Carpentry Glossary - G
Gable: The triangular area of a wall between the slopes of a double-shaped roof, or the part of the wall between the slop of a single sloped roof and a line projected horizonatally through the lowest elevation of the roof structure. Gable roofs are also just about the worst type of roof to have in hurricane regions, as not only do gable roofs easily peel off in hurricane winds, but according to one Hurricane Survival Guide book, a gable end "catches wind like a sail."
Gain: a mortise or notch cut to accomodate the end of an adjacent structural member or other hardware, such as a hinge.
Gambrel Roof: a type of roof with a slope formed as if the top of a triangular roof was cut and replaced less steeply sloped cap with a ridge in the center, forming 4 surfaces instead of two.
Gasket: a mechanical seal that fills the space between two mating surfaces, generally to prevent leakage from or into the joined objects while under compression.
Gate Hook: a type of temporary fastening hardware consisting of a screw with a formed eye hook at the other end, which fits into a similar mating piece. Often seen on screen doors, fence gates, and windows.
Gimlet: hand tool used for drilling small holes in wood; consists of a metal shaft with a spiral cutting flute at one end and a wooden handle at the other fixed 90 defrees to the shaft such that it forms a T-shaped tool.
Girder: a large horizontal beam that is used to support various vertical structural loads at specific points along it's length.
Glazing: the process of mounting glass into window sashes and door stiles.
Glue: a compound in a liquid or semi-liquid state that adheres or bonds items together. Historically, the term "glue" only referred to protein colloids prepared from animal flesh. The meaning has been extended to refer to any fluid adhesive.
Glue Block: wood block that is rectangular or triangular i shape, glued into place for the purpose of reinforcing a right-angle butt joint.
Glue Joint: any joinery method where the joint is held together with glue rather than with nails or screws. Also refers to a joint in which the areas to be joined have been worked to give more surface area to enable better adhesion, such as a dovetail joint.
Grain: in reference to wood grain, the size, direction, orientation arrangement, appearance or quality of the fibers in wood.
Grade Beam: slab foundation's section that is reinforced and thickened; designed to rest on support piling.
Green Weight: the weight of wood in a freshly harvested state.
Grit: a measurement of the abrasive particles used on sandpaper. The various standards indicate a range of grit sizes that may come within any single designator which consists of a letter (F for bonded abrasives and P for coated abrasives) and a number. Within each series are two standards detailing the larger macrogrit (approximately 12 – 240) and smaller microgrit (approximately 230 – 2000 or 2500) sizes and the different process by which sizes are determined (sieving for the larger grits and sedimentation for the smaller).
Ground: wood strip that assists plasterers in making a wall straight. Also provides a place to nail room finish work to.
Gullet: the areas between the teeth on a saw blade. Provides a temporary place for removed material.
Gusset: plate of wood or metal attached to framing corners or intersections for adding strength and stiffness.
Gutter: the narrow channel which collects rainwater from the roof of a building and diverts it away from the structure, typically into a drain.