A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
10 years ago No Comments

(pronounced like the initials: ay-eff-eff) These three letters represent a four-word phrase: above the finished floor. This acronym is used in keynotes and within construction drawings to let contractors and tradesmen know how high something should be placed

A&D
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(pronounced like the initials: ay & dee) Stands for "Architecture & Design". You'll see this term a lot on business cards because someone will be the A&D Manager for a manufacturer or he / she will be a representative

10 years ago No Comments

(pronounced A-buh-kuss) Though this Greek-sounding word describes one of those ancient "calculators" made of beads and rods, it also has a definition related to architecture: the uppermost flat slab on the top of a pilaster or capital of a

10 years ago No Comments

(pronounced eh-KAN-thehs) It seems a little odd that a Mediterranean plant would show up in this glossary, but this flora, which sports plump, scalloped leaves, plays a high-profile role in classic architecture. Carved representations of acanthus leaves are common

10 years ago No Comments

(pronounced ek-SEH-seh-ree eh-PART-mehnt) Apparently this term has been around for a while, but we only just became aware of it recently, so we thought that we would share it with you. You may have heard the terms "in-law apartment,"

10 years ago No Comments

(pronounced A-seh-tate) You very well might hear this word used to describe a transparent or translucent plastic sheet material, either tinted with color or simply colorless. A variety of industries use these sheets either as an overlay – say,

10 years ago No Comments

(pronounced eh-KOOS-tih-kuhl WAHL-kuh-veh-ring) Also referred to as “acoustical wall fabric,” acoustical wallcovering is soft, pliable, sound-absorbing material for vertical surfaces is used to help control sound in interior spaces where speech intelligibility and sound clarity is essential — e.g.,

10 years ago No Comments

(pronounced eh-KRIH-lihk REH-zihn) Though it’s likely you’ve worked with acrylic paints in art class, chances are slim that you’ve melted down this raw thermoplastic material — consisting of methacrylic acid or polymerizing acrylic acid or an offshoot of either

10 years ago No Comments

(pronounced eh-DAP-tihv REE-yoos) This term is essentially a more descriptive form of the word “remodeling.” It describes the rehabilitation of an existing building – often a rundown one that had once been used for commercial, industrial or civic use

10 years ago No Comments

(pronounced uh-DEN-dum) Don’t feel “dum” if you don’t know this word. (That’s what we’re here for.) In the A&D world, an addendum is a change (or many changes that occur all at the same time) to a set