Building Community

dentil – a small, ornamental block used in rows, resembling a row of teeth.
dentilated (denticulated) – ornamented or embellished with dentils, as in a cornice or gable moulding.
dormer – structure containing windows, which projects from roof slope, and has a flat, sloping (shed), gabled, hipped or other shape of roof.
unevenly-coursed shingles – two rows of shingles laid close together, creating a rhythmic pattern, more frequently used on walls than roofs.
double-bevelled siding – exterior wall cladding consisting of a single drop siding board, usually ship-lapped, milled to present the shadow lines of two boards. Commonly used by 1910. Also referred to as double-wave or double ogee siding.
double-glazed – window with two panes of glass set apart in the same sash.
double-hung sash windows – window with two sashes hung in same frame; by use of
weight-and-pulley system, one sash goes up and the other, down.
dowel, dowelling – pin of metal or wood used to secure two members together.
drop finial (pendant) – ornamental feature placed inside apex of roof, below wall overhang, etc.
drop siding – horizontal exterior wall cladding, usually shiplapped, but sometimes with tongue and groove versions. Also referred to as channel siding.
duckboard – platform of slats or duckboards laid on cold or wet surface to form a pathway.
duroid – type of asphalt shingle.
eave – lower edge of roof.
elevation – face or facade of building, or drawing of face.
entablature – band of horizontal elements above column capitals, composed of architrave, frieze, and cornice.
entasis – slight convex curve on columns and other structures used to create optical illusion and make sides appear straight; sometimes exaggerated for decorative effect.
façade – face or side of building; most often used when describing the front of a building.
fanlight –  window in arched opening over door.
fascia – horizontal board which covers rafter ends along eaves of roof.
fenestration – window arrangement on building facade.
finial – ornamental feature placed at apex of gable, hip, etc., or (rarely) where bottom of gable meets eaves.
floor plan – scale drawing of arrangement of rooms, etc., of one level of a building.
frieze – decorative horizontal band at top of exterior and interior walls below cornice, or as porch cornices.

gable – triangular top of exterior wall at end of ridged roof.
gable roof – peak formed with single slope on either side of ridge.
gambrel roof – roof with pair of shallow pitched slopes above steeply pitched slopes either side of ridge.
half-hipped gable – gable with top truncated or clipped back to ridge; also called jerkinhead gable.
hip – angle formed by intersection of two sloping roof surfaces.
hipped roof – roof with surfaces sloping in four directions; can be pyramidal, ridged or flat-topped.
hood moulding – projection from a wall above a doorway or window to keep rain away from opening.
horn – projecting upper or lower ends on side bars of moveable window sash which prevent sash from hitting upper rail or sill of window frame.

jerkinhead gable – half-hipped gable.
jettied (jettyed) – projection of an upper storey or other member of a structure over the part below.
keep – chief tower of a castle.
keystone – highest and central stone, frequently wedge-shaped, of an arch.
lancet window – long, narrow window topped by pointed arch.
larder – small room where food is kept (pantry).
lintel – horizontal member laid across top of doorway or window opening to support wall above.

mansard roof – two-pitched roof with steep lower slope that rises from all facades of a building; generally has many windows in lower slope.
modillion – horizontal ornamental block or bracket under eaves.
mortar – mixture of lime, plaster or cement, fine sand and water, used for bonding and pointing brick or stone.
moulding (molding) – decorative finishing strip.
mullion – vertical bar of wood, metal or stone which divides a window into two or more parts.
muntin (also munton bar, sash bar) – thin strip of wood holding panes of glass in window.
newel (newel post) – principal supporting post for handrail at bottom or angle of staircase.
oriel – small curved or angled window section, projecting outward from wall and supported by brackets.

Palladian window – window consisting of central arched sash flanked by smaller side lights, not arched; aka: Venetian or Diocletian window.
pantry – small room where food, dishes, etc., are kept.
parapet – low wall around roof or platform.
parged, parging – covering of exterior element, such as a chimney, with mortar or form of stucco.
pebbledash, pebble-dash – external plaster or stucco normally consisting of two coats in
which pebbles or gravel are thrown into second coat before it has set.
pediment – low-pitched triangular end or gable above portico, door or window.
pendant – hanging ornament.
pent roof – visor-like roof that projects from wall.
pergola – open grid, supported by rows of columns or other upright members, for growing vines, etc.
piano window – small horizontal window high in the wall of main level, under which upright piano can be placed on interior wall; generally in living or dining rooms.
picket fence – fence with vertical pointed flat, square or round members.
pièce-sur-pièce – French Canadian type of log construction favoured by the Hudson’s Bay Company: a dressed timber frame structure with horizontal log infill, the logs notched at both ends and slid down the uprights.
pier – vertical supporting member, frequently battered and beneath posts or columns, as on porch or verandah.
pilaster – flat column against face of wall; usually projects no more than one-third to one-half its width.
pitched roof – roof with sloping sides.
pointing – finishing of rough mortar joints in masonry with special fine, strong mortar, shaped with special tools, usually coloured to contrast with brick or masonry.
porch – small, projecting, covered entrance to building; may be open, screened, or glass-enclosed.
porte-cochère – covered area over driveway at building entrance.
quarter-round – small moulding or beading which is one-quarter of circle in section, often used at junction of floor and baseboard.
quatrefoil – leaf-like motif with four lobes or circular areas; frequently the form of decorative windows.
Queen Anne sash or window – large glass pane edged with many small panes of square or rectangular glass, frequently coloured.
quoins – large stones or bricks which accentuate corners of a building; laid vertically, frequently alternating short and long blocks.
rake – slope of gable, pediment, staircase, floor (frequently in theatres).
raking moulding – moulding that follows slope of gable.
return (cornice return) – continuation of moulding, where bottom of raking moulding on a gable is carried a short distance back and horizontally towards centre of gable.
riser – vertical portion of stair step; can be open riser.
roughcast – exterior plaster or stucco with rough aggregate (gravel, broken bottle glass, etc.) thrown in, such as pebbledash.

saddlebag dormers – pair of low-slung, shed-roofed dormers, on either side of a roof ridge.
sash – window frame which slides open vertically.
scullery – small room off kitchen where dishes, cutlery, etc., are washed or cleaned.
section – drawing illustrating view if structure were cut vertically, and interior exposed.
segmental arch – arch in which the curve is a segment of a circle but less than a semicircle.
shake – large, split wooden (generally cedar) tile used as wall or roof cladding; thicker and more rustic than shingle, and not tapered.
sheathing – material used to enclose and strengthen walls.
shed roof – roof consisting of a single slope.
shingle – sawn, tapered wooden (generally cedar) or asphalt tile used for exterior wall or roof cladding.
shiplap – grooved, interlocking boards laid diagonally over timber structure, as base for external wall cladding.
sidelight – narrow windows on one or both sides of entry door.
sill – structural framing member on bottom of door or window.
soffit – enclosed underside of overhanging eave.
spindle – decoratively turned or circular member in balustrade, porch frieze or gable decoration, etc.
spire – pointed top part of tower or steeple.
steeple – high tower of church.
storm window – supplementary window, put within same frame either outside or inside, to prevent loss of heat in winter and as sound barrier; if placed outside, it also protects main sash from effects of weathering.
stringcourse, string course – horizontal division of a building marked by band of wood, brick, metal or stone running across face of building (belt course).
tar paper – heavy building paper coated with tar to make it waterproof, used on walls and roofs, generally between layers.
terracotta – fired ceramic tile used as decorative architectural element.
transom window – small window or series of panes above door or window.
tread – horizontal portion of individual stair step.
trellis – lath lattice used as screen.
tongue-and-groove (T&G) – boards which join together by rib (tongue) on long edge of one board locking into groove on long edge of next board.
tripartite – composed of or divided into three parts.
trefoil – leaf-like motif with three lobes or circular areas.
truncated – top or end cut off, shortened or abbreviated.
Tudor arch – late-medieval style of flattened arch with vertical sides, rounded shoulders and a point.
turret – small slender tower, frequently at building corner.
tuscan column – simplest order of Classical styles, unfluted with plain round capital and base.
tympanum – triangular space enclosed within pediment.

V-joint – tongue-and-groove boards with chamfered edges on top side of boards.
verandah – large roofed space (sometimes a big porch) attached to exterior wall of house, with roof supported by columns, posts or piers.
vernacular – structure built or designed by someone without formal training, structure not conforming to established styles except possibly in some ornamental details.
wainscoting (wainscotting) – panelling, usually wooden, on lower portion (wainscot) of interior walls.
wall dormer – dormer flush with face of wall, or rising up from wall, breaking through eaves and roof plane.
water-table, water table – horizontal wooden or metal strip set at angle between exterior wall cladding, between main and lower levels, to divert water away from foundation.
whitewash – water-soluble white liquid, usually of lime and water, which was used as paint on walls and fences.
widow’s walk – flat top of roof and its surrounding cresting or parapet.