Business / Construction Glossary

Insulation: Any material high in resistance to heat transmission that, when placed in the walls, ceiling, or floors of a structure, and will reduce the rate of heat flow.

Insulation Board, Rigid: A structural building board made of coarse wood or cane fiber in ½ - and 25/32-inch thickness. It can be obtained in various size sheets and densities.

Interest : The cost paid to a lender for borrowed money.

Interior Finish: Material used to cover the interior framed areas of walls and ceilings

Irrigation: Lawn sprinkler system.

J Channel: Metal edging used on drywall to give the edge a better finished appearance when a wall is not 'wrapped' Generally, basement stairway walls have drywall only on the stair side. J Channel is u . . . View Full Definition

Jack Post: A type of structural support made of metal, which can be raised or lowered through a series of pins and a screw to meet the height required. Basically used as a replacement for an old suppor . . . View Full Definition

Jack Rafter: A rafter that spans the distance from the wall plate to a hip, or from a valley to a ridge.

Jamb: The side and head lining of a doorway, window, or other opening. Includes studs as well as the frame and trim.

Joint: The location between the touching surfaces of two members or components joined and held together by nails, glue, cement, mortar, or other means.

Joint Cement Or Joint Compound: A powder that is usually mixed with water and used for joint treatment in gypsum-wallboard finish. Often called 'spackle' or drywall mud.

Joint Tenancy: A form of ownership in which the tenants own a property equally. If one dies, the other automatically inherits the entire property.

Joint Trench: When the electric company and telephone company dig one trench and 'drop' both of their service lines in.

Joist: Wooden 2 X 8's, 10's, or 12's that run parallel to one another and support a floor or ceiling, and supported in turn by larger beams, girders, or bearing walls.

Joist Hanger: A metal 'U' shaped item used to support the end of a floor joist and attached with hardened nails to another bearing joist or beam.

Jumpers: Water pipe installed in a water meter pit (before the water meter is installed), or electric wire that is installed in the electric house panel meter socket before the meter is installed. Th . . . View Full Definition

Keeper: The metal latch plate in a door frame into which a doorknob plunger latches.

Keyless: A plastic or porcelain light fixture that operates by a pull string. Generally found in the basement, crawl space , and attic areas.

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