Home Safety & Hazards
This item of personal protective equipment (PPE) should always be worn during shop work because ordinary glasses can shatter
Safety Glasses
This hand instrument uses liquid-filled vials with bubbles to determine if a surface is perfectly horizontal or vertical.
Level
Lumber produced from coniferous trees with cones and needles—such as pine, spruce, and fir—falls into this wood classification.
Softwood
Attached directly to the sole plate at standard 16-inch spacing, these vertical framing members form the structural "skeleton" of a wall.
Studs
Installed along the eaves of a roof, this drainage system collects rainwater and directs it into downspouts to prevent water from eroding the ground around the foundation.
Gutters
When setting up a straight or extension ladder, this safety rule requires that the vertical height be x4 greater than the horizontal distance from the base to the wall.
4-to-1 Rule
On cordless power drills available in 12V, 18V, or 20V models, increasing the battery voltage directly increases this rotational force.
Torque
Because lumber shrinks during kiln drying and is planed down to a smooth finish, a standard 2x4 board actually measures this exact dimension.
1.5" x 3.5"
Set directly into the concrete foundation while it is still wet, these metal fasteners tie down the wooden sill plate to hold the house to its foundation.
Anchor bolts
These flexible, overlapping tiles made of fiberglass and granules are the most common roof covering used on modern residential houses.
Asphalt shingles
Recommended when operating electrical tools near water, this type of outlet protects against electrocution by shutting off power if a current leakage occurs.
GFCI outlet (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter)
This electronic testing tool measures key electrical properties in circuits, including voltage, current, and resistance.
Multimeter
Unlike plywood, which is made from glued sheets of wood veneer, this engineered paneling is made by compressing cross-oriented strands of wood with resin.
OSB (Oriented Strand Board)
Poured beneath foundation walls and reinforced with steel rebar, this wide concrete base distributes the weight of the structure over a larger area to keep the house from settling or sinking.
Footing (footer)
Attached to the bottom of a downspout, this plastic or concrete channel directs rainwater several feet away from the house to protect the foundation.
Splash block
Piled waste and rags soaked in oil, paints, or solvents pose a sever fire risk because they can ignite on their own through this process.
Spontaneous Combustion
Before drilling a hole, you use this small metal hand tool to tap a small starting indentation into a surface so your drill bit doesn't wander.
Center Punch or Awl
Softwood lumber used outdoors for decks, posts, and ground contact is often subjected to this chemical treatment process to protect against rot, moisture, and insect damage.
Pressure-treating
In door and window framing, this heavy structural beam spans across the top of an opening to collect weight from above and safely redirect it down around the doorway.
Header
This style of vertical wood siding consists of wide main boards with thin wooden strips nailed over the joints between them to seal out weather.
Board and batten siding
On hand cutting tools like chisels and utility knives, this condition is surprisingly more dangerous than a sharp blade because it forces the user to push harder, increasing the risk of slipping.
Dull edge
The metal hook at the end of a flexible tape measure is intentionally loose and wiggles in order to compensate for this exact measurement, depending on whether you are pushing or pulling.
1/16"
Softwood lumber grades (ranging from Select Structural down to No. 3) are evaluated based on load capacity and the number, size, and location of these natural flaws.
Defects
While rafters are cut and assembled piece-by-piece on the job site, these roof support assemblies are engineered off-site using a web of smaller lumber connected by metal plates.
Trusses
Known for lasting 50 to 80 years, this durable, cement-based exterior finish is applied to walls and made from a mix of water, sand, lime, and cement.
Stucco