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Building Elements

The list below serves as a working checklist to give you an idea of the features and terminology needed for describing buildings.

construction	wood • masonry • steel
framing	post and beam • platform frame • balloon frame
truss-systems	king-post • queen post
masonry	units • bonding
foundation	footing • stem wall • damp-proof course
cladding	exposure to weather • frame • sheathing • cavity • shingles • shakes • pattern (imbricated, patterned, square butt, staggered, butt, diamond, octagonal, fish scale, segmental, cove, hexagonal, wavy) • board and batten • flush boarding • stucco (scored, pebbledash)  • brick (header, stretcher, soldier, corbel) • stone (rubble, dressed, tooled, ashlar, rusticated, quoin) • half-timbering • watertable • buttress • cornerboard • pilaster (engaged pier)
columns	See Classical Orders
roof features	eaves • ridge • valley • truss (plate, rafter, purlin, ridge board) • pitch (rise, run, steep, moderate, shallow) • gable (front, side, gable end) • open gable, closed gable • rake (vergeboard, bargeboard) • return • cornice • minor gable • parapet • gable (step, crowstep, corbiestep) • curvilinear gable • intersecting gables • cross gable • offset gable • projecting gable • gable on hip • saltbox • lean-to • shed • gambrel • flared (belcast gambrel) • hip • pyramidal hip • hip with ridge • truncated hip • convex hip • half hip • hipped gable (hip with gablet) • jerkinhead • curb • mansard (concave, convex, ogee) • flat • conical • dome • complex • cricket
dormer	gable • shed • hip • deck • eyebrow (eyelid, oeil de boeuf) • wall • projecting • offset • monitor
roof features	tower • turret , corner turret • finial • steeple • spire (broach) • stages • cupola • lantern • belvedere • monitor • clearstorey • balustrade • trim • cresting • battlement, crenallation • skylight • chimney (corbel, shaft, cap, pot) • flashing • blind flashing • gutter • blind gutter • internal gutter • conductor head • downspout
windows	fenestration • double hung • casement • awning • leaded glass • quarrel • diamond pane • arched • round head (round arched) • segmental head (segmental arched) • lancet arch • pointed arch (Gothic arch) • round (bull's eye, oculus) • semicircular • oval • elliptical, semi-elliptical • Palladian • tripartite (Chicago) • double (paired) • transom (bar, light, sill) • bay • oriel • bow • French • blind • plank frame • muntin • mullion • lintel (splayed, trabeated, keystone) • bracket (console, label) • hood (pedimented) • architrave • archivolt • shutter • blind (jalousie) •
sash	frame • muntin • mullion • glazing • lights (1/1, 2/1, 6/6, 9/6. 6/9. 12/12, multiple) • putty • quarries • cames • saddlebars
glass	glazing • crown • cylinder • plate • stained • cut • acid etched • structural (Carrera, Vitrolite, Luxfer) • glass block
doors	panel door (two) • panel (four) • board and batten • board / glass panel • paired
door features	recessed • hood • portico • porch • enclosed porch • veranda • porte-cochere • balcony • rail (baluster) • newel • newel post
door surround	architrave (flat headed) • pedimented • round headed (round arched) • segmental • fanlight (blind, semi-elliptical, semi-circular) • transom (light, bar, sill) • sidelight (full, half, three-quarter) • tracery (leaded, rosettes)