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    House Parts You Didn't Know Had a Name

    Ever tried pointing out an architectural detail to somebody, only to fumble for what to call it? Or put in a call to a contractor to fix a part of your home and have to call it "you know, that thingamajig"? READ: Secrets to Great Curb Appeal Don't worry, it's happened to all of us. To help you out the next time you need to identify a part of a structure or a design element, here's a handful of definitions that even some of our This Old House editors weren’t familiar with:

  • 1
  • Bargeboard
    A board attached to the edge of a gable roof. In house styles such as Gothic Revival and Tudor, bargeboards often bear intricate carvings or colorful painted details. Also called vergeboard or gableboard. READ: American House Styles
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  • Check Throat
    The groove cut into the underside of a windowsill that prevents rainwater from reaching the wall. READ: If These Walls Could Talk: An Early-American Cape
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  • Clerestory
    A series of windows placed high in a wall.
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  • Cricket
    A second, small, pointed roof that diverts rainwater around something, such as a chimney, that projects out of a primary roof.
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  • Efflorescence
    The weathering on exposed bricks or stones that looks white and powdery. It appears when natural salts in the materials leach out and crystallize.
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    This Old House
  • Published
    6 Images

    House Parts You Didn't Know Had a Name

    Ever tried pointing out an architectural detail to somebody, only to fumble for what to call it? Or put in a call to a contractor to fix a part of your home and have to call it "you know, that thingamajig"? READ: Secrets to Great Curb Appeal Don't worry, it's happened to all of us. To help you out the next time you need to identify a part of a structure or a design element, here's a handful of definitions that even some of our This Old House editors weren’t familiar with:

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  • House Parts You Didn't Know Had a Name
  • 1
  • Bargeboard
  • Check Throat
  • Clerestory
  • Cricket
  • Efflorescence