ready for addition to mortar.
LINTEL
A beam placed over an opening in a wall.
return to top of page MASONRY
Brick, stone, concrete, etc., or masonry combinations thereof, bonded with mortar.
MASONRY CEMENT
A mill-mixed cementitious material to which sand and water must be added. See ASTM C 91.
MASONRY UNIT
Natural or manufactured building units of burned clay, concrete, stone, glass, gypsum, etc.
Hollow Masonry Unit
One whose net cross-sectional area in any plane parallel to the bearing surface is less than 75 percent of the gross.
Modular Masonry Unit
One whose nominal dimensions are based on the 4 in. module.
Solid Masonry Unit
One whose net cross-sectional area in every plane parallel to the bearing surface is 75 percent or more of the gross.
MORTAR
A plastic mixture of cementitious materials, fine aggregate and water. See ASTM Specifications C 270, C 476 or BIA M1-72.
Fat Mortar
Mortar containing a high percentage of cementitious components. It is a sticky mortar which adheres to a trowel.
High-Bond Mortar
Mortar which develops higher bond strengths with masonry units than normally developed with conventional mortar.
Lean Mortar
Mortar which is deficient in cementitious components, it is usually harsh and difficult to spread.
return to top of page NOMINAL DIMENSION
A dimension greater than a specified masonry dimension by the thickness of a mortar joint, but not more than 1/2 in.
NON-COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL
Any material which will neither ignite nor actively support combustion in air at a temperature of 1200 F when exposed to fire.
return to top of page OVERHAND WORK
Laying brick from inside a wall by men standing on a floor or on a scaffold.
return to top of page PARGETING
The process of applying a coat of cement mortar to masonry. Often spelled and/or pronounced parging.
PARTITION
An interior wall, one story or less in height.
PICK AND DIP
A method of laying brick whereby the bricklayer simultaneously picks up a brick with one hand and, with the other hand, enough mortar on a trowel to lay the brick. Sometimes called the Eastern or New England method.
PIER
An isolated column of masonry.
PILASTER
A wall portion projecting from either or both wall faces and serving as a vertical column and/or beam.
PLUMB RULE
This is a combination plumb rule and level. It is used in a horizontal position as a level and in a vertical position as a plumb rule. They are made in lengths of 42 and 48 in., and short lengths from 12 to 24 in.
POINTING
Troweling mortar into a joint after masonry units are laid.
PREFABRICATED BRICK MASONRY : Masonry construction fabricated in a location other than its final inservice location in the structure. Also known as preassembled, panelized and sectionalized brick masonry.
PRISM
A small masonry assemblage made with masonry units and mortar. Primarily used to predict the strength of full scale masonry members.
return to top of page QUEEN CLOSER
A cut brick having a nominal 2 in. horizontal face dimension.
QUOIN
A projecting right angle masonry corner.
return to top of page RACKING
A method entailing stepping back successive courses of masonry.
RAGGLE
A groove in a joint or special unit to receive roofing or flashing.
RBM
Reinforced brick masonry
REINFORCED MASONRY
Masonry units, reinforcing steel, grout and/or mortar combined to act together in resisting forces.
RETURN
Any surface turned back from the face of a principal surface.
REVEAL
That portion of a jamb or recess which is visible from the face of a wall.
ROWLOCK
A brick laid on its face edge so that the normal bedding area is visible in the wall face. Frequently spelled rolok.
return to top of page SALT GLAZE
A gloss finish obtained by thermochemical reaction between silicates of clay and vapors of salt or chemicals.
SATURATION COEFFICIENT
See C/B Ratio .
SCR (Reg U.S. Pat Off., SCPI (BIA))
Structural Clay Research (trademark Of the Structural Clay Products Institute, BIA).
"SCR acoustile " (Reg U.S. Pat Off., SCPI (BIA) Pat. No 3,001,6O2)
A side-construction two-celled facing tile, having a perforated face backed with glass wool for acoustical purposes.
"SCR brick " (Reg U.S. Pat Off., SCPI (BIA))
Brick whose nominal dimensions are 6 by 2 2/3 by 12 in. (Reg U.S. Pat Off., SCPI (BIA)):
"SCR building panel " (Reg U S. Pat Off., SCPI (BIA) Pat. No. 3,248,836)
Prefabricated, structural ceramic panels, approximately 2 1/2 in. thick.
"SCR insulated cavity wall " (Reg U.S. Pat Off., SCPI (BIA))
Any cavity wall containing insulation which meets rigid criteria established by the Structural Clay Products Institute (BIA).
"SCR masonry process " (Reg. U.S. Pat Off., SCPI (BIA))
A construction aid providing greater efficiency, better workmanship and increased production in masonry construction. It utilizes story poles, marked lines and adjustable scaffolding.
SHALE
Clay which has been subjected to high pressures until it has hardened.
SHOVED JOINTS
Vertical joints filled by shoving a brick against the next brick when it is being laid in a bed of mortar.
SLENDERNESS RATIO
Ratio of the effective height of a member to its effective thickness.
SLUSHED JOINTS
Vertical joints filled, after units are laid, by "throwing" mortar in with the edge of a trowel. (Generally, not recommended.)
SOAP
A masonry unit of normal face dimensions, having a nominal 2 in. thickness.
SOFFIT
The underside of a beam, lintel or arch.
SOFT-BURNED
Clay products which have been fired at low temperature ranges, producing relatively high absorptions and low compressive strengths.
SOLAR SCREEN
A perforated wall used as a sunshade.
SOLDIER
A stretcher set on end with face showing on the wall surface.
SPALL
A small fragment removed from the face of a masonry unit by a blow or by action of the elements.
STACK
Any structure or part thereof which contains a flue or flues for the discharge of gases.
STORY POLE
A marked pole for measuring masonry coursing during construction.
STRETCHER
A masonry unit laid with its greatest dimension horizontal and its face parallel to the wall face.
STRINGING MORTAR
The procedure of spreading enough mortar on a bed to lay several masonry units.
STRUCK JOINT
Any mortar joint which has been finished with a trowel.
SUCTION
See Initial Rate of Absorption.
return to top of page TEMPER
To moisten and mix clay, plaster or mortar to a proper consistency.
TIE
Any unit of material which connects masonry to masonry or other materials. See Wall Tie .
TOOLING
Compressing and shaping the face of a mortar joint with a special tool other than a trowel.
TOOTHING
Constructing the temporary end of a wall with the end stretcher of every alternate course projecting. Projecting units are toothers .
TRADITIONAL MASONRY
Masonry in which design is based on empirical rules which control minimum thickness, lateral support requirements and height without a structural analysis.
TUCK POINTING
The filling in with fresh mortar of cut-out or defective mortar joints in masonry.
return to top of page VENEER
A single wythe of masonry for facing purposes, not structurally bonded.
VIRTUAL ECCENTRICITY
The eccentricity of a resultant axial load required to produce axial and bending stresses equivalent to those produced by applied axial loads and moments. It is normally found by dividing the moment at a section by the summation of axial loads occurring at that section.
VITRIFICATION
The condition resulting when kiln temperatures are sufficient to fuse grains and close pores of a clay product, making the mass impervious.
return to top of page WALL
A vertical member of a structure whose horizontal dimension measured at right angles to the thickness exceeds three times its thickness.
Apron Wall
That part of a panel wall between window sill and wall support.
Area Wall
1 . The masonry surrounding or partly surrounding an area.
2. The retaining wall around basement windows below grade.
Bearing Wall
One which supports a vertical load in addition to its own weight.
Cavity Wall
A wall built of masonry units so arranged as to provide a continuous air space within the wall (with or without insulating material), and in which the inner and outer wythes of the wall are tied together with metal ties.
Composite Wall
A multiple-wythe wall in which at least one of the wythes is dissimilar to the other wythe or wythes with respect to type or grade of masonry unit or mortar
Curtain Wall
An exterior non-loadbearing wall not wholly supported at each story. Such walls may be anchored to columns, spandrel beams, floors or bearing walls, but not necessarily built between structural elements.
Dwarf Wall
A wall or partition which does not extend to the ceiling.
Enclosure Wall
An exterior non-bearing wall in skeleton frame construction. It is anchored to columns, piers or floors, but not necessarily built between columns or piers nor wholly supported at each story.
Exterior Wall
Any outside wall or vertical enclosure of a building other than a party wall.
Faced Wall
A composite wall in which the masonry facing and backings are so bonded as to exert a common reaction under load.
Fire Division Wall
Any wall which subdivides a building so as to resist the spread of fire. It is not necessarily continuous through all stories to and above the roof.
Fire Wall
Any wall which subdivides a building to resist the spread of fire and which extends continuously from the foundation through the roof.
Foundation Wall
That portion of a loadbearing wall below the level of the adjacent grade, or below first floor beams or joists.
Hollow Wall
A wall built of masonry units arranged to provide an air space within the wall. The separated facing and backing are bonded together with masonry units.
Insulated Cavity Wall
See "SCR insulated cavity wall" .
Loadbearing Wall
A wall which supports any vertical load in addition to its own weight.
Non-Loadbearing Wall
A wall which supports no vertical load other than its own weight.
Panel Wall
An exterior, non-loadbearing wall wholly supported at each story.
Parapet Wall
That part of any wall entirely above the roof line.
Party Wall
A wall used for joint service by adjoining buildings.
Perforated Wall
One which contains a considerable number of relatively small openings. Often called pierced wall or screen wall .
Shear Wall
A wall which resists horizontal forces applied in the plane of the wall.
Single Wythe Wall
A wall containing only one masonry unit in wall thickness.
Solid Masonry Wall
A wall built of solid masonry units, laid contiguously, with joints between units completely filled with mortar or grout.
Spandrel Wall
That part of a curtain wall above the top of a window in one story and below the sill of the window in the story above.
Veneered Wall
A wall having a facing of masonry units or other weather-resisting non-combustible materials securely attached to the backing, but not so bonded as to intentionally exert common action under load.
WALL PLATE
A horizontal member anchored to a masonry wall to which other structural elements may be attached. Also called head plate.
WALL TIE
A bonder or metal piece which connects wythes of masonry to each other or in other materials.
WALL TIE, CAVITY
A rigid, corrosion-resistant metal tie which bonds two wythes of a cavity wall. It is usually steel, 3/16 in. in diameter and formed in a "Z" shape or a rectangle.
WALL TIE, VENEER
A strip or piece of metal used to tie a facing veneer to the backing.
WATER RETENTIVITY
That property of a mortar which prevents the rapid loss of water to masonry units of high suction. It prevents bleeding or water gain when mortar is in contact with relatively impervious units.
WATER TABLE
A projection of lower masonry on the outside of the wall slightly above the ground. Often a damp course is placed at the level of the water table to prevent upward penetration of ground water
WATERPROOFING
Prevention of moisture flow through masonry due to water pressure.
WEEP HOLES
Openings placed in mortar joints of facing material at the level of flashing, to permit the escape of moisture.
WITH INSPECTION
Masonry designed with the higher stresses allowed under EBM. Requires the establishing of procedures on the job to control mortar mix, workmanship and protection of masonry materials.
WITHOUT INSPECTION
Masonry designed with the reduced stresses allowed under EBM.
WYTHE
1. Each continuous vertical section of masonry one unit in thickness.
2. The thickness of masonry separating flues in a chimney. Also called withe or tier.
return to top of page
ABACUS
The uppermost component of a classical column, most often a plain square slab but sometimes embellished.
ACROPOLIS
Elevated symbolic center of a Greek city-state, bringing together its most important sacred and civic buildings in one urban space, invariably on a high plateau. The most famous is the Acropolis in Athens, which is centered around the Parthenon, the great white marble temple of Athena Parthenaos, the city-state's namesake deity.
AEDICULE
A canopied niche framed by colonettes, resembling a temple and intended as a shrine or votive offering; a doorway or window flanked by a pair of columns and topped by a pediment.
AGATE
A variegated type of quartz showing colored bands or other markings (clouded, moss-like, etc.).
AGGREGATE
The sand, gravel or stone which is mixed with cement and water to make concrete.
AMPHITHEATER
A circular or elliptical arena enclosed by rising tiers of stone seats around a central open area used by the Romans for circuses and gladiatorial contests. Ancient Greek amphitheaters were typically semi-circular and set into the hillside.
ANCHOR
Metal rod, wire, or strap that secures stone or other masonry to structural framework, backup wall, or other elements, or holds stone units together. Types for stone work include:
FLAT STOCK: strap, cramps, dovetail and dowel, strap and dowel, and 2-way anchors.
CORRUGATED: corrugated wall ties and dovetail anchors.
ROUND STOCK: rod cramp, rod anchor, eye bolt and dowel, flathook wall tie and dowel,
dowel and wire toggle bolts.
APEX STONE
Uppermost stone in a gable, pediment, pyramid, vault or dome.
ARCH
A curved construction spanned over an opening and supported at its sides or ends. Usually made from cut stone voussoirs, or interlocking wedge-shaped blocks, that carry downward thrusts out to side walls or lateral abutments.
ARCHITRAVE
Originally a simple, flat, structural lintel spanning between two columns and resting directly on their capitals; the lowest component of a classical entablature. In current usage, the term refers to any molded door or window frame.
ARGILLITE
A compact sedimentary rock composed mainly of clay and aluminum silicate materials.
ARRIS
A natural or applied line on a stone from which all leveling and plumbing is measured; an edge at the intersection of two planes; the ridge between adjoining flutes on a classical column.
ASHLAR
Building stone that has been smooth cut, or dressed, into squared or rectangular blocks.
return to top of page BACK ARCH
A concealed arch carrying the backing of a wall where the exterior facing is carried by a lintel.
BALUSTER
One of a series of miniature columns or short uprights used to support a hand rail or coping, as in a balustrade.
BALUSTRADE
A complete railing system consisting of a top handrail supported on balusters (which sometimes rest on a bottom rail).
BANKER
Bench of timber or stone on which stone is shaped.
BASALT
A dense textured (aphanitic) igneous rock relatively high in iron and magnesia minerals and relatively low in silica, generally dark gray to black, and feldspathic. A general term in contradistinction to felsite, a light-colored feldspathic and highly siliceous rock of similar texture and origin.
BAY
Buildings are often divided into repetitive spatial elements, or bays, defined by the space between two adjacent columns or other vertical supports.
BED
(1) In granites or marbles, a layer or sheet of the rock mass that is horizontal, commonly curved and lenticular, as developed by fractures. Sometimes applied also to the surface of parting between sheets.
(2) In stratified rocks, the unit layer formed by sedimentation; of variable thickness, and commonly tilted or distorted by subsequent deformation; generally develops a rock cleavage, parting, or jointing along the planes of stratification.
(3) The top or bottom of a joint, or natural bed/surface of stone parallel to its stratification.
BELT COURSE
A continuous horizontal course of flat stones marking a division in the wall plane.
BEVEL
When the angle between two sides is greater or less than a right angle.
BLUESTONE
A hard sandstone of characteristic blue, gray and buff colors quarried in the states of New York and Pennsylvania.
BOND STONE
Used in varying percentages to anchor or bond a stone veneer to a backing material. Bond stones are generally cut to twice the bed thickness of the material being used.
BORDER STONE
Usually a flat stone used as an edging material; generally used to retain the field of a terrace or platform.
BOSS
A carved stone positioned at the apex of a ribbed vault.
BROACH
To drill or cut out material left between closely spaced drill holes. Also, a mason's sharp pointed chisel for dressing stone.
BROWNSTONE
A sandstone of characteristic brown or reddish-brown color that results from a high amount of iron oxide as interstitial material.
BRUSHED FINISH
Textured surface obtained by brushing a stone with a coarse rotary-type wire brush.
BULL NOSE
Convex rounding of a stone member, such as a stair tread.
BUTTER
See CEMENT PUTTY
BUTTERING
Placing mortar on stone with a trowel before setting into place.
return to top of page CALCITE LIMESTONE
A limestone containing not more than 5 percent of magnesium carbonate.
CALCITE STREAKS
White or milk-like streaks occurring in stone. The streak is a joint plane usually wider than a glass seam; it has been recemented by deposition of calcite in the crack and is structurally sound.
CANOPY
A sheltering roof, as over a niche or doorway.
CANTILEVER
A projecting element, such as a beam, supported at a single point or along a single line by a wall or column, stabilized by a counter-balancing downward force around the point of fulcrum.
CARYATID
A draped female human figure used as a sculptural column or pier, often flanking a doorway, or used as a decorative detail, especially on fireplaces.
CAPITAL
The head or cap of a column.
CARVE
Shaping, by cutting a design to form; the trade of a sculptor.
CEMENT PUTTY , also CREAM or BUTTER
A thick creamy mixture made with pure cement and water, which is used to strengthen the bond between a stone and a setting bed.
CHAMFER
To bevel the junction of an exterior angle.
CHAT SAWN FINISH
A rough gang saw finish produced by sawing with coarse chat.
CLADDING
The lightweight outer skin of a building that does not carry any weight nor support the building, but which protects it from weather elements.
CLEAVAGE
The ability of a rock mass to break along natural surfaces; a surface of natural
parting.
CLEAVAGE PLANE
Plane or planes along which a stone may likely break or delaminate.
CLERESTORY
The upper part of a wall pierced by windows to bring light into the center of a building, as in the nave of a church.
COBBLESTONE
A natural rounded stone, large enough for use in paving. Commonly used to describe paving blocks, usually granite, which are generally cut to rectangular shapes.
COLUMN
Freestanding or self-supporting structural element carrying forces mainly in compression, whether stone, steel or brick.
COMMERCIAL MARBLE
A crystalline rock composed predominantly of one or more of the following materials: calcite, dolomite or serpentine, and capable of taking a polish.
COPING
A flat stone used as a cap on a freestanding wall, usually to protect the wall from weather.
CORNERSTONE
A stone forming part of a corner or angle in a wall. Also a dedicatory stone laid at the formal inauguration of a building's construction, prominently located but not necessarily at the corner, and usually bearing the date of erection and often an inscription.
CORNICE
A molded projecting stone at the top of an entablature or at the meeting of a roof and wall.
CORTILE
The term for an internal courtyard, usually open to the air, surrounded by arcades to blur the distinction between interior and exterior.
COURSE
A horizontal range of stone units running the length of a wall.
COURSED VENEER
A wall treatment achieved by using stones of the same or approximately the same height. Horizontal joints run the entire length of the veneered area. Vertical joints are constantly broken so that no two joints will be over one another.
CREAM
See CEMENT PUTTY
CROSS-BEDDING
The arrangement of laminations of strata transverse or oblique to the main planes of stratification.
CURBING
Slabs and blocks of stone bordering streets, walks, etc.
CUT STONE
All stone cut or machined to given sizes, dimension or shape, and produced in accordance with working or shop drawings which have been developed from an architect's structural drawings.
CUTTING STOCK
A term used to describe slabs of varying size, finish, and thickness which are used in fabricating treads, risers, copings, borders, sills, stools, hearths, mantels and other special purpose stones.
return to top of page DACITE
A fine-grained, extrusive (volcanic) rock, intermediate in color and composition between basalt and rhyolite.
DAMPPROOFING
One or more coatings of a compound that is impervious to water applied to a surface above grade.
DENTIL
Small blocks or tooth-like projections on an entablature.
DENTIL COURSE
The lower part of a cornice where dentils normally appear. The cornice is jointed to allow machine production of the dentils.
DIMENSION STONE
Stone pre-cut and shaped to dimensions of specified sizes.
DOLOMITIC LIMESTONE
A limestone rich in magnesium carbonate, frequently somewhat crystalline in character. It is found in ledge formations in a wide variety of color tones and textures. Generally speaking, its crushing and tensile strengths are greater than the oolitic limestones, and its appearance shows greater variety in texture.
DOWEL
A cylindrical metal pin used in aligning and strengthening joints of adjacent stones.
DRESSED or HAND DRESSED
The cutting of rough chunks of stone by hand to create a square or rectangular shape. A stone which is sold as dressed stone generally refers to stone ready for installation.
DRIP
A recess cut under a spill or projecting stone to throw off water, preventing it from running down the face of a wall or other surface, such as windows or doors.
DRY
An open or unhealed joint plane not filled with calcite and not structurally sound.
DRY WALL
A stone wall that is constructed one stone upon another, without the use of any mortar; generally used for retaining walls.
return to top of page ENTABLATURE
An elaborate beam carried by columns or located at the top of a wall; consists of a lower architrave, middle frieze and upper cornice.
ENTASIS
The intentional convex curve of the upper two-thirds of a column, introduced to counteract the optical illusion of concavity produced by straight columns.
EXPOSED AGGREGATE
The larger pieces of stone purposefully exposed for their color and texture in a cast slab.
FACE
The exposed portion of a stone; also refers to the edge treatment on various cutting stock materials.
FACED
See VENEER
FASCIA
A flat, relatively narrow horizontal belt in an architrave or used in combination with moldings.
return to top of page FIELD STONE
Loose blocks separated from ledges by natural processes and scattered through or upon the regolith (soil) cover; applied also to similar transported materials, such as glacial boulders and cobbles.
FINES
The powder, dust, silt-size, and sand-size material resulting from processing (usually crushing) rock.
FINISHES
Surface treatments, commonly available as:
Smooth - machine finished by saw, grinder or planer
Honed - dull sheen, without reflections
Polished - mirror gloss with sharp reflections
Machine Tooled - 4-cut, 6-cut, chiseled, axed, pointed, etc.
Chat Sawn - irregular and uneven markings
Split Face - concave-convex
Rock Face - convex
Thermal - plane surface with flame finish applied by mechanically controlled means to
create surface coarseness
Special finishes of many kinds are available to meet design requirements.
FLAGSTONE
Thin slabs of stone used for flagging or paving walks, driveways, patios, etc.; generally fine-grained sandstone, bluestone, quartzite or slate although other stones may be used.
FREESTONE
A stone that may be cut freely in any direction without fracture or splitting.
FRIEZE
A horizontal belt course sometimes decorated with sculptural relief, occurring directly under a cornice.
return to top of page GANG SAWN
The granular surface of stone resulting from gang sawing alone.
GAUGED OR GAUGING
A grinding process that results in the uniform thickness of all pieces of material to be used together.
GLASS SEAM
A narrow glass-like streak occurring in stone; a joint plane that has been recemented by deposition of transluscent calcite in a crack and which is structurally sound.
GRADE COURSE
The beginning course at grade level, generally waterproofed with a damp check or damp course.
GRAIN
The easiest cleavage direction in a stone. "With the grain" is the same as "natural bed." Also, the composition and texture of particles, crystals, sand, or rock.
GRANITE
A fine to coarse-grained, igneous rock formed by volcanic action and consisting of quartz, feldspar, mica, and accessory minerals. Granite-type rocks include those of similar texture and origin.
GREENSTONE
Stones that have been metamorphosed or otherwise so altered that they have assumed a distinctive greenish color owing to the presence of one or more of the following minerals: chlorite, epidote, or actinolite.
GROUT
Mortar of pouring consistency.
return to top of page HAND CUT RANDOM RECTANGULAR ASHLAR
A pattern where all the stone is hand cut into squares and rectangles, and where all the joints are fairly consistent. Similar to sawed-bed ashlar in appearance.
HAND DRESSED
See DRESSED HAND or MACHINE PITCH FACED also known as ROCK FACED ASHLAR
A finish given to both veneer stone and cutting stock, created by establishing a straight line back from the irregular face of the stone. Proper tools are then used to cut along the line leaving a straight arris and the intended rustic finish on the face.
HEAD
The end of a stone which has been tooled to match the face of the stone. Heads are used at outside corners, windows, door jambs or any place where the veneering will be visible from the side.
HEARTH
The floor of a stone fireplace on which the fire is laid.
HEARTH STONE
Originally the large single stone or stones used for the floor of a fireplace; now most commonly used to describe the stone in front of the fire chamber and in many cases extending on either or both sides of the front of the fire chamber.
HOLES
Sinkages in the top beds of stones to engage Lewis pins for hoisting.
HONED FINISH
A super fine smooth finish.
return to top of page IGNEOUS
One of the three main classifications of rock (igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic), solidified from molten state, as granite or lava.
INCISE
To cut inwardly or engrave, as in an inscription.
return to top of page JACK ARCH
One having horizontal or nearly horizontal upper and lower surfaces. Also called a flat or straight arch.
JOINT
The space between stone units, usually filled with mortar. Types include:
a. Flush
b. Rake
c. Cove
d. Weathered
e. Bead
f. Stripped
g. V
JUMPER
In ashlar patterns, a piece of stone of higher rise than adjacent stones, used to end a horizontal mortar joint at the point where it is set.
return to top of page KEYSTONE
The last wedge-shaped stone, or voussoir, placed in the crown of an arch. LAVA - A general term applied to igneous rocks such as basalt and rhyolite, that erupted from the earth by volcanic action.
return to top of page LEAD BUTTONS
Lead spacers in solid horizontal joints to support the top stones until the mortar has set.
LEWIS BOLT
A tapered head wedged in a tapered recess in stone for hanging soffit stones.
LEWIS HOLES
Holes in cut stones for lifting and support during the setting of cut stones and sometimes for permanent support. Holes are checked for the particular lewis (lifting device or hook) to be used.
LIMESTONE
A sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate; includes many varieties. (See oolitic limestone; dolomitic limestone; crystalline limestone).
LINERS
Structurally sound sections of marble that are cemented to the back of marble veneer slabs to give greater strength, additional bearing surface, or to increase joint depth.
LINTEL
A stone beam or horizontal member spanning the top of an opening, such as a doorway or window, and supporting the wall above it.
LIPPAGE
A condition when one edge of a stone is higher than the adjacent edge.
LUG SILL
A stone sill set into the jambs on each side of a masonry opening.
return to top of page MACHINE FINISH
Standard surface treatment produced by mechanized planers.
MACHINE PITCH FACED
See HAND PITCH FACED
MARBLE
A metamorphic rock composed essentially of calcite and/or dolomite, generally a recrystallization of limestone to marble.
MASONRY
Built up construction, usually a combination of materials set in mortar.
METAMORPHISM
The change or alteration in a rock caused by exterior agencies, such as deep-seated heat and pressure, or intrusion of rock materials.
MITER
The junction of two units at an angle, in which the junction line usually bisects at 45-degrees.
MODULAR or MULTIPLE CUT (also PATTERN CUT)
Standard patterns used throughout the stone industry, usually based on multiples of a given height. Stone that is multiple cut or pattern cut is pre-cut to allow typically for 1/4" or 1/2" joints or beds.
MOLDING
Decorative stone used to introduce variety in profile and contour, deviating from a plane surface by projections, curved profiles, recesses, or any combination thereof.
MORTAR
A plastic mixture of cement, lime, sand, and water, used to bond masonry units.
MOSAIC
A pattern formed by inlaying tesserae, or small pieces of stone, tile or other material into a cement, plaster or mortar matrix.
MULTIPLE CUT - See MODULAR CUT NATURAL BED
The setting of the stone on the same plane as it was formed in the ground. This generally applies to all stratified materials.
return to top of page NATURAL CLEFT
This generally pertains to stones which are formed in layers in the ground. When such stones are cleaved or separated along a natural seam the remaining surface is referred to as a natural cleft surface.
NON-STAINING MORTAR
Mortar composed of materials that individually or collectively do not contain material which will stain; usually has a very low alkali content.
return to top of page OBSIDIAN
A hard, dark-colored glassy phase of lava.
OGEE
A stone profile with a reverse curved edge: concave above, convex below.
ONYX MARBLE
A dense, crystalline form of lime carbonate deposited usually from cold-water solutions. Generally translucent and shows a characteristic layering due to mode of accumulation.
OOLITIC LIMESTONE
A calcite-cemented calcareous stone formed of shells and shell fragments, practically non-crystalline in character. It is found in massive deposits located almost entirely in Lawrence, Monroe and Owen Counties, Indiana and in Alabama, Kansas and Texas. This limestone is characteristically a freestone, without cleavage planes, possessing a remarkable uniformity of composition, texture and structure. It possesses a high internal elasticity, adapting itself without damage to extreme temperature changes.
OPALIZED
The introduction into a rock of siliceous material in the form of opal, a hydrous silicate.
OUT OF WIND
To have the arris or edge of an external angle of a stone not in parallel or perpendicular lines. Stone which is out of wind has an irregular or rustic appearance.
return to top of page PALLETIZED
A system of stacking stone on wooden pallets. Stone which comes palletized is easily moved and transported by modern handling equipment. Palletized stone generally arrives at the job site in better condition than unpalletized material.
PARAPET WALL
That part of an exterior wall that is entirely above the roof line.
PARGING
Damp-proofing by placing a 1/2" coat of setting mortar on the back of stones, or the face of the back-up material. Also, elaborate decorative plasterwork or ornamental facing for plaster walls.
PARQUETRY
A flat inlay of stone floors in closely fitted geometrical or other patterns, often including two or more colors or materials.
PATTERN CUT - See MODULAR CUT PERFORATED WALL
One which contains a large number of relatively small openings; often called a pierced wall or screen wall.
PERRONS
Slabs of stone set on other stones to serve as outdoor steps, and leading to a terrace, platform, gate or doorway.
PHENOCRYST
In igneous rocks, the relatively large and conspicuous crystals, in a finer-grained matrix or ground-mass.
PILASTER
An engaged pier of shallow depth; in classical architecture it follows the height and width of related columns, with similar base and capital.
PITCHED STONE
Stone having arris or a clearly defined outer edge but a face roughly cut with a pitching chisel used along the line which becomes the arris.
PLINTHS
The square or rectangular base of a column; a base or pedestal, frequently inscribed, to support a statue or other isolated object; the base block at the juncture of baseboard and trim around an opening.
PLUCKED FINISH
Obtained by rough planing the surface of stone, breaking or plucking out small particles to give rough texture.
POINTING
The final filling and finishing of mortar joints that have been raked out.
POLISHED
The finest and smoothest finish available in stone characterized by a gloss or reflective property. Generally only possible on hard, dense materials.
PORPHYRY
An igneous rock in which relatively large and conspicuous crystals (phenocrysts) are set in a matrix of finer crystals.
PRESSURE RELIEVING JOINT
An open horizontal joint below the supporting angle or hangar
located at approximately every floor line and not over 15 feet apart, horizontally, and every 20-30 feet vertically, to prevent weight from being transmitted to the masonry below. These joints are to be caulked with a resilient non-staining material to prevent moisture penetration.
PROJECTIONS
The pulling out of stones in a wall to give an effect of ruggedness. The amount each stone is pulled out can vary between 1/2" and 1 1/2". Stones are either pulled out at the same degree at both ends or sometimes one end is pulled out and the other end left flush with the wall plane.
PUMICE
An exceptionally cellular, glassy lava, resembling a solid froth.
return to top of page QUARRY
The location of an operation where a natural deposit of stone is removed from the ground.
QUARTZITE
A compact granular rock composed of quartz crystals, usually so firmly cemented as to make the mass homogeneous. The stone is generally quarried in stratified layers, the surfaces of which are unusually smooth. Its crushing and tensile strengths are extremely high. The color range is wide.
QUIRT
A groove separating a bead or other molding from the adjoining members.
QUOINS
Stones at the external corner or edge of a wall emphasized by size, projection, rustication, or by a different finish.
return to top of page RECESS
A sinkage in a wall plane.
REGLET
A narrow flat molding of rectangular profile oten used to cover a joint between two elements.
RELIEF
Carved ornament projecting above s cutaway background plane. The ornament or figure can be slightly raised (bas-relief or low-relief), half projection (mezzo-relief), high- (or alto-) relief.
RELIEVING ARCH
One built over a lintel, flat arch, or smaller arch to divert loads, thus relieving the lower member from excessive loading. Also known as a discharging or safety arch.
RETURN
Continuation of a molding in a different direction, usually at a right angle.
RETURN HEAD
Stone facing with the finish appearing on both the face and the edge of the same stone - as on the corner of a building.
REVEAL
The depth of stone between its outer face and a window or door set in an opening; the thickness of a wall.
RIFT
The most pronounced direction of splitting or cleavage of a stone (see grain). Rift and grain may be obscure, as in some granites, but are important in both quarrying and processing stone.
RIPRAP
Irregular broken and randomly sized pieces of rock used for facing bridge abutments and fills; stone thrown together without order to form a foundation, breakwater or sustaining wall.
RISE
Refers to the heights of stone, generally in veneer; the vertical dimension between two successive steps.
ROCK
An integral part of the earth's crust composed of an aggregate of grains of one or more minerals. (Stone is the commercial term applied to quarry products.)
ROCK (PITCH) FACE
Similar to split face, except that the face of the stone is inclined to a given line and plane, producing a bold appearance rather than the comparatively straight face obtained in split face; stones laid up in a masonry wall with natural faces as received from the quarry, or dressed to resemble natural stone. See HAND PITCH FACE.
RODDING
Reinforcement of a structurally unsound marble by cementing reinforcing rods into grooves or channels cut into the back of the slab.
RUBBLE
A product term applied to dimensional stone used for building purposes, chiefly walls and foundations, and consisting of irregularly shaped pieces, partly trimmed or squared, generally with one split or finished face, and selected and specified within a size range.
RUSTIFICATION OR RUSTICATION
Recessing the margin or outer edges of cut stone so that
when placed together a channel or strongly emphasized recess is formed along each joint. The stone face may be smooth, rough or patterned with its outer edges tooled smooth or beveled.
return to top of page SADDLE
A flat strip of stone projecting above the floor between the jambs of a door; threshold.
SAND SAWN FINISH
Stone surface left as it comes from a gang saw; moderately smooth, granular surface varying with the texture and grade of stone.
SANDSTONE
A sedimentary rock consisting usually of quartz cemented with silica, iron oxide or calcium carbonate. Sandstone is durable, has a very high crushing and tensile strength, and a wide range of colors and textures.
SAWED EDGE
A clean cut edge generally achieved by cutting with a diamond blade, gang saw or wire saw.
SAWED FACE
A finish obtained from the particular process employed to produce building stone. Varies in texture from smooth to rough and is coincident with the type of materials used in sawing; characterized as diamond sawn, sand sawn, chat sawn or shot sawn.
SCALE
Thin lamina or paper-like sheets of rock, often loose, and interrupting an otherwise smooth surface of stone.
SCHIST
A foliated metamorphic rock (recrystallized) characterized by thin foliae that are composed predominantly of minerals of thin platy or prismatic habits and whose long dimensions are oriented in approximately parallel positions along the planes of foliation. Because of this foliated structure schists split readily along these planes and so possess a pronounced rock cleavage. The more common schists are composed of the micas and other mica-like minerals (such as chlorite) and generally contain subordinate quartz and/or feldspar of comparatively fine-grained texture; all gradations exist between schist and gneiss (coarsely foliated feldspathic rocks).
SCORIA
Irregular masses of lava resembling clinker of slag; may be cellular (vesicular) dark-colored and heavy.
SCOTIA
A deep concave molding, or gorge, especially at the base of a column.
SEMI-RUBBED
A finish achieved by rubbing (manually or by machine) the rough or high spots off a stone's exposed surface, leaving a certain amount of the natural surface along with the smoothed areas.
SERPENTINE
A hydrous magnesium silicate material of igneous origin, generally a very dark green color with markings of white, light green or black. One of the hardest varieties of natural building stone.
SETTING SPACE
The distance from the finished face of a stone to the face of a back-up wall.
SHEAR
A type of stress. A body is in shear when it is subjected to a pair of equal forces in opposite directions and which act along parallel planes.
SHOT SAWN
Finish obtained by using chilled steel shot in the gang sawing process to produce random markings for a rough surface texture.
SILL
A flat stone used under windows, doors and other masonry openings.
SLAB
A lengthwise cut of a large quarry block of stone approximately 5'x 8' in size.
SLATE
A very fine-grained metamorphic rock derived from sedimentary rock shale. Characterized by an excellent parallel cleavage entirely independent of original bedding, by which cleavage the rock may be split easily into relatively thin slabs.
SLIP SILL
A stone window or door sill set between the jambs ( See LUG SILL).
SMOOTH FINISH
The surface texture produced by planer machines plus the removal of objectionable tool marks; also known as smooth planar finish or smooth machine finish.
SNAPPED EDGE, QUARRY CUT or BROKEN EDGE
Generally refers to a natural breaking of a stone either by hand or machine. The break should be at right angles to the top and bottom surface.
SOAPSTONE
A massive variety of talc with a soapy or greasy feel, used for hearths, washtubs, table tops, carved ornaments, chemical laboratories, etc., known for its stain proof qualities.
SOFFIT
The finished underside of a lintel, arch, or portico.
SPALL
A stone fragment that has split or broken off the face of a stone, either by the force of a blow or by weathering. Sizes may vary from chip size to one and two man stones. Spalls are primarily used for taking up large voids in rough rubble or mosaic patterns.
SPANDREL WALL
A curtain wall panel filling the space between the top of a window in one story and the sill of the window on the story above.
SPLAY
A beveled or slanted surface.
SPLIT
Division of a rock by cleavage.
SPLIT FACE (SAWED BED)
Usually sawed on the stone bed and split by hand or machine so that the face of the stone exhibits the natural quarry texture.
SPLITSTONE FINISH
Obtained by sawing to accurate heights, then breaking by machine to required bed widths. (Normal bed widths are 3 1/2".)
SPOT OR SPOTTING
An adhesive contact, usually plaster of Paris, applied between the back of marble veneer and the face of a back-up wall to plum or secure standing marble.
STACKED BOND
Stone that is cut to one dimension and installed with unbroken vertical and horizontal joints running the entire length and height of a veneered area.
STICKING
An expression used in the marble finishing trade to describe the process of cementing together broken slabs or pieces of marble.
STONE
Sometimes synonymous with rock, but more properly applied to individual blocks, masses, or fragments taken from their original formation or considered for commercial use.
STRATIFICATION
A structure produced by deposition of sediments in beds or layers (strata), laminae, lenses, wedges, and other essentially tabular units.
STRIP RUBBLE
Generally speaking, strip rubble comes from a ledge quarry. The beds of the stone, while uniformly straight, are of the natural cleft as the stone is removed from the ledge, and then split by machine to approximate 4" widths.
STYOLITE
A longitudinally streaked, columnar structure occurring in some marbles, and of the same material as the marble in which it occurs.
SURROUND
An enframement.
return to top of page TABLET
A small flat slab or surface of stone especially one bearing or intended to bear an inscription.
TEMPLATE
A pattern for repetitive marking or for a fabrication operation.
TERRAZZO
A type of concrete in which chips or pieces of stone, usually marble, are mixed with cement and are ground to a flat surface after setting, exposing the chips which take a high polish.
TEXTURE
Three dimensional surface enrichment independent of color.
TOLERANCE
Dimensional allowance made for the inability of men and machines to fabricate a product of exact dimensions.
TRACERY
Curvilinear mullions or openwork on windows, window heads, stone panels, etc.
TRAVERTINE MARBLE
A variety of limestone regarded as a product of chemical precipitation from hot springs. Travertine is cellular with the cells usually concentrated in thin layers that display a stalactitic structure. Some that take a polish are sold as marble, and may be classified as travertine marble under the class of "Commercial Marble."
TREAD
A flat stone used as the top walking surface on a step.
TRIGLYPH
A projecting rectangular block used in series in a classical Doric frieze, distinguished by three vertical bands separated by shallow V-shaped grooves. Triglyphs alternate with plain or sculpted panels (metopes).
TRIM
Stone used as decorative items only, such as sills, coping, enframements, etc., with the facing of another material.
TRIMMER ARCH
A stone arch, usually almost flat, used for supporting a fireplace hearth.
TUFF
Cemented volcanic ash; many varieties included.
return to top of page UNDERCUT
Cut so as to present an overhanging part.
return to top of page VAULT
An arched roof supported on its edges and reinforced, when necessary, by ribs.
VENEER STONE
Any stone used as a decorative facing material which is not meant to be load bearing.
VERDE ANTIQUE
A marble composed chiefly of massive serpentine and capable of being polished. It is commonly crossed by veinlets of other minerals, chiefly carbonates of calcium and magnesium.
VOUSSOIR
Wedge-shaped stone components of a masonry arch, carefully formed to support each other when in position.
VUG
A cavity in rock; sometimes lined or filled with either amorphous or crystalline material; common in calcereous rocks such as marble or limestone.
return to top of page WALL PLATE
A horizontal member anchored to a masonry wall to which other structural elements may be attached; also called head plate.
WALLS
Bearing - A wall supporting a vertical load in addition to its own weight.
Cavity - A wall in which the inner and outer wythes are separated by an air space,
but united by metal ties.
Composite - A wall in which the facing and backing are of different materials but which
are united together with bond stones to exert a common reaction under load.
Veneer or Faced - A wall in which a thin facing and a backing are of different materials,
but not so bonded as to exert a common reaction under load.
WALL TIE
A bonder or metal piece which connects wythes of masonry to each other or to other materials.
WALL TIE, CAVITY
A rigid, corrosion-resistant metal tie which bonds two wythes of a cavity wall. It is usually steel, 3/16" in diameter, and formed in a "Z" shape or a rectangle.
WARPED
Generally a condition experienced only in flagging or flagstone materials; very common with flagstone materials that are taken from the ground and used in their natural state. To eliminate warping in such stones, it would be necessary to further finish the material, whether by machining, sand rubbing, honing, or polishing.
WASH
A sloped area or the area water will run over.
WATER BAR
Typically a strip in the bottom of a door sill serving as a baffle to the entrance of water.
WATER TABLE
A projection of lower masonry on the outside of the wall slightly above the ground. Often a damp course is placed at the level of the water table to prevent upward penetration of ground water.
WAXING
An expression used in the marble finishing trade to indicate the filling of natural voids with color blended material.
WEDGING
Splitting of stone by driving wedges into planes of weakness.
WEEP HOLES
Openings placed in mortar joints of facing material at the level of flashing to permit the escape of moisture.
WIND - (Wined)
A twisting warp from cutting slabs in the gang saws.
WIRE SAW
A method of cutting stone by passing a twisted, multi-strand wire across the stone, and immersing the wire in a slurry of abrasive material.
WYTHE
The inner or outer part of a cavity wall.
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