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TIE BAR
Heavy metal bar passing through a wall, or walls, to brace a structure suffering from structural instability.
TORCHING
Mortar applied on the underside of roof tiles or slates to help prevent moisture penetration. Not necessary when a roof is underdrawn with felt.
TRANSOM
Horizontal bar of wood or stone across a window or top of door.
TREAD
The horizontal part of a step or stair.
TRUSSED RAFTERS
Method of roof construction utilising prefabricated triangular framework of timbers. Now widely used in domestic construction.
UNDERPINNING
Method of strengthening weak foundations whereby a new, stronger foundation is placed beneath the original.
VALLEY GUTTER
Horizontal or sloping gutter, usually lead- or tile-lined, at the internal intersection between two roof slopes.
VENTILATION
Necessary in all buildings to disperse moisture resulting from bathing, cooking, breathing etc., and to assist in prevention of condensation.
Floors : Necessary to avoid rot, especially Dry Rot; achieved by airbricks near to ground level.
Roofs : Necessary to disperse condensation within roof spaces; achieved either by airbricks in gables or ducts at the eaves.
VERGE
The edge of a roof, especially over a gable.
VERGE BOARD
Timber, sometimes decorative, placed at the verge of a roof: also known as barge board.
WAINSCOT
Wood panelling or boarding on the lower part of an internal wall.
WALL PLATE
Timber placed at the eaves of a roof, to take the weight of the roof timbers.
WET ROT
(Coniophora Puteana.) Decay of timber due to damp conditions. Not to be confused with the more serious Dry Rot.
WOODWORM
Colloquial term for beetle infestation: usually intended to mean Common Furniture Beetle (Anobium Punctatum): by far the most frequently encountered insect attack in structural and joinery timbers.
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