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.