When Kentrell from West Memphis, Arkansas, worked for a granite company, his co-workers who were about to put two pieces of granite together would say I’m going to pull a seam. But why would they use the word pull for the action of pushing together...
buttering n.— «Spread a layer of mortar on the bottom of the opening like you’d spread butter on bread. In fact, the process is called buttering. Do the same to the top and sides of the replacement brick and slide it carefully into the hole...
grassing n.— «The Tasmanian-made bricks have a special mix of local clay with a high shale content to reduce shrinkage. Before being used to reconstruct the walls next February, the bricks will be stored on site to allow them to stabilise, in a...
stretcher n.— «The bricks laid longways are called stretchers; the bricks laid crossways, so that you can only see one end, are called headers. In English bond, the courses of stretchers and headers alternate. In Flemish bond, each course has...
rat-trap bond n.— «The southern and western walls of the building, which face the sun during the day, have been built using a type of masonry called the rat-trap bond. Popularised by the iconic architect Laurie Baker who died last week, this is a...
concretable n. a modular, portable building made of concrete. Editorial Note: A “concretable” is a type of “relocatable,” which is a modular, portable building made of any material. Etymological Note: concrete + portable (source: Double-Tongued...
