Carpenter’s Lingo
The specialized language of those who build with wood.
“Draw it up”- design the project.
“Stake it out”- mark the corners of the new project.
“Check the diagonals”- ensure the project will be square.
“CDL”- capable of running a wheelbarrow.
“Call 811”- Digger’s Hotline.
“Need some juice”- we need a power cord.
“Need some air”- get an air hose.
“Grab the recip”- I need the reciprocating saw.
“Grab the persuader”- I need a sledge hammer or large crow bar.
“Looks like a barbershop pole”- it’s a severely twisted stud.
“Treated”- lumber that is pressure treated to withstand wet areas.
“Screed it off”- the first leveling process when pouring concrete.
“Float it”- the second concrete leveling process.
“Bean time”- lunch break
“Board stretcher”- fictional tool to lengthen a board that was cut too short.
“Half a blidth”- cut off half the thickness of a saw blade.
“Snap the tails”- snap a chalk line across the rafter tails to cut off evenly.
“Sheeting”- sheathing.
“Quarter inch paint”- caulking to fill poorly fitted joints.
“Mud lite”- light joint compound.
“Hanging rock”- installing drywall.
“Blow the attic”- install blow-in insulation.
“Wrap the windows”- cover the exterior window trim with aluminum.
“Wrap em up”- roll up the power cords, it’s quitting time.