Tail Piece – A relatively short beam, joist or rather, supported on one end by a header.

Taping – In drywall construction, the finishing of joints between sheets by means of paper tape which is smoothed over with joint cement.

Temperature Rods – Small steel rods embedded in concrete to overcome cracking due to expansion and contraction.

Tenon – The end of a piece of lumber formed to fit into a mortise.

Tensile Strength – In structural work, the ability of a structure or structural members to resist tension.

Tension – The stress that resists the tendency of two forces acting away from each other, to pull apart two adjoining planes of a body.

Terrace – A raised level space having at least one upright or sloping side.

Terrazzo – A floor finish consisting of cement and marble or granite chips, used over concrete, floated, ground and polished to a smooth surface.

Thermostat – An instrument usually electrically operated, which responds to changes in temperature in a room or space and automatically controls the operation of a heating or cooling device.

Three-Way Switch – Defined under “Electrical Terms”.

Threshold – A strip of wood, metal or other material, usually bevelled on each edge and used at the junction of two different floor finishes under doors, or on top of the door still at exterior doors.

Throat – The narrowing passage located between a fireplace and smoke chamber or flue.

Tile –

            Roof – Unglazed machine-made tile in varying thickness and shapes to prevent the entry of water.

            Hearth – Unglazed machine-made ½ inch thick to surface fireplace hearth.

            Quarry – See “Quarry Tile”.

            Plumbing – Glazed tile, with bell joints for drains below grade.

            Flue – Glazed or unglazed tile either round, oblong or square for flue lining.

            Ceramic – Decorative ceramic tiles of various shapes and sizes, normally used where excessive exposure to moisture could occur.

Timber – Standing trees of commercial size; felled trees or logs suitable for sawing; as applied to manufactured wood. A piece of lumber 5 inches or more in the least cross-sectional dimension.

Toenailing – Nailing at an angle to the first member so as to ensure penetration into a second member.   

Tongue-and-Groove Lumber – Any lumber, such as boards or planks, machined in such a manner that there is a groove on one edge and a corresponding tongue on the other.

Tooled Joint – In masonry, mortar joints which are made by compressing the mortar after it has set slightly. Tooled joints present the best weathering properties, and include the weathered joint, V-shaped joint and concave joint. 

Top Plate – In building, the horizontal member nailed to the top of the partition or wall studs.

Top Soil – Surface earth approximately 4 inches thick, fertilized, spread evenly over areas to be seeded and sodded.

Transformer – Defined under “Electrical Terms”.

Transom – The horizontal bar which dives a window into heights or stages. The opening above a door or window used for light or ventilation.

Trap – Defined under “Plumbing Terms”.

Tread – The horizontal member on a set of stairs, the part on which you walk.

Trim – The finish materials in a building, such as mouldings applied around openings, (window trim, door trim) or at the floor and ceiling of rooms (baseboard, cornice, picture moulding).

Trimmer – a beam or joist alongside an opening and into which a header is framed.

Trowelled Surface – A cement or mortar surface that has been given a smooth finish by means of trowel.

Truss – A structural framework composed of a series of members so arranged and fastened together that external loads applied at the joints will cause only direct stress in the members.

Truss Terminology –

            Bay – The portion of the roof between two adjacent trusses is called a bay.

            Bent – When a truss is supported at its ends by columns, the truss together with its columns, considered as a unit, is called a bent.

            Ceiling Beams – Beams supported by the lower chords, spanning between trusses and supporting the ceiling construction, are called ceiling beams.

            Chord Members – The upper and lower flange members of a truss are called the upper and lower chords respectively. Sept 3, 2008

            Compression Web Members – Are those which are subject to compression stress.

            Counter – A counter is a member of a truss system which acts only for a particular partial loading, and which has zero stress when the truss is completely loaded.

            Counter Brace – A web member which is designed to resist either tension or compression.

            Panel or Panel Length – The distance between two adjacent joints along either             the upper or lower chords.

            Panel-Point – The intersection of two or more members of the truss is called a joint, or Panel-Point.

            Pitch – The pitch of a roof truss is the ratio of the rise to the span for a truss symmetrical about its center line.

            Purlin – Beams supported by the upper chords, spanning from truss to truss, and             supporting the roof construction.

            Rafter – An inclined beam resting on and supported by the purlins usually about 16 inches to 24 inches on centers, and it supports the sheathing directly, or may support sub-purlins.

            Rise – The rise is the distance between the apex or the highest point of the truss             and the line joining the points of support.

            Slope – The slope of an inclined chord member is the tangent of the angle of             inclination with the horizontal, usually specified in inches of rise per 12 inch horizontal, usually specified in inches of rise per 12 inch horizontal run.

            Span – The span of a roof truss is the distance between the centers of the             supports, unless otherwise designated.

            Structural Covering – The construction above the purlins, such as rafters and             sheathing designed to support the weathering surface.

            Sub-Purlin – A secondary system of beams parallel to the purlins and supported             by the rafters is sometimes employed to support tile or slate weathering surfaces.

            Web Members – Those members of a truss which are framed between and join the upper and lower chords.

Tuck Pointing – The finishing of mortar joints by cutting a groove in the surface of the joints and repointing or filling with mortar in a manner to provide a properly tooled joint.