DIY Glossary - P to R

Padsaw

A narrow bladed saw used for cutting openings after a starter hole has been made.

Paint Kettle

A small metal (or plastic) container for holding manageable amounts of paint.

Party Wall

The shared wall between two houses.

Pasting Table

Folding table designed to allow you to lay wallpaper on to paste.

Pilot Hole

A small hole drilled into a material to guide a larger gauge drill bit or a screw.

Pin Hammer

Small hammer designed for driving pins and tacks.

Plasterboard

Hardened plaster sandwiched between two sheets of cardboard. Available in a range of widths and usually with different sides for plastering or painting over.

Plumb Line

A long piece of string or cord with a weight on one end. Used for lining up verticals.

Plywood

Strong board made of several bonded layers of thinner wood. Can be bought in a range of grades.

Pointing

Pointing is the term for the mortar between bricks or blocks. Re-pointing is the act of repairing this mortar.

Preservative

Chemical sprayed or painted onto wood to prevent rotting and decay.

Primer

A light undercoat of paint or varnish, over which the finish coat is applied. Primer is important when painting over dark material, as it will reduce the amount of finish coat needed.

PTFE Tape

Thin rubber-like tape used to seal plumbing joints. Used by wrapping around the thread of the joint before it is connected.

Purlin

Horizontal roof beam, running at right angles to, and in the centre of, the rafters.

PVA Glue

Polyvinyl Acetate. A white glue used in woodworking. Also sometimes mixed into concrete to reduce absorbency.

Rafters

The sloping timbers that create the roof framework.

Rails

The horizontal part of a doorframe. Also See Jamb.

RCD

Residual Current Device. A safety device designed to break the electrical circuit in the event of a fault or leakage.

Render

Cement mortar applied over brickwork as a protective or decorative coating.

Reveal

The hole cut in a wall to accept a window.

Rising Butt

A type of door hinge that lifts the door slightly as it opens.

Roller

Foam (or other material) sleeve that fits onto a metal arm for painting walls, etc.

Rose, Ceiling Rose

Decorative plaster fitting through which a light fixture is passed. Found most often in period properties.

Router

A power tool for cutting slots in wood or shaping the edge of wood.

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