Terms of the Trade
Prefabricated buildings are increasingly common.
A circ pump (short for “circulating” or “circulator”) is a machine that keeps liquids or gasses moving in a sealed system.
An abutment is a joint between two surfaces, and is usually used in roofing terminology to describe a joint between a roof and a wall.
Many times a downspout ends with just an elbow.
Use an impact driver for quick drilling.
Get into those tight spaces with this technique.
A storm sash can be handy to keep out the weather, but they can be difficult to remove.
Use a brake caliper tool when changing brake pads on your car.
Don't let this uncommon reading spook you.
The higher the grade, the finer the sandpaper.
Air hammers use highly pressurized air to strike the desired object.
Spotted spurge is a rogue lawn weed that can become a serious nuisance in your lawn or flowerbeds.
Insulation can lower a home's heat loss by up to 75 percent!
Here are some pros and cons to installing a beadboard ceiling.
Many homeowners opt for plastic for various reasons.
Both hand planes and power planes can be used to complete many carpentry projects.
A gambrel roof consists of two slopes with a gabled structure at both ends.
A wood turning parting tool is a small chisel used to cut grooves into wood while it's turning.
A power tool grinder is one of several power tools used to smooth and polish different kinds of surfaces.
Membrane roofing is placed on flat roof surfaces to protect against ultraviolet rays and weathering.
A bull float is a device used to smooth the surface of newly poured concrete.
A French drain system is essentially a ditch filled with gravel to protect foundations from runoff.
This piece of lumber is an important part of flooring or decking.
Vintage and antique are two words you hear a lot when discussing DIY projects.
A torpedo level is generally a 6 to 12 inch-long level in the shape of a torpedo.
A stick-built home is a home built on-site instead of in a factory.
A camshaft is part of a vehicle's engine. It is used to open and close engine valves.
Chair rails are moldings applied on the wall a few feet from the ground.
A plumb bob is used to make sure something is plumb, or vertical.
An alternator is an electric generator.
An ohmmeter measures electrical resistance.
A hardscape is a rocky landscape.
A dormer window is a window that sticks out of a sloped roof.
A gasket is a seal which fills the space between surfaces.
A faceplate is commonly used to describe light switches and sockets.
Emulsion is a water-based paint.
Top dressing is putting a compost, sand, or soil mix on the surface of a lawn.
Learn what the top 10 DIY terms mean, and you’ll learn lots more about DIY.
A newel is a supporting pillar, or column, on a staircase.
Companion plants are plants that grow better when planted together.
A bastard file is a file with coarseness between “coarse” and “second cut.”
A hawk is a square board with a handle in the middle.
A scrub plane is used to remove wood from lumber.
A billhook is a cutting tool generally used for cutting wood, pruning, and chopping branches.
A dibble is a gardening tool used to make holes in the ground.
An anvil is a large block made of steel or iron.
A gimlet is used for drilling small holes.
A scriber is used to mark lines.
