Glossary of Remodeling Terms and Definitions

Are you planning a remodeling project and wondering what wainscoting is, or whether there's a difference between drywall and Sheetrock? Find those answers and more in this remodeling glossary, courtesy of the experienced Lehigh Valley remodeling team at Kitchen & Bath Remodeling Plus.

A

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act): Provides accessible design standards that are necessary to make a building physically accessible for those with disabilities.

Aging in Place: When someone chooses to remain in their home throughout their elder years, it is referred to as aging in place. Accessibility remodels accommodate aging in place by making a home safer and more comfortable for someone with mobility challenges.

B

Backsplash: Tile installed on a wall, typically above a kitchen or bathroom countertop, that is decorative and protects the wall from moisture and other substances such as food.

Basement Finishing: The process of completing a basement by installing insulation, framing non-bearing walls, putting up drywall and installing other components such as lighting, electrical outlets, flooring and, in some cases, plumbing fixtures.

Building Codes: Safety regulations that determine rules for how a structure can be constructed or altered during remodeling. Building codes can originate from municipal, state or federal governments.

C

Cabinet Refacing: Replacing cabinet doors and drawer fronts while leaving the original cabinet boxes intact. It is generally less costly than replacing cabinetry, but is only an option if the cabinet boxes are still in good condition.

Casing: Door and window moldings that cover the gap between the drywall or siding and the edge of the window frame or door jamb.

Caulk: A semi-flexible epoxy material that is used to seal gaps on the interior and exterior of buildings, making them more resistant to moisture, air drafts and heat transfer.

Caulking: The act of applying caulk.

Composite Materials: Materials that are fabricated by merging two or more constituent materials to form a material that differs from the individual components.

Crown Molding: Decorative trim made of plaster, wood or metal that runs along the top of an interior wall at the right angle where the wall meets the ceiling. It comes in a wide variety of sizes and styles, and can be simple or elaborate.

D

Double-Hung Window: A window with two operable sashes, allowing the window to be opened at either the top or the bottom.

Drywall: A sheet of gypsum (a soft, sulfate mineral) encased in thick sheets of paper, that is used to form the surface of walls and ceilings. It typically contains additives to make it resistant to moisture and fire.

Drywall Finishing: The process of finishing drywall installations to the correct level for how they are going to be used. There are five levels of drywall finishing that range from screwing drywall panels into place to applying a skim coat over the entire installation.

E

Energy Efficiency: A quality of buildings, items, materials and machines that indicates they use energy effectively without extra wastage to reduce resource strain and lower energy costs.

Engineered Wood: A layer of MDF (medium-density fibreboard) with a thin veneer of hardwood bonded to it that is typically used for flooring. It is visually indistinguishable from solid hardwood once it is installed and is less prone to warping due to moisture.

F

Finish Carpentry: Wooden components that finish a building after construction is complete, such as casings, trim, mantels, stairs and more.

Floor Drain: A drain set into the floor, typically in a basement area that is prone to flooding, such as a laundry room, to drain away excess water from the floor surface.

Floor Plan: A drawing of the layout of a building or room on the horizontal plane, illustrating the size, shape and position of rooms and features such as doors and windows.

French Doors: Double-hinged doors that meet and latch together, usually composed of a wood frame with glass panels. They can be interior or exterior entryways but are commonly used as the entrance to a dining room or study.

G

Granite: A type of natural stone that comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns and is commonly used for countertop surfaces in kitchens or bathrooms.

Grout: A fine, cement-based mortar that is used to fill in the spaces between tiles to resist moisture incursion. It also prevents tiles from grinding together and cracking during building settling.

H

Hardwood: Commonly used for flooring, hardwood comes from broad-leafed trees such as oak, maple and walnut. Hardwood flooring planks are made from solid wood and typically fit together at the edges with a tongue and groove system.

Heat Transfer: The natural process in which thermal energy tries to move from a warm area to a colder area. Preventing heat transfer from occurring in a building increases energy efficiency.

I

Insulated Glass Unit (IGU): This type of window pane is composed of two or more panes of glass separated by a small gap and sealed together at the edges to form a single unit. The gap can be filled with argon gas to provide greater insulation and resistance to heat transfer.

J

Jack-and-Jill Bathroom: A bathroom with two doors that can be accessed from two different rooms, typically located between children's bedrooms.

Joint Compound: A type of mortar made primarily of gypsum dust and water that is used to cover the seams and corner beads in a drywall installation. It is also called drywall mud or drywall compound.

K

Kitchen Island: A freestanding kitchen countertop unit with cabinetry underneath. They often feature an overhanging countertop on one side to provide an eating surface at stool height.

L

Load-Bearing Wall: A structural component that supports the weight of the roof or upper stories of a building. Load-bearing walls cannot be removed during remodeling unless they are replaced by load-bearing columns or some other structural element that is capable of supporting the weight.

Luxury Vinyl Flooring: Luxury vinyl planks (LVP) and luxury vinyl tile (LVT) are flooring materials made up of several layers, including a durable vinyl layer. They typically mimic the look of real hardwood or natural stone but are less costly and more durable.

M

Mudding: The process of applying joint compound between drywall panels and over corner beads to create a smooth, even surface.

N

Non-Bearing Wall: A wall that does not support the weight of the roof or upper stories and can therefore be removed or altered without compromising the structural integrity of the building.

P

Prefabricated: Instead of installations that are custom-built from scratch, prefabricated or "prefab" items and installations are manufactured elsewhere, then assembled and installed on-site.

Property Value: The potential sale value of a residential or commercial building, which can be significantly increased with the right remodeling projects.

Q

Quartz: In remodeling and construction, quartz is an engineered material made from crushed pieces of the natural mineral quartz combined with resin to form a very hard, durable surface that is often used for countertops. It is less costly than solid natural stone countertops but provides many of the same benefits.

R

Rough Carpentry: The base wooden components of a building, such as framing, that are integral to the structure but are typically not visible once construction is complete.

Rough Opening: An opening in a wall for a door or window before the jamb, sill and door or window is installed.

S

Sheetrock: A brand of drywall manufactured by the United States Gypsum Company, which is part of USG Corporation.

Stair Lift: An electronic device installed on a staircase that typically consists of a seat on rails. It is used by people with mobility concerns to get up and down stairs safely without having to physically climb the stairs.

T

Tread: The top-facing surface of a stair, where you step on the stair.

Trim: Building components that may close off gaps or be solely decorative in nature, such as baseboards, crown molding, window and door casings, chair rails, wainscoting and more.

U

Universal Design: Environments and products that are designed to be accessible to the widest possible range of people, regardless of physical ability, size or age.

V

Vanity: Bathroom cabinetry with a countertop that has a sink fixture in it, or two sinks if it's a double vanity.

Vehicle Lift: An accessibility device that is mounted on a vehicle to lift a powered wheelchair in and out of the vehicle.

W

Wainscoting: A molded wall trim that covers the bottom half of a wall and is usually made of wood. While it's mainly for decorative purposes, it also protects the wall against scuffs and dents.

Walk-In Shower: Also called a curbless shower, it is an accessible design that eliminates the curb or lip at the edge of the shower to make it wheelchair accessible and safer for people with reduced mobility.

Z

Zoning: A property label issued by the municipal government that dictates acceptable land use, such as residential, commercial, single-family, multi-family, rental dwellings, etc.