VERNACULAR TERMS IN CONSTRUCTION

ENGLISH VERNACULAR DEFINITION

1 Abutment Tulay a structure built to support the lateral pressure of an arch or span
2 Anchor Liyabe  is used to attach objects or structures to concrete

3 Architect Arkitekto  is someone who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings

a convex molding or wooden strip across a surface or separating panels,
4 Astragal Batidura typically semicircular in cross-section.
5 Awning Medya Agua secondary covering attached to the exterior wall of a building

is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, a form cut from a 
6 Balusters Barandillas/Verandillas rectangular or square plank, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, 
made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying 
footing, and supporting thecoping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase
is a type of fastener (nut) which has a barrel-shaped flange and protruding 
7 Barrel Bolt Trankilya boss that is internally threaded
8 Baseboard Rodapis a narrow wooden board running along the base of an interior wall
9 Bath Tub Bañera a tub, usually installed in a bathroom, in which to bathe

10 Bathroom Banyo a room containing a toilet and sink and typically also a bathtub or shower
a long, sturdy piece of squared timber or metal spanning an opening or part
11 Beam Biga of a building, usually to support the roof or floor above.
12 Bolt Pierno a metal pin or bar, in particular
13 Bottom Chord Barakilan The lowest longitudinal member of a truss

14 Brace Pie de Gallo a device that clamps things tightly together or that gives support, in particular
a small rectangular block typically made of fired or sun-dried clay, used in
15 Brick Tisa building

16 Brown Coat Tapon the first rough coat of plaster applied as a base coat over lath or masonry

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17 Butted (Butt Joint) Tumbok (of wood, metal, etc.) a joint formed by two surfaces abutting at right angles
mechanical bearing that connects two solid objects, typically allowing only a 
18 Cabinet Hinge Espolon limited angle of rotation between them
an ornamental cloth covering hung or held up over something, especially a
19 Canopy Pabilyon throne or bed
20 Carpenter Karpintero a person who makes and repairs wooden objects and structures
a hard, relatively brittle alloy of iron and carbon that can be readily cast in a
21 Cast Iron Pondido Hiero mold and contains a higher proportion of carbon than steel 
22 Ceiling Kisame the upper interior surface of a room or other similar compartment
one of the horizontal supporting members that run between foundations,
23 Ceiling Joist Kostilyahe walls, or beams to support a ceiling
a powdery substance made with calcined lime and clay. It is mixed with
24 Cement Semento water to form mortar or mixed with sand, gravel, and water to make
concrete.
25 Chain Bolt Baral de Kadena  a bolt with a chain attached for drawing it out
26 CHB Laying Asinta
27 Clinch Mag-Rematse To secure a nail in place by bending the protruding point at a right angle.

28 Collar Sinturon A horizontal tie connecting pairs of opposite rafters near the ridge of the roof.
horizontal member between two rafters and is very common in domestic
29 Collar Beam Ternate roof construction
an upright pillar, typically cylindrical and made of stone or concrete,
30 Column Poste/Haligue supporting an entablature, arch, or other structure or standing alone as a
monument.

Horizontal slabs of steel reinforcedconcrete, typically between 4 and 20 
31 Concrete Slab Larga Masa inches (100 and 500 millimeters) thick, are most often used to construct
floors and ceilings, while thinner slabs are also used for exterior paving.

32 Conductor Alulod a shallow trough fixed beneath the edge of a roof for carrying off rainwater
33 Conduit Padaluyan a tube or trough for protecting electric wiring.

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 a person or company that undertakes a contract to provide materials or
34 Contractor Kontratista labor to perform a service or do a job.
35 Corner Kanto a place or angle where two or more sides or edges meet.
building material composed of sheets of hot-dip galvanisedmild steel, cold-
36 Corrugated G.I. Sheet Yero Canalado Galbanisado rolled to produce a linear corrugated pattern in them
system utilized to reinforce building structures in which diagonal supports
37 Cross Bracing Krusete intersect
angular rock is a form of construction aggregate, typically produced by
38 Crushed Stone Escombro mining a suitable rock deposit and breaking the removed rock down to the
desired size using crushers
is a slot or trench cut into the surface of a piece of machinable material,
39 Dado Joint Kanal usually wood
a plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of a
40 Design Debuho building, garment, or other object before it is built or made.
41 Dish Rack Bangguera rack for holding dishes as dishwater drains off of them
a hinged, sliding, or revolving barrier at the entrance to a building, room, or
42 Door Pintuan vehicle, or in the framework of a cupboard
43 Door Case Hambahe the frame in a doorway into which a door is fitted
A strip nailed to a wall or partition to support a shelf, or a strip for a door to
44 Door fillet Batidura close against. A strip set into an angle between two boards
45 Door Frame Marko ng Pinto the frame in a doorway into which a door is fitted
46 Door Head Trabesanyo/Sombrero The horizontal upper member of a door frame
each of the two upright parts of a doorframe, on one of which the door is
47 Door Jamb Hamba
hung.
is a woodworking technique often used in the making of doors, wainscoting, 
48 Door Panelled de Bandeha
and other decorative features for cabinets, furniture, and homes
49 Door Sill Umbral the sill or threshold of a doorway.
a peg of wood, metal, or plastic without a distinct head, used for holding
50 Dowel Abang
together components of a structure
51 Downspout Tubo de Bandeha a pipe to carry rainwater from a roof to a drain or to ground level
 projection from a cornice or sill designed to protect the area below from 
52 Drip Mould Gwardya Agua
rainwater
53 Earth Fill Escombro An embankment of compacted earth

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54 Easement Rekudo a right to cross or otherwise use someone else's land for a specified purpose
55 Eave Sibe the part of a roof that meets or overhangs the walls of a building.
56 Elecrtician Elektrisyan a person who installs and maintains electrical equipment
a person who designs, builds, or maintains engines, machines, or public
57 Engineer Inhinyero
works.
 material applied to the walls of a house or other building meant to shed 
58 Exterior Siding Tabike water, protect the walls from the effects of weather, insulate, and is a key in
the aesthetics of the structure.
the face of a building, especially the principal front that looks onto a street or
59 Façade Patsade
open space.
a wooden board or other flat piece of material such as that covering the
60 Fascia Senepa
ends of rafters.
a device by which a flow of liquid or gas from a pipe or container can be
61 Faucet Gripo
controlled; a tap.
is a unit of length in the imperial and US customary systems
62 Feet Piye
of measurement
put someone or something into (a space or container) so that it is completely
63 Fill Tambak
or almost completely full.
64 Filler Tapal Dagdag a thing put in a space or container to fill it.
65 Finish Coat Palitada he final usually white coat of plastering applied to walls and ceilings
66 Floor Sahig the lower surface of a room, on which one may walk.
67 Floor Boards Dotal any of the boards composing a floor.
one of the horizontal supporting members that run between foundations,
68 Floor joists Soleras
walls, or beams to support the floor
A large timber laid flat on the ground or in a level, shallow ditch, to which are 
69 Floor Sill Guililan fastened the drill-
platform boards orplanking, or which is used as the base for a full timber set.
70 Flooring Suelo/Patos the boards or other material of which a floor is made.
71 Flush Alahado To align two items so that they fit evenly
72 Force Puersa strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement.
73 Foreman Kapatas a worker, especially a man, who supervises and directs other workers.
74 Foundation Pundasyon the lowest load-bearing part of a building, typically below ground level.

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 a rigid structure that surrounds or encloses something such as a door or
75 Frame Balangkas window.
76 Framework Balangkas an essential supporting structure of a building, vehicle, or object.
77 G.I. Strap Lingueta See Galvanized Iron
78 Gable Roof Dos Aguas a roof with two sloping sides and a gable at each end.
a large iron or steel beam or compound structure used for building bridges
79 Girder Guililan and the framework of large buildings.
80 Girt Sepo, Barote  a girt is a horizontal structural member in a framed wall.
81 Gravel Graba a loose aggregation of small water-worn or pounded stones.
a long, narrow cut or depression, especially one made to guide motion or
82 Groove Canal
receive a corresponding ridge
83 Ground Sular the solid surface of the earth.
84 Gutter Alulod a shallow trough fixed beneath the edge of a roof for carrying off rainwater.
85 Half Circle Medya Luna formed by cutting a whole circle along a diameter line
86 Hall Caida an area in a building onto which rooms open; a corridor.
87 Handrail Gabay a rail fixed to posts or a wall for people to hold on to for support.
88 Head Sombrero The top of almost anything
a movable joint or mechanism on which a door, gate, or lid swings as it
89 Hinge Bisagra
opens and closes, or that connects linked objects.
90 Inch Pulagada a unit of linear measure equal to one twelfth of a foot (2.54 cm).
91 Jack Rafter Sobre Kilo one of the shorter rafters used in a hip or valley roof
92 Jamb Hamba a side post or surface of a doorway, window, or fireplace.
93 Kiln Dried Tuyong Kahoy dry (a material such as wood or sand) in a kiln.
an upright post in the center of a roof truss, extending from the tie beam to
94 King Post Pendulum
the apex of the truss.
95 Laborer Piyon a person doing unskilled manual work for wages.
an instance of coming or bringing something to land, either from the air or
96 Landing Mesa
from water.
a thin flat strip of wood, especially one of a series forming a foundation for
97 Lath, wood strip Listong Kahoy / Liston
the plaster of a wall or the tiles of a roof, or made into a trellis or fence.
98 Lathing Pagliliston see lath

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 a structure consisting of strips of wood or metal crossed and fastened
99 Lattice Sala-sala together with square or diamond-shaped spaces left between, used typically
as a screen or fence or as a support for climbing plants.
100 Lavatory Lavabo / lababo a room or compartment with a toilet and washbasin; a bathroom.
101 Lean-to Roof Sibe rafters lean against another building or wall
102 Living Room Sala a room in a house for general and informal everyday use
which is designed to be placed in front of (or next to) a sofa or upholstered
103 Low Table Dulang
chairs to support beverages 
104 Mason Kantero a builder and worker in stone.
105 Masonry Fill Lastilyas Insulation material used to fill the voids in masonry units.
the fundamental unit of length in the metric system, equal to 100 centimeters
106 Meter Metro or approximately 39.37 inches.
a low story between two others in a building, typically between the ground
107 Mezzanine Entresuelo
and first floors.
a tall headdress worn by bishops and senior abbots as a symbol of office,
108 Miter Joint Kanto Mesa
tapering to a point at front and back with a deep cleft between
109 Mix Halo combine or put together to form one substance or mass
workable paste used to bind building blocks such as stones, bricks, and
110 Mortar Paupo concrete masonry units together, fill and seal the irregular gaps between
them, and sometimes add decorative colors or patterns in masonry walls.
are the spaces between bricks, concrete blocks, or glass blocks, that are
111 Mortar Joints Kostura
filled with mortar orgrout.
112 Moulding (quarter round) Media cana form (an object with a particular shape) out of easily manipulated material.
 a person or thing that drives nails, as a machine that drives nails 
113 Nailers Pamakuan automatically
114 Newel Post Tukod the central supporting pillar of a spiral or winding staircase.
 a straight piece (as of wood or metal) that is longer than it is wide and has 
115 Nikolite Bar Estanyo
any of various uses (as for a lever, support, barrier, or fastening) 
A short metal block with a threaded hole in the center for receiving a bolt or
116 Nut Truerka
threaded rod.
loose fiber obtained by untwisting old rope, used especially in caulking
117 Oakum Estopa
wooden ships.
118 On Center Both Ways Gitna On Center span (not the same as clear span)

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119 Open/Stone Porch Azotea  a flat roof or platform on the top of a house or other building.
a colored substance that is spread over a surface and dries to leave a thin
120 Paint Pintura
decorative or protective coating
One who paints, either as an artist or worker.
121 Painter Pintor
A low protective wall or railing along the edge of a raised structure such as a
122 Parapet Kuta, Muralya
roof or balcony.
123 Pattern Platilya, Padron Usually repeating artistic or decorative design
A hard smooth surface, especially of a public area or thoroughfare, that will
124 Pavement Pabimento
bear travel.
125 Pickwork Piketa
126 Pig Lead Tingga/Estopa Crude lead cast in blocks.
in building construction, a postlike foundation member used from prehistoric
times. In modern civil engineering, piles of timber, steel, or concrete are
127 Pile Pilote
driven into the ground to support a structure; bridge Piers may be supported
on groups of large-diameter piles.
128 Pillow Rack Almario
129 Pipe Tubo A hollow cylinder or tube used to conduct a liquid, gas, or finely divided solid.
Galvanised iron or steel, a building material composed of sheets of hot-dip
130 Plain G.I. Sheet Hiero Liso Galbanasido galvanised mild steel, cold-rolled to produce a linear corrugated pattern in
them.
Timber that is flat, elongated, and rectangular with parallel faces that are
131 Plank Board Senepa
higher and longer than wide.
A composition, as of lime or gypsum, sand, water, and sometimes hair or
132 Plaster Palitada other fiber, applied in a pasty form to walls, ceilings, etc., and allowed to
harden and dry.
133 Plaster Line Course Kusturada
A white powder that forms a paste when it is mixed with water and then
134 Plaster of Paris Eskayola
hardens into a solid, used in making casts, molds, and sculpture.
A member on top of a stud wall on which joists rest to support an additional
135 Plate Sepo
floor or to form a ceiling.
An object, such as a cork or a wad of cloth, used to fill a hole tightly; a
136 Plug Tapon
stopper.

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 A usually conical metal weight attached to the end of a plumb line. Also
137 Plumb Bob Hulog
called plummet.
A string with a metal weight at one end that, when suspended, points directly
138 Plumb Line Hulog towards the earth's centre of gravity and so is used to determine verticality,
the depth of water, etc.
139 Plumber Tubero One that installs and repairs pipes and plumbing.
The pipes, fixtures, and other apparatus of a water, gas, or sewage system
140 Plumbing Tuberya
in a building.
A long piece of wood or other material set upright into the ground to serve
141 Post Poste
as a marker or support.
142 Projection Bolado A thing or part that extends outward beyond a prevailing line or surface.
A horizontal beam that provides intermediate support for the common rafters
143 Purlins Reostra
of a roof construction.
A doughlike cement made by mixing whiting and linseed oil, used to fill holes
144 Putty Masilya
in woodwork and secure panes of glass.
A convex molding having a cross section in the form of a quarter of a circle
145 Quarter round Media cana
or of an ellipse.
One of two upright supporting posts set vertically between the rafters and
146 Queen Post Sobre Pindulo
the tie beam at equal distances from the apex of a roof.
A cut or groove along or near the edge of a piece of wood that allows
147 Rabbet Vaciada, Basyada
another piece to fit into it to form a joint.
148 Ramp Sumyinta An inclined surface or roadway connecting different levels.
149 Rebar Kabilya A rod or bar used for reinforcement in concrete or asphalt pourings.
A horizontal line of intersection at the tp between two sloping planes of a
150 Ridge Palupo
roof.
A metal, tile, or wood strip rounded at the top and used as finishing for the
151 Ridge Roll Caballete
ridge of a roof.
A vertical member between two stair treads./ A vertical pipe extending one
152 Riser Takipsilipan
or more floors.
A metal cylinder or rod with a head at one end that is inserted through holes
153 Rivet Rimatse in the materials to be fastened. The protruding end is flattened to tie the two
pieces together.
154 Roof Bubong The outer cover and its supporting structures on the top of a building.

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 Loose material consisting of rock or mineral grains, esp. rounded grains of
155 Rubble Eskombro, tigkal-tigkal
quartz, between 0.2 and 2 mm in diameter.
Loose material consisting of rock or mineral grains, esp. rounded grains of
156 Sand Buhangin
quartz, between 0.2 and 2 mm in diameter
Loose material consisting of rock or mineral grains, esp. rounded grains of
157 Sand and Gravel Mixture Lastillas
quartz, between 0.2 and 2 mm in diameter.
Any temporary, elevated platform and its supporting structure used for
158 Scaffolding Andanyo, Andamyo
supporting workmen and/or materials.
The first coat of plaster or stucco applied to a surface in three-coat work and
159 Scratch Coat Rebokada usually cross-raked or scratched to form a mechanical key with the brown
coat.
A device used for fastening materials together, consisting of a threaded and
160 Screw Turnilyo usually tapered shank that has a slotted head by which it may be rotated so
as to cut its own thread as it bores through the material
A watertight receptacle that receives the discharge from a sewage system,
or part thereof. They are constructed to separate solids from the liquid,
161 Septic Tank Poso Negro
digesting organic matter during a period of detention, and discharging the
clarified liquids.
162 Shape Korte The outward form of an object defined by outline
A thin piece of material, such as glass, veneer, plywood, or rolled metal. See
163 Sheet Plantsa
also panel.
164 Shower Dutcha The compartment and plumbing provided for bathing by overhead spray.
The exterior material applied to the walls of a house or other building meant
165 Siding Tabike to shed water, protect the walls from the effects of weather, insulate, and is a
key in the aesthetics of the structure.
The bottom horizontal member of a wall or building to which vertical
166 Sill Guililan
members are attached.
A plumbing fixture equipped to enable medical personnel to scrub their
167 Sink Prigadero
hands prior to a surgical procedure.
168 Sketch Krokis A rapidly executed freehand drawing.
169 Skirt Senepa The border or section of molding under a window stool.
170 Slab Kustado Common structural element of modern buildings.

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 The grade of a physical feature, landform or constructed line refers to the
171 Slope Bahada
tangent of the angle of that surface to the horizontal.
172 Soffit sepeto, intrados The underside of any construction element.
A solder used to join metals in welding and brazing applications. It is typically
173 Solder hinang a mixture of tin and lead, although soft solder of pure lead is used in some
industries to join copper.
174 Spacing beinto The distance between parallel reinforcing bars, measured center to center.
A construction designed to bridge a large vertical distance by dividing it into
175 Stairs Hagdan
smaller vertical distances.
A pointed stick or post that is pushed into the ground especially to mark a
176 Stake staka
place or to support something
177 Steel Asero Used as a construction material for making structural steel shapes.
A reinforcement used to resist shear and diagonal tension stresses in a
178 Stirrup Anilyo
concrete structural member.
A timber or other support for cross members in floors or ceilings. In stairs,
179 Stringer Sepo, Tahilan
the supporting member for stair treads.
A stairway with covered strings on both sides so that the ends of the treads
180 Stringer (Close) Madre de Escalera
and risers are not visible.
181 Stringer (Open) Hardinera
Member in a building's wall of smaller cross section than a post. They are a
182 Stud Pamakuan
fundamental element in building framing.
183 Stud (Horizontal) Trabe Anzo, pabalagbag
A vertical framing member in a building's wall of smaller cross section than a 
184 Stud (Vertical) Pilarete
post. They are a fundamental element in building framing.
Inner surface of a pipe or fitting that accepts the outside threads of another
185 Thread roskas
pipe or fitting.
186 Tie Bars Anilyo Bar at right angles to, and tied to, minimum reinforcement to keep it in place.
A thin rectangular unit used as a finish for walls, floors or roofs, such as
187 Tile Baldosa ceramic tile, structural clay tile, asphalt tile, cork tile, resilient tile, and roofing
tile.
Sometimes known as a whitesmith, tinner, tinker, tinman, or tinplate worker
188 Tinsmith Latero is a person who makes and repairs things made of tinware, or other light
metals.

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 A coupling element for a drill pipe; designed to support the weight of the drill
189 Tool Joint Kostura
stem and the strain of frequent use, and to provide a leakproof seal.

An inclined or horizontal member that establishes the upper edge of a truss.

190 Top Chord Kilo
This member is subjected to compressive and bending stresses.
A glazed or solid panel over a door or window, usually hinged and used for
191 Transom Espeho
ventilation.
Baytang per Dano /
192 Tread The horizontal part of a step or stair.
Baytang
An architectural structure, usually made from an open framework or lattice of
193 Trellis Pergola interwoven or intersecting pieces of wood, bamboo or metal that is normally
made to support and display climbing plants, especially shrubs.

A structure that consists of two-force members only, where the members are
194 Truss Kilo
organized so that the assemblage as a whole behaves as a single object.
A transparent, hard, protective finish or film that is primarily used in wood
195 Varnish Barnis
finishing but also for other materials.
A millwork wall covering constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components.
196 Wainscoting Entablemento / arimadilyo These are traditionally interlocking wood, but could be plastic or other
materials.
A facing or paneling, usually of wood, applied to the walls of a room. The
197 Wainscoting Tiles asolehos lower part of an interior wall when finished in a material different from that of
the upper part.
198 Wall Pader A partition wall is a wall that separates rooms, or divides a room.
A thin plate (typically disk-shaped) with a hole (typically in the middle) that is
199 Washer Pitsa / Tsapa normally used to distribute the load of a threaded fastener, such as a screw
or nut.
A plumbing fixture used to receive human wastes and flush them to a waste
200 Water Closet Inodoro
pipe.
A narrow strip of metal, wood, rubber, or the like placed between a door or
201 Weatherstrip Baryete
window sash and its frame to exclude rain, wind, etc.
A body's relative mass or the quantity of matter contained by it, giving rise to
202 Weight Bigat
a downward force; the heaviness of a person or thing.

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 An opening in a wall, door, roof or vehicle that allows the passage of light
203 Window Bintana
and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound.
204 Window Grille Rehas A strip of wood or metal separating and holding panes of glass in a window.
205 Window Sill Pasamano The surface at the bottom of a window.
206 Wire Alambre A single, usually cylindrical, flexible strand or rod of metal.
Open electric-wiring work in which the wires are supported on knobs or
207 Wiring Knob Poleya / Hapit
cleats and encased in tubes where they pass through beams or partitions.
208 Wood Grain Haspe Texture produced by the fibers in wood
A timber that is flat, elongated, and rectangular with parallel faces that are
209 Wood Plank Table
higher and longer than wide
210 Wooden Bench Bangko A long seat on which several people may sit at the same time.
A form of iron, almost entirely free of carbon (less than 0.08%) and having a
211 Wrought Iron Strap Plantsuela fibrous structure including a uniformly distributed slag content, that is readily
forged and welded.
A triangular metal piece used to connect the main brake cable with the
212 Yoke Sinturon, Pamatok stirrup cable in a centerpull brake system. Also known as a saddle or
pick-up.

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