Contractors Glossary
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All Terms
Application Rate
The average quantity of material applied per unit area.
Architectural Panel
A metal roof panel, typically with a standing seam or batten seam that usually requires solid decking.
Architectural Shingle
A composition shingle that provides a dimensional appearance. Also referred to as a Laminated Shingle.
ARMA
Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association
Asbestos
A group of natural, fibrous, impure silicate materials used for fireproofing and sometimes used for reinforcement of roofing materials.
Asphalt
A dark brown or black substance left as a residue after evaporating or otherwise processing petroleum. Asphalt can be modified to conform to a variety of roofing grade specifications.
Asphalt Felt
An asphalt impregnated or coated felt usually used as an underlayment beneath shingle application.
Asphalt Roof Cement
An asphalt based cement containing solvent, used to bond roofing materials. Also known as asphalt plastic cement, flashing cement, or mastic.
Asphalt Shingle
A shingle manufactured by coating a reinforcing material (felt or fiberglass mat) with asphalt and applying mineral granules to the exposed side. See Shingle.
ASTM
American Society for Testing and Materials.
Back-Nailing
A method of installing the back or upper portion of a ply of roofing material so that the fasteners are covered by the following ply. See Blind-Nailing.
Base Flashing
Plies or strips of roof membrane material used to seal a roof at the horizontal to vertical intersections such as at a roof-wall and roof-curb junctures.
Base Ply
The bottom or first ply membrane in a built-up roof system.
Base Sheet
An asphalt impregnated or saturated felt used as the first ply in some low-slope roof systems.
Batten
Strips of wood laid parallel on which roof tiles are installed.
Bird Screen
Wire mesh used to cover vents, louver or other openings, to prevent birds from entering a building.
Bleeder Strips
A starter strip placed along the rake edge of a roof when installing composition roofing. See Rake-Starter.
Blind-Nailing
The method of nailing roofing so the fastener is not exposed to the weather. See Back-Nailing.
Blister
A pocket of air or liquid trapped between layers of felt or membrane.
Blocking
Pieces of wood installed into a roof assembly used to stiffen the deck around an opening, support a curb or serve as a nailer for attaching flashings or membranes.
Built-Up Roof (BUR)
A continuous, semi-flexible roof membrane consisting of layers of felts, fabrics or mats installed with binding layers of bitumen. A top layer of asphalt, emulsion or a granule-surfaced cap sheet is then generally applied.
Bundle
An individual package of shingles or shakes.
Butt Joint
A joint where two separate sections of material abut.
Cant Strip
A beveled strip of material used to modify the transition from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane.
Cap Sheet
The top ply of a BUR or modified roof system that usually has a granulated surface.
Caulk
A mastic used to seal a joint or crack or the act of sealing a joint or crack.
Closure Strip
A material, such as neoprene, used to close openings created by joining metal panels or a similar material used to fill gaps between adjoining dissimilar materials, e.g. wood to metal.
Composition Shingle
A shingle manufactured by coating a fiberglass-reinforcing mat with asphalt and applying mineral granules to the exposed surface.
Concealed-Nailing
See Blind-Nail
Course
Horizontal row of shingles or rolled roofing running the length of the roof.
Coverage
The surface area covered by a specific quantity of material.
Cricket
A vaulted roof component constructed to divert water from flat sections of a roof.
Cross Ventilation
The effect of air moving between vents in a roof cavity.
Cupola
A relatively small roofed structure set on the ridge or peak of a main roof which is used for ventilation or aesthetic purposes.
Curb
A raised member used to support roof penetrations such as skylights, exhaust fans, etc. above the roof surface.
Cutout
The open area between the tabs of a strip shingle. Also known as a keyway.
Deck
The surface, installed over the supporting framing members (joists or rafters), to which the roofing materials are applied.
Delamination
The separating of laminated layers of a material or system.
Dimensional Shingle
A shingle that is designed and manufactured to produce a three-dimensional effect. Also known as Laminated or Architectural Shingles.
Dormer
A framed structure, usually housing a window or ventilating louver, projecting through the sloping plane of a roof.
Drip Edge
A metal flashing used along the eaves and rakes to allow water run-off to drip clear of the building.
Dry-In
The process of applying felt underlayment in steep slope roofing.
Eave
The horizontal, lower edge of a sloping roof that projects beyond the wall.
Emulsion
A combination of bitumen and water with consistent dispersion of the bitumen or water globules.
Exhaust Vent
A device located on or near the roof ridge that allows air to escape from the roof cavity.
Exposed-Nail Method
A method of nailing roofing where the nail is exposed to the weather.
Exposure
The portion of roofing material not covered by the succeeding course or ply.
Fascia
Roof trim, typically wood, located along the perimeter of a building, usually just below the roof level.
Feathering Strips
Strips of wood that are placed along the butt ends of wood shingles to form a relatively smooth surface when reroofing over existing wood shingles.
Felt
A mat made of interwoven fibers and a binder to be used as underlayment. Fibers usually used are fiberglass or wood pulp and vegetable fibers (organic felts).
Field of the Roof
Refers to the main part of a roof excluding the perimeter and flashings.
Fishmouth
A half-conical shaped opening or void along the exposed edge of a seam or shingle.
Flashing
Components, usually metal, used to prevent water seepage into a building around roof intersections or projections such as dormers, valleys, chimneys, etc.
