865
Glossary
fl oor trusses: Trusses made of engineered wood,
designed for light frame construction, that are
used in place of fl oor joists in some residential
structures.
fl ue: The path or structure that conducts smoke
from a fi re safely to the top of the chimney.
fl uorescent light: A light that contains a glass
tube coated with a material that fl uoresces
(glows) when an electric current is applied.
fl ush door: A door that is smooth on both sides.
fl y ash: Ash that has been recovered as a
byproduct of coal-burning energy plants.
foam board: A type of Styrofoam® that is
available in sheets of various thicknesses.
footing: A reinforced concrete structure that
supports the foundation wall by spreading
its weight over a larger area.
footprint: The area of land occupied by the
fl oor plan of a building.
forced-air system: A heating system in which
air is heated in a furnace and then forced
through pipes or ducts to all parts of a house.
foundation plan: A plan that specifi es the
foundation size and the materials to be used
in constructing the foundation or other
structure.
foundation walls: The part of a house that
extends down from the fi rst fl oor to the footing.
foyer: A room or area just inside the main entry
of a home that provides a place to greet guests
and to remove overcoats and boots.
franchise: A license to sell an established
company’s products or services.
free-form roof: A roof that may take any
shape, offering complete freedom of design;
the design may include planar, curved, and
warped surfaces.
French doors: Panel doors in which all of the
panels are glass.
full bath: A bathroom that contains a sink,
toilet, and bathtub or tub/shower combination.
full building section: A building section that
extends all the way across a building. Also
called a cross section.
furring strips: Strips of 2 × 2 or 1 × 3 lumber
affi xed to a masonry wall to provide a nailing
surface for drywall, plaster, or paneling.
fuse: A device that has a fusible link that melts
when a circuit becomes overloaded, opening
the circuit and stopping the fl ow of electricity.
fi nal estimate: An accurate estimate of building
costs based on the fi nal working drawings
and specifi cations; includes the quantity,
quality, and cost of materials to be used and
the cost of labor required for installation.
fi nish coat: The third stucco layer in the three-
coat process; a thin layer in which texture or
design patterns are applied.
fi re chamber: The part of a fi replace where the
fi re is contained and controlled.
fi rebrick: A type of brick that can withstand
intense heat.
fi reclay: A fi re-resistant, mortar-like material
that is used as a bonding material between
fi rebricks in a fi replace.
fi recut: An angled cut on a joist end in solid
brick and stone walls to prevent toppling the
wall if the house should catch fi re.
fl ash fl ood: A sudden fl ood usually caused by
heavy rain, although not necessarily in the
fl ooded areas. Heavy rains in the mountains
many miles upstream of a town can cause
unexpected fl ash fl ooding in the town if the
rainfall rates are high enough.
fl ashing: A strip of weather-resistant metal laid
beneath the surface roofi ng material to shed
water away from areas of potential leakage.
fl exible paving system: A paving system with
a well-compacted subgrade beneath a layer
of crushed stone, a sand setting bed, and fi ne
sand between the pavers.
fl oat: A short board, about a foot long, with
a handle attached to one of the wide sides.
Floats are used to embed the large aggregate
in concrete just beneath the surface, remove
imperfections to produce a fl at surface, and
prepare for fi nal steel-troweling.
fl oodplain: A low-lying area near a river or
other body of water that fl oods when the
water level in the body of water rises.
fl oor framing plan: A plan that shows the
direction of fl oor joists and major supporting
members.
fl oor plan: A horizontal section view of a
structure taken about 4′ from fl oor level. It
shows all exterior and interior walls, doors,
windows, patios, walks, decks, fi replaces,
mechanical equipment, built-in cabinets,
appliances, bathroom fi xtures, and other
fi xed features of the structure.