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Glossary

 

Contents

  1. 1 Block 
  2. 2 Bluestone 
  3. 3 Cap 
  4. 4 Clean out door 
  5. 5 CMU 
  6. 6 Collar 
  7. 7 Counterflashing 
  8. 8 Crown 
  9. 9 Damper 
  10. 10 Draft 
  11. 11 Efforescence 
  12. 12 Facing 
  13. 13 Faux Stone 
  14. 14 Firebox 
  15. 15 Flashing 
  16. 16 Flue 
  17. 17 Hardscape 
  18. 18 Hearth 
  19. 19 Infill 
  20. 20 Joint 
  21. 21 Lintel 
  22. 22 Mantel 
  23. 23 Masonry 
  24. 24 Mortar 
  25. 25 Paver 
  26. 26 Pin piles 
  27. 27 Rain cap 
  28. 28 Sealer 
  29. 29 Seismic 
  30. 30 Siloxane 
  31. 31 Slate 
  32. 32 Smoke chamber 
  33. 33 Spalled brick 
  34. 34 Thin Stone 
  35. 35 Throat 
  36. 36 Tuckpoint 
  37. 37 Veneer 
  38. 38 Water repellent 


Block 

 Concrete masonry units.  

Bluestone 

 A natural stone frequently used as a paving or landscape material. 

Cap 

 Cap can refer to the crown of the chimney, the top out for a free-standing wall, or even a metal hood to keep rain out of a chimney.  

Clean out door 

 Access door at base of chimney to allow ash removal. 

CMU 

 Concrete masonry units. 

Collar 

 Sloped concrete at top of chimney used to shed water and structurally tie top together. Also, known as a cap or collar. 

Counterflashing 

 Sheetmetal installed in the masonry and bent down over the roof flashing, completing the seal. Counterflashing is usually installed by a mason. Step flashing is installed by inserting overlapping pieces of sheetmetal into the masonry following the pattern of the mortar joints. Kerf cut or California style counterflashing is a continuous piece of sheetmetal cut into the masonry parallel to the slope of the roof. 

Crown 

 Sloped concrete at top of chimney used to shed water and structurally tie top together. Also, known as a cap or collar. 

Damper 

 A steel device, usually with a blade and handle that opens and closes off the passage in the throat on its way up the chimney. 

Draft 

 Air flow up a chimney. Constrictions, inadequate flue size, and poor smoke chamber construction can create a fireplace that does not draw properly. Other factors may be involved. 

Efforescence 

 The residue seen on the exterior of masonry due to mineral laden water leaving the masonry. It is common for new construction brick installations to go through "new construction bloom." The white powdery substance is easily brushed or rinsed off. Efflorescence on older installations should be investigated to diagnose and correct moisture penetration problems.  

Facing 

 The decorative exterior of a firebox that is seen from the room, usually of brick, stone, or tile. 

Faux Stone 

 Man made "stone." 

Firebox 

 The interior surfaces of the fireplace. Usually a firebox is lined with brick made specifically for use where the fire is laid.  

Flashing 

 Sheetmetal formed around chimney roof penetrations to prevent water from leaking. Roof flashing comes down the roof and bends up the side of the chimney, and is installed by the roofer. Counterflashing is installed in the masonry and bends down over the roof flashing, completing the seal and is usually installed by the mason. Counterflashing comes in two choices - step-flashing which is more traditional and looks like it sounds, and kerf-cut or California which is a continuous piece and runs parrallel to the roof. 

Flue 

 Passageway inside the chimney that carries the smoke and hot gases. 

Hardscape 

 Landscape features that are not plants or "softscape." Patios, walkways, ponds, and other structures are examples of hardscape. Masonry is a common material in landscape design. 

Hearth 

 Non-combustible area in front of the firebox that usually extends 20 inches out and 12 inches on the sides depending on local codes. 

Infill 

 Continuing the masonry pattern to fill in where an opening has been removed. 

Joint 

 The area between the brick or stone ususally occupied by mortar.  

Lintel 

 Usually a steel angle iron that spans openings (window, door, fireplace) used to support masonry. 

Mantel 

 Shelf above fireplace opening. 

Masonry 

 Brickwork or stonework. 

Mortar 

 The mixture of cement, sand, water, and colorant (optional) used to assembly masonry. The area occupied by the mortar is referred to as the joint. 

Paver 

 Brick made specifically for paving. 

Pin piles 

 Rods driven under ground to support structures. 

Rain cap 

 Concrete or metal "hat" that prevents rain going down flue. 

Sealer 

 Water repellent. 

Seismic 

 Relating to earth movement. 

Siloxane 

 A propriety sealer or water repellent. 

Slate 

 A natural stone frequently used as a paving material. 

Smoke chamber 

 Area above the damper that gradually channels smoke into the flue. 

Spalled brick 

 Face of brick that pops off, typically due to freeze/thaw cycles. 

Thin Stone 

 Natural stone that has been gaged in prepartion for installation. 

Throat 

 The slot just above the firebox and just below the smoke chamber where the damper is positioned. 

Tuckpoint 

 Removal of deteriorated mortar usually by grinding out, and replacing with new mortar. This is the primary restoration process for masonry. 

Veneer 

 In the U.S., most masonry siding is not structural but rather a veneer. The actual structure may be wood or metal with a brick or stone veneer. 

Water repellent 

 A product used to reduce moisture penetration and to help minimize efflorescence. Candidates for sealing include softer dry pressed brick and Roman brick subject to weather. Not all brick needs to be sealed.

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