Glossary - R
Rabbet
See 'rebate'.
Rafter
A member in the roof structure running from the ridge to the eaves.
Rail
Horizontal piece of timber in framing or panelling; any horizontal piece of timber.
Rain spotting
Depressions or surface blemishes in a paint film caused by rain falling on the surface before the paint has fully dried.
Raking out
The process of cutting out cracks in plaster or rendered surfaces to remove loose particles and to provide a key for the repair material.
Rebate
A recess cut into a piece of timber so as to fit into another piece to form a joint; a recess in a frame to accommodate a door panel or window. Also spelt 'rabbet'.
Reinforced concrete
Concrete work in which steel bars (reinforcement) are embedded to impart additional strength. Should not be confused with a load-beaming steel structure, clad or covered with concrete.
Rendering
The first rough coat of a plastering system usually composed of lime and/or cement and sand; External 'plastering' on walls and application to all coats in the system -also 'cement rendering'.
Resin
Term used to describe any gum or resin used for varnish and paint manufacture. In case of synthetic resin the term will embrace liquid syrups as well as the solid material.
Reveal
The interior surfaces of a bay are the reveals; also used to describe a 'return' of a wall into a window or door opening.
Riser
The vertical face of a step or stair.
Rivelling
See 'shrivelling'.
Roof light
Any form of skylight usually in a pitched roof but also sometimes used as a general term for any window or light in a roof.
Ropiness
The appearance of a paint film which shows coarse or heavy brush marks.
Rotten wood
Simply run a pen knife blade across the grain. This will only make a small indentation on sound timber, but on rotten timber the blade will sink in. The only cure is to cut out all the rotten wood and replace with sound timber.
Rough cast
A term often used incorrectly for rough-surfaced rendering; correctly the term applied to a final coating of small stones or chippings mixed with a liquid mixture of mortar or cement and sand, and 'cast' or thrown onto the wall or rendering to produce a rough-textured finish.
Round
Describes a heavy-bodied paint or one having good build and opacity.
Round coat
Usually refers to the liberal application of a full coat of paint.
RSJ
Rolled steel joist.
Rubbing down
Preparation of a surface by use of abrasive materials, e.g. glasspaper to obtain a smooth surface for painting over or to provide a 'key' for subsequent coats.
Runs
Narrow dribbles or tears of paint caused by excess flowing out of crevices and quirks or from edges or corners and usually due to insufficient spreading or care during application.
Rustic brick
Bricks having a rough-textured surface, often multi-coloured and probably derived from rusticated masonry which is composed of unhewn stones.
RWH
Rain water head; the hopper or box at the top of a rainwater pipe into which several gutters or pipes discharge.
RWP
Rain water pipe.