QUIKRETE® - Glossary

GLOSSARY

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

	Adhesion
	The sticking together of substances that are in contact with one another.

	Admixtures
	All materials, other than Portland cement, water, and aggregates, that are added to concrete, mortar, or grout immediately before or during mixing.

	Aggregate
	Bulk materials, such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, pumice, and scoria, that are used in making concrete.

	Anchor Bolts
	Any of a variety of rather large J- or L-shaped bolts designed to have a portion embedded in concrete or mortar.

	Ashlars
	A squared or rectangular block of building stones in the ashlar pattern.

	Backfilling
	The process of piling earth against the outer surface of a form.

	Base Coat
	Each of the lower layers of plaster, if more than one coat is applied.

	Batter Boards
	A board frame supported by stakes set back from the corners of a structure that allows for relocating certain points after excavation. Saw kerfs in the boards indicate the location of the edges of the footings and the structure being built.

	Bed Joint
	The horizontal layer of mortar on which a masonry unit is laid.

	Block
	A concrete masonry unit made with fine aggregate and cement that is shaped in a mold. Any of a variety of shaped light-weight or standard weight masonry units.

	Bond
	The property of a hardened mortar that knits the masonry units together; also the lapping of brick in a wall.

	Brick Masonry
	A type of construction that has units of baked clay or shale of uniform size, small enough to be placed with one hand, laid in courses with mortar joints to form walls of virtually unlimited length and height.

	Brick Set
	A wide-blade chisel used for cutting bricks and concrete blocks.

	Brown Coat
	Second coat of plaster or stucco in three-coat work.

Buttered

The small end of a brick that has quantity or mortar placed onto it (e.g., the act of buttering a brick's end with mortar).

	Caulk
	To seal up crevices with some flexible material.

	Closure Brick
	A partial brick that is cut to fit into place to complete a course.

	Coloring Agents
	Colored aggregates or mineral oxides ground finer than cement.

	Concrete
	An artificial stone made by mixing cement and sand with gravel, broken stone, or other aggregate. These materials must be mixed with sufficient water to cause the cement to set and bind the entire mass.

	Control Joints
	Continuous vertical joints built into concrete walls to control cracking resulting from unusual stresses. Control joints are intended to permit slight wall movement without cracking.

	Coping
	A brick, block, stone, or concrete cap placed at the top of a masonry wall to prevent moisture from falling directly on it and weakening the wall.

	Corbeling
	Courses of bricks set out beyond the face of a wall in order to form a self-supporting projection.

	Courses
	One of the continuous horizontal layers (rows) of masonry that form the masonry structure.

	Curing
	The process of protecting concrete against loss of moisture during the earliest stage of setting.

	Dry Mixture
	Mixture of concrete whose water content is severely restricted.

	Edger
	A concrete finishing tool for rounding the edge of freshly poured concrete; one of several finishing techniques.

	Edging
	The process of rounding the edge of freshly poured concrete; one of several finishing techniques.

	Efflorescence
	A powdery stain, usually white, on the surface of or between masonry units. It is caused by the leaching of soluble salts to the surface.

	Expansion Joint
	A material placed within or a scoring of concrete that allows it to expand without cracking.

	Exposed Aggregate
	A concrete finish achieved by embedding aggregate into the surface, allowing the concrete to set up somewhat, then hosing down and brushing away the concrete covering the top portion of the aggregate.

	Face Brick
	A type of brick made specifically for covering (veneering) walls.

	Finish Coat
	The top layer of plaster if the plaster is applied in more than one coat.

	Flashing
	The waterproofing covering placed to set up certain points in brick masonry to hold water or to direct any moisture outside the wall.

	Float
	A wooden tool used to finish a concrete surface.

	Footing
	A base for a wall or structure that provides stability for that structure.

	Form
	A parameter or set of parameters made from earth or wood and, on occasion, steel, that contains the footage concrete.

	Frost Line
	The maximum depth to which frost normally penetrates the soil during the winter. This depth varies from area to area depending on the climate.

Furrowing

Striking a V-shaped trough in a bed of mortar.

	Gradation
	The distribution of particle sizes, from coarse to fine, in a given sample of fine coarse aggregate.

	Grout
	A water-cement, or water-cement-sand mixture, used to plug holes or cracks in concrete, seal joints, fill spaces between machinery bed plates and concrete foundations, and for similar plugging or sealing purposes.

	Hawk
	A fairly small board with a handle beneath it used for holding mortar.

	Header
	A masonry unit laid flat with its longest dimensions perpendicular to the face of the wall. It is generally used to tie two wythes of masonry together.

	Hydration
	The chemical reaction that occurs when water is added to cement, causing it to harden.

	Joint
	Any place where two or more edges or surfaces come to a union.

	Jointer
	A tool used for making grooves or control joints in concrete surfaces to control cracking. (See Control Joint)

	Joist
	In deck construction, 2" x 6" lumber attached to beams and ledgers that serves as a base for the deck planking.

	Lintel
	A beam placed over an opening in a wall.

	Masonry
	A construction made of prefabricated masonry units laid in various ways and joined together with mortar.

	Mixers
	Vehicles or containers used to blend or mix the ingredients of concrete.

	Moisture Content
	The amount of water contained within the aggregate used in concrete.

Mortar

A mixture of cement, sand, and water without coarse aggregate. It is used chiefly for bonding masonry units together.

	Pavers
	Bricks in numerous sizes and shapes that are used in constructing sidewalks, patios, and driveways.

	Pier
	A free-standing column.

	Pilaster
	A projection from a masonry wall that provides strength for the wall.

	Plasticity Consistency
	A sluggish flow without segregation.

	Plumb
	That which is vertically perpendicular as measured with a spirit level or plumb bob.

	Pointing
	The process of inserting mortar into horizontal and vertical joints after a masonry unit is laid.

	Portland Cement
	A number of types of cement with unique characteristics manufactured from limestone and mixed with shale, clay, or marl.

	Precast Concrete
	Any concrete member that is cast in forms at a place other than its final position of use.

	Pre-Mix
	Any of several packaged mixtures of ingredients used for preparing concrete or mortar.

	Reinforcing Rod
	A steel rod that is used for reinforcing concrete and masonry structures.

	Retaining Wall
	A wall that is constructed to hold soil in place.

	Rowlock
	A brick laid on its edge (face).

	Rubble
	Rough fragments of broken stone either naturally formed or quarried; used in masonry.

	Running Bond
	This is the same as common bond, with continuous horizontal joints, but the vertical joints are offset or in line.

	Scratch Coat
	The first coat of plaster or stucco.

	Screed
	A long, very straight board used for striking off concrete.

	Screeding
	The process of leveling the surface of a concrete slab by striking off the excess concrete.

	Segregation
	The tendency of particles of the same size in a given mass of aggregate to gather together whenever the material is being loaded, transported, or otherwise disturbed.

	Set
	The process during which mortar or concrete hardens. Initial set occurs when the concrete has to be broken to change its shapes, generally about an hour after it is placed. Final set occurs generally about 10 hours after placing the concrete.

	Shell
	The sides and recessed ends of a concrete block.

	Soldier
	A brick laid on its ends so that its longest dimension is parallel to the vertical axis of the face of the wall.

	Stretcher
	A masonry unit laid flat with its longest dimension parallel to the face of the wall.

	Striking Off
	The process of removing excess concrete to a level needed.

Stucco

A finish composed of two or more layers of mortar (white or colored) that is applied to either indoor or outdoor walls.

	Tamp
	The process of compacting concrete with rakes or short lengths of lumber.

	Texturizing
	Creating a particular finish, such as brushed, smoothed, etched, or pockmarked.

	Ties
	A wire, rod, or snap that is used to hold wall forms at a specific separation.

	Trowel
	A steel tool with a flat surface that causes a concrete surface to become very smooth.

	Tuck-Pointing
	The process of refilling old joints with new mortar.

	Veneer
	A layer of bricks or stones that serves as a facing.

	Wales
	Horizontal members that aid in wall/form reinforcement and distribution of forces.

	Weep Holes
	The openings made in mortar joints that facilitate drainage of built-up moisture.

	Wire Mesh
	Any of a variety of types of bonded wire forming a mat used to reinforce slabs of concrete.

	Workability
	The ease or difficulty of placing and consolidating concrete.

Wythe

A vertical stack of bricks one thickness wide (e.g., a veneer course).