Resources
Building materials glossary
Plain-English definitions of the building materials and trade terms you will see on site, on drawings and on our quotes. Whether you are a homeowner planning an extension or a tradesperson quoting a job, this glossary explains the jargon in one sentence.
- Aggregate
- Bulk granular material used in construction. Common types include sharp sand, ballast, gravel and MOT Type 1 sub-base.
- Ballast
- A mixture of sand and gravel used to make concrete when mixed with cement and water.
- Block
- A concrete or lightweight aircrete masonry unit, usually larger than a brick and used for walls and foundations.
- Carcassing timber
- Structural timber used in framing, stud walls, roofs and floors, typically C16 or C24 graded.
- CLS
- Canadian Lumber Standard. A smooth, planed timber commonly used for stud walls and internal framing.
- Damp-proof course (DPC)
- A waterproof layer built into walls to prevent moisture rising from the ground.
- DPM
- Damp-proof membrane. A sheet material used under concrete floors to stop moisture.
- Facing brick
- A brick chosen for its appearance, used on the external visible surface of a wall.
- Lintel
- A structural beam over a door or window opening. Steel lintels are common in cavity-wall construction.
- MOT Type 1
- A crushed stone sub-base material used under roads, patios and driveways for load-bearing support.
- OSB
- Oriented Strand Board. An engineered wood sheet made from compressed strands, used for sheathing and flooring.
- Plasterboard
- Gypsum-based board used to line walls and ceilings. Also known as drywall or gyproc.
- Plywood
- A sheet material made from thin layers of wood veneer glued together, used for formwork, flooring and furniture.
- Screed
- A thin layer of sand and cement laid over a concrete floor to create a smooth, level finish.
- Sharp sand
- Coarse, gritty sand used in concrete, mortar and as a bedding layer for paving.
- Sub-base
- The load-bearing layer beneath a driveway, patio or floor slab, usually MOT Type 1.
- Thermalite / Aircrete
- Lightweight aerated concrete blocks with good insulation properties, used for internal and external walls.
- Wastage
- Extra material allowed for cuts, breakages and minor mistakes. Typically 5–10% for bricks, blocks and tiles.
- Cement
- A powdered binder that sets hard when mixed with water. Combined with sand and aggregate it makes mortar or concrete.
- Stud wall
- A non-load-bearing internal wall built from a timber or metal frame lined with plasterboard.
- Joist
- A horizontal structural timber or steel member that supports a floor, ceiling or flat roof.
- Battens
- Small-section lengths of timber used to fix roof tiles, support plasterboard or provide a fixing for cladding.
- Gravel board
- A board fitted at the bottom of a fence panel to keep the timber off the ground and extend its life.