Certificate III in Carpentry key terms

A wall that carries weight from floors or the roof above down to the foundation. Removing or altering it without engineered support can cause structural collapse.

A vertical framing member inside a wall that supports sheeting and transfers loads. Standard spacings are 450 mm or 600 mm centres depending on cladding and load requirements.

A short horizontal piece fitted between studs to stop them twisting and to brace the wall. Also called a dwang in some regions; required at sheet joints and mid-height.

The horizontal timber fixed across the top of a wall frame that ties studs together and supports ceiling or roof members above.

A horizontal beam placed over a door or window opening to carry the load from above and spread it to the sides of the opening.

Bearers are heavy horizontal members that support floor loads and transfer them to stumps or posts; joists are smaller members laid across bearers to carry the floor surface.

A short post, usually timber, concrete or steel, that raises the floor frame off the ground and transfers building loads to footings.

The concrete base placed below ground that spreads a building's load over a wider area of soil so settlement stays within acceptable limits.

A concrete floor poured directly onto prepared ground, often with thickened edges and reinforcement, used as both foundation and finished floor base.

The process of marking building lines, corners and levels on site before construction so the structure is positioned and square as drawn.

A squaring technique using a triangle with sides in the ratio 3:4:5, which always has a right angle between the two shorter sides.

A fixed reference point or level from which heights and measurements are taken consistently across a site, often marked on a permanent object.

A taut cord stretched between two points to give a straight guide for setting out, checking alignment or laying courses of masonry.

A tool containing liquid-filled vials with air bubbles that shows whether a surface is horizontal or vertical within a small tolerance.

Exactly vertical. A wall or post that is plumb is straight up and down, checked with a level or plumb bob.

Diagonal or sheeted elements built into a frame to resist wind and racking forces, stopping the structure from skewing sideways.

Rigid sheets or boards fixed to the outside of a frame to enclose it, add stiffness and provide a base for cladding and weatherproofing.

A pliable membrane or board placed under roof covering or cladding to shed any water that gets past the outer layer and to reduce draughts.

Metal or flexible strip bent and fixed over joints and penetrations to stop water entering the building at roof, wall and opening junctions.

An impermeable sheet laid under a concrete slab or in a wall to stop ground moisture rising into the building structure and interior.

A small opening left in the base of a wall or above flashing so trapped water can drain out instead of soaking into the structure.

The gap between an outer and inner wall leaf, or between cladding and frame, that allows drainage and ventilation while keeping the interior dry.

The structure and space between the ground and the finished floor, including bearers, joists and ventilation provisions.

A horizontal member over an opening that supports the cut ends of framing above; its size depends on the span and the load it carries.

A factory-made triangular frame of timber members designed to span between walls and carry roof loads without internal support.

A sloping member that runs from the wall plate or ridge to support the roof covering and its battens.

The angle or steepness of a roof surface, usually expressed in degrees or as a ratio of rise to run.

The board fixed along the lower edge of the roof at the eaves, carrying the gutter and closing off the ends of the rafters.

A board fixed along the sloping edge of a gable roof, finishing the verge and protecting the ends of roof members.

A joint where a projecting tongue on one member fits into a matching slot cut in another, often pinned or glued for strength.

An interlocking corner joint made from wedge-shaped pins and tails that resists pulling apart, commonly used in drawers and boxes.

A step-shaped recess cut along the edge of a member so another piece or a panel can sit flush against it.

A groove cut across a member to receive the end or edge of another member, giving location and bearing such as a stair tread into a stringer.

The sloping side member of a staircase that supports the treads and risers and carries loads to the floors above and below.

The vertical face between one stair tread and the next; its height must be consistent across the flight for safe use.

The horizontal part of a stair step that a person walks on, measured from nosing to nosing for setting out a flight.

The narrow slot cut by a saw blade, or a shallow cut made in timber to allow it to bend or to relieve stress.

Shaping the end of a moulding or skirting so it fits neatly against another profile, usually by cutting at an angle and filing back.

A joint formed by cutting two members at matching angles, commonly 45 degrees each, so they meet at a corner.