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Bowl-like shells of the abalone mollusk, a source of mother of pearl.

Genus containing around 200 species of shrubs or trees widely distributed in the North Temperate Zone, but concentrated in China. Maples are used as ornamentals, tapped for syrup, and provide valuable, dense hardwood for furniture and other uses. All maples bear pairs of winged seeds, called samaras or keys. The leaves are arranged oppositely on twigs. Many maples have lobed leaves, but a few have leaves separated into leaflets. More recent classifications place the genus in the family Sapindaceae, although some have placed it in a family of its own, Aceraceae.

Species of deciduous shrub or small tree native to Japan, North Korea, South Korea, China, Mongolia, and southeast Russia; reaching 10 meters in height and typically an understory plant in shady woodlands. The tree may have multiple trunks joining close to the ground. Many different cultivars of this maple have been developed; even in the wild, seedlings from the same parent display remarkable variation in color and shape of leaves.

Nut of oak trees and shrubs, growing in a shallow woody cup or cupule.

Finishing plaster designed to correct sound reverberations or reduce noise intensity.

Any tile composed of materials having the property of absorbing sound waves.

Colorless, transparent, thermoplastic synthetic resin made by the polymerization of acrylic acid derivatives; used for adhesives, fibers, consolidants, protective coatings, finishes, and as a paint medium.

Handmade, sun-dried brick typically made from wet mud and straw, sometimes also containing sand, clay, dung, grass, chaff, or blood. It is porous, wettable, susceptible to wet-dry cycle degradation, but good heat insulation. Adobe walls are typically built using mud mortar between the brick layers followed with a mud stucco finish layer. It was used as early as 7000 BCE for houses, buildings, and pyramids, particularly in arid climates such as Mesopotamia, Persia, Palestine, India, China, and the pre-Columbian Americas. For sun-dried brick that may or may contain the binders of adobe, use the more general "sun-dried brick."

Wood of trees belonging to the genus Khaya, native to Africa. It has a pink heartwood when freshly sawn, which darkens to a pinkish-brown to a deep red. It closely resembles true mahogany. It is used for making cabinets, musical instruments, veneer, furniture, boat planking and cabins, banisters, and handrails.

Cryptocrystalline chalcedony, showing a variegated banded structure and waxy luster. Agate bands are caused by the deposition of successive mineral layers from solution and may be either straight, wavy, or concentric. Agate is slightly harder than quartz. It has been gathered or mined since Neolithic times. It may distinguished from onyx by the parallel structure of the bars in onyx.

Inert granular material such as natural sand, manufactured sand, or gravel that, when bound into a conglomerate mass, forms concrete or mortar.

Lumber that has been dried by exposure to air in a yard or shed, without artificial heat

Concrete containing minute air bubbles that improve its workability and frost resistance.

An American white marble suitable for sculpture.

A light tan-gray or nearly white oolitic limestone quarried in Colbert County, Alabama that contains large isolated shells and other fossils.

Fine-grained marblelike variety of gypsum that is easy to carve but is rather fragile; it has been used as a sculpture material, ornamental building work, vases, small decorative carvings, and powdered for use as a paper filler and paint pigment called mineral white or terra alba. Alabaster is usually a translucent white or pink but may also be a muted red, yellow or gray. It is soft and can be scratched slightly with a fingernail. It also dissolves slowly in wet environments.

A bluish gray stone quarried in Virginia; commonly used for building trim and for chemical laboratory tables and sinks; hard varieties employed for stair treads and flooring.

Genus containing around 150 species of flowering trees, shrubs, and lianas of tropical and subtropical regions, some of which are cultivated as ornamentals or for their timber. The genus was named after Filippo del Albizzi, a Florentine nobleman who in 1749 introduced A. julibrissin into cultivation.

A general name for steel that owes its distinctive properties to elements other than carbon; types of alloy steel typically take the name of the element or elements that are most influential on their character. Usually used for toolmaking and building.

Colorless-to-white crystalline potassium aluminum sulfate; has a wide range of uses, including in treatment of leather and textile, in sizing paper, as a mordant in dyeing, and as a water-purifying agent.

Pure metallic element having symbol Al and atomic number 13; a hard, strong, silver white metal. This metal is also processed and formed, usually in combination with other substances, to make objects and materials.

When not further qualified, the term refers to aluminum-copper alloy with or without small amounts of other alloying elements. Due to the influence of even tiny amounts of other elements on aluminum, there is an infinite variety of aluminum alloys.

Cans made of aluminum.

Paper of silvery appearance coated with powdered aluminum.

Wood of the species Castanea dentata; it is similar to oak with a light brown, coarse grain. The durable wood was widely used prior to World War II for paneling, framing, fence posts, rails, shingles, office desks, and coffins. Trees are have a limited range today; while formerly found throughout North America, they were largely killed off by a fungus in the 20th century.

Fine-grain, durable wood of the species Ulmus americana, used chiefly for ship building, ax handles, or other uses requiring a combination of strength, bending qualities, and ability to withstand rough usage.

Wood of the species Tilia americana of the eastern United States and Canada. It varies in color from creamy-white to almost brown, and is used in the manufacture of constructional veneer, plywood, piano actions, and turnery.

Wood of the species Sassafras albidum, native to eastern North America. It is soft, lightweight, and moderately coarse, used for fence posts and furniture.

Soft, fine-grained wood of the species Liriodendron tulipifera of North America. The sapwood is usually a creamy off-white color; heartwood is pale green, often with streaks of red, purple, or black. It is cheap, easy-to-work, can take a sharp edge, and is stable, used to seal pipes and valves in organs, for siding clapboards, coffin boxes, pattern timber, and wooden ware.

Purple or bluish-violet varieties of quartz, that have gathered or mined since Neolithic times.

A stone from Ohio, containing up to 95% silica with 4% aluminum oxide, and colored gray and buff with iron oxides.

Any brick having an oblique shape to fit an oblique salient corner.

Completely de-hydrated gypsum that is combined with an accelerator to abbreviate setting time. Due to it's hard surface, it is used as a final coating.

Designates plants that complete their cycle from seed to seed in a single year.

Non-bituminous and most highly metamorphosed form of coal containing more fixed carbon and least amount of volatile matter than any other form. Anthracite is the least plentiful form of coal.

A transparent, light bluish green gem variety of beryl.

A brown to light-gray siliceous sandstone from Aquia Creek in Stafford County, Virginia. It contains rounded, coarse to fine grains of quartz as well as scattered pebbles and clay pellets as big as 1 inch in diameter; it splits easily in any desired direction. Aquia Creek sandstone was one of the important building stones in early Washington, D.C.

Bronze of very high copper content, formulated for color.

Flat glass used for utilitarian purposes, although the term is sometimes used to describe what is known as stained glass. In modern times some is made in solid or hollow blocks to be used for building walls. Can be decorated by etching, sandblasting or other techniques.

Mirrors contained in frames that have strong architectural features, often including side columns and pediments.

A hard-burnt, glazed or unglazed clay unit used in building construction, machine extruded or handmade.

Family of flowering plants containing nearly 2,400 species of palms in 189 genera.

A fine grained ferruginous sandstone quarried in Arizona that can be buff, brown, or pink in color; it is one of the most common and inexpensive sedimentary stones used as flagstone. It is strong, abrasion resistant, and has a natural non-slip surface, making it an exceptional flooring material. It is colorfast and can be used indoors or outdoors.

An obsolete variety of hydrated chromic phosphate; it is the hemiheptahydrate form of chromic phosphate, comprising a powder having a bluish green color and used as a paint pigment.

Glass, especially types invented in the 19th century, that incorporated newly developed techniques for producing colors and surface textures.

Glassware, particularly that dating to the mid- to late 19th century, that was made for ornamental more than for utilitarian purposes and that was made of material that incorporated newly developed techniques for producing colors and surface textures. For the general concept of works made of glass, use "glassware."

Asphalt mixture of 13-60 percent bitumens with finely pulverized mineral fillers, usually limestone. It differs from natural asphalt by the presence of paraffin and a greater content of petroleum oils.

Asphalt mixture of 13-60 percent bitumens with finely pulverized mineral fillers, usually limestone. It differs from natural asphalt by the presence of paraffin and a greater content of petroleum oils.

Any combination or mixture of materials made to imitate stone.

A commercial term for any of several fibrous magnesium silicate minerals readily separable into thin, strong fiber that is flexible, noncombustible, heat resistant, and chemically inert; used in a wide variety of industrial products. It was used by the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Chinese as a fireproof material. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, asbestos was used for fireproofing and insulating houses: small asbestos fibers were mixed with binders and compressed into boards, paper, pipe covering, ironing board covers, shingles, tiles, and sprayed onto ceilings. Long asbestos fibers were woven into fabrics for used in brake linings, heat-resistant shields, gloves, and fireproof garments and blankets. Health concerns have limited the use of asbestos since the early 1960s. In the U.S., it was declared a hazardous material in 1986.

Fire-resistant, waterproofing material made by combining portland cement with asbestos fiber.

Earthy or mineral residue that remains after combustible substances have been thoroughly burned.

Wood of any of several trees belonging to the genus Fraxinus, having distinctive growth rings with very large open pores beside small, tight pores. The wood is light in color, dense, elastic, and having a straight grain that is moderately durable but susceptible to insect attack and moisture degradation. The tough, heavy timber is used for ladders, tool handles, oars, poles, gymnasium equipment, and hockey sticks because it produces a smooth surface that rarely splinters. Ash was also popular for furniture (especially Colonial pieces), wheels, and carriage frames, and is used for decorative veneers.

Small dimension stone with a flat faced surface, usually square or rectangular.

A brick whose face has been hacked to resemble roughly hacked stone.

The dark, brownish-black bituminous resin that is found in natural deposits or is produced as a byproduct of oil refineries. It has consistencies varying from viscous liquid to glassy solid. It is composed of aliphatic, alicyclic, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. It is soluble in oils and waxes and can act as a plasticizer or a strengthener, depending on the hardness of the variety. Natural asphalt, which is believed to have been formed during an early stage in the breakdown of organic marine deposits into petroleum, characteristically contains minerals, while residual petroleum asphalt does not. Asphalt has been used since the 3rd millennium BCE for waterproofing; it is also used for road paving, roof coating, joint sealing, and a waterproof barrier in sandy soils. Ancient sources for asphalt were Egypt, the north end of the Dead Sea, the Is river northwest of Babylon, and the Greek island of Zante.

Adhesive and binding material that is a preparation of refined asphalt and heavy petroleum oil, made by refining petroleum until there is no water or foreign matter in it, except for the minerals naturally found in the asphalt. Asphalt cement contains less than one percent ash. Usually used for paving.

A composite material consisting of gravel, sand, and stone that is bound together with asphalt; it is laid down in layers and compacted. It is commonly used in construction projects such as road surfaces, airports, and parking lots. The ingredients are mixed under high temperatures and kept heated until applied to a surface.

Rooms or entire buildings designed for a variety of activities such as would occur on a stage before a seated audience; for rooms or buildings used only for theatrical performances, use "theaters;" for rooms with fixed seating designed for lectures, use "lecture halls."

Roof-like coverings, usually of canvas or metal and often adjustable, placed over windows, doors, or decks to provide protection from sun and rain.

Earthenware tile of Spanish or Portuguese manufacture, painted and enameled in rich colors. They are typically large and used to decorate the exterior walls of buildings. The term is probably of Arabic origin but its derivation is debated.

A relatively low-quality brick used behind face brick or other masonry.

The residue left after grinding sugarcane and extracting the juice, employed in making paper and fiber building board.

A hard, glossy coating of paint that is baked dry in an oven at 180 degrees. Baked enamel is usually used to coat metallic surfaces in industrial applications such as sign-making or the construction of household appliances.

Railed platforms projecting from the exterior walls of buildings. Use also for similar interior features, when small. For larger platforms which extend the length of one side of a room or are recessed behind an arcade, use "galleries (upper level spaces)."

Heavy material, such as water, sand, or iron, used to increase weight, as in a machine.

Wooden frameworks in which all vertical structural elements, posts and studs, of the exterior bearing walls and partitions extend the full height of the frame from sill to roof plate.

The wood of a fast-growing tropical bombaceous tree that is the lightest and softest wood used commercially. The white to tan-color, soft wood has a straight grain, coarse texture and is relatively strong. Balsa wood is easily carved and often used for model airplanes and toys. Balsa is also used as a substitute for cork in insulation, flats, life preservers, and buoys.

An oleoresinous exudate from coniferous trees, especially of the Pinus genus. Balsams have been used since antiquity for medicinal purposes and as sealers. The exudate is a soft, semi-liquid consisting of terpenes of resinous character and a large amount of essential oils. Upon distillation, a liquid portion, called turpentine, and a solid residue, called rosin, are produced. Balsams have been used in varnishes and paint mediums; however, they deteriorate easily unless a harder resin is mixed with them.

Material derived from the stem or stalk of the bamboo plant, which is any of 480 species of woody or treelike tropical and semitropical grass.

General term for any of around 480 species of woody or treelike tropical and semitropical grasses of various genera, including Bambusa, Phyllosyachys, Dendrocalamus, and allied genera, all having woody, hollow stems, stalked blades, and flowering only after years of growth. Bamboo has been used locally for constructing houses, rafts, poles, bridges, and scaffolding. In Europe and America, bamboo stems were popular for chairs, tables, cabinets, and other interior furniture during the 19th century. They are also split, flattened and woven into smaller items such as baskets, mats, hats, and fish traps. Bamboo has also become an important source of long, cellulose fibers for specialty papers. Additionally, a wax is extracted from the bamboo leaves.

Shaped, beaten clay used for making granaries.

Slate that is distinguished by the light colored stripes or ribbons running through it. It was prized as a material in bannerstones and other ancient American ceremonial objects. When used in construction, it is known for being less durable than other slates because the ribbons are weaker than the surrounding dark areas.

Wire furnished with barbs or sharp hook or points spaced at regular intervals; typically used for fencing or other barriers, it may be of single or multiple intertwined strands.

The external material that covers the woody parts of trees, as distinct and separate from the wood itself.

Material comprising strips of tree bark.

A type of gray granite quarried in Barre, Vermont, a center of granite quarrying in the U.S. since just after the War of 1812.

Refers to works executed in relatively shallow relief.

A dense, hard, dark brown-to-black volcanic igneous rock, consisting of feldspar and mafic minerals such as augite or olivine.

Igneous rocks as classified according to chemical or mineralogical parameters, having low silica and typically high iron - magnesium content; examples are gabbro and basalt.

Limestone from Arkansas, gray or cream colored.

In the context of wood products for carpentry and building, battens are pieces of squared timber of certain dimensions: not more than 7 inches broad and 2 1/2 inches thick, and over 6 feet long. Examples of use of battens includes for flooring, furring, supports for laths, or as cross pieces to secure the joint between two parallel boards.

Windows, either single or in a series, forming a bay or recess in a room and projecting outward from the wall in a rectangular, curved, or polygonal form.

Enrichment consisting of a line of tiny beads; common on silver and furniture.

Material derived from the bill of a bird or similar horny mouthpart in other animals, such as the squid.

Pale reddish-brown, close-grain wood from any of several trees of the genus Fagus; it is hard and heavy, bends well, is durable under water, and gives a smooth shiny finish. Beech wood is commonly used for flooring, cabinetry, furniture (especially bentwood chairs), veneer, plywood, tool handles, and turnery. It was used in panel paintings in western Europe.

A dense, hard marble from Belgium, considered the best black marble for carving due to its deep color and lack of veins and streaks.

A type of paving stone generally cut in a slightly pyramidal shape, laid with the base of the pyramid down.

A soft plastic light-colored clay formed by the chemical alteration of volcanic ash; it can swell to several times its original volume when placed in water.

Wood that is formed by bending rather than being cut into shape.

Genus of hardy, deciduous trees of the family Betulaceae, common to North America, Europe and Asia. Birch tress are readily distinguished by their white bark and diamond-shaped leaves. The lightweight bark contains natural waxes, oils, and tannins that make it tough, durable, and waterproof. Thin sheets of bark were commonly used for paper in Central Asia and the Far East. The water-impervious bark was used for wigwams, canoes, and shoes for Native Americans. Birch produces a strong, pale yellow-brown wood with a close, straight grain and uniform texture that finishes to a smooth surface. Dyes can also be obtained from various parts of birch trees. The leaves, usually gathered before they develop a mature green color, produce a yellow dye. The bark produces a pale brown color. The female catkins (a long shoot bearing flowers with no leaves) are boiled to produce a dull yellow color. Birch bark oil and birch beer are made from sap obtained from the trees. The sap allows birch bark to burn even when it is wet.

Species of ornamental tree found on riverbanks and swamps in the eastern one-third of the United States, growing 18-30 m (60 to 80 feet) in height. Because the lower trunk becomes very dark with age, the tree is sometimes called black birch. The red-brown, deeply furrowed bark on an old trunk breaks into ragged, closely appressed scales; the upper trunk and branches are smooth, salmon pink to rose cinnamon, with a metallic luster.

Wood of the species Acer macrophyllum, the only species native to the western United States. This commercially valuable wood is darker than that of other maples; used in the manufacture of furniture, piano actions, turnery, and musical instruments.

Any substance that produces or promotes cohesion among loosely assembled materials; also includes the substance in a photograph or photographic film that holds the final image material. For the combined material of photographic binder and image material, use "emulsion."

Strong, pale yellow-brown wood from trees of the genus Betula, having a close, straight grain and uniform texture that finishes to a smooth surface. It is sometimes dyed to imitate mahogany. Birch is used for tools handles, plywood, hoops, shoe heels, flooring, furniture, cabinetry, turnery, and firewood. The bark is also used for various purposes.

Maple wood with grain having a wavy, circular pattern with a central spot that resembles the eye of a bird. Used for veneers and furniture.

A relatively soft coal containing the tarlike substance asphaltic bitumen. Its carbon content is 60-80%, the rest composed of water, air, hydrogen, and sulfur. It is of higher quality than lignite coal but of poorer quality than anthracite. It was usually formed as a result of high pressure on lignite. It dark brown to black in color, commonly banded or layered. The major problem with burning of bituminous coal is air pollution. A relatively soft coal containing the tarlike substance asphaltic bitumen. Its carbon content is 60-80%, the rest composed of water, air, hydrogen, and sulfur. It is of higher quality than lignite coal but of poorer quality than anthracite. It was usually formed as a result of high pressure on lignite. It dark brown to black in color, commonly banded or layered. The major problem with burning of bituminous coal is air pollution.

Heavy, dark wood of the species Robinia pseudoacacia, native to the Appalachian mountain region of the United States, and introduced into Europe, Asia, North Africa, and New Zealand as an ornamental and shade tree. It is used for making wheels, posts, gates, outdoor trim, and formerly for shipbuilding.

Marble that is predominantly black in color.

Wood of the species Quercus velutina.

Slate that is predominantly black in color.

Wood of the species Juglans nigra native to the eastern and mid-western sections of North America, having a strong, durable, dark brown heartwood that finishes to a high polish. The sapwood is a pale yellow. The texture is coarse, but uniform and the grain is usually straight. Variations in color and waviness in grain are usually valued for decorative work. Black walnut is used for paneling, interior trim, furniture, cabinetry, clocks, propellers, gunstocks, sewing machines, piano cases, plywood, veneer, and decorative items.

Select, unfading, black slate of uniform color and thickness with all edges ground and accurately squared so that joints can be made tight, smooth, and on the same plane.

A brick of high strength whose blue color results from firing in a kiln with a flame of low oxygen content.

Slate that has components of speculite and graphite in proportions that cause a bluish black color.

Refers to the glaze of white porcelain that is decorated with blue under the glaze. Underglaze blue had been used in the Middle East from the 9th century; it was introduced to China in the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368). Particularly notable are the blue-and-white wares produced in China during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Underglaze blue was introduced to Europe from China in the 18th century.

A type of bluish-gray feldspathic sandstone that is dense, fine-grained and splits easily into thin smooth slabs; for this reason it is often used as flagstone.

Siding in which joints between vertically placed boards are covered by narrow strips of wood.

Thin, flat, rigid objects, of considerable length or breadth compared to thickness, most often of wood, paperboard, or composite fiber materials.

Soft, unctuous clays of various colors, used as pigments and in the ground for gold leaf.

Methods by which masonry units, such as bricks or stones, are interlocked or joined through adhesion of mortar to the bricks. Bonds may be identified and referenced by the pattern on the surface of the masonry. For the process focusing on facing patterns, often in reference to ancient patterns, use children of "masonry facing (process)," although meaning overlaps.

The rigid, calcareous material that is white in color and forms the skeleton of vertebrates; primarily composed of calcium hydroxyapatite with smaller amounts of calcium carbonate, calcium fluoride, magnesium phosphate, and ossein, a high molecular weight protein. Bones have a concentric structure with central lymphatic canals surrounded by a spongy lamellar region protected by a dense outer cortex. Bone has been carved and used since ancient times for many purposes, including fish-hooks, spear heads, needles, handles, and art objects. Bones were also burnt to produce bone black and boiled to produce bone glue. Bone can be distinguished from ivory by being generally whiter, more porous, and less dense.

White pigment made from calcium hydroxyapatite and calcium carbonate derived from bone ash. It was used in grounds for silver point drawings, in making ceramics, and as a polishing compound.

Silicate glass containing at least five percent boric oxide and used in heat-resistant glassware.

Primarily outdoor areas where a variety of plants are grown and displayed for scientific, educational, or artistic purposes.

An Italian marble which can either be dark cream, light cream with brown markings, or light brown with whitish patches.

Vessels having a neck and mouth considerably narrower than the body, used for packaging and containing liquid and dry preparations. For vessels having wider necks and mouths, use "jars."

The largest rock fragment recognized by sedimentologists, a boulder is a detached rock mass larger than a cobble, having a diameter greater than 256 mm (10 in.).

Mixture of mud, moss, and lime (often in the form of ground shells) used as infill between wall timbers, characteristic of French-influenced architecture of the southern United States, especially Louisiana.

Rigid, often rectangular containers usually with a lid or cover in which something nonliquid is kept or carried.

Dense, pale yellow wood from trees of the genus Buxus. Although difficult to carve, the wood has excellent dimensional stability and is very wear resistant. The hard, fine-grain wood is often used for printing blocks, rulers, mallets, architects scales, slide rules, modeling tools, musical instruments, engravings, inlays, small decorative items, and game pieces.

Wooden building frames that use diagonal bracing between full-height corner posts and the plates; generally found in construction with timbers heavy enough to be mortised.

A narrow trimming made by a variety of techniques such as tablet weaving or braiding. It comes in a variety of fibers and weights, but is heavier than ribbon and flatter than cord.

Alloy of copper and zinc, usually with copper as the major alloying element and zinc up to 40% by weight.

Dense, reddish-brown wood with black streaks obtained from the species Dalbergia nigra, native to Brazil. Brazilian rosewood is extremely rare because the trees were overharvested in the early 20th century. It is prized as a decorative wood, formerly used in the manufacture of furniture, cabinetry, and knife-handles. It is not a true Jacaranda.

A coarse-grained dastic rock, composed of angular broken rock fragments held together by a mineral cement or a fine-grained matrix.

A coarse breccia marble of sharply angular red, pink, and white fragments in a dull red-brown matrix.

Clay or clay products formed into a rectangular block and hardened by drying in the sun or firing in a kiln.

Variable orange colors resembling the color of bricks, which are typically rectangular clay products used for building.

Designs or arrangements comprising fired brick, sometimes glazed or otherwise decorated, arranged using bricklaying, especially arrangements in patterns or images.

An unstandardized pigment name used for various yellow pigments, including but not limited to Naples yellow, a mixture of cadmium yellow with either lead white or zinc white, and a synthetic disazo dye.

Fixed or movable devices, such as louvers, designed to block the direct entrance of sun rays into buildings.

Refers to a broad range of alloys of copper, specifically any non-ferrous alloy of copper, tin, and zinc or other trace metals. Bronze was made before 3,000 BCE -- possibly as early as 10,000 BCE, although its common use in tools and decorative items is dated only in later artifacts. The proportions of copper and tin vary widely, from 70 to 95 percent copper in surviving ancient artifacts. Because of the copper base, bronze may be very malleable and easy to work. By the Middle Ages in Europe, it was recognized that using the metals in certain proportions could yield specific properties. Some modern bronzes contain no tin at all, substituting other metals such as aluminum, manganese, and even zinc. Historically, the term was used interchangeably with "latten." U.S. standard bronze is composed of 90% copper, 7% tin and 3% zinc. Ancient bronze alloys sometimes contained up to 14% tin.

Wood from an oak tree that has a rich dark brown color as a result of being infected by beefsteak fungi.

A brown or reddish-brown sandstone whose grains are generally coated with iron oxide.

General term for wood of any species of horse chestnut native to North America.

Any substance capable in solution of neutralizing both acids and bases and thereby maintaining the original acidity or basicity of the solution.

Any of various siliceous, open-textured types of limestone or sandstone; uses include for millstones and as building material.

Multipurpose board used in construction, such as for insulation or structural purposes.

Brick made from natural clay and having no special surface treatment.

Paper used for insulation, as in walls, roofs, and between floors.

Selected sand used for concrete, for mortar, for laying bricks, and for plastering.

Any stone used for building.

Furniture built into the walls or overall structure of a building. This can include, chests, cabinets, corner cupboards, bookcases, beds, and seating.

Historically, refers to modest one-story houses, originally with thatched roofs, derived from examples in India; by extension, in British contexts, use for detached one-story houses; in American contexts use more specifically for one- to one-and-a-half-story houses generally characterized by low-pitched gable or hipped roofs, usually with widely projecting, often bracketed eaves, dormers, and conspicuous front porches; popular in the United States from the late 19th to the early 20th century.

Areas of tree growth where the grain has grown in a deformed manner, such as in small knots from dormant buds, forming rounded outgrowths on a tree trunk or branch and wavy and circular patterns in timber and veneer.

Veneer made from tree excrescences that are typically in the form of flattened hemispheres. For example, one type of burl veneer is made from the stumps of walnut trees.

Coarse canvas made of jute, used mainly for sacks and wrapping.

General term for a log, piece of timber, or veneer made from areas of burls in any variety of walnut wood, that is, from areas containing overgrown knots or excrescences. Burled walnut was used as veneers on chests and high chests in the William and Mary and sometimes the Queen Anne style, made in the United States during the 18th century.

Sienna earth that has been exposed to a red heat, causing it to turn a darker, cooler, less orange-red tone.

Roofs sloping downward from eaves on either side to a central valley. Roofs sloping downward from eaves on either side to a central valley.

Soft, yellowish-gray wood with a coarse grain from the species Juglans cinerea, ranging in color from light chestnut brown with darker zones in the heartwood to pale yellow or white in the sapwood. It polishes well and has been used for carving, furniture, and interior millwork

Pierlike masonry elements built to strengthen or support walls or resist the lateral thrust of vaults.

Genus containing around 70 species slow-growing evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Buxaceae.

Strong, thick, linear material made of several strands of iron wire that are twisted or braided. Distinguished from "rope," which is usually made from synthetic or organic fibers.

Yarn produced by twisting together two or more strands of plied yarn; the final twist is opposite to that of the plied ends.

A fine-grained French oolitic limestone that is cream in color and easily carved.

Homogenous sandstone with a cement or matrix of calcium carbonate which binds together the quartz particles of which sandstone is mainly composed. It splits almost equally well in both directions and is easily worked but disintegrates upon exposure. Pure calcareous sandstone is white or cream in color; colors are due to impurities: yellow and red colors are due to the presence of iron oxides; green from glauconite; and black from manganese dioxide.

White or colored wall paint consisting of whiting, glue, linseed oil, or water colors.

Colorless crystal or soft, white, alkaline powder prepared by reacting calcium oxide (lime) with water in a process called slaking. It is used in paints, dehairing hide, medicines, and in conservation for superficial protective treatments thanks to its conversion into calcium carbonate.

Cemented deposits of calcium carbonate materials.

Cotton textile, heavier than muslin, plain, dyed, or with patterns printed in one or more colors. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the term referred to printed, colored or plain cloth from India; now it refers generally to cotton prints with small, stylized patterns.

Lightproof boxes fitted with a lens through the aperture of which the image of an object is recorded on light-sensitive material such as film, or transformed into electrical impulses for direct transmission or for video recording.

The white resin of the species Cinnamomum camphora, used for hardening nitrocellulose plastic. Camphor is also in pharmaceuticals, disinfectants, and explosives.

Trees which form an overhanging shade or shelter.

Closely woven textile made in various weights, usually of flax, hemp, jute, or cotton, used especially for sails, tarpaulins, awnings, upholstery, bags, and as a support for oil painting.

A heavy, oily substance distilled from an anthracene-oil or creosote-oil fraction of coal tar, sometimes chlorinated or otherwise treated, and used as a wood preservative, disinfectant, or insecticide.

Element that forms the framework for all tissues of plants and animals. Chemical symbol C and atomic number 6. Carbon may appear in many forms, including diamond, graphite, charcoal, carbon black, and fullerene. High quantities of carbon occur in coal, coke, oil, gasoline, and natural gas. Proteins such as hair, meat, and silk contain carbon and other elements. More than six and a half million compounds of the element carbon exist, including sugar, starch, and paper.

Steel that does not have specified minimum content levels of alloying elements. The term can also refer to steel that does not have more than 0.40% copper or to steel that has maximum content levels of the following: manganese 1.65%, silicon 0.60%, and copper 0.60%.

Volatile, noninflammable compound of carbon and chlorine.

Limestone from the Carboniferous period from about 345 to 280 million years ago.

A translucent red or orange variety of chalcedony, containing iron impurities. It is often used for seals and signet rings.

Material woven by the yard to be made up into carpets.

Refers to a type of marble quarried in the area around Carrara, in Tuscany, Italy. It is characterized by a fine, compact grain and varies in color from pure white to creamy white, sometimes with a bluish tinge; it is a saccharoidal rock that can appear translucent in the finer grades. It has been a favorite stone of sculptors from antiquity to the present, including Michelangelo Buonarotti. Luna marble was the name used in ancient Rome.

A type of structural plate glass that is ground to true plane surfaces; used for storefronts, countertops, tiling, and paneling. It is made in many colors in thicknesses from 11/32 to 1 1/2 inches (0.86 to 3.81 cm) or laminated to give different color effects.

Genus containing around 18 species of deciduous timber and nut-producing trees native to eastern North America and eastern Asia. Fossil remains identifiable as belonging to the genus are found in western North America, Greenland, Iceland, and Europe. It has tough heavy wood, and drupes (mostly with a hard woody rind or husk) enclosing 'nuts,' the kernels of which in several species are edible.

Man-made stepped waterfalls, whether naturalistic or architectural in form. For similar natural or highly naturalistic features, use "waterfalls."

Windows having a sash that opens on hinges attached to the upright side of the frame.

An iron alloy containing about 2 to 4% carbon and 1 to 3% silicon, having a high compressive strength but low tensile strength. Cast iron is manufactured by melting scrap iron or pig iron in a cupola that is in contact with the coal fuel, then casting the molten iron into a mold. A large range of building and decorative items are made of cast iron by pouring the molten metal into sand molds and then machining. It is inexpensive and easy to make. It was made in China by at least the 3rd century BCE; the technique for its production did not reach Europe until medieval times.

Concrete with a fine aggregate or mortar which is cast into blocks or small slabs using special molds so as to resemble natural building stone.

Concrete that is deposited in liquid form in the place where it is required to harden as part of a structure; for concrete that is cast and cured in other than its final location, use "precast concrete."

Type of plaster of Paris especially prepared to have the properties most desirable for casting and carving; it is very fine-grained, absorbent, brilliantly white, slow setting, and capable of taking fine detail.

Any substance that in small amounts increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed itself.

Material derived from the long flat leaves of tall reedlike marsh plants of the genus Typha, used in making mats and chair seats, and since they swell when wet, leaves are used for caulking cracks in barrels and boats.

Narrow fixed walkways providing access to an otherwise inaccessible area or to lighting units, such as used above an auditorium or stage.

Wood of any of the four species of ornamental and timber evergreen conifers of the genus Cedrus.

Overhead surfaces of interior spaces, sometimes constructed to mask building systems or structural elements.

Rooms, often wholly or mostly below ground level, used for storage of food and often other items; for similar areas serving utility purposes or as living spaces, use "basements."

Glossy transparent material made from regenerated cellulose, typically in the form of thin sheets, usually moisture-proofed and sometimes dyed; impervious to dry gases, grease, and bacteria, and used as packaging or wrapping for food and other merchandise, envelope windows, and bags for dialysis.

A complex natural carbohydrate, or polysaccharide, composed of long, connected chains of glucose molecules, forming the primary component in the cell walls of plants. Pure cellulose is an odorless, tasteless white powder. Cellulose exists in three forms: alpha, beta and gamma. Cellulose is used to manufacture paper and textiles, and as a raw material in rayon, cellophane, cellulose acetate, and celluloid.

Any of several finely powdered inorganic materials that can be mixed with water then dried to form a solid, durable mass, such as plaster, lime, pozzolan cement, and portland cement. It is used in construction as an ingredient of mortar and concrete.

Mortar made with portland cement, sand, and water, and sometimes with lime to aid spreading.

Refers to any of various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing a nonmetallic mineral, such as clay, at a high temperature.

Thin, opaque, vitreous coating that is applied to the surface of a ceramic body by painting, spraying, or dipping, in order to add color, texture, or water resistance to the object. The glaze is applied to the surface of a fired ceramic piece, and then the piece is refired at a temperature that vitrifies the glaze, but is lower than the original firing temperature. Ceramic glazes are usually mixtures of silicates, colorants, and flux.

Fired clay in various shapes and thicknesses and with a variety of uses, as for surface covering, drainage, or construction. For flat, solid, and relatively thin durable material used primarily for surface covering, use "tile."

Species of tree native to the eastern Mediterranean region and cultivated elsewhere. It is highly drought resistant. The tree reaches about 15 m (50 feet) in height, has glossy evergreen leaves, and produces long leathery pods that contain up to 15 hard brown seeds embedded in a sweet, edible pulp. The ripened pods are food for animals and also ground for a variety of uses by humans. The seeds are ground to produce a gum. The seeds were a standard of weight measurement in the ancient world, from which the concept "carat" is derived. The common names referring to locusts or St. John's bread come from the belief that the so-called "locusts" on which John the Baptist fed in the Biblical story were carob pods, not grasshoppers. There are various other references to the tree in the Bible.

Fences made of heavy steel wire which is interwoven in such a way as to provide a continuous mesh without ties or knots, except at the ends.

Series of objects connected one after the other, usually rings passing through one another.

A fine-grained limestone, or soft, earthy form of calcium carbonate; used chiefly in putty, crayons, paint, rubber products, linoleum, and as a pigment and abrasive.

Lighting devices designed to hang from the roof or ceiling having two or more branches, holding candles, burners, or lamps; often ornamental.

A black, porous carbonaceous material comprising the carbon-containing residue from burned wood (e.g., willow, maple, beech, linden or plum) or other organic containing materials such as bone, plants or animals. It is used as a drawing material, for filtering liquids or air, and for other purposes.

General term referring to wood of several species of the genus Prunus native to Asia, Europe, and North America. The close, even-grain wood is strong and smells like roses when freshly cut. It is brownish to light red in color but darkens on exposure. Cherry wood takes a high polish and is valued for instrument cases, furniture, veneers, cabinetry, turnery, and decorative items. It was formerly used for airplane propellers.

Fine-grained, dense sedimentary rock consisting of interlocking crystals of quartz approximately 30 microns in diameter. Chert and its varieties, such as flint, are non-gem varieties of cryptocrystalline-granular quartz. These stones chip very easily and thus may be fashioned into tools with a sharp edge; they are also used for building.

Wood of the genus Castanea; several species produce a light reddish brown wood that is relatively weak with a coarse grain. It is a soft light wood that splits easily but does not turn well. It is used for general construction, framing, fencing, poles, barrels, and veneer. Chestnut wood was commonly used for painted panels, especially in Italy.

Refers specifically to the wood of the species Quercus prinus (also called Q. montana), used in making furniture. The term "chestnut oak" is also used informally as a general term referring to any of several species of oaks having leaves similar to chestnut trees.

Tobacco prepared for chewing, produced in a variety of forms such as compressed cakes, braided ropes, shredded leaves, and loose leaf ends, and usually flavored with substances such as licorice, spices, honey, or rum.

A light-gauge galvanized wire fencing, usually made with hexagonal mesh. So-called because it was originally used for enclosures for chickens.

Chimneys containing a number of flues, especially when rising as shafts above a roof.

Vertical noncombustible structures containing flues for drawing off into the outside air products of combustion from, for example, stoves, fireplaces, and furnaces.

An unstandardized name for many red pigments, included but not limited to a variety of chrome reds, cinnabar, red mercuric sulfide, and vermilion.

Material, usuallly chips or sticks of wood, used for filling holes or cracks.

Textile, usually cotton or linen, dyed in a number of colors and usually glazed.

Any steel with chromium as the predominating element, the chromium making the steel hard and wear-resistant.

Pigment containing lead chromate, sometimes mixed with lead sulfate, ranging in color from lemon yellow to orange depending on its particle size, hydration state, and the percent lead chromate. It is is used in industrial paints, some artist's paints, and ceramic glazes.

Pure metallic element having symbol Cr and atomic number 24; an extremely hard, silvery white metal with a bluish tinge. Use also for the metal as processed and formed, usually in combination with other substances, to make various objects and materials, notably stainless steel, heat-resistant alloy, high-strength alloy steel, and for wear-resistant electroplating.

The incombustible residue of something burnt.

Masonry units comprising lightweight cinder concrete, often used for interior partitions.

A lightweight concrete made with cinder as the coarse aggregate.

Coating one metal with another by means of bonding, as to protect the inner metal from corrosion or for minting coins.

Building siding constructed from a type of board bevelled toward one edge. Clapboards are attached overlapping each other horizontally, they are thinner at one edge, each board being made to overlap that below it.

Wood of the Cupressus sempervirens tree.

Naturally occurring sediments that are produced by chemical actions resulting during the weathering of rocks. It is often the term applied to all earths that form a paste with water and harden when heated.

Finely ground clay used as a plasticizer for masonry mortar.

Partially fused product from a kiln, which is ground and used for cement.

Very hard-burnt brick whose shape is distorted, owing to nearly complete vitrification; used for paving.

Generally, textile that is woven, felted, knit, pounded, or otherwise made into a flat piece. For textile in the form of continuous strands made from filaments of fiber by reeling, spinning, twisting, or throwing, see "yarn."

Building material, composed of ceramic similar to stoneware, developed in England around 1769, used primarily for architectural decoration.

Carbon-rich material that most often occurs in stratified sedimentary deposits. It is one of the most important of the primary fossil fuels. It is characterized by being solid, hard, opaque, black, or blackish, found in seams or strata in the earth, and largely used as fuel; it consists of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in former epochs of the world's history.

Black viscous liquid with a naphthalene odor obtained by the distillation of bituminous coal. It can be separated into several fractions: gasoline, oil, creosote, and pitch. Coal tar is used in the manufacture of plastics, aniline dyes, for waterproofing, paints, roofing, roads, and as a pesticide.

Wood from the species Pseudotsuga menziesii.

Wood from the Sequoia sempervirens, found along the California coast.

Use generally for any substance spread over a surface, usually for protection or decoration.

Building material comprising a mixture of straw, gravel, and unburnt clay, especially used in the construction of walls, known as cob walls.

A bright, clear, blue pigment made by combining cobalt and aluminum oxides with phosphoric acid. It was discovered by Baron L. J. Thénard in France in 1802 and introduced to artists about 20 years later.

A rock fragment, rounded or otherwise abraded, with a diameter between 64 and 256 mm, being larger than a pebble and smaller than a boulder. The term can also refer more specifically to a rounded stone suitable for use in paving or other construction.

A fine grained, magnesium-rich white marble from Cockeysville, Maryland; it has a few pale streaks or bands which give an effect of pale gray. One of the most popular types of marble used in nineteenth-century buildings in Washington, D.C., it comprised the top two thirds of the Washington Monument as well as the monolithic columns of the Capitol building extensions.

Hard ovoid-shaped drupe (stone fruit) of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) native to the tropics. Coconuts have a fibrous outer husk and a woody inner shell that contains the coconut meat and white juice. Coconut shells range in diameter from 8 to 14 inches. Despite its name, the coconut is not classified as a nut.

Technique of pattern bond in which a course of full-length headers occurs at regular intervals, usually every five or six courses; other courses are composed only of stretchers.

Wood of the species Celtis occidentalis; the wood is light-colored, yellowish gray to light brown with yellow streaks.

Material formed, either intentionally or through natural processes, from more than one constituent material, each with separate physical or chemical makeup.

Refers to various aggregate materials formed artificially from two or more substances, such as whiting, resin, and size used for modeling ornament in the late 18th century, or plaster of Paris, sawdust, bran, and glue used for dollmaking, or plastic cement-based mortars used in construction.

Wood which has been impregnated with resin and subjected to a high pressure to increase its density and strength.

A hard, strong construction material comprising a mixture of sand, gravel, crushed rock, or other aggregate, held together, typically by a hardened paste of cement and/or lime. Several types of aggregate are used such as crushed stone, slag, cinders or gravel. Ancient Romans developed pozzolan cement about the 3rd century BCE. Modern concretes use various cements such as portland or hydraulic. Concrete is durable and relatively inexpensive, used for foundations, bridges, dams, walls, and highways. Concrete is strong in compression but weak in tension so it is often reinforced with steel bars or wire netting. Once a concrete mixture is stirred with water and poured into a mold, it is allowed to cure slowly over about a week. Stresses, such as vibration, freezing, and rapid drying, will diminish the strength and durability of the concrete. As it ages, concrete is subject to erosion, spalling, and pollution. Poor mixing can cause erosion. Spalling can be due to freeze-thaw cycles of moisture and ice, salt crystallization, or corrosion of steel reinforcements. Acid rain can deplete the natural alkaline reserve of fresh concrete.

Term coined in 1930 by Theo van Doesburg to characterize a form of non-figurative painting in which the pictorial elements, planes and colors, have no significance other than themselves. He meant to distinguish between other forms of abstraction, indebted to illusionism mimicing the visible or natural world, and paintings that are products of the human mind. The definition was elaborated upon by Max Bill in 1936 in a catalog for the exhibition Zeitprobleme in der Schweizer Malerei und Plastik. In 1960 Bill organized an exhibition of work that fit his definition, and that established Concrete art as an international movement.

Large units of building material made from a mixture of cement and an aggregate, usually 8 x 16 inches and of various thicknesses. A mixture of cement, aggregate, and water is vibrated and compacted in steel molds and then cured in air, steam, or under autoclaving processes. Became a very popular building material beginning in the early 20th century.

Units for masonry construction made primarily of concrete; the most common types are concrete bricks and concrete blocks.

Concrete mixers, usually mounted on crawler tracks, that mix and place concrete pavement on the subgrade.

Flat plates made of concrete and used as structural elements in architecture.

The shell of various marine snails of the genus Conus and family Conidae, typically straight-sided with tapering body whorl, low spire, and narrow opening, and of vivid colors and eccentric markings; it is valued as a material for bracelets, disks, and other ornament.

Pure metallic element having the symbol Cu and atomic number 29; a reddish brown, ductile metal that is present in the earth's crust, occurring as a native metal and as ores of sulfide, sulfate and carbonate (azurite, malachite, etc.). It was the first metal used by humans, probably from about 8000 BCE, in the regions of Mesopotamia and India. By about 3800 BCE copper was made into bronze for weapons and knives. Today, copper is one of the most widely used metals because it has high electrical and thermal conductivity, can be easily fabricated, is ductile and polishes well. In moist air, copper forms a protective green film of basic carbonate. Metallic copper combines well with other metals to form alloys, most commonly brass and bronze. Copper and its alloys are used for wire, electrical devices, pipes, cooking vessels, ammunition, ornamental trim, roofing, grillwork, coins, musical instruments, jewelry, and sculptures.

Alloy in which copper is the principle element.

A pale blue green pigment made from copper salts.

A fossiliferous limestone composed of coarse shells or shell fragments which is loosely cemented by an infiltration of carbonate of lime; its name derives from the Spanish word for 'cockleshell.' Coquina is a detrital rock because it is formed from debris and is distinguished from coquinoid limestone which is formed in situ and is composed of shell material in a fine-grained matrix.

A weathering steel that has superior corrosion resistance over regular carbon steel because of a protective oxide film on the metal's surface. Its 50,000 minimum yield strength allows for cost reduction because lighter sections can be designed and built into structures; it is generally meant to be used in unpainted applications where a reduction in maintenance costs, such as painting, are desired. Cor-Ten is a brand name for corrosion resistant products that were developed by United States Steel; Cor-Ten has subsequently been licensed to be produced by other steel manufacturers.

Hard material consisting of calcium carbonate derived from the skeletal deposits of certain marine animals.

Fossiliferous limestone composed of fragments of corals.

May designate projecting masonry courses supported by a range of corbels, or ranges of corbels supporting cornices or other projecting courses, or ensembles of corbels and projecting courses; found especially in Medieval architecture.

The lightweight, elastic outer bark the cork oak, species Quercus suber native to the Mediterranean region. Cork is elastic, buoyant, and resilient, used to seal wine bottles, for insulation, floats, acoustical wall covering, flooring, shoe soles, gaskets, and handles.

A type of dye ranging from purple to red in color, obtained from certain lichens growing, for example, on rocks in Scotland and the north of England.

Construction board made by compressing granulated cork and subjecting it to heat so that the particles cement themselves together.

Material comprising the elongated woody core of an ear of corn, in which the grains were embedded.

The projecting, uppermost features of classical entablatures; use also for similar features crowning a window or wall.

Genus of 30-50 species of shrubs, trees, and herbs native to Europe, eastern Asia, and North America.

Structural sheet of iron or steel, usually galvanized for weather resistance, shaped in alternating ridges and grooves; used as roofing, siding, and the like.

Textile made from cotton fiber.

Vegetable oil made from the cotton plant, and popular as a food oil, such as in salad oils and margarine. Cottonseed oil also has a wide range of industrial uses, such as an ingredient in soaps and paint oils.

General term for wood from several species of poplar trees, all having in common that they have a soft, pale color, are fine-grained with uniform texture, may be worked easily, stain well, but have a tendency to warp. Cottonwood is used for millwork, musical instruments, paneling, packing boxes, paper pulp, and excelsior (wood shavings used for stuffing).

Building material comprising squared stonework laid in regular courses of consistent height; though each course may vary in height.

The tiles that bridge the open joint between rows of tiles in a roof. For example, in ancient Greek architecture, the roof tile (imbrex) of terracotta or marble, usually semicircular (Laconian) or triangular (Corinthian) in section, bridged the open joint between two rows of flat tiles or pantiles (tegulae).

A coal-tar distillate that is a mixture of organic compounds, largely hydrocarbons, commonly used as a wood preservative.

Flat pane glass made by blowing a bubble of glass, transferring it from a blow-pipe to a rod, cutting it open, then rapidly rotating it until, by centrifugal force, it is spread into a flat disk. Can be either small individual panes with so-called bulls-eyes in the centers or large disks that are annealed and cut into pieces. Crown glass is thin and brilliant with a slight convexity and concentric wavy lines. Known to the ancient Romans throughout the Empire; found in windows of medieval cathedrals.

Rock, often granite, limestone, or trap rock, that is quarried, crushed, and graded and then used for making concrete, railway ballast, and road making.

Species of conifer native to Japan; the only species in its genus.

Fine, high quality, heavy, decorative glass made with fine white sand, at least 24% lead oxide, and small amounts of potash and niter. It is clear, colorless, highly refractive glass that is heavy and has greater than twice the density of standard borate glass. It was developed in England in 1676; often used for high quality chandelier prisms and fine stemware.

A solid body having a characteristic internal structure and enclosed by systematically arranged plane surfaces.

Genus containing 12 species of ornamental and timber evergreen conifers native to warm temperate regions in the northern hemisphere, including western North America, Central America, northwest Africa, the Middle East, the Himalaya, southern China, and north Vietnam.

Blocks or slabs of stone or concrete set on edge, creating an upward projection that is used as a curb; may be straight or curved.

Nonbearing walls supported by the members of a rigid frame structure, such as a reinforced concrete or steel frame, and therefore serving to enclose but not to support. Nonbearing walls supported by the members of a rigid frame structure, such as a reinforced concrete or steel frame, and therefore serving to enclose but not to support.

Glassware with facets, grooves, and depressions produced by cutting with a rotating wheel of metal or stone.

Nails having sharp edges along four sides of the shank, and often a flat, rectangular point. The shape of the shank allows the nail to punch its way through timber fibers rather than causing the wood to split. An example of use is for nailing hardwoods, such as oak flooring.

Velvet in which the loops formed by the pile warp are cut to form tufts.

Mass concrete in which large stones, each weighing 100 lb. (45.4 kg) or more, are embedded when the concrete is laid. The stones, called pudding stones or plums, are typically less than 6 in. (15 cm) apart and farther than 8 in. (20 cm) away from any exposed surface.

Flat pane glass characterized by straight ripples. Is made by an an ancient technique of blowing a large glass bubble and swinging it on a blow-pipe to form a long bottle, then cutting off both hemispherical ends. The resulting cylinder is then cut lengthwise and reheated after which it is flattened by a wooden plane or by being allowed to sink to a flat state. Traditionally, it was characterized by a great variability of texture, color, and thickness, though it is more regular when produced by modern methods. Cylinder glass largely replaced crown glass when the process of making it was mechanized.

Wood of trees of the Cupressus genus, native to Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, and known for its durability.

An extrusive acid igneous rock that is sometimes partly glassy and is composed of plagioclase and quartz with biotite, hornblende, or pyroxene.

Woven figured textile with one warp and one weft in which the pattern is formed by a contrast of binding systems, and appears on the face and the back in reverse positions.

Material, such as plaster or mud, used with wattle as a building material.

Trees which seasonally shed leaves.

A heavy, twill-woven, warp-flush textile.

Any cleaning agent used to remove foreign matter from soiled surfaces. Typically made from synthetic materials, distinguishing it from soap, which is created from fats and oils.

A form of carbon black that is an aniline pigment, in which a primary aromatic amine, aniline, is converted into a diazonium salt that is an intermediate in the preparation of dyes.

An expanded metal mesh material used in construction as a base for plaster on vertical surfaces.

Self-patterned textile with a small rectilinear pattern formed by contrasting the weave's warp and weft faces.

An soft, whitish, absorbent powder derived from the siliceous skeletons of microscopic water plants called diatoms, composed of 88% silica. It is used as a poultice, a desiccating insecticide, a decolorizer and filtration aid for purifying oils, fats, and waxes, an inert pigment, a filler in paper, paint, brick, floor tiles, ceramics, linoleum, plastic, soap, and detergent, an insulation for boilers and blast furnaces, as sound insulation, and as a very mild abrasive in metal polishes and toothpaste. It reduces gloss, acts as a suspending agent, increases viscosity, and absorbs dyes well, thus is used as a base for lake colors.

Lumber cut to a particular size and stocked for the building industry; usually 2 to 5 inches thick and 5 to 12 inches wide.

Stone finished to a specific size and weight and squared to specific dimensions and thickness.

A hard, coarse-grain, black-and-white speckled, granite-like rock composed of plagioclase feldspar mixed with hornblende, biotite, and augite, sometimes with small amounts of orthoclase or quartz. Diorite was valued by the Egyptians and Sumerians for statuary and is presently used in building construction.

Sculpture that is constructed of metal using such processes as welding, hammering, and soldering as opposed to casting.

Facilities where the distilling and blending of spirits is carried on, including processes by which evaporation of water and subsequent condensation of the alcoholic beverage is achieved.

Wood of trees belonging to the genus Cornus. Although dogwoods are primarily grown as an ornamental trees, their fine-grained wood is hard and heavy, ranging in color from yellow to pinkish-brown, and has been used for small ornamental items and utilitarian objects such as skate rollers, golf club heads, pulleys, hammer handles, and in the textile industry for shuttles and spindles.

A common rock-forming mineral.

Refers to the architectural order characterized by columns generally without bases, relatively simple capitals, and a frieze composed of alternating triglyphs and metopes.

Windows having two vertically sliding sashes, each closing a different part of the window; the weight of each sash is counter-balanced for ease of opening and closing.

Wood from trees of the genus Pseudotsuga.

Ceramic tile, usually in short-length sections, used for constructing water drains.

Lumber machined and surfaced at a mill.

Dimension stone with a smooth exposed face.

Wood floating on water, or that has been cast ashore.

In masonry, mortar which contains enough moisture to cause it to set properly but is not wet enough to cause it to be sticky.

Masonry walls constructed without mortar.

Genus containing about 250 species of fern.

A compound -- generally a complex organic material that dissolves or is suspended in a liquid -- that absorbs into and colors another material. Distinguished from a pigment, which is insoluble in the vehicle, but instead is held in a suspension.

Blasting explosive made with a mixture of nitroglycerin and other inert absorptive substance. Detonated by heat or percussion.

Refers to soil in the context of building materials.

Process or technique of constructing architecture or other works using earth, either by digging into the earth or by creating building materials from earth. If the earth has been fired, such as with bricks, prefer "masonry construction."

Buildings and other architectural structures constructed wholly or primarily of earth. For engineering works, such as trenches, created in the earth, use "earthworks (engineering works)." For structures built on a hillside rather than into it, use "hillside architecture." For structures built under the surface of the ground, but not made primarily of earth, use "underground structures."

Wood from the Pinus strobus, native to eastern North America.

A hard, heavy, durable heartwood wood yielded by various trees of the genus Diospyros in tropical Asia and Africa, valued for its dense, smooth-grain from the earliest times; was imported to Egypt from Nubia and the Sudan. It is extremely durable, resistant to rotting, fungi and powder post beetles, but difficult to work and carve. It has been used for decorative items, inlay work, black piano keys, musical instruments, and tool handles. Several other dark, heavy woods from unrelated species are also called ebony because of their color, including cocuswood, coffeewood, blue ebony, and African blackwood.

A brilliant grass-green variety of beryl, highly prized as a gemstone. The name comes indirectly from the Greek "smaragdos," referring to a number of stones having little in common except a green color. The emerald in the the Bible was probably a garnet. However, ancient societies did also value the genuine emerald, which came from Upper Egypt as early as 2000 BCE. Greek emerald miners worked for Alexander the Great and Cleopatra. The physical properties of emerald are essentially the same as those of beryl, with only moderate light refractive and dispersive powers, meaning that cut stones display little brilliancy or fire. The gems are instead valued for their magnificent color, which is probably caused by small amounts of chromium. The stone loses colour when strongly heated. Synthetic emerald was successfully produced in the 1930s, and today is produced by a either a molten-flux process or a hydrothermal method crystal growing process. Synthetic crystals appear very similar to natural emerald crystals.

A semi-transparent or opaque vitreous, porcelain-like coating applied by fusion to metal, glass, or ceramic, having a glossy appearance after hardening. Enamel is typically made from powdered fusible glasses (e.g., quartz, feldspar, clay, soda, and borax) and opaque colorants (e.g., cobalt blue, tin oxide) mixed with oil or water, then painted or sprayed on the object and fired up to 800 C. Enamel is used to protect a surface, to decorate objects in various colors and patterns, to form a surface for encaustic painting, and for other purposes.

Ceramic tile having a decorative pattern that is not applied by glaze, but by using multiple color clays.

Brick having the nominal dimensions 3 1/5 in. by 4 in. by 8 in. (8.13 cm by 10.16 cm by 20.36 cm).

West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family that is closely related to Frisian, German, and Dutch (in Belgium called Flemish) languages. It is spoken in England and also used in many varieties throughout the world.

Technique of bond in which alternating courses of all headers and all stretchers are laid, with the headers centered on the stretchers and on the joints between stretchers.

Wood of the species Quercus robur, having a coarse but straight grain that is usually a rich brown color. Flat sawn timber has a distinctive figuring while radial cut lumber has silver grain lines. The wood has a high gallic acid content that will corrode iron and other contacting metals. English oak is widely used in furniture, paneling, railway sleepers, cabinet, musical instruments, and ship building.

Wood of the species Juglans regia, native to the Himalayas, Iran, Lebanon, Asia Minor, and Greece. It was introduced into Britain in the mid-15th century. It has a uniform, deep brown color with a medium texture and a close, straight grain. It varies considerably in color the sapwood being pale straw with grayish-brown heartwood with infiltrations of coloring producing a darker-colored streaky appearance. It is strong but easy to work and polishes to a high gloss. It is used for furniture, veneers, cabinets, paneling, gun stocks. Its burls are especially prized in the furniture trade. For the darker wood from the species Junglans nigra found in the eastern United States, use "black walnut."

Type of synthetic resin used to produce adhesive that sets by chemical reaction, rather than through loss of solvent and coalescence.

Large, diverse order of dicotyledons (flowering plant having two cotyledons or seed-lobes), such as tea, persimmon, blueberry, Brazil nut, and azalea. In some older classifications, families in this order were distributed in various separate orders, such as the Ebenales order.

Continuous, curly, fine wood shavings employed as stuffing for furniture, packing material for breakable articles, and other purposes.

Lightweight and economical cladding system for buildings composed of insulation and wet applied finish.

Igneous rock solidified on or near the surface after being ejected explosively or extruded as lava, as contrasted with intrusive rock; characteristically finely crystalline or glassy.

The better quality of brick such as is used on exposed parts of a building, especially those parts which are prominent in view.

Genus having ten species of deciduous, smooth-barked trees native to temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Trees have pale reddish-brown, close-grained wood valued for flooring, cabinetry, furniture, panel painting, and other uses. Beech nuts provide forage for game animals and yield an edible oil.

Species of large deciduous tree up to 35 meters in height, native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia to Texas, having a pale reddish-brown timber that is hard, tough, fine-grained, and used for furniture and other purposes. The bark is smooth and gray. Leaves are simple with veins and toothed edges. Fruit comprises a large husk containing 2 shiny brown edible nuts. The wood is acidic, pinkish brown in color with dark brown rays.

Species of large, long-lived beech tree found throughout England and Eurasia; it passes 30-40 years in the juvenile stage, during which time there is rapid growth but no flowering. It can grow to 49 m (160 feet) in height; it has a smooth gray bark and a hard, heavy wood. European beech trees are often grown in large hedgerows.

A composite material consisting of a body of sintered quartz coupled with an alkaline glaze surface, and used for decorating beads, amulets, figurines, and other small objects. It was invented in Mesopotamia or Iran ca. 4500 BCE, and produced through the mid-7th century CE.

Glazed or unglazed ceramic tile which shows characteristic variations in the face, edges, and glaze that give a handcrafted, non-mechanical, decorative effect.

Semicircular windows over doors or other openings with radiating bars giving the appearance of an open fan.

Refers to all of the animals or animal life of a particular area or time period.

Trademark name for a type of glass developed by Tiffany and Company with an iridescent surface simulating that of excavated ancient Roman glass; this effect was produced by spraying the surface of the glass while hot with metallic salts.

General name for a large group of aluminum silicate minerals, usually white or flesh-red in color, occurring in crystals or in crystalline masses. Feldspars are divided into three primary groups: potassium aluminum silicates (orthoclase, microcline), sodium aluminum silicates (albite, anorthoclase), and calcium aluminum silicates (anorthite). A few of the feldspars are found as gemstones such as moonstone, sunstone, and Amazon stone, but most are found in mineral structures, such as granite and diorite. They are used in the production of clays, ceramics, glass, concrete, abrasives, for cleaning, as a flux in ceramics, glazes, and glass, in fertilizer, and in granular roofing material.

A soft sandstone containing red iron oxide, having a reddish-brown color.

A rigid composite board of pressed cellulose, generally composed of wood chips or plant fibers, such as grass, reed, straw, bagasse, jute, flax, hemp, or recycled waste materials such as sawdust, bark, oat hulls, spent hops, newspaper and peanut shells. The fibers are compressed and bonded with heat and pressure. Many fiberboards are held together by the interlocking fibers and natural adhesives (wet process); other fiberboards have additional adhesive components such as urea formaldehyde resin, water glass, dextrin, asphalt, rosin, paraffin wax, plaster, and/or clay.

Generic term for glass fibers, glass fabrics, and resins reinforced with glass fibers; fiberglass is strong, lightweight, nonflammable, with a high tensile strength. The material dates to 1893, when spun glass fibers were made into fabric by Edward D. Libbey and exhibited at the Columbian Exhibition in Chicago. Owen-Corning developed several processes for making fine, continuous glass fibers in the 1930s, which were sold under the trademark of ‘Fiberglas.’ Over time, the term 'fiberglass' became generally used for all glass fiber products.

Concrete containing fibers of such materials as glass, asbestos, wood, steel and plastic in order to reduce weight and increase tensile strength.

Loose stone found on the ground or in the soil.

Generally, glass used in architecture that is cut, embossed, sandblasted, or otherwise embellished.

Soft reddish white wood from any of 15 species of the genus Corylus in the birch family. The wood is used generally for small objects such as handles.

An inert powder added to a base material such as a paint, pigment, adhesive, plastic, paper, fabric, wax, or concrete. Fillers may serve multiple purposes such as: extend a matrix, dilute a color, decrease cost, provide bulk, increase strength, improve working properties or generally enhance performance. Examples of materials that are used as fillers are acrylic, calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, clay, diatomaceous earth, glass fibers, glass spheres, gypsum, sand, starch, talc, titanium dioxide.

Wood of the tree from the genus Abies, although other coniferous evergreen trees are commonly called firs. Timber is typically inferior to that of spruce or pine, but it is used for lumber and pulpwood.

Bricks made of refractory ceramic material which will resist high temperatures; used to line furnaces, fireplaces, and chimneys.

Clay capable of withstanding very high termperatures without fusing or softening; used especially for firebrick and crucibles.

A frequently used building brick, composed of clays or shales (and sometimes other materials), which has been fired to hardness in a kiln.

Fur from a European polecat, dark in color. It is used in the fur trade. It is also used in paint brushes, valued for its elasticity.

Windows or portions of window units that are designed not to open.

Refers to large flat sections of slate used for paving and also bluestone cut for this purpose.

Motifs of a conventionalized depiction of flames, usually wavy, peaked forms.

Fiber derived from the bast or skin of the stem of the species Linum usitatissimum. Soft, flexible fibers are produced by retting the stem of the flax plant, then washing and cleaning the fibers. Flax fibers of thinner and longer than cotton, but the fiber tube has thicker walls resulting in a stronger thread. Additionally, flax fibers are used for linen fabric, thread for making shoes and bookbinding, fish line, and twine. Waste flax fibers are used in banknotes, cigarette covers, and writing and drawing paper.

Technique of bond in which headers and stretchers alternate horizontally and vertically, each header being centered with regard to the stretcher above and below.

Hard, yellowish paving brick.

The dark gray or black variety of chert.

Sheet glass made by floating a ribbon of hot glass on a bath of heated liquid, usually molten tin. The process was developed in 1959 by Pilkington Brothers and is now the world's principal method of manufacturing good quality sheet glass which is clear, flat, with parallel and fire polished sides.

Smooth, dense brick which is highly resistant to abrasion; used for finished floor surfaces.

Tile used as finish flooring.

All of the plants or plant life of a particular region or time period.

Material comprising flowers, which are the reproductive portion of any plant in the division Magnoliophyta (Angiospermae).

Lighting by fluorescent lamps. Lighting by fluorescent lamps.

Finely divided particulate matter resulting from the burning of pulverized coal or wood, often emitted as an airborne pollutant at power and manufacturing plants. Current practice in the United States is to trap and recover fly ash; used as a filler in brick and concrete.

A gas-liquid continuum in which bubbles of gas are contained in a much smaller volume of liquid which is expanded to form bubble walls.

A very light, cellular concrete made by adding a prepared foam or by generating gas within the unhardened mixture.

Structural systems based on one-way plates given additional stiffness by folding into a series of long, narrow planes, the typical sections resembling a series of interconnected Ws or splay-sided Us.

Historically, refers to wilderness areas outside the scope of common law but within the legislation of kings and reserved for royal activities; more recently, used to designate extensive wooded areas, whether maintained for the production of timber or unmanaged and preserving a wilderness of dense growth and wild animal habitats. For forests in the context of a plant community rather than as a cultural landscape, use "forests (plant communities)."

Use generally for any metal pieces worked to a predetermined shape by one or more of such processes as hammering, pressing, rolling, or upset forging. Examples of forgings are machine parts.

Plastic laminate made by bonding layers of materials such as canvas, glass, paper, or linen with thermosetting resins. May be used to refer to the trademarked product and to similar materials.

Combustible, carbonaceous material such as coal, petroleum, natural gas, and oil shales that are formed through the decay of remains of organisms during the geological past.

Limestone that contains fossils.

Remains, impressions, or traces of humans, animals, or plants of past geological ages that have been preserved in the earth's crust. The complex of data recorded in fossils worldwide--known as the fossil record--is the primary source of information about the history of life on Earth. Only a small fraction of ancient organisms are preserved as fossils, and usually only organisms that have a solid and resistant skeleton are readily preserved.

Objects, natural or human-made, unaltered or only slightly altered, presented by an artist as works of art in themselves or used as parts of works of art.

Refers to any supporting stones in the foundation of a structure, often of a rougher or different texture than the stones used in the upper part of the building.

Structures with apertures designed to allow water to spout or flow periodically or continuously, as for amenity or public access.

Types of construction in which walls, partitions, floors, and roof are wholly or partly made of wood.

Stone, as sandstone, that may be cut freely in any direction without fracture or splitting.

Type of interlocking roof tile, heavily corrugated and formed with interlocking side joints and a rounded bull nose butt edge to engage the corrugations of the course immediately below.

Paintings made by the technique of fresco painting, which is a mural painting technique in which permanent pigments, dispersed in water, are painted on freshly laid lime plaster.

Water that does not contain a large amount of salt, as in ponds, lakes or streams.

Pulverized material made from flux, sand or other refractory that has been fused with heat but not fully vitrified; often used in making glazes and may contain a coloring ingredient which will give the glaze coloring throughout.

A principal ore of lead; lead sulfide (PbS). Often contains silver.

Steel coated with a thin layer of zinc to prevent corrosion. The application may be effected by electroplating or spraying the steel with molten zinc, or by coating the heated steel with zinc powder.

Area of ground or open space where flowers, shrubs, trees, vegetables, or fruits are grown and cultivated.

A general name for a type of mineral varying in color and hardness, including trisilicates of aluminum, magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, vanadium, chromium, and sometimes sodium and titanium. Used for coating abrasive paper and cloth, for bearing pivots in watches, for electronics, and the finer specimens as gemstone.

Brick that has been ground or otherwise produced to accurate dimensions.

Any of several coarse-grained, pale-colored marbles quarried in northern Georgia. White Georgia is used for statuary. The others, such as Georgia Cherokee and Silver Georgia gray, are used as interior and exterior building stones.

A white priming or ground made of chalk, gypsum, burnt gypsum, zinc oxide, or whiting mixed with glue or occasionally casein. Used to prepare wooden panels or other supports for painting, gilding, or other decorative processes.

A thin layer of gold or other metal that has been applied as a decorative surface finish, whether the metal was applied as a thin leaf, by electroplating, or as a thin paint layer. Examples of gilding include that applications on paintings, furniture, frames, sculptures, and the edges of pages of books.

Paint having gold as a pigment, often in combination with another pigment of similar color.

An amorphous, inorganic substance made by fusing silica (silicon dioxide) with a basic oxide; generally transparent but often translucent or opaque. Its characteristic properties are its hardness and rigidity at ordinary temperatures, its capacity for plastic working at elevated temperatures, and its resistance to weathering and to most chemicals except hydrofluoric acid. Used for both utilitarian and decorative purposes, it can be formed into various shapes, colored or decorated. Glass originated as a glaze in Mesopotamia in about 3500 BCE and the first objects made wholly of glass date to about 2500 BCE.

Material made from glass, having a three-dimensional rectangular form and used architectural building or decorative elements; its function is to admit light while providing visual obscuration.

Thin, flat-hanging curtains fitted against the glass of a window or door, or immediately over a shade, and usually kept drawn over the glass to soften the light and give privacy. For thin, often sheer curtains used under the main curtains to soften light, use "undercurtains." For curtains made of any transparent or very lightweight material, often plain white and often used as undercurtains, use "sheer curtains."

Painting done on the front or the reverse of glass, whether or not the paint is then fired onto the glass.

Cement reinforced with alkali-resistant glass fibers.

Thin, usually glossy surface coating in various contexts. In paintings, glaze is a thin film of transparent to semitransparent color added to change tonality.For textiles and paper, glaze is a highly polished finish obtained by treating the fabric or paper with starch, glue, wax, or synthetic resins, then heat-pressing. In ceramics, glaze is a thin, vitreous, opaque coating fired on the surface of a ceramic body to add color, texture, and water resistance; prefer a narrower concept "ceramics glaze," or one of its narrower terms. For thin applications of paint in watercolor, use "wash (material)."

In masonry, a header of darker color than the field of the wall.

Species of thorny tree native to regions in North and South America, Africa, and Asia. It produces a high quality wood. The long thorns were once used as nails. Currently, honey locusts are mainly grown as an ornamental tree; its slow growth minimizes potential for commercial use. It is not a significant honey plant; rather the common names derive from the sweet tasting pulp of the legume fruit, which was used for food by Native Americans and is fermented to make beer.

Adhesive comprising an impure protein obtained by hydrolysis of collagenous material such as skin, bone, and connective tissue by various methods.

A type of structural lumber product composed of a wood core with several layers of wood veneer bonded to the front and back by durable adhesive known as laminating stock. Glue-laminated timber beams are used as an alternative to steel beams in construction due in part to the relative energy-efficiency of their manufacture which produces far less greenhouse gas emissions.

Metamorphic rock, commonly rich in quartz and feldspar with a banded and foliated texture comprising bands of light colored minerals that alternate with bands of dark colored minerals. It is composed of mica, quartz, and schist, with additional iron, magnesium and silicates. It is formed at temperatures above 550 degrees Centigrade. Gneiss is similar to granite in composition and may be classified as a type of granite, but it is produced by the alteration of igneous and sedimentary deposits, whereas granite is formed of igneous deposits.

Pure metallic element having symbol Au and atomic number 79; a soft, inert, shiny reddish yellow metal that is very malleable and ductile. Gold has been highly valued and found in artifacts dating to before 5000 BCE. Native gold, found in quartz veins (vein gold) and alluvial deposits (placer gold), generally contains some silver and copper. Gold is purified by dissolution in mercury or cyanide solutions, by melting, or by electrodeposition. The purity of commercial gold is expressed in karats which is the number of parts of gold in 24 parts of the alloy. Today gold is primarily used for monetary systems and for jewelry.

Refers to sheets of gold that have been hammered or rolled very thin (typically around 0.1 micrometer, or 4 millionths of an inch, thick). In art, gold leaf has been applied to paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, and decorative arts since around 1500 BCE. In the 1920s, the process of creating gold leaf was successfully automated.

The process of coating an object with a thin adherent layer of gold.

Refers mainly to the style in English and American architecture and decorative arts from the mid-18th century to the mid-19th century. The style is characterized by the use of rosettes, pinnacles, tracery, foils, and polychrome effects inspired by Gothic architecture and reproduced with the aim of historical accuracy.

Casual scribbles or informal drawings on walls or other surfaces. Examples include the following: The casual scribbles or pictographs on walls, stones, or other surfaces in ancient and medieval times, the marks incised or cut into the underside of ancient Greek vases and other ceramics, and modern humorous, satiric, obscene, or gang-related writings or drawings executed anonymously in public places. Graffiti is distinct from "sgraffito," in that sgraffito is not casual, but is instead a formal decorative mark-making technique used on pottery, glass, or other surfaces. For more finished, elaborate works on modern walls and other surfaces, prefer "graffiti art."

General term for the small, hard seeds of various species in different genera of the grass family Poaceae, used as cereal plants, such as wheat, rice, corn, rye, or oats.

A coarse-grained igneous rock that has been subjected to metamorphic processes, formed by cooling of silica-rich magma below the surface of the earth at great depths and pressures. It is the most common intrusive acid igneous rock of the Earth's crust. Granite is commonly found on continents, but is virtually absent from the ocean basins. The term "granite" refers to its visible granular composition. It has a visibly crystalline texture, is usually red, whitish, or gray in color depending upon its composition, is very hard and durable, and takes a fine polish. Granite is primarily composed of feldspar, quartz, and mica along with various other minerals in varying percentages. Granite is frequently used for buildings and monuments.

Naturally occurring crystalline form of carbon dimorphous with diamond. Graphite has a layered structure that consists of rings of six carbon atoms arranged in widely spaced horizontal sheets, and thus crystallizes in the hexagonal system, in contrast to the same element crystallizing in the octahedral or tetrahedral system as diamond, resulting in very different characteristics in each. Graphite is opaque, soft, greasy to the touch, and iron black to steel gray in color; it occurs as crystals, flakes, scales, veins, bedded masses, or disseminations in metamorphic rocks.

Material comprising the stalks or leaves of plants of the family Poaceae, and plants resembling these in general appearance.

Plants in the graminae family, and plants resembling those in appearance. Also, used generally to refer to herbage, especially herbage eaten by grazing animals.

Areas dominated by grasses rather than large shrubs or trees. One of the earth's six major biomes.

A coarse granular aggregate, larger than sand, formed either naturally or by crushing rock.

Granite with a mineral composition that results in a gray color and typically fine texture.

Pig or cast iron containing much graphite.

Marble with a mineral composition that results in a predominantly gray color.

Slate that is predominantly gray in color.

Inexpensive glass, commonly of greenish or brownish color, which is caused by the presence of impurities, notably iron. It is often used to make bottles or windows. The term is derived from its resemblance to forest glass, which is also called "green glass."

Marble with a mineral composition resulting in a predominantly green color.

Slate that has a component of chlorite, causing a greenish color.

Low-grade double-strength drawn glass used in the construction of greenhouses; it is slightly wavy so it may cause slight distortion of images viewed through it.

Any of various rocks that are green in color, including altered igneous rocks colored green by feldspar, hornblende, augite, nephrite, or other minerals, or low-grade metamorphic rock containing actinolite, epidote, or albite. Greenstone has been used for carving and construction.

Compound vaults in which barrel vaults intersect forming ridges called groins.

Mortar whose watery consistency allows it to be placed or pumped into small joints or cavities, as between pieces of ceramic clay, slate, or floor tile.

A substance that is found on some coasts or islands frequented by sea fowl, composed chiefly of their partially decomposed excrement, rich in phosphate and nitrogenous matter, used extensively as fertilizer. Also refers to excrement of bats.

Carbohydrate containing exudates obtained from some trees or shrubs belonging to the family Fabaceae of the pea order Fabales. Gum is insoluble in alcohol and either soluble or swellable in water. Some plant gums are used in the form of water solutions in the manufacture of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and foods; when the water evaporates, a film having a considerable adhesive character is formed. Some gums, such as gum arabic, dissolve in water to give clear solutions. Other gums, such as gum tragacanth, form mucilages by the absorption of large amounts of water. May be distinguished from "resin" in that gum hardens in drying, but is usually soluble in water.

General term for wood of any of several species of trees of the genera Eucalyptus, Corymbia, and Angophora that exude copious sap or gum from any break in the bark. It is tough, has an interlocking grain, and is used for mallets, furniture, and bottle cases.

A construction material composed of cement, sand, or crushed slag and water forced through a pneumatic gun.

Naturally occurring soft white mineral that is commonly used as a retarding agent in portland cement, as a core in sheets of wallboard, as a white pigment, in grounds for paintings, and is the main component of alabaster.

Any of the common types of wall plaster in general use, all of which contain various amounts of gypsum.

The vernacular building technique in which the spaces between the heavy supporting timbers are filled with brick, wattle and daub, or other material. The term is also used to describe buildings with a false-timber frame attached to the outside wall to give the appearance of half-timber construction.

Trusses of the type utilized in hammer-beam roofs, with a combination of hammer beams, hammer posts, and braces taking the place of the beam at the base of the roof.

Any brick molded by hand before firing; a brick mold or stock may be used. Due to the fact that it is less uniform than machine-made brick, it is sometimes preferred for facing.

A brick that has been burned at high temperature, yielding high compressive strength and durability and low absorption.

Wood produced from broad-leaved deciduous trees, varying widely in color and grain pattern; usually but not always harder than softwood. Examples of hardwood trees are ash, beech, birch, cherry, mahogany, maple, oak, poplar, and walnut. Hardwood trees are found in temperate and tropical climate zones. Most of the wood used for cabinetry, furniture and flooring is obtained from hardwood trees; only a small amount of hardwood is used for paper pulp. The term hardwood is somewhat confusing since some deciduous trees, such as basswood, have timber that is softer than some coniferous trees, such as yellow pine.

General term for material comprising grass that has been mown, cut, and cured; often used as fodder.

Glass that absorbs heat because it is opaque to infrared radiation; it nevertheless retains a reasonable degree of transparency to most other radiation.

Lines of closely spaced hedges typically interspersed with trees, usually planted on a low earthen wall or base and trained to form a barrier or mark the boundary of an area, particularly in fields or between properties.

A metallic black-gray or dark red mineral primarily composed of iron oxide found throughout the world, although the largest source is a sedimentary deposit in the Lake Superior district in North America. It occurs in many physical forms: specular ore (steel gray color, shiny crystals); micaceous hematite (gray, scaly flakes), red ocher (soft, fine-grain, red powder); kidney ore (massive, gray botryoidal form), and pencil ore (gray, fibrous crystals). Because hematite has a high iron content (70%), it is primarily used for smelting iron. It also has been used since ancient times as a red pigment in paints and glazes, for seals, beads, and small carvings since the early 3rd millineum. It is also used as jewelers' rouge for polishing glass and to produce the sparkle in aventurine ceramic glazes.

Wood of the tree from the genus Tsuga. The bark contains tannin, used in the tanning industry, and the timber is mostly light in color with a pinkish tinge, and the soft, and coarse-grained, used in construction of boxes.

Perennial plants which have no woody stem, and which can be divided into three types: annuals, biennials, and herbaceous perennials.

Any chemical agent that is toxic to some or all plants, particularly those categorized as weeds. Historically a variety of substances have been used including salts, carbon disulfide, borax, pyridine, mercurials, and arsenic trioxide. After 1945 synthetic varieties emerged including: amitrole, picloram, 2,4-D, DDT, atrazine, glyphosate, diquat, and paraquat. Herbicides do not always decompose and have created environmental hazards.

Wood of the tree belonging to the genus Carya, valued because it is strong, elastic, and shock resistant. The reddish brown wood has a straight grain and a fine texture that polishes well; used for flooring, tool handles, farm implements, chairs, wheel spokes, golf clubs, baseball bats, and for flavoring smoked food. It is also split into thin canes for weaving. The heartwood is white.

Small hills, small elevations in the earth's surface, or small mounds or heaps of earth or stones.

Roofs which rise to a peak or ridge by inclined planes on all, usually four, sides, therefore requiring hip rafters.

A hollow clay masonry unit whose net cross-sectional area in every plane parallel to the bearing surface is not less than 60% of its gross cross-sectional area measured in the same plane. In British usage it refers to a brick with holes in it that total at least 25% of its volume, the holes being not less than 3/4 in. (1.91 cm) wide or 3/4 sq. in. (4.84 sq. cm) in area.

Masonry units whose net corss-sectioned area in any plane parallel to the bearing surface is less than 75% of its gross cross-sectional area measured in the same plane.

Wood of the species Gleditsia triacanthos, native to regions in North and South America, Africa, and Asia. It produces a high quality wood that polishes well, but is lighter and weaker than most locust wood. It is used for specialty furniture, wheel spokes, and posts.

A transparent red or brown variety of zircon, sometimes used as a gem.

Any of various crystalline or glassy rocks formed by the cooling and solidification of magma or other molten earth material. Igneous rocks comprise one of the three principal classes of rocks, the others being metamorphic and sedimentary.

Genus containing around 400 species of red- or black-berried plants, including the popular Christmas hollies grown for ornamentation. Timber from the holly has a fine uniform texture. The trees provide shelter, protection from predators, and food for birds, other animals, and insects; the berries are mildly poisonous to humans. Ilex is the only living genus in the family Aquifoliaceae.

Wood impregnated with thermosetting resin then subjected to heat and pressure to provide both resin curing and compression.

Synthetically produced brick red color iron oxide artists' pigment. Originally, the name "Indian red" was used for red earth pigments imported from the Persian Gulf and India; in the early 18th century, a synthetic Indian red composed of pure ferric oxide was made from steel mill wastes. It is a dense, opaque, permanent pigment.

A noncrystalline massive rock with aggregate filler and a matrix of 98% calcium carbonate in gray and buff colors; it is an oolitic limestone with small round grains resembling fish roe. Almost half of all the limestone used in the United States in block form is Indiana limestone.

Mass of any type of metal, cast into convenient shape for storage and transportation, to be rolled, forged, melted, or otherwise processed later. In some periods and cultures, such as in China, ancient Italy, and parts of Africa, they have been used as currency and as ceremonial objects.

Words, texts, lettering, or symbols marked on a work, including texts, legends, documentation notes, or commemoration. For standardized symbols or notations on objects that convey official information, use "marks (symbols)."

Window glass made of two sheets of glass separated by metal bonded to the edges of the glass, leaving an insulating layer of dehydrated air between the two panes.

A substance that is a nonconductor, so as to prevent the passage of heat, electricity, or sound.

Shutters, typically made of wood, mounted on the inside wall of a house, covering a window.

Pure metallic element having symbol Fe and atomic number 26; metallic iron is silvery in color, lustrous, soft, ductile, malleable, and slightly magnetic; it rusts when exposed to moist air. It is rarely found as a native metal (telluric iron) except in meteorites (meteoric iron). Iron is most often found throughout the world as iron oxides (hematite, magnetite, limonite, and siderite) mixed with other ores.

Alloy in which iron is the principle element.

General term for exceptionally tough or hard wood from any of numerous species of trees and shrubs, such as ebony, hornbeam, or acacia.

Visual works or parts of works made of iron, generally reserved for decorative forms fashioned in wrought or cast iron.

Any red chert or chalcedony.

Wood of the genus Juniperus, evergreen shrubs or trees, of which numerous species are found variously in the northern hemisphere; used in joinery.

Genus containing 60 to 70 species of aromatic evergreen trees or shrubs.

Species of juniper native to eastern North America, from southeastern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.

Black- or green-glass bottles of quart and pint sizes, used primarily for beers, porter, cider, spring water, and other popular potables.

Works composed primarily of industrial and modern consumer-culture waste, usually presented as assemblages of found objects.

Bast fiber derived from either of two East Indian plants (Corchorus olitorius and C. capsularis). The pale brown fibers are soft, lustrous, and coarse, ranging in length from 4 to 10 feet. The brittle fibers are used to produce a thread called hessian. Jute becomes so weak when wet that a thin twine can be broken by hand. It turns brown and degrades with time, sunlight, water, acids, alkalis, and bleach. Jute has been used since prehistoric times. It is used to make sackcloth, burlap cloth, gunnysacks, twine, paper, and carpet backing. It was also used to make brown paper in Europe in the mid-19th century.

Lumber that has been dried with the use of artificial heat in a kiln (oven).

Triangular frames with a vertical central strut (the king post) extending from apex to tie beam.

Hard, golden-brown wood of the species Acacia koa, native to Hawaii. The color and grain pattern of koa wood changes with growing conditions and tree age. It is a lightweight, but durable wood, that is brittle with variations in density. Koa is difficult to work or plane but carves well and polishes to a high gloss, used for carvings, boats, dugout canoes, early surfboards, veneers, musical instruments, and furniture. It was the royal wood of the native Hawaiians and was used for everything that came in contact with the royal family.

Wood of the trees of the genus Laburnum, having a striking, dark greenish brown or reddish brown color, fine grain, and capable of taking a high polish. It is typically used for cabinetmaking and inlay.

A resinous substance excreted by the lac insect, especially those who live on the twigs and soft new branches of several varieties of soapberry and acacia trees. Lac is used in the manufacture of varnishes (shellac), sealing wax (lac wax), and red colorants (lac dye) as early as ca. 1200 BCE in India. The word "lac" is the English version of Persian and Hindi words meaning "hundred thousand," indicating the large number of the tiny insects required to produce lac.

Paint, varnish, or another material applied by coating, made of the resinous exudation of certain trees or from insects, and that dries with a high gloss or matte finish. In most lacquers resin is dissolved in a volatile solvent or a drying oil and hardens by evaporation. Lacquer may be applied in many layers, so the thick surface may be set with inlays or carved.

Bodies of shallow water separated from the sea by a barrier, such as a sandbar or coral reef.

Flexible material made by bonding together two or more layers of materials with adhesive. For resin-impregnated laminate, such as paper or fabric, use "plastic laminate." For thin sheets of layered plastic, use "laminated plastic."

Lumber produced by overlaying and adhering multiple layers of thin wood. This composite wood product is stronger and more uniform than conventional milled lumber and less likely to warp or shrink.

Raised skylights or small lanterns with the sides mostly glazed, erected on a roof to admit light to the space below.

A granular crystalline rock composed essentially of lazurite and calcite. This is an old name for gem-variety lazurite.

Wood of the genus Larix, native to cool and sub-Arctic parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Most larch timber is coarse-grained, hard, and heavy, and is used for the construction of telephone poles, mine timbers, and railroad ties.

The surface, other than masonry, to which plaster is applied; made from various materials, including expanded metal mesh, gypsum board, or other material that will sufficiently bond the plaster.

Thin, narrow, flat pieces of wood used for many purposes, such as in constructing lattices of trellis work, Venetian blinds, or to form a groundwork upon which to fasten the slates or tiles of a roof or the plaster of a wall or ceiling. For groundwork of any material upon which plaster or another such material is applied, use "lath (grounding surface)."

Secondary roof support members, usually light poles or trimmed saplings, placed perpendicularly or in a herringbone pattern over vigas (primary beams) in Native American or Spanish American adobe construction.

Wood obtained from any of several species of the genus Shorea; sold as Philippine mahogany on the American market. It is a reddish- brown wood resembling mahogany in texture, weight, and strength, but it is not dimensionally stable with changes in relative humidity. Lauan wood is used for furniture, cabinetry, veneers, and boat building.

Wood of trees belonging to the genus Laurus, native to India, West Pakistan and Burma. It is used extensively for making furniture, cabinet-making, interior joinery, and staircases.

Species of aromatic evergreen tree native to the Mediterranean region but widely cultivated elsewhere, growing 6-18 meters (20-60 feet) in height and having stiff, alternate, oval leaves that are dull and leathery, around 8 cm (3.5 inches) long; the leaf edges are smooth and often wavy, used as a cooking herb. In ancient Greece the wreath of honor placed upon the heads of heroes and winners of games was made from the leaves and branches of this species. The small and inconspicuous flowers are yellowish or greenish white. The fruit is a green, purple, or blackish berry containing a single seed, and when pressed, producing an aromatic oil. The wood is strong and elastic, used for carving and marquetry.

Molten volcanic rock that issues from a volcano or fissure in the earth's surface; also, the same material after being cooled and solidified.

Sheer, lightweight plain-woven textile, originally of linen now also of fine combed cotton yarn, filled with starch or sizing. often used for handkerchiefs, aprons, and curtains.

Areas of cultivated grass or other ground cover maintained for aesthetic quality or recreation.

Pure metallic element having symbol Pb and atomic number 82; soft, dense ductile metal of a dull gray color, shiny when freshly cut, occuring naturally most often as a sulfide in the mineral galena. Other lead minerals include anglesite (lead sulfate) and cerussite (lead carbonate). Native metallic lead was found and used from about 3600-2600 BCE when the technique for obtaining lead from roasting the sulfide ore (galena) was discovered. Lead was used to make small cast items such as coins and statuettes, plumbing pipes, spires, statues, cisterns, gargoyles, pigments (lead white, litharge, orange mineral, etc.), as a component in pottery glazes, for roofing, flashing, stained glass windows, as a soft solder, and as radiation shielding.

Glass containing a high proportion of lead oxide and having a relatively high refractive index, with poor acid resistance and low rigidity; used in many optical components, neon-sign tubing, and light bulbs.

Visual works or parts of works made from lead, particularly sculptural, ornamental, or architectural objects. Usage may include plumbing or glazier's work.

The skin or hide of an animal that has been tanned to render it resistant to putrefication and relatively soft and flexible when dry. For composite material made from scrap leather pieces, use "maril."

Lighting devices that incorporate an array of LEDs within a bulb-shaped enclosure, usually made of glass. These are used for general lighting applications, in most cases as a replacement for incandescent light sources, as they offer more efficient energy performance.

A soft coal, usually dark brown, often having a distinct woodlike texture, and intermediate in density and carbon content between peat and bituminous coal.

General term for a number of different citrus fruits, both established species and hybrids, that are typically round, green to yellowish green in color, containing acidic pulp that is sweeter than lemons, and of a size usually smaller than lemons.

A concrete made from a mixture of lime, sand, and gravel, widely used before the lime matrix was replaced by portland cement.

A mixture of hydrated lime, sand, and water, which has a compressive strength up to 400 psi.

A type of plaster composed of calcium oxide (lime). Lime plaster has been used since antiquity, prepared by heating limestone to remove carbon dioxide and convert it to anhydrous calcium oxide (quicklime). When quicklime is mixed with water, it converts to calcium hydroxide (slaked lime).

General name for a sedimentary rock existing in many varieties, consisting primarily of calcite or dolomite.

Limonite refers to any hydrated iron ore. A brownish yellow deposit, it is formed by precipitation in marshy areas and is found mixed in clay and sand as loose powder or as a mass. Limonite is also called bog iron ore.

General name for textile woven from the spun fiber of the flax plant.

Durable floor coverings made primarily of linseed oil, with a filler of cork dust or wood flour, and flax, with pigments added to create the desired colors and patterns; also, similar floor coverings made with substitutes for the linseed oil or filler or both.

The short downy hairs or fuzz adhering to the cotton seeds (removed by a machine called a linter), which is unsuitable for spinning into yarn and is used as a source of celluloseu. Linter is useful in papermaking and upholstery.

Species of large, columnar tree native to North America, the common name referring to the large flowers that superficially resemble tulips, although the plants are instead closely related to magnolias. They provide food and shelter to butterflies and other animals. They are used for fine-grained, stable timber and landscaping.

General term for wood of any species of evergreen oak native to the U.S., often either Quercus virginiana or Q. agrifolia. The light brown wood of live oak trees is strong and hard, once highly valued by shipbuilders. Now the trees are mainly grown as shade trees.

Refers to rock in its original environment, as opposed to having been quarried. It typically refers to rock that is carved or otherwise used in situ, often to sculpture or architecture carved in situ.

Wood from the Pinus contorta, found in western North America.

The unhewn portion of a felled tree, including a length cut off for use as firewood, construction, or another purpose.

Vernacular form of construction using entire logs. One of the oldest known methods of construction, log construction has been used for dwellings, as well as churches and bridges. Log walls are produced by stacking logs and filled with mud or other insulating materials. Structures made of logs are characterized by corner joints that interlock with a cross-lap connection, or with dovetailing.

A blackish blue or blood red natural colorant extracted from the logwood tree, Haematoxylon campechianum, of Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies. It was formerly used to make black ink, and is still used to dye textiles black.

Wood from the Pinus palustris, found in the southern United States and valued as timber.

Material cut from timber to sizes and forms suitable for structural use.

Textile made with cotton, silk, or linen warp and wool, mohair, alpaca, or some other glossy hair fiber as weft in order to produce a lustrous surface.

Species of small deciduous tree or large shrub belonging to the mulberry family, Moraceae, typically growing to 8-15 m (26-49 ft) tall. It is dioeceous, with male and female flowers on different plants. The multiple fruit is bumpy and spherical, 7-15 cm in diameter, filled with a sticky white latex sap. In fall, it turns a bright yellow-green color and has a faint odor similar to that of oranges.

Limestone containing the combined carbonate of lime and magnesium, and frequently used for building.

White to bluish gray mineral,. It is used in the manufacture of brick and as an ore of magnesium.

Pure metallic element having the symbol Mg and atomic number 12; the lightest metal that is stable under ordinary conditions, silvery white in color. Use also for this metal as processed and formed, usually in combination with other substances, to make various objects and materials.

Species of large evergreen tree, reaching over 25 meters in height, native to the southeastern United States, from coastal Virginia south to central Florida, and west to eastern Texas and Oklahoma. It has been widely cultivated with over 100 varieties worldwide, prized for its large dark green leaves and large white fragrant flowers. The wood from the tree is used for furniture, veneer, and other items.

Refers to the wood of trees of the genus Swietenia, found in tropical climates, primarily in Mexico, Cuba, Central America, and the West Indies. It varies in color from yellow to a rich red brown, and is valued in furniture-making and sculpture-carving because it is hard, fine-grained, and takes a high polish. Mahogany has a fine, straight grain that takes a high polish. It is dimensionally stable and does not shrink, warp, or swell. The durable, dark reddish-brown wood was imported to Europe in the 18th century where it became popular for furniture, paneling and veneer. Ammonia brings out a rich, red color in mahogany wood. Mahogany is frequently attacked by pinhole borer beetles. Many woods of similar colors have also been called mahoganies, but usually do not have rich color or fine cutting characteristics of the true mahogany wood. However, the related African genus Khaya produces a similar wood. Mahogany was used by Chippendale, Hepplewhite, and the Adam brothers for high quality furniture.

Acidic wood of the species Tieghemella heckelii, reddish to purplish-brown in color, typically with straight grain and dark streaks. It is used for furniture, cabinet work, joinery, decorative veneers, panelling, boat building, flooring, turnery, carving, pianos, and other musical instruments.

Features that contain water and are man-made rather than natural.

Pure metallic element having symbol Mn and atomic number 25; hard, brittle, silvery metal. Use also for this metal as processed and formed, usually in combination with other substances, to make various objects and materials.

A compact, semi-crystalline magnesian limestone from Minnesota, ranging in color from buff, cream, yellow, gray, pink, or reddish buff. It is commonly used for building as well as for decoration.

Wood of trees belonging to the genus Acer, light reddish brown in color, with small pores, distinct rings, and rays that show as fine dashes in quarter sawed wood. Maple wood is used for fine furniture, cabinetry, flooring, shoe lasts, and musical instruments.

A metamorphic, hard, dense, crystalline stone primarily composed of calcium carbonate; it is limestone or dolomite that has been metamorphosed with heat and pressure. Pure calcite marble is white, but impurities produce a wide variety of coloring and patterns. It is finely grained and polishes to a smooth, high gloss. It is used primarily for statuary and buildings. Marble has been quarried from sites around the world since at least the 7th century BCE. The term can also refer more broadly to any crystallized carbonate rock, including true marble and certain types of limestone, that will take a polish and can be used for architectural and ornamental purposes.

Calcareous clay containing up to 40% calcium carbonate.

Cantilevered or suspended roofs over the entrances to buildings, of metal or metal and glass; in the 19th and 20th centuries, common over the entrances to theaters, casinos, and hotels to advertise entertainment. For smaller, often ornamental, rooflike structures at entrances, use "canopies (structural elements)."

A range of brownish colors resembling the color of the synthetic iron oxide pigment known as "Mars brown."

A registered trademark for a type of hardboard building material first made in 1924 by William H. Mason. Masonite is a wet process fiberboard composed of fine wood fibers compressed into a dense, rigid sheet with heat. The fibers are held together by the natural binders from the pulp with no additional adhesive. Masonite boards do not bend or warp easily but the sheets are brittle and break under pressure.

Building materials comprising cut, carved, shaped, or molded units of stone, ceramic brick or tile, concrete, glass, adobe, or other similar material.

Refers generally to any naturally occurring or manufactured building units composed of concrete, glass, stone, or other material.

Gum exudation of small evergreens native to the Mediterranean countries, soluble in both alcohol and turpentine; used for artists' paint and coating lacquer. Mastic varnish becomes yellow and brittle with age. Mastic was used in 16th and 17th century recipes for oil-resin varnishes; in the 19th century, mastic was a popular clear, glossy spirit varnish for oil paintings and was also used as an additive in oil medium. By the 20th century, its use was superseded by dammar.

Roof covering composed of woven material such as coir, bast, hemp, or grass.

Large open tracts of grassland, sometimes used for pasture.

Fiberboard that is typically made of wood fibers that are acquired by breaking down scrap remnants of hardwood or softwood; distinguished from low-density fiberboard and high-density fiberboard by density of fiber and strength.

Material in the form of a thin soft pliable sheet or layer.

Material in the form of threads or cords that surround the interstices of a net, netting, screen, or sieve, including any woven, knitted, or knotted material with an open texture and evenly spaced holes, including textiles and interlocking metal links. The size of a net or screen may refer to the spaces rather than to the threads that bound the spaces, for example, indicated by the number of openings per inch or another linear unit.

Any of a large group of substances that typically show a characteristic luster, are good conductors of electricity and heat, are opaque, can be fused, and are usually malleable or ductile.

Paint in which the pigment is a metal.

Visual works that are the products of working any kind of metal, particularly metal objects of artistic merit.

Rocks that result from the alteration of pre-existing rocks in response to changing environmental conditions, such as variations in temperature, pressure, and mechanical stress, and the addition or subtraction of chemical components. The pre-existing rocks may be igneous, sedimentary, or other metamorphic rocks.

Group of monoclinic minerals with perfect basal cleavage.

Sandstone containing mica.

A coarse biotite granite, quarried in Milford, Massachusetts, composed mostly of light pink feldspar with additions of gray quartz and dark, greenish-black flecks of a chloritic black mica. It is very strong, takes a high polish, and has a fine and close texture, making it one of the most desirable granites quarried in the U.S. for general building as well as decorative purposes.

Planed and patterned lumber for finish work in buildings, including items such as sash, doors, cornices, panelwork, and other items of interior or exterior trim. Does not include flooring, ceiling, or siding.

Naturally occurring inorganic element or compound having an orderly internal structure and characteristic chemical composition, crystal form, and physical properties; use also for synthetically derived equivalents.

A colorless, aliphatic hydrocarbon oil obtained from petroleum distilled at 330-360 degrees C.

Bricks which can be laid to modular dimensions; bricks sized so that the brick plus the mortar joint will form a 4, 8 or 12 inch increment, or module.

Long, lustrous hair of the Angora goat, valued for its strength and excellent spinning qualities.

Temperate forests of conifer and evergreen broad-leaved trees, located in areas having wet winters and dry summers; rainfall is concentrated in the winter months and winters are relatively mild.

Brick molded to a selected shape before firing and subsequently used to make ornamental architectural details.

Calcined gypsum ground fine fine so as to bring out dteails ornamental trim, cornices, and cast work.

Alloy composed of about 67% nickel, 28% copper, and 5% other elements such as iron.

Wood of the species Samanea saman, of the legume family.

Refers to a single large block of stone shaped into a pillar, column, sculpture or other item. For modern structural elements composed of cast concrete, use "concrete monolith."

Stone, generally of impressive bulk or size, used for erecting any variety of monument, but particularly for tombs or tombstones. The term can also refer to stone used to carve monumental statuary or for constructing monumental architecture.

A pasty building material that sets to form a hard, infusible solid. Most mortars are mixtures of lime, plaster of Paris, or cement with sand and water. It is used to fill the joints of brick and stone masonry and for other purposes.

Joints made when connecting two pieces of wood where a projecting tongue (tenon) of one piece is made to fit into the corresponding cutout (mortise) in the other piece.

A method of decorating surfaces with patterns or pictures composed of small, regularly-shaped pieces of colored durable material, such as stone or glass.

Glass made with slices of colored canes which can be used as inlays for walls and furniture, fashioned into beads and various kinds of jewelry, or arranged in molds and fused together to form vessels. Distinguished from "millefiori glass" which is glass made with slices of colored canes embedded in clear molten glass, usually creating flowerlike designs.

Images or patterns composed of small, regularly shaped pieces of durable material, usually stone or colored glass. Distinguished from "opus sectile," which is composed of individually shaped pieces of durable material, usually stone or glass, which conform to the design or pattern.

Hard, pearly, iridescent internal layer of various kinds of mollusk shell, extensively used for making small articles and inlays.

Soil containing so much water that it is soft and at least semi-fluid.

Building material used for joining elements that is composed of an earth and water mixture. Mud mortar is prone to erosion, and is most effective in warm, dry climates.

A mixture of various formulations used in vernacular architecture as a wall finish.

Slender, vertical, usually nonstructural bars or piers forming a division between doors, screens, or lights of windows; for the small members that divide glazing areas and support the panes or the verticals that separate the panels in panel doors, use "muntins."

The activity of composing and executing painted decorations or scenes that dominate a wall or ceiling surface.

Painted decorations or scenes that dominate a wall (or ceiling) surface. For works in other media that dominate a wall (or ceiling), use the more general term "murals (any medium)".

Refers to decorations in any medium that dominate a wall (or ceiling) surface; most often refers to works executed on the wall, but may also refer to works done separately and affixed to the wall. For paintings specifically, see "mural paintings."

A colorless or pale brown mica; it has superior dielectric properties and is valued for radio capacitators.

Order of flowering plants composed of 14 families, 380 genera, and about 11,000 species distributed throughout the tropics and warmer regions of the world.

The wood of evergreen shrubs or small trees of the genus Myrtus.

Slender and usually pointed and headed fasteners designed for impact insertion.

Cement produced by taking finely pulverizing calcined argillaceous limestone and heating it to complete decarbonation, which is the process of removing carbon dioxide.

Ventilation systems that depend on natural atmospheric conditions and the manual operation of building openings, such as windows, doors, and transoms.

Brand of strong vinyl-coated cloth made to look like leather.

The shell of the pearly nautilus, Nautilus macromphalus, native to the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans, used to make decorative objects such as cups, salts, and jewelry, and as carving material.

Inert gaseous element with symbol Ne and atomic number 10; used as the medium in some electric discharge lamps.

Lamps consisting of exhausted glass tubes filled with neon gas that is ionized and conducts an electric current through the tube.

Synthetic rubber made by polymerization of chloroprene and characterized by superior resistance to oil, gasoline, sunlight, ozone, and heat, and by lower permeability to gas than rubber.

Inexpensive, low quality paper made from wood pulp, of the type used chiefly for printing newspapers.

Pure metallic element having symbol Ni and atomic number 28; a silvery white metal with a yellowish cast, resistant to corrosion and to most acids except nitric. Use also for this metal as processed and formed, usually in combination with other substances, to make various objects and materials.

Alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc, the nickel serving to enhance color. Uses include operations that require ductility in the cold state, such as stamping, spinning, deep drawing, and for articles to be plated.

Masonry, usually brickwork or stone, used as nonstructural fill in the spaces between major wood wall members in timber construction.

Wood from the Pinus resinosa, found in North America.

Wood of the Picea abies, native to northern Europe and used as a timber and ornamental tree.

The color of this marble ranges from yellow, light brown, and pink to deep red. It originates not from Numidia proper, but from the mountains of Algeria and Mauritania.

Any of a variety of thermoplastic polymers originally developed as textile fibers and used in fabrics. They have a straight-chain polyamide structure and are largely heat-resistant.

Species of tree found in moist areas of the eastern U.S. from Maine south to the Gulf Coast and westward to Oklahoma. Its wood is light and soft, but tough. The black gum is sometimes grown as an ornamental, prized for brilliant scarlet autumnal foliage. The bark dye has good washfastness and fair lightfastness.

Wood of trees belonging to the genus Quercus, of the beech family. It is a durable wood that has a distinctive coarse grain, used in cabinetry, flooring, paneling, musical instruments, ship interiors and moldings, panel painting, and sculptures.

Loosely twisted hemp or jute fiber impregnated with tar or a tar derivative and used in caulking seams, as of wooden ships, and packing joints, as of pipes.

A paint made by grinding pigments with a drying oil such as linseed oil. After 1940 alkyd binders were often added to oil paint to provide faster drying times.

Textile waterproofed with oil; often woven cotton, jute, or hemp, treated with oil and pigment. Typically used as a waterproof covering.

Species of small evergreen tree native to coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin, western Asia, northern Africa, and the northern Middle East. It has long been cultivated for its drupaceous fruit that is an important food and source of oil. The wood is resistant to decay; if the top dies back, a new trunk will often arise from the roots. The species may have arisen in northern tropical Africa, then spread to the Mediterranean Basin. It had been cultivated on Crete since 3,500 BCE; fossilized leaves of the genus date to 37,000 years before present. Sometimes divided into several subspecies.

A variety of chacedony having parallel, alternating bands of chalcedony and opal. The bands are usually colored black and white or reddish and white. In ancient times, the stones were available in Egypt, Arabia, and India. Onyx was often used as a gemstone in the production of cameos and intaglios. Onyx is also used as an ornamental building stone and for decorative items such as table tops, lamp bases, and small boxes.

Term used in the glass trade for a glass made to resemble onyx either by the addition of metal and metallic oxide that impart a silver luster upon heating, or by mixing glass of contrasting colors.

A compact variety of calcite that has dark layers of impurities and polishes to a high gloss, resembling onyx in appearance. It is typically used as a decorative or architectural material or for small ornamental objects.

Limestone containing many small, rounded particles, which are concentric layers of calcium carbonate deposits.

Roofs in which the wooden structure is exposed to the rooms below.

Material containing carbon, including those derived from living organisms.

Bay windows projecting from an upper floor and not extending to the ground; usually supported by brackets or corbels.

Layered composite wood board consisting of cross-oriented thin, rectangular strips compressed and glued together with resin adhesives.

Shell of an oyster.

Any dispersion of pigment in a liquid binder. Paint is applied with a brush, roller, sprayer, or by dipping and dries to form a decorative or protective film.

Unique works in which images are formed primarily by the direct application of pigments suspended in oil, water, egg yolk, molten wax, or other liquid, arranged in masses of color, onto a generally two-dimensional surface.

Barriers composed of long stakes, usually with pointed tops, driven into the earth close together, sometimes connected by horizontal beams.

Material comprising the stem and leaves of the grass species Cortaderia selloana, used for making ropes and baskets.

Wood in the form of broad, thin, flat or sometimes curved pieces that serve as a support for media in visual works; examples are paintings on wood. In architecture and other constructive arts, use "panels (surface components" to refer to a panel, whether of wood or another material, that is typically a compartment of a surface either sunken below or raised above the general level, and set in a molding or other border, as in a frame, sometimes of different color or material.

Refers to the activity of painting portable paintings on wood from the painting of other types, such as mural paintings and manuscript illuminations, especially with reference to the Medieval and Early Renaissance periods.

Wall coverings consisting of panels of wood or other material joined in a continuous surface.

Distinct portions, sections, or divisions of a surface, especially when sunk below or raised above the general level or enclosed by a frame or border. Common on walls, ceilings, and doors, and also on furniture pieces.

In ancient architecture, a term used to describe a flat tile or tegula. In modern usage, an S-curved roofing tile, laid so the down curve of one tile overlaps the up curve of the next one.

Composite material used for molding objects; made of repulped or pulverized paper and a liquid adhesive binder. May also comprise strips of paper, sometimes reinforced with textiles, stuck together with a wet adhesive, and used to form an object. The object becomes solid when the paste dries; the object may then be sanded, lacquered, and painted. Such objects are very durable; they first developed in Asia and were common in Europe and elsewhere since the 17th century.

A writing material prepared from thin strips of the pith of the papyrus plant laid together, soaked, pressed, and dried.

Black marble quarried in Greece and Egypt, used as a touchstone and from the late 16th century in Verona used for painting on.

Low walls, projecting from the edge of platforms, terraces, or roofs, or surmounting the cornices of a building; also, walls forming the uppermost part of defensive walls or ramparts.

Marquetry executed in a geometrical pattern, used especially for floors.

A composite wood board made from small wood chips mixed with a water-insoluble adhesive, then compressed into a dense solid panel. Particle boards were originally made in 1915 as wallboards. The most common adhesive in particle boards is urea formaldehyde glues are used which release volatile formaldehyde. Some particles boards are made with polyurea or phenolic resins. Particle boards are water-resistant, insect resistant, and dimensionally stable during humidity and temperature fluctuations. Particle boards are commonly used in the construction of inexpensive furniture, cabinetry and mobile homes.

A brilliant glass of high lead content used for the manufacture of artificial gems; also an imitation gem made of this material.

Any brick, tile, stone, or other material fabricated in shaped units and used for paving.

Natural or modified asphalt or an asphalt aggregate intended for use as a binder in asphalt concrete.

A vitrified brick, especially suitable for use in pavements where resistance to abrasion is important.

A block or chunk of stone that is shaped or selected by shape for a paved surface.

Tile designed to be used for areas of pavement.

A white or drab yellow marble with purplish veins, it was supposedly favored by the emperor Hadrian. The word pavonazzo means peacock blue, violet, or purple in Italian. The ancient marble is also known as Phrygian marble because it is believed to have come from Phrygia in Asia Minor.

Small-diameter (6.4 to 9.5 mm or 1/4 to 3/8 in.) natural gravel, screened to specification.

A smooth round bead formed primarily within the shells of two distantly related groups of molluscan bivalves or clams, including the ocean-dwelling pearl oysters and the freshwater river mussels. Pearls are used in jewelry and for other ornamental puposes; they are considered a gem.

A rock fragment, generally rounded by abrasion, larger than a granule and smaller than a cobble; it has a diameter in the range of 4 to 66 mm, or a size between that of a pea and that of a tennis ball.

Textured surfaces made from mortar with small stones embedded in it, used as a coating for walls or floors.

Wood of the species Carya illioensis, native to the southeastern United States and Mexico having reddish brown heartwood with dark brown stripes. It is used for interior millwork, handles, and other items.

Plants which remain green and leafy throughout the year, usually with new herbaceous growth from perennating parts.

Brick with vertical perforations or holes; the addition of holes decreases the weight of the brick without significantly reducing its strength.

An unstandardized name for certain white pigments, referring often to blanc fixe, zinc white, or mixtures of barium sulfate with zinc white.

Alloy of tin and various proportions and combinations of lead and antimony, and sometimes also copper.

Devices in which electromagnetic radiation is generated by a potential at a junction between two types of material, upon absorption of radiant energy.

Genus of around 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, order Pinales, found in northern temperate and boreal. Mature trees may be 20-60 m (66-200 feet) tall. They are distinguished from similar genera by whorled branches, conical form, with needle-like leaves attached singly to the branches in a spiral fashion, and rough rather than smooth branches. As needles are shed throughout the life of the tree, the branches retain a rough appearance from the pulvinus, to which the needles had been attached. Comprises around 40 species of evergreen ornamental and timber trees native to the temperate and cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere. They are pyramidal trees with whorled branches and thin, scaly bark.

Masonry walls in which material has been removed without jeopardizing structural integrity, either for decorative or structural reasons. Masonry walls in which material has been removed without jeopardizing structural integrity, either for decorative or structural reasons.

Any relatively insoluble organic, inorganic, natural or artificial substance that imparts a color to another substance or mixture and always appears as the same specific color when viewed in white light. It is the constituent of paint or ink that provides the color. Distinguished from a dye, which is soluble in the vehicle, a pigment is insoluble in the vehicle, but instead is held in a suspension.

A brick for constructing pilasters or slightly projecting piers, the end of which is so notched or rebated that it bonds more readily with the backing, thus increasing the stiffening of the wall.

Timber, steel, or precast concrete columns serving as subsurface supports for vertical loads; distinct from "piers (foundation components)" which are larger and are never clustered.

Wood from the species Quercus palustris, native primarily to bottomlands and moist uplands of eastern North America, but found as far west as Oklahoma and Ontario, Canada. It is a reddish brown hard wood that shrinks and cracks with drying; sometimes sold as red oak for flooring and lumber, but it is weaker and contains more knots.

Wood from numerous trees of the genus Pinus. Pine is used largely in the construction and paper industries, although it is also a source of turpentine, resins, and oils, among other products.

Wood tar produced by distilling pine wood, used in wood preservatives and medicinal products.

Granite with a mineral composition that results in a pink color.

Marble with a mineral composition resulting in a predominantly pink color.

Genus containing about 90 species of ornamental and timber evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae.

Species of widespread and variable pine native to western North America and widely cultivated elsewhere for its timber and for ornament.

A type of fine white clay used to make tobacco pipes and fine earthenwares.

A building material consisting of stiff earth or clay forced in between forms.

Wood cut at a tangent to the annual growth rings.

Wood in the form of long, wide, square-sawn, smooth, flat pieces. A plank is typically characterized by being a length of timber sawn for building or other purposes to a thickness of from two to six inches, a width of nine inches or more, and eight feet or upwards in length.

Any of various containers in which plants are grown or placed for decorative purposes.

Refers to a soft, plastic material that can be spread or daubed on a wall, ceiling, or other surface, where it afterwards hardens. In the context of art and architecture, it generally refers specifically to a mixture of water, lime, and sand, often combined with other materials, such as animal hair, to give the resulting material strength, texture, and if the surface is to be painted, porosity.

Calcium sulfate hemihydrate, a white powder, which sets rapidly upon the addition of water; used for molds, sculpture, casts.

Visual works made of plaster, which is a soft, plastic material, in this context usually a mixture of water, lime, and sand, often combined with other materials, such as animal hair. Plasterworks are either applied smoothly to a surface or as a combination of high-relief, sculptural, and surface decoration.

A general term for any of a large and varied class of natural or synthetic organic materials that can be molded, extruded, or cast when soft or liquid, and then set into a rigid or slightly elastic form. Natural plastics include tree resins, beeswax, gutta-percha, horn, and clay. Synthetic plastics were first made in the 19th century. Plastics are used widely in manufacturing.

Resin-impregnated materials, such as paper or fabric, produced under heat and high pressure to form an insoluble homogeneous piece. Laminates were first made in 1907 by Leo Baekeland when he coated canvas with phenol formaldehyde. Distinguished from "laminated plastic" which is a thin sheet of superimposed layers of plastic bonded or impregnated with resin and compressed under heat.

Species that is a hybrid of Platanus occidentalis and Platanus orientalis. It combines characteristics of both in varying degrees. It is a little shorter and more squat than the American (occidentalis) tree and usually has bristly, paired seedballs. There are variegated forms of London plane. It is planted widely in cities for its resistance to air pollution and to diseases that more readily affect other plane trees.

Species of plane tree native to North America; the tallest of the plane trees, reaching more than 50 m (160 feet) in height. Its pendent, smooth, ball-shaped seed clusters usually dangle singly and often persist after leaf fall. It is distinguished from other trees by its mottled exfoliating bark, which flakes off in great irregular masses, leaving the surface mottled, and greenish-white, gray and brown. For trees known simply as "sycamore," use Acer Pseudoplatanus, which is a species of maple.

Any glass that has been rolled or cast into a sheet and then ground and polished.

Wood structural frames in which the studs are only one story high, the floor joist of each story rests on the top plates of the story below or on the foundation sill for the first story, and the bearing walls and partitions rest on the subfloor of each story.

Pure metallic element having symbol Pt and atomic number 78; a lustrous, malleable, ductile, silvery white metal, considered a precious metal. Use also for this metal as processed and formed, usually in combination with other substances, to make objects and materials.

Proprietary name for polymerized methyl methacrylate, used as a substitute for glass in products such as windows, skylights, illuminated signs, and aircraft. Plexiglas was trademarked by Rohm and Haas AG in Germany ca. 1930s.

A brick beveled on its face or end to provide for the reduction in thickness between the plinth and the main part of a wall.

Chewing tobacco produced in the form of a flat cake.

Drupe, or stone-fruit, from several trees of the genus Prunus. The plum usually has red, purple, or yellow skin, and when ripe, a powdery bloom.

Wood board consisting of a number of thin layers of rotary-cut veneers glued together so that the grain of each layer is at right angles to the grain of the adjacent layer.

Thermoplastic polyester used in glazing, including bullet- and explosion-resistant laminates.

Resin formed by the reaction between dibasic acid and dihydroxy alcohol.

A group of polyolefin polymers derived from ethylene by polymerization by heat and pressure.

Building material comprising uncoursed masonry used in the ancient Mediterranean world. Laid up of large blocks of stone in rough polygonal shapes, often fitted together without mortar. Similar to "cyclopean masonry," but with more precise fitting of stones due to the straight hewn sides.

A clear plastic or stiff foam, a polymer of styrene, used chiefly as an insulator in refrigerators, air conditioners, and for packaging.

Plastic based on polyether or polyester resin.

Versatile plastic foam used as casting, mounting, packing, and transfer material in applications such as upholstery, thermal insulation, garments, material for sculpture, and in objects conservation.

A thermoplastic resin derived by the polymerization of vinyl chloride, used for thin coatings, insulation, and pipes.

An unstandardized name used for Pozzuoli red, Tuscan red, and dragon's blood.

Wood from the Pinus ponderosa, found in western North America.

Soft, lightweight wood of trees belonging to the genus Populus, with color ranging from white to pink or brownish. It has a uniform, straight grain, fine texture, and is easy to work but it is prone to warping. It is primarily used for paneling, light construction, packing crates, joinery, flooring, kitchen utensils, veneer, cardboard, and paper pulp, but historically was used for Italian panel paintings and for sculptures in southern Germany in the late Gothic period.

Species of cottonwood poplar native to much of North America; it is known in three subspecies. It is one of the largest North American hardwood trees, growing to nearly 30 meters (100 feet) in height. It has thick glossy leaves and bark that is silver-white and smooth, becoming darker and deeply fissured on older trees. Due to the flat stem of the leaf, the leaf has the tendency to shake from even the slightest breeze. This is one of the identifying characteristics.

Species of cottonwood poplar native to southwestern North America.

A material comprising white clay, or "kaolin," and a feldspathic rock, that react when fired so the clay serves to hold the shape of the object and the rock fuses into a natural glass. In China, it includes any such ware that is highly fired enough to produce a ringing sound when struck. In Europe, it is limited to hard-fired ceramic that is translucent.

A surface created by fusing a thin layer of glass to a metal object in order to prevent corrosion or enhance its beauty.

A dark purplish-red rock, first quarried in ancient Egypt, containing relatively large crystals in a fine-grained igneous matrix. One of the hardest rocks, it takes a high polish and is valued as a durable sculptor's material and as a decorative architectural material. It is considered the best material for the muller and slab used for grinding artists' colors.

Roofed porchlike spaces, open along at least one side and usually associated with an entrance, supported by columns and often surmounted by a pediment; porticoes may project from the main building mass or be recessed in it.

binding material in the form of a finely ground powder, usually gray, that is manufactured by burning and grinding a mixture of limestone and clay or limestone and shale. The cementitious binder for most structural concrete; obtained by pulverizing clinker consisting essentially of hydraulic calcium silicates; contains calcium sulfate as an interground addition. When mixed with water, the anhydrous calcium silicates and other constituents in the portland cement react chemically with the water, combining with it (hydration) and decomposing in it (hydrolysis) and hardening and developing strength. Joseph Aspdin, of England, patented the basic process in 1824, naming it for the resemblance of the cement when set to portland stone, a limestone from the Isle of Portland.

Stone of English origin consisting of fossils cemented together with lime.

An oolitic limestone widely used for building in England, particularly in London; it is quarried on the Isle of Portland, off the coast of England.

Hard, close-grained, durable wood of the species Quercus stellata, native to sandy soils of the central and southern United States. It is tough and rot-resistant, used for fence posts, rough construction, and as a fuel for barbequing meat.

Prestressed concrete in which tubes, conduits, or channels are inserted in the concrete where steel reinforcement is needed. After curing, reinforcing steel is inserting into the tubes, stretched to the appropriate tension, and anchored at the ends.

In architecture or other construction, refers to stiff, vertical, relatively isolated members of considerable length. Posts are typically round, square, or rectangular in cross-section and are used in building as supports for a superstructure or to provide a firm point of lateral attachment. They are characteristically relatively undecorated and made of a single timber, but may be made of stone, metal, another material, or composite materials. The term is particularly used for any main vertical support in a timber frame structure. For square uprights in classical style, and for square and rectangular masonry uprights, use "piers (supporting elements)"; for most cylindrical uprights, and for all uprights in steel and concrete frames, use "columns (architectural elements)."

Refers to a type of glass characterized by being one deep color throughout its thickness. The process by which it is made is ancient, and requires the combination of silica, potash, and lime, with metal oxides added to the molten glass for color. The name refers to the metal oxides and the custom of melting the compound in a clay pot in the furnace. This type of glass was generally used in making stained-glass windows, with the typical effect of relatively little light penetrating the deep, saturated colors of the glass. A technique was later developed to create "flashed glass," which layers color over clear or white glass and allows more light to pass through the window.

Timber frame construction in which the upright posts are raised above damp ground on individual foundation blocks to avoid rotting the frame members and to facilitate replacement of foundation pieces without rebuilding the frame; common in the vernacular architecture of the Lower Mississippi Valley.

A striking breccia quarried in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Maryland and Virginia; it consists mostly of limestone, quartz pebbles, and multicolored fragments ranging from sand grains to cobbles, all cemented together in a calcareous matrix. It can be extremely difficult to work as the hard pebbles tend to break away from the softer matrix.

A siliceous sandstone, from Saint Lawrence County in New York, containing a small amount of iron oxide, giving it its red or reddish-brown color. Although soft enough to work economically when first quarried, it becomes incredibly hard upon exposure, making it an incredibly durable building stone.

Fragments of pottery, especially in archaeological contexts.

A pink pigment used in ceramics and as a pale pink artists color. It was first developed ca. 1790 by a potter in Staffordshire. The color is produced when chromic oxide and tin oxide fuse in the presence of lime. The color is dependent on particle size and is not always uniform. The same pink can also be formed by the combination of chromium and zircon oxides.

Concrete that is cast and cured in other than its final position. For concrete that is deposited in liquid form in the place where it is required to harden as part of a structure, use "cast-in-place concrete."

Substance added to materials, natural science specimens, or foodstuffs to preserve them against deterioration, discoloration, or spoilage. In paint or adhesive, prevervatives are nonvolative chemicals added to prevent fermentation and mold growth.

A stiff mud brick made under high pressure; it is homogeneous, and has increased density and strength.

Concrete in which effective internal stresses are induced artificially, usually by means of tensioned steel, prior to loading the structure.

Wood derived directly from forest trees, such as lumber, posts, poles, pulp, plywood, particleboard, fiberboard, excelsior, and others, including items such as furniture and woven wood baskets that made directly from tree saplings.

Firm, lightweight, fine-textured wood obtained from the species Tabebuia donnell-smithii native to Mexico and Central America. Although the tree is unrelated to true mahogany, the wood resembles it in being easy to work, lustrous, and free of tendency to warp. When first cut, it is pale yellow in color; upon exposure to air and light it darkens to a yellowish rose with streaks of red, orange, and brown. Primavera is used, either in thin lumber or veneer form, for paneling, furniture, veneers, inlaying, and cabinetmaking.

Glass in which one surface is smooth, while the other is marked by ridges of prismatic section; illuminates very large internal spaces.

Originally, gardens designed to reflect the power and largesse of the aristocracy. Contemporary usage extends to gardens maintained by individuals that are somehow enclosed or secluded, regardless of size, and that may evoke the fanciful or fantastic. Variations of the private garden may be designed to house a collection of artworks, or to highlight a particular plant genus.

Species of North American fir tree having several forms, one with reflexed bracts, that are sometimes considered to be separate species. Trees may reach heights in excess of 90 m (295 feet) and have diameters of more than 4 m (13 feet), but most contemporary stands are composed of trees that are much smaller, due to the fact that many old specimens have been logged. It is noted as one of the best timber trees in North America, as well as a popular ornamental and Christmas tree, and is used for reforestation along the Pacific Coast.

Conglomerate rock containing numerous rounded pebbles.

Wood suitable for making paper pulp.

A pale gray, porous variety of the volcanic stone rhyolite; it is composed of potassium aluminum silicate with small amounts of iron and alkalis. Pumice is used as an abrasive for polishing jewelry, cleaning metals, and smoothing vellum and parchment. In its solid form it is used as an abrasive and aggregate and in its powdered form it is used as a polish and abrasive.

Wood rendered dry, crumbly, and easily ignitable by the action of certain fungi; often used as tinder.

Slate that has components of hematite and chlorite, causing a purplish color.

A low-expansion type of bora-silicate glass.

Unglazed ceramic tile, machine-made by the extrusion process from natural clay or shales.

Lumber that has been sawed so that the wide surfaces extend approximately at right angles to the annual growth rings. Lumber is considered edge grained when the rings form an angle of 45 degrees to 90 degrees with the wide surface of the piece.

The most common variety of silica; commonly occurs as crystals.

A transparent variety of the silica mineral quartz that is valued for its clarity and total lack of color or flaws. Vessels and spheres have been carved from large crystals since ancient times, and the application of the word "crystal" to fine glassware derives from this practice. Quartz crystal formerly was used extensively as a gemstone, usually brilliant-cut, although it has now been largely replaced by glass; rhinestones originally were quartz pebbles found in the Rhine River. The optical properties of quartz crystal led to its use in lenses and prisms; its piezoelectric properties are used to control the oscillation of electrical circuits. Its physical properties are those of quartz.

A porphyritic rhyolite containing phenocrysts of quartz and alkali feldspar in a microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline groundmass.

A metamorphic rock composed largely of granular quartz which is cemented by silica forming a homogeneous mass of very high tensile and crushing strengths; especially used as a building stone, as gravel in road construction, and as aggregate in concrete.

A britannia metal with a small amount of zinc.

Genus containing around 450 species of ornamental and timber trees and shrubs, found chiefly in north temperate regions and at high altitudes in the tropics. The durable wood has a distinctive coarse grain. The thick bark from some species is used for its buoyancy. Tannins and dyes can be extracted from the bark. Oak emits organic acids as it ages. Many plants commonly called "oak" are not Quercus, including African oak, Australian oak, bull oak, etc.

Species of oak native to the Pacific coastal regions of North America from California to the Baja peninsula; most often shrubby, but may reach heights of 20 m. Distinguished by holly-like leaves; may live to 250 years in age. The hard wood has been used for shipbuilding in the past, but now the tree is primarily used as an ornamental and for shade.

Species of oak native to the eastern United States, reaching 45 m (50 feet) in height, having pale-gray, shallowly fissured, scaly bark, and glossy, bright green leaves that narrow toward the base and turn wine red in autumn. Specimens are known to have lived for up to 600 years. It is an important timber tree, having light brown, coarse-grained, strong wood, used for millwork and flooring.

Species of small, slow-growing deciduous shrubby tree native to the dry, sandy areas of the southeastern United States, on the coastal plain from Delaware to Florida and Louisiana. It reaches 10 meters in height, has deeply incised leaves with 3-7 slender lobes, and acorns that take 18 months to mature. It hybridizes easily with southern red oak (Q. falcata), bluejack oak (Q. incana), laurel oak (Q. laurifolia), and water oak (Q. nigra). Its name "turkey oak" is derived either from the turkey-footprint shape of its leaves or from the fact that wild turkeys eat the acorns.

Species of evergreen tree native to the southeastern and gulf area of the United States into Mexico, and Cuba, having a coarse, reddish brown bark and reaching 50 feet in height. Valued for its hard, durable wood, formerly used in shipbuilding; today most often used for shade trees. It is readily hybridized, and thus confusion regarding varieties and certain common names has arisen.

Stones used to form the corner of a wall of masonry, especially when accentuated by a difference in the surface treatment from that of the rest of the wall mass.

Frameworks of wire, pegs, bars, gratings, or shelves in or on which articles are placed or suspended, often for storage or stowage; may be freestanding or attached to surfaces.

Strong internal rectangular supports for the rails in railroad tracks.

Rolled steel bars, commonly T-sections, designed to be laid end to end, usually in pairs and in parallel lines, to provide the running surface for certain transit vehicles.

A material usually consisting of clay, sand, or other aggregate, such as sea shell, and water, which has been compressed and dried; used in building construction.

Building material comprising roughly squared stone blocks of different sizes laid in courses. The horizontal and vertical joints do not line up consistently and smaller stones may be used to fill in gaps.

Synthetic fiber made from regenerated cellulose.

Wood of the species Nothofagus fusca, native to cooler regions of the southern hemisphere. It is used in the making of flooring, toys, and tool handles.

General term referring to wood of many evergreen trees of the cypress family.

General term for wood from any of many species coniferous trees, including the Scots pine, Fraser fir, Douglas fir, red fir (silvertip fir), and silver fir.

Granite with a mineral composition that results in a red color and usually a relatively coarse texture.

Wood of the species Corymbia calophylla, native to Australia. It is yellowish-red in color, and is used in the manufacture of flooring, paving, and stair treads.

Marble with a mineral composition resulting in a predominantly red color.

In the lumber trade, a general term for wood of many species of oak, including Q. rubra, belonging to a subgroup of oak trees native to North and South America, characterized by having bristle-tipped leaves, acorns with hairy shell linings, and bitter seeds that mature in two seasons. Red oak wood is typically hard, coarse-grained and used commercially for flooring, furniture, cabinets, paneling, and millwork.

Earth color made from clay or by calcining selected grades of yellow ocher. This type is sometimes called burnt ocher.

Pigment having the color red, which is produced by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of about 630–700nm.

Wood from any of various trees, usually pines or other conifers having reddish bark or wood.

Slate that has a component of hematite, causing a reddish color.

Wood from any of several species of cypress, pine, or cedar having reddish wood.

Designates artificial areas of water, usually of geometric shape, specifically designed and located so as to mirror buildings or other structures.

Window glass coated on the outside with a transparent metallic coating that reflects light and radiant heat.

Concrete that contains embedded reinforcements, typically steel bars, in order to increase strength.

Steel bars, usually with manufactured deformations or threading, used in concrete and masonry construction to provide additional strength.

General term for solid or semisolid organic substance usually obtained from plant secretions, but sometimes obtained from insects or synthetically produced. It is soluble in organic solvent but not in water, and is commonly used in varnish, printing ink, and size. It is distinguished from "gum" by not being dissoluble in water. To distinguish between natural and synthetic resins, use the narrower terms "natural resin" or "synthetic resin."

Any of a number of extrusive acid igneous rocks, usually porphyritic and exhibiting flow lines, with phenocrysts of quartz and alkali feldspar in a glassy to cryptocrystalline groundmass; the extrusive equivalent of granite.

Layers, facings, or protective embankments comprised of large irregular and randomly placed stones to prevent erosion, scour, or sloughing; also the stone so used.

The land margins of rivers.

Bodies of flowing water moving in one direction, including streams and rivers.

18th-century term for ornamental trimming in the form of bands or stripes on a robe or gown.

Naturally formed aggregate of one or more minerals. For processed or dressed rock use "stone."

Brick whose nominal dimensions are 2 2/3 x 4 x 12 inches.

A channel-shaped, tapered, single lap, roofing tile.

Refers to the style in European and American architecture dating from the 1820s to the end of the 19th century. Based on the style of the 11th- and 12th-century Romanesque church architecture, it is characterized by semicircular arches, groin and barrel vaults, and the spare use of naturalistic ornament.

Any material used as a roof covering (such as shingles, slate, sheet metal, or tile) to make it wind- and waterproof, and often to provide thermal insulation.

A thin, usually rectangular, piece of certain varieties of slate or other stones which split readily into sheets and are used to cover the roofs of buildings.

Type of tile for roofing, usually of fired clay, concrete, or asbestos cement; available in many configurations and types such as plain tiles, single-lap tiles, and interlocking tiles.

Heavy cord, at least 1/4 inch in diameter, formed by twisting or braiding three to six yarns of natural or artificial fiber. In ancient Egypt, rope was made from reeds or date palm fibers. Ancient rope was also made from flax, grass, esparto grass, hemp, sisal, coir, cotton, jute, papyrus, and camel hair. Up to 1850, most rope was made from hemp or sisal. After this point, abaca and agave became the fibers of choice. By the 1950s, synthetic fibers (nylon, rayon, saran, polyester, etc.) became predominant. Glass and metallic fibers have also been incorporated into rope for added strength and resistance to fire and chemicals.

A pink variety of quartz used as a gemstone.

Wood from several tropical trees of the genus Dalbergia, all having a dark red or purplish color streaked and variegated with black. Rosewood timber produces a rose-like smell when cut. The wood has a fine grain, smooth texture, and polishes to a high gloss, but because of its resinous nature is difficult to work. It is used for cabinets, musical instruments, piano cases, and veneer. It was popular during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It is still used to fashion xylophone bars, but waning supplies restrict its use. Only around 15 of the species in the large genus Dalbergia yield rosewood.

The solid, brittle, clear resinous residue left after the distillation of turpentine from balsam, having a color ranging from yellow or reddish-brown. It becomes sticky when warm and has a faint pine-like odor. Primarily composed of abietic acid (about 80%), rosin reacts in hot alkaline solutions to form rosin soaps. Rosin weathers poorly, becoming oxidized and brittle with age. It also has poor moisture resistance. Although many of its aging properties are undesirable, rosin is or was used as an ingredient in paints, varnishes, inks, adhesives, sealing wax, soldering fluxes, sizing paper, and linoleum. Because it increases sliding friction, it is commonly used for coating bows of some stringed instruments, and as a slip preventative on the floors of stages and shoes of dancers. The inexpensive resin is also used for sizing paper.

Plaster made of lime mixed with shells or pebbles and used for covering buildings usually by being thrown from a trowel forcibly against a wall.

Historic barn design that flourished between the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States and Canada. Round barns were built in a variety of shapes: octagonal, polygonal, or circular.

Rough, broken stones or bricks. For use in masonry, use "rubblework."

Form of concrete reinforced by broken stones or brick.

Building material comprising rubble or roughly cut stone.

Glass with a ruby color due to the presence of various materials, including colloidal gold, cadmium selenide, or copper and zinc sulfide.

Strip of lace, cloth, leather, or another material that is gathered on one edge or cut on the bias, so that when attached to the hem, button placard, neckline, or wrist of a garment it produces an ornamental frill or flounce.

Technique of pattern bond using only stretchers and in which the vertical joints of one course fall midway between the joints of the courses above and below.

Surface pattern originally for stone but frequently simulated in other materials, giving the effect of large blocks with deep, wide joints.

Strong, heavy canvas, used chiefly for sails, tents, and upholstery.

Material consisting of fragmented particles of mostly siliceous rock, specifically as it appears on the surface of a beach or a desert. Individual particles may range in diameter from approximately 0.0008-0.08 inch. Most rock-forming minerals at the Earth's surface may be constituents of sand, but a limited number are common. Quartz is most common.

Brick, usually pearl-gray in color, made of a sand and lime mixture, molded under pressure and cured with steam. It possesses good frost, acid, and fire resistance and is easily washed.

A compact close-grained fragrant yellowish wood that is yielded by trees in the genus Santalum, typically used for its essential oil.

A consolidated sedimentary rock, consisting of sand grains united with a natural cementing material; the most common sand in sandstone contains quartz, with considerable feldspar, lime, mica, and clayey matter.

Building panels consisting of two high-density outer sheets, usually plywood, hardwood, or metal, bonded to a lightweight core material, often plastic foam, rubber, or honeycombed paper.

Genus consisting of three species of deciduous trees and shrubs disjunct between eastern Asia (S. tzumu and S. randaiense) and eastern North America (S. albidum), and one extinct species. They are commercially known for their fragrant oil that is used in perfumes, root beer, and tea. The soft, lightweight wood is used for lumber. A rose-brown to gray color textile dye with good color fastness is extracted from the wood.

Woven textile characterized by a basic binding system or weave with smooth, shiny surface formed by long warp floats. Generally, each warp end passes over four or more adjacent weft picks and under the next one.

General term for wood from several species of trees, characterized by being very hard, yellowish brown in color, and having a satiny luster; used especially for fine woodworking and tools.

Refers to wall or furniture surfaces made by mixing fine plaster of powdered selenite (gypsum) with alum, glue, water, and pigment to create an effect that imitates marble or pietra dura. It was either applied like paint to a wet gesso ground, fixed under heat and polished, or formed into colored pieces and inlaid like a mosaic. The technique was known in ancient Rome and revived in 16th-century Italy, later spreading to other places in Europe. Although it is cheaper than marble or other stone surfaces, scagliola is susceptible to damage and has survived in only a few examples. It is distinguished from "faux marbre," which creates the effect of marble by painting the surface of a wall or other surface.

Shell of a scallop.

Stock comprising pieces of material that are small or otherwise of non-standard dimensions. As applied to timber, usually denotes the sectional dimensions (thickness and breadth) in contradistinction to the length, of a square-edged piece of nonstandard dimensions. For a block of stone, a piece measured in all three dimensions.

A rock, the constituent minerals of which have assumed a position in more or less closely parallel layers due to metamorphic action.

The refuse, dross, or slag left after melting or smelting metal.

Discarded metal, often fragmented, that is suitable for reprocessing.

The exoskeleton of salt-water mollusks, often used for jewelry or decorative objects.

Wood processed and used as a raw material for manufactured items, including paper products, wooden furniture, doors, decorative paneling, siding, moldings, knobs, toys, musical instruments, laminated beams, tool handles, and others. Distinguished from "primary wood," which is wood derived directly from forest trees.

Rock, such as sandstone or limestone, formed from materials deposited as sediments.

A variety of gypsum occurring in transparent crystals or crystalline masses.

Stone with less commercial value than those classified as precious.

A fine-grained red, reddish-brown, and gray sandstone from Seneca Creek, Maryland; it contains coarse- to fine-grained angular quartz as well as some feldspar and mica fragments. It is fairly easy to carve but darkens and hardens when exposed to air, making it one of the most durable building stones. Seneca sandstone was extremely popular in Washington, D.C. during the 'brownstone era' of about 1840 to 1880; the original Smithsonian Institution building, for example, is made of Seneca sandstone.

Species of enormous tree, living for hundreds or thousands of years, found in California and Oregon, United States, in scattered groves on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Range at elevations 900-2,600 m (3,000-8,500 feet). It is the only living species of its genus.

An ornamental mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate, having a greasy or silky luster, a slightly soapy feel, and a tough, conchoidal fracture. It ranges in color from yellow, green, gray, brown, or black, with crystals of green olivine and black veins or patches. Serpentine has been gathered or mined since Paleolithic times, used for decorative vessels, jewelry, building stones, and as a source of abestos.

Metamorphic rock containing of serpentine (magnesium silicate) and calcite (calcium carbonate) cemented together with red iron oxide (ferrous oxide). Serpentine or ophicarbonate stones have fragments of red, white, and green colors, although the overall hue is typically greenish. The stones polish to a high gloss, which has led to them being occasionally mislabeled as marble; however, they are fragile and unsuited for sculpture. Its color and ability to take a high polish have made serpentinites popular with many civilizations over time for decorative and ornamental work.

Shingle or clapboard formed by splitting a short log into tapered radial sections.

Argillaceous sedimentary rock formed by the compaction of clay, silt, or mud; it may be gray, red, brown, or black. It is finely laminated and weak along planes allowing the rock to split easily.

Material consisting of thin layers or shreds that have been cut or sliced off the surface of anything with a sharp tool, such as a thin slice of wood cut off with a plane.

The covering, usually wood boards, plywood, or wallboard, placed over the exterior studding or rafters of a building; provides a base for the application of wall or roof siding.

Refers to a type of glass that is made by pressing molten glass through rollers. It is generally characterized by an even texture and uniform thickness. It may also be used more generally to refer to any glass produced in large flat sheets made by blowing, drawing, rolling, or floating.

Metal rolled to any given thickness between 0.06 and 0.249 inches and cut into rectangular sections.

Textile used for bed sheets, pillowcases, and similar items, woven by the yard.

Plate consisting of an overlay of silver on copper, brass, or other metal so as to simulate solid silver.

Hard outer covering of invertebrate creatures, composed of calcareous or chitinous material.

Material such as wood, slate, tile, concrete, or asbestos cement, cut to stock dimensions; used chiefly for roofing.

Wood of the species Quercus imbricaria, used primarily for making shingles and clapboard siding for houses.

A flat clay tile used for roofing.

Double rabbet wood joints made by mating two rabbets in a way suitable for cladding.

Siding formed from boards interlocked by rebates.

Low-growing, woody perennials characterized by several branches at the base and by a lack of conspicuous trunks; generally restricted to plants under 6 m high.

Nonstructural, outer, exterior wall covering of buildings.

Yellow and light brown marble quarried near Siena, Italy that is sought after for interior architectural use, both in the past and in the present; it is compact and often brecciated, with a waxy lustre.

Systems of posted signs arranged to communicate directions or essential information.

Sandstone that is rich in silica, particularly as free silica as opposed to silicates; the silica characterizes the cement or matrix which binds together the quartz particles of which sandstone is mainly composed. Pure siliceous sandstone is chemically inert, making it able to withstand a smokey environment; it is therefore a popular building stone in industrial areas. It is also hard and durable but difficult to work. Pure siliceous sandstone is white or cream in color; colors are due to impurities: yellow and red colors are due to the presence of iron oxides; green from glauconite; and black from manganese dioxide.

Semi-metallic element, having symbol Si and atomic number 14, in amorphous and crystalline forms, occurring in a combined state in minerals and rocks and constituting more than one fourth of the earth's crust. The chemical industry uses the term "silicon metal" and "silicon" interchangeably, and anything but pure silicon is generally referred to in this context as "semiconductor-grade silicon."

Any solid semi-inorganic polymers based on siloxanes, obtained by the action of concentrated hydrochloric acid on calcium silicide. Silicones were first discovered by F.S. Kipping in England in 1904, but were not commercially produced as polymers until 1943 by Dow Corning and 1946 by General Electric. They were called silicones because their empirical formula (R2SiO) is similar to that for ketones (R2CO). Silicones can be liquids, gels, and elastomers as well as solid thermoplastic or thermosetting resins. In general, they have excellent heat and chemical resistance and are water repellent. Silicones are used as adhesives, lubricants, protective coatings, release agents, paints, rubbers, coolants, implants, and insulation.

All sediment particles, regardless of mineral origin, that fall within a specified size range between those of sand and clay. An unconsolidated aggregation of particles is also called silt; a consolidated aggregate, silt-stone.

Pure metallic element having symbol Ag and atomic number 47; a malleable, ductile, white metal with characteristic sheen, considered a precious metal. Silver is widely distributed throughout the world, occurring rarely as metallic silver (in Peru, Norway) but more often as silver-gold alloys and silver ore. Today silver is obtained as a byproduct in the refinement of gold, lead, copper, or zinc ores. Silver was smelted from the ore galena as early as 3800 BCE. As a pure metal, silver is second to gold in malleability and ductility, can be polished to a highly reflective surface, and used -- typically in an alloy -- in jewelry, coinage, photography, mirrors, electrical contacts, and tableware.

Wood of the species Betula pendula found throughout Europe, including the British Isles and Scandinavia. It is characterized by having no distinct heartwood, with whitish to pale brown, fairly straight-grained wood. It is used for plywood, furniture, dowels, fittings, brooms, and turnings

Sheet glass with a thickness of 3/32 in. used for windows.

Openings in a roof, glazed or filled with other transparent or translucent material, serving to admit light to a space below.

Refers to a type of modern cast glass that is made by pouring molten glass into molds, creating a thick glass that may have a chipped or faceted surface. It is used primarily in construction, for example, to create floors or windows set in concrete, sometimes resembling stained glass. It was invented in France around 1900 as a form of paving.

Vitreous substance composed of earthy or refuse matter that is separated from metals in the process of smelting. Slag is formed from the combination of silica with flux materials such as soda and potash, along with metal oxides and other impurities that float to the surface. In ceramic kilns, slag is formed by the reaction of the fluxing materials with the refractory lining. Objects made from ancient iron and copper alloys often contain small pieces of slag that were incompletely separated from the metal. Slag is a useful residue incorporated in the manufacture of concrete, mineral wool, slag brick, slag glass, portland cement, and cinder block.

A very fine-grained, foliated, non-layered metamorphic rock, generally produced by metamorphism of shale under relatively low pressure and temperature. It occurs in many varieties, including clay, hornblende, mica, talc slate, and others, all of which have the common property of splitting readily into thin plates.

Material comprising thin, usually rectangular, pieces of slate and other varieties of stone which split readily into laminae, used especially for the purpose of covering the roofs of buildings.

Porches or rooms having open sides or many windows arranged to permit sleeping in the open air.

A very soft rock composed primarily of hydrated magnesium silicate. It is easily cut and has been used for carvings since ancient times. It is usually a white, grayish green, brown or in rare cases, red or black. The stones were carved for bowls, boxes, and small objects such as figurines, beads, seals, amulets, and scarabs. In modern construction, it is used for laboratory sinks, bench tops, and electrical panels. Native soapstone is so soft it can be scratched with a fingernail, but baking results in dehydration and hardening of the stone. Some ancient soapstone carvings were glazed then fired, which produced the mineral enstatite, hard enough to scratch glass.

Sections of earth together with the grass growing on them, held together with matted roots, usually square or oblong in shape and of moderate thickness, cut out or pared off from the surface of grass land.

Weak, non-weather-resistant brick fired at low temperature ranges or remote from the fire in the kiln; suitable for use as backing brick.

Wood that is soft or easily cut, generally restricted to the timber of coniferous trees. Contrasted to "hardwood," which is usually, but not always, harder than softwood.

Unconsolidated material on the earth's surface formed by the weathering of rock and that portion of the earth's surface that can support plant life.

Any devices intended to collect solar radiation and convert it into energy.

Systems supplying heat and hot water by the capture and conversion of radiant energy from the sun.

Panels equipped with solar cells, designed to absorb the sun's rays for the express purpose of generating electricity. For devices used to harness the sun's rays for the express purpose of generating electriciry, use "solar panels."

Water heaters whose primary source of heat energy is the sun.

A brick which meets the specifications for a solid masonry unit.

Wood of the species Swietenia macrophylla, native to areas in southern North America, Central and South America. It has been introduced for cultivation in Asia. The wood is used for cabinet-making and other purposes.

General term for the wood any of several species of yellow pine tree.

A pale yellow drying oil obtained from soya beans. It is frequently used in paint and varnish, and sometimes mixed with linseed oil.

Trusses in which the members are arranged three-dimensionally rather than in only one plane.

Clear glass with colored ceramic enamel fired on one side, used for spandrels and similar applications.

Clay roofing tile, approximately semicylindrical in shape; laid in cornices with the units having their convex sides alternately up and down.

A brick, one side of which is beveled.

Wood from any of the species of evergreen spruce trees, forming the genus Picea.

Technique of purely pattern bond with no overlapping of units, so that all vertical joints are aligned.

Refers to glass of various colors created by adding metallic oxides to the molten glass; different oxides create various colors. Stained glass may be conbined with painted glass, which involves fusing pigment onto the surface.

Refers to works made of colored glass, generally in the form of a window, autonomous panel, or lampshade, in which the design is meant to be observed through refracted light and its effect is greatly dependent on the quality of the light. The stages of manufacture were described in a manual written in the early twelfth century by the monk Theophilus and the process has hardly changed since then. The window or other item is made by cutting pieces of colored glass based on a full-scale cartoon and holding the pieces together by strips of lead. Details may be painted on the surface of the pieces of glass and fired in a kiln before piecing the glass together. The method of weatherproofing and fixing the glass in a window is often highly decorative and forms an important element of the design. The highest achievements in stained glass are thought to be those of the Gothic era in Europe and those of the Gothic Revival of the nineteenth century.

Any of a large number of iron-chromium alloys, widely used for their corrosion resistance and nonrusting quality.

Seams, in sheet metal and roofing, made by turning up two adjacent edges and folding the upstanding parts over on themselves.

Bronze with a smooth, reddish surface, generally composed of 7 to 10% tin, 1 to 3% lead, and the remainder copper; used, for example, to make statues, plaques, and hardware.

Water in the form of an invisible gas or vapor, changed to this form by boiling and used extensively for the generation of mechanical power.

Any of various hard, strong, durable, malleable alloys of iron and carbon, often with other elements such as manganese, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, copper, tungsten, cobalt, or silicon; widely used as a structural material.

Refers to a building technique used primarily in bridges and buildings, in which a skeleton frame of vertical steel columns and horizontal I-beams are constructed in a rectangular grid. The grid is used to support the floors, roof, and walls of the building. The development of this technique made the construction of the skyscraper possible.

In construction, support or anchoring hangers used to attach two steel members.

A term applied to any brick handmade with the aid of a brick stock, a wooden board on which a frame was placed to contain the clay; it is also used to describe the ordinary brick of a locality.

General term for rock that has been cut, shaped, crushed, or otherwise formed for use in construction or other purposes. Includes the specific archaeological and anthropological sense of individual stones which may be decorated or ornamented and which may be used in ritual contexts. These are usually not carved or dressed, and so differ from sculptures made from stone.

Processes having to do with the carving and working of stone, particularly in the context of building.

Building material comprising masonry made of stone.

Dried stalks of cereals or other grasses, used for many purposes, including weaving, plaiting, and braiding.

Horizontal bands of masonry, generally narrower than other courses, extending across the face of a wall and in some instances continuing across piers or engaged columns; may be flush or projecting and may be flat surfaced, molded, or otherwise shaped.

Aluminum in an alloy form for the additional strength necessary for construction purposes. Aluminum is lightweight and corrosion-resistant so it does not require painting, making it an increasingly popular building material. Because aluminum can be extruded, structural shapes can be made economically to meet specific design requirements.

A hollow clay tile composed of burnt clay, shale, fireclay, or mixtures thereof.

Architectural glass introduced in the early 20th century used for interior and exterior wall surfaces. Products included glass building blocks, reinforced plate glass, and pigmented structural glass known under such trade names as Carrara Glass, Sani Onyx (or Rox), and Vitrolite. Structural glass was a popular building material of the Art Deco period, and is no longer manufactured.

Iron that has been cast or worked in structural shapes.

Lumber that is intended for use in building where allowable properties are required. The grading of structural lumber is based on the strength or stiffness of the piece as related to anticipated uses, such as lumber that is 5 inches or more in both thickness and width.

Steel, rolled in a variety of shapes, such as beams, bars, or sheets, and used as load-bearing structural members.

Steel, rolled in a variety of shapes, such as beams, bars, or sheets, and used as load-bearing structural members.

A type of light, malleable plaster made from dehydrated lime (calcium carbonate) mixed with powdered marble and glue and sometimes reinforced with hair. It sets more slowly than regular plaster and so is suitable for crafting sculpture and architectural decoration, external and internal. Differs from most other plasters which are made with calcium sulfate, rather than the calcium carbonate used in stucco, and set much more quickly.

Visual works or parts of works made of stucco.

Polystyrene expanded into a multicellular mass that has one-sixth the weight of cork and will withstand temperatures above 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hard, fine-grained wood of the species Acer saccharum, native to the United States and Canada. It is light reddish-brown in color and tends to have bird's eye patterns. It is used for furniture, cabinetry, flooring (dance floors, bowling alleys), musical instruments, and veneer.

The earliest type of brick, it is baked in the sun rather than hardened by the heat of a fire. Sun-dried brick has the advantage of being less expensive than fired brick but is generally less durable; it is well-suited to dry climates. For sun-dried brick containing straw and other binders, use the more specific "adobe."

Tracts of lowlying ground in which water collects, particularly wetlands partially or intermittently covered with water, often dominated by woody vegetation.

White to yellowish-white wood of the species Acer pseudoplatanus, having a straight grain and even texture. It is native to central Europe and western Asia, but was introduced into Britain in the 15th century. It is used for turnery, bobbins, brush handles, inlays, veneer, and millwork. For other woods sometimes called simply "sycamore," use "sycamore fig" for wood from Ficus sycamorus and "American sycamore" for wood from the plane tree species Platanus occidentalis.

A phanoerocrystalline intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of alkaline feldspar with or without a smaller amount of plagioclase and without notable quartz or nepheline content. The term can also refer to a granite varietal, quarried in antiquity at Syrene in Upper Egypt, in which biotite is substituted for or accompanied by hornblende.

A mixture of lime and water with shell, gravel, or stone which, when dry, is as hard as rock; used as a building material.

Clay with a component of fine gravel used to make bricks or otherwise puddled, rammed, and dried. Primarily used for wall construction.

Thick, viscous, brown or black, inflammable liquid residue resulting from the partial evaporation or distillation of wood (such as pine, fir, or larch), sugar, tobacco, peat, coal, or other organic substance. It contains hydrocarbons, resins, alcohols, and other compounds; it has a heavy resinous or bituminous odor. It is used as an antiseptic, for coating asphalt roads, preserving timber, caulk on wooden sailing ships, waterproofing for roofing papers, insecticide, in disinfectant soaps. Some tars, such as those obtained from pine or beech wood, have been mixed with linseed oil to form a dark brown glaze and for other purposes.

Heavy paper coated or impregnated with tar for use especially in building.

Pendant trimming, decoration, or garment, comprising loose strands. Before the 20th century, usually a wooden mold covered with strands of silk or worsted; now often merely a bunch of threads, cords, or other strands gathered together at the top.

Wood of the species Tectona grandis, native to south and southeast Asia, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar; it is cultivated in many additional areas, including Africa and the Caribbean. Teak is a golden brown wood with a straight grain and coarse texture, very resistant to insects and decay. It is used for high quality furniture, boxes, chests, doors, shipbuilding, railway carriages, veneer, and in India also for building houses. Teak wood retains an aromatic leathery smell for over a hundred years or more.

A trademarked name for polytetrafluoroethyelene (PTFE) which was discovered by Roy Plunkett 1938 and first marketed as Teflon (TM) by DuPont in 1943. This fluorinated polymer is known for its resistance to adhesion, heat, oxidation, light, and chemicals. It is used chiefly for molding articles and for nonstick cookware.

Utility poles used primarily to support telephone lines or cables.

Additive to clay, such as sand or grit, that improves workability, uniform forming and drying.

Paint formed of an emulsion of fatty and watery constituents. The standard emulsion is usually created with egg yolk and water, with variants of man-made emulsions created with whole egg, linseed oil, casein glue, gum, or wax.

A coarse, variegated marble from Hawkins County, Tennessee. It is dark chocolate brown or red in color with white streaks and masses throughout and it usually contains some fossils.

A fine pink marble, suitable for sculpture, of which a number of varieties exist. Tennessee marbles are generally harder and more compact than other American marbles, making them more suitable for outdoor use but also making them more difficult to carve and polish.

Sheet steel coated with an alloy of 80% lead and 20% tin; widely used for roofing and construction work.

Level paved or planted areas, usually elevated above surrounding terrain and adjacent to buildings or parts of garden complexes.

A baked or semi-fired material that is usually a mixture of clay, grog, and water; it has been used for pottery, statuettes, lamps, roof tiles, and cornices since ancient times. It may be glazed prior to firing. To produce an item, terracotta is molded or shaped, dried for several days then fired to at least 600 C. It is fireproof, lighter in weight than stone, and usually brownish red in color.

Marble aggregate concrete that is cast in place or precast and ground smooth; used especially as a decorative surfacing on floors and walls.

Small, squarish pieces of colored marble, glass, stone, or tile used in making mosaics.

A material providing high resistance to heat flow; usually made of mineral wool, cork, asbestos, foam glass, foamed plastic, or diatomaceous earth, fabricated in the form of batts, blankets, blocks, boards, granular fill and loose fill.

Rods used as connecting members or braces, especially to counteract the spreading action of vaults or roofs.

Flat, solid, and relatively thin durable material generally used for roofing, flooring, or wall and ceiling covering; often rectangular or squarish in shape. For fired clay materials of varying shapes and thicknesses and with various uses in addition to covering, prefer "ceramic tile." For visual works, such as painting or sculpture, on a tile support, use "tiles (visual works)"; for visual work compositions comprising multiple tiles, use "tile work (visual works)."

Floor finishing materials that are composed of multiple pieces that are assembled and adhered to the floor as a unified surface.

Genus having approximately 30 species native to the Northern Hemisphere. A few species are ornamental and shade trees, among the most graceful of deciduous trees, with heart-shaped, coarsely toothed leaves; fragrant cream-colored flowers; and small globular fruit hanging from a narrow leafy bract. This genus was placed in the family Tiliaceae, but genetic research resulted in its being placed in Malvaceae. They are generally, but not always, called "lime" in Britain and "linden" or "basswood" in North America.

Refers to the method of constructing walls and partitions, sometimes floors, by pouring concrete or assembling wooden sections on site in a horizontal position, and then tilting them into place.

Wood in the form of large, squared or dressed pieces used for forming part of a built work or used to create a curving frame branching outward from the keel of a ship and bending upward in a vertical direction. Timber that is curved or bent may be a composite formed of several pieces rather than being a single piece of wood.

Wood of standing trees of a type or quality suitable for use by humans in construction, furniture making, or for other purposes. For dressed wood, use "timber (wood by form)."

Wood of standing trees of a type or quality suitable for use by humans in construction, furniture making, or for other purposes. For dressed wood, use "timber (wood by form)."

Pure metallic element having symbol Sn and atomic number 50; a soft, pliable, silvery white metal. Use also for this metal as processed and formed, usually in combination with other substances, to make various objects and materials.

Alloy in which tin is the principle component.

Thin, protective coating of tin applied to sheet iron or steel by electroplating or dipping.

Rubber cushions, usually filled with compressed air, which fit around the wheels of a vehicle.

Pure metallic element having symbol Ti and atomic number 22; a hard, lustrous, silvery metal. Use also for this metal as processed and formed, usually in combination with other substances, to make various objects and materials.

A velvety-black variety of cryptocrystalline quartz, siliceous shale, or similar substance used by jewelers for testing the purity of precious metal, especially gold, by the streak left on the stone when rubbed with the metal.

Ornamental openwork of masonry found in the upper parts of Gothic style windows; also, similar motifs and forms in various materials applied decoratively, as on walls, furniture, and other objects.

Various types of paths or tracks worn by the passage of persons or animals travelling in a wilderness area, or deliberately maintained for passage through various outdoor environments.

A dense, crystalline or microcrystalline limestone that was formed by the evaporation of river or spring waters. It is named after Tivoli, Italy ("Tibur" in Latin), where large deposits occur, and it is characterized by a light color and the ability to take a good polish. It is typically banded, due to the presence of iron compounds or other organic impurities. It is often used for walls and interior decorations in public buildings. It is distinguished from "tufa" by being harder and stronger.

Woody, perennial plants usually with a single, long, self-supporting stem or trunk, and which grow to a considerable height.

Figures of three equal arcs or lobes, separated by cusps.

Collectively used for decorative or additional material serving to finish, decorate, or complete.

In engineering, structural members such as beams, bars, or rods, usually fabricated from straight pieces of metal or timber, that form a series of triangles lying in a single plane; based on the principle that a triangle cannot be easily distorted by stress. Trusses were probably first used in primitive lake dwellings during the early Bronze Age, about 2500 BCE. The first trusses were built of timber. The Greeks used trusses extensively in roofing; trusses were used for various construction purposes in the European Middle Ages. A major impetus to truss design came in the development of covered bridges in the United States in the early 19th century. Cast iron and wrought iron were succeeded by steel for railroad truss bridges. Trusses are also used extensively in machinery, such as cranes.

Species of coniferous tree native to eastern North America, from Minnesota, through southern Quebec, Nova Scotia, and in the Appalachian Mountains to Georgia and Alabama. Populations occur in several areas east and west of the Appalachians, including Pennsylvania.

Calcareous, porous limestone formed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate at the vents of springs and geysers, along streams, or on the bottoms or shores of lakes. It is distinguished from travertine by generally being soft and easily crumbled.

Rock composed of the finer kinds of volcanic detritus.

General term for material from the leaves and stems of several species of large aquatic grass used by Native Americans in house construction, making mats, rafts, etc. From an Aztec word, "tullen."

Wood of any tree belonging to the genus Nyssa, found in North America and Asia. It is soft, light, and tough and is used in the manufacture of bridge and pier decking and construction.

A triclinic mineral of blue, blue green, or yellowish green color.

Small towers, especially when corbelled out from a corner.

Refers to the architectural order characterized by unfluted columns, torus bases, unadorned cushion capitals, and plain friezes.

A bright red pigment prepared by depositing an organic red dye, such as alizarin, on a red iron oxide base.

General term for material made from tusks, which are large protruding teeth found in elephants, walruses, narwhals, and boars. Tusks, like other teeth, have a soft center surrounded by hard dentin primarily composed of calcium hydroxyapatite with smaller amounts of calcium carbonate, calcium fluoride, magnesium phosphate, and ossein. A hard durable enamel forms a smooth outer surface. Tusk has been used to make sculptures, handles, and other items.

Strong string composed of two or more strands twisted together, especially that which measures less than 3/16 of an inch in diameter.

A natural brown clay earth pigment that contains iron and manganese oxides, silica, alumina, and lime; tending to be less orange-red than sienna. The term refers to the region of Umbria, Italy, although the pigment is found elsewhere in the world, notably on Cyprus. It has been used as a pigment since prehistoric times.

Genus containing around 450 species of shrubs or dwarf shrubs,, many of which produce edible berries.

Marble that is streaked or marked with a different color or colors.

A solution of a resin in a volatile solvent or a drying oil, which when spread out in a thin film, dries and hardens by evaporation of the volatile solvent, or by the oxidation of the oil, or both; applied as a protective coating or to enhance the appearance of the surface underneath.

Plants collectively, usually referring to plants or vegetal growths in a defined area. For the kingdom of plants, use "Plantae (kingdom)."

Warp pile weave, typically silk, with a short, soft dense pile produced by a supplementary warp that is raised in loops above the surface of the textile through the introduction of rods during the weaving; the loops may be cut or left uncut.

Material in the form of thin sheets that is intended to be used for a decorative purpose. Veneer is usually of wood, but also occasionally ivory, tortoiseshell, or brass, often used to cover the surface of furniture or another object constructed of coarser and cheaper wood.

Walls with a masonry face or revetment that is attached, but not bonded, to the body of the wall and does not exert a common reaction under load. Walls with a masonry face or revetment that is attached, but not bonded, to the body of the wall and does not exert a common reaction under load.

Refers to distinctive glass made in Venice, Italy. It can refer to early glass made from about 450 CE when glass-makers from Aquileia fled there and were soon joined by others from Byzantium. In addition, the term is particularly used to refer to glass made on the Venetian island of Murano from before 1292 to the present day. It is generally a sodiac type of glass; soda glass is light in weight and highly ductile. Venetian glass incorporates a number of styles and techniques although Venetian glass-makers particularly excelled in the making of colored glass, agate glass, opaque white glass (lattimo), cristallo, filigrana, and millefiori. Engraving is rarely found while enameling and gilding are common, particularly in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century specimens. In order to protect their profits and the secrets of Venetian glass, the Venetians confined glassmakers under pain of death to the island of Murano; however, the techniques were eventually imitated in "Altare glass" and "façon de Venise." For glass made exclusively on Murano, see "Murano glass."

A permanent, reddish brown pigment that was originally prepared from a natural red ocher, but since the 18th century has been manufactured by calcining ferrous sulfate (copperas) with lime or calcium carbonate in a ratio of around 15-40% ferric oxide and 60-80% calcium sulfate. It is used in oil paints, house paints, and as a paper colorant.

A light or dark green massive serpentinite, commonly with veinlets of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate. It is capable of being polished and is commercially considered a marble; it is also considered to be among the highest-quality serpentinites.

Pigment composed of basic copper acetate and having a dark bluish-green color. Verdigris has been manufactured since ancient times by placing copper plates over vats of fermenting grape skins; the acetic acid quickly reacts to form basic copper acetate. When used directly as a pigment, it discolors from green to black in oil paints, fades in watercolor paints, and reacts with a paper support. It is used to make copper resinate, as a drier for linseed oil, to dye fabrics, and as a colorant and fungicide in antifouling paints.

A fine-grained white marble from Vermont that is highly valued by sculptors; it may contain bluish-gray veins or clouds.

Architecture built of local materials to suit particular local needs, usually of unknown authorship and making little reference to the chief styles or theories of architecture.

Primary roof beams in Native American and Spanish American adobe construction; usually rough-hewn logs of fir or pine, and often left projecting beyond the exterior wall plane.

Trailing or twining plants, whose stems require support.

Generic term for materials derived from vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, or vinylidene chloride. Commonly used with reference to all polymers and copolymers of which vinyl chloride is a constituent. Use more precise terminology for known materials such as "polyvinyl chloride" or "polyvinyl acetate."

Basalt that has chemically changed over time to become a type of soapstone that is blackish-green when cracked open; it is found in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont regions of Virginia.

Refers to thick homogeneous opaque structural glass used especially for ornamental finish on surfaces exposed to the weather.

Tile, often glazed, designed to be used as a facing on a wall.

Building board, usually made of wood pulp, gypsum, or plastic, and used for surfacing walls and ceilings.

Papers or paperlike materials, often decorative in nature, made primarily for attachment to walls and ceilings but sometimes applied to other surfaces.

Wood of several trees belonging to the genus Juglans, ranging in color from grey-brown to purple brown, used in making cabinetwork, veneer, butts and rifle stocks.

A liquid made up of molecules of hydrogen and oxygen (HO2). When pure, it is colorless, tasteless, and odorless. It exists in gaseous, liquid, and solid forms; it is liquid at room temperature. It is the liquid of which seas, lakes, and rivers are composed, and which falls as rain. Water is one of the most plentiful and essential of compounds. It is vital to life, participating in virtually every process that occurs in plants and animals. One of its most important properties is its ability to dissolve many other substances. The versatility of water as a solvent is essential to living organisms. The term "water" is typically used to refer to the liquid form of this compound; for the solid or gaseous forms, use "ice" or "water vapor."

Courses of stone projecting beyond the face of a wall to guide water away from the face of the wall. Courses of stone projecting beyond the face of a wall to guide water away from the face of the wall.

Brick formed in molds that have been watered in order to prevent the brick from sticking; brick formed in the slop molding method.

Perpendicular or very steep descents of the water of a stream. May be used for artificial waterfalls only if highly naturalistic in form and context; otherwise prefer "cascades" or "fountains."

A framework of interwoven rods, poles, or branches; used with daub as a building material.

Construction consisting of upright posts or stakes interwoven with twigs or tree branches and plastered with a mixture of clay and straw.

Designates heavy metal wire welded together in a grid pattern and used as reinforcing in concrete slabs.

Wood of the Tsuga heterophylla, commonly found from Alaska to northern California.

Wood of the Thuja plicata species, having a reddish to dull brown heartwood with a faint, sweetish odor. The wood is used for shingles, boat making, and other purposes for which resistance to moisture, decay, and insect damage is important.

Photographic process that uses a collodion binder which must be coated on the support, exposed, and developed before the collodion has become dry. A silver halide is the light-sensitive agent, and the process may be used to produce positives or negatives.

General term referring to wood from several species, including Chamaecyparis thyoides (Atlantic White Cypress), Cupressus lusitanica (Mexican White Cedar), and Thuja occidentalis (Eastern Arborvitae).

Marble with a mineral composition resulting in a predominantly white color.

Alloy predominantly of tin, usually of 92% tin and 8% antimony, having a white or silvery appearance.

General term for types of oaks native to Europe, Asia, north Africa, and North America, characterized by having a short acorn that matures in six months, is sweet or slightly bitter, ahd the inside of the acorn shell hairless.

In the lumber trade, a general term for wood of many species of oak belonging to a subgroup of oak trees, including Q. alba and others, all characterized by having acorns that mature in six months, are sweet or slightly bitter, and have a hairless inside shell. Trees are native to Europe, Asia, north Africa, and North America.

Pale, soft wood from any of many species of North American pines, generally native to eastern and central parts of the continent.

Paint having the principal ingredients water and lime paste; one of the oldest types of paint, used for both exterior and interior surfaces.

Woven reed, rattan, twigs, or other material, especially used to construct furniture.

Wood of trees of the genus Salix. The wood is tough and bends easily without splitting. In ancient Egypt, willow was used for handles, poles, bowls, boats, and domestic items. Willow has been used for Italian panel paintings and Gothic sculptures in southern Germany. Since willow wood has a low mineral content, it was favored for the production of charcoal. Other uses have included basketry, wickerwork, small turned pieces, hoops, crates, excelsior, cricket bats, artificial limbs, and agricultural implements.

Filament or slender rod of drawn metal.

Brick cut to size by a wire before firing.

The principal tissue of trees and other plants that provides both strength and a means of conducting nutrients. Wood is one of the most versatile materials known.

Timber sawn into thin pieces, and having considerable extent of surface on two sides, with the other two sides being narrow. Usually reserved for rectangular pieces having much greater length than breadth.

Any of various chemical treatments added to cut wood products in order to minimize insect and fungal infestations. Wood preservatives are typically applied by spraying, brushing, immersion or pressure treatments. Some of these biocide materials may be toxic to humans. Examples are tar oils (creosote, anthracene oil, chlorinated naphthalenes), copper naphthenate, zinc naphthenate, borates, sodium fluoride, and copper chromated arsenate.

The art of fashioning or ornamenting objects of wood by cutting with a sharp implement.

General term for visual works, parts of works, interior fittings of architecture, or other works made of wood. Examples include moldings and staircases, cabinets and furniture, and wooden sculptures or toys.

Term used to describe trees, shubs, and vines; plants that have lignified secondary xylem in their stems. Term used to describe trees, shubs, and vines; plants that have lignified secondary xylem in their stems.

Lumber that in addition to being dressed has been matched, shiplapped, or patterned.

Iron alloy of fibrous nature made by melting white cast iron, passing an oxidizing flame over it, and rolling it into a mass; valued for its corrosion resistance and ductility. When describing objects produced or shaped by beating with a hammer, use "wrought."

Lumber up to 5 inches thick intended for general building construction.

Wood of the Chamaecyparis nootkatensis tree, ranging from Alaska to Oregon. Timber is pale yellow in color and is prized for joinery, doors, window frames, greenhouses, shingles, and cabinet work.

Marble that is predominantly yellow in color.

General term for wood from any of several pines. In America, it refers to wood of several closely related species of North American pine with yellow tinted wood. In Great Britain, the term is used in the timber trade to refer to the wood of several additional pines as well.

Wood of trees of the genus Taxus.

General term for wood from any of several species of tree or shrub having ornamentally striped wood used by cabinet-makers.

Pure metallic element having symbol Zn and atomic number 30; a bluish white crystalline metal. Use also for this metal as processed and formed, usually in combination with other substances, to make various objects and materials.

Alloy in which zinc is the principle element.

A mixture of zinc yellow and a variety of Prussian blue. This composite pigment is permanent to light but not to alkali or water.