Real Estate Glossary

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Our glossary is the largest dictionary of real estate and construction terms on the Internet with almost 10,000 definitions.
 
Pa - Pan - Par - Pas - Pe - Per - Perm - Pi - Pip - Pl
Plat - Plu - Po - Por - Pou - Pr - Pres - Pri - Pro - Prop - Pu
Piano Finish
Varnish or lacquer highly glossed finish.
Piano Hinge
Also called a continuous hinge, this narrow pin hinge runs along the length of the two sections to be joined, as in cabinets where the hinge load is spread over a large area.
Pick and Dip
Fast and efficient method of laying brick where a brick is picked up with one hand while the other hand simultaneously trowels up enough mortar to set the brick.
Picket
  1. A pointed stake or slat used upright in a fence.
  2. A post which is used as a marker when driven into the ground.
Picket Fence
Wooden fence comprised of pointed slats, which are attached to horizontal rails.
Picking Up Sags
Removing drips in a still wet paint job by rebrushing or rerolling.
Pickle Bar
Used for prying open crates or prying loose boards, this bar has a forked, wedged end.
Pickling
Acid washing a metal surface to remove corrosion, clean or restore old metal, or to minimize future corrosion.
Pickup Machine
Attached to and operated by a paving machine, this apparatus picks up asphalt from the ground and load it into the hopper on the front of the paving machine.
Pico
Term, often used as a prefix, which means one trillionth.
Pictorial Drawing
Drawings, such as oblique, perspective and axonometic, with a three-dimensional view.
Picture Framing Vise
Vise able to hold pieces together at a 90-degree angle, useful in making picture frames.
Picture Rail
Decorative molding which is often run around the top of a wall, close to the ceiling, for hanging pictures or above wall covering.
Picture Window
Single-paned, large window which does not open and is often installed in the center of the wall.
Pie Chart
Circular graph, which is divided into sections in which relative quantities are indicated by the different sizes of the sections.
Pier
Column designed to support a concentrated load. Pier columns are made of steel, steel reinforced concrete or wood. Alternately, a structure extending out into the water which is supported by numerous columns providing access to water or vessels.
Pier Footing
Foundation footing of a column.
Pig Iron
Crude iron as it comes from the blast furnace, which is eventually refined into wrought iron, steel, or ingot iron.
Piggyback Breaker
Circuit breaker which protects two lightly loaded electrical circuits.
Piggyback Loan
Loan, with participation by two or more lenders, in the financing of a single mortgage. Alternately, a combination of a construction loan with a permanent loan commitment.
Pigment
  1. Coloring matter, often in the form of an insoluble powder, which is mixed with oil, water, etc. to make paint.
  2. Any coloring matter in the cells or tissues of plants or animals.
Pigtail
The electrical cord or wire that has a plug on the end which, when plug into an electrical appliance, brings power to it.
Pigtail Splice
Electrical, insulated wire whose ends are spliced and twisted together to connect new and old wiring.
Pilasters
Decorative vertical support column, which projects partially from a wall, often on each side of a doorway.
Piling (Pile)
Vertical support piece of a structure, driven into the ground, which supports the foundation.
Piling (Pile) Cap
Fitting that is positioned over the piling ends to transfer the load to the piling.
Pile Driver
Machines, such as mechanical hammers, drop hammers or vibrating hammers, which are used to drive piles into the ground by use of a large weight and guides to hold the piles plumb.
Pillar
  1. A long, slender, vertical structure used as a support.
  2. A column.
Pillar File
Also called a safe-edge file, it has no cutting teeth on either one or both edges, allowing it to file work that is against other surfaces.
Pilot
Electronic control or flame that ignites gas or oil burners.
Pilot Hole
Small hole that is used to guide when drilling larger holes in increments of smaller holes.
Pilot Light or Flame
Constantly burning low flame that lights the burners in a gas appliance, by igniting the gas, when its gas feed is turned on.
Pilot Light Switch
Lighted electrical switch, which indicates when the switch is in the on position. If no light is seen, the switch is off.
Pin
A slender, circular peg used for fastening or holding things together.
Pinch Bar
Pry bar made of heavy metal, used for prying nails, with one end made into a wedge and the other bent into a hook with a claw foot. Also called a crowbar.
Pinch Dog
U-shaped staple used to hold boards together; they vary in size for ¼ inch to 3 inches wide.
Pine, Arkansas Soft
Soft, lightweight but tough and resilient wood used for trim molding, paneling, flooring, door and window jambs, etc.
Pine, Idaho White
Weather resistant, straight grain wood with a soft light color that is used mostly for exterior trim, sheathing, siding, etc.
Pine, Ponderosa
Tough, lightweight, even textured wood that is usually free from warping; it is primarily used for cabinetry, trim, window frames, doors, etc.
Pine, Southern or Yellow
Strong, durable wood that is used for both structural and nonstructural applications. This wood comes in four types that are construction grade.
Pine, Sugar
Corky textured, soft lightweight wood that is strong and touch with a low rate of shrinkage. Since it cuts easily in all directions, it can be used to make patterns, for carving, for trim, siding and doors.
Pin-face Spanner Wrench
U-shaped wrench with a handle, which has a pin projecting through one end at right angles to the axis of the leg, two of which are joined at the other end. The pins are inserted in the holes on a nut which rotating force applied to the nut.
Pin Hinge
Type of hinge that pivots on a pin that goes through both sides of the hinge, which is visible when the door is closed.
Pinhole
A tiny hole of the size made by a pin.
Pinholing (Pitting)
Paint defect, often caused by air bubbles, which pits the painted surface, most commonly when paint is sprayed. The trapped air bubbles break, leaving a small hole in the paint surface. Slowly evaporating solvents can also cause this problem. Multiple coats of paint help to prevent it.
Pinion
Small diameter gear that is engaged with a larger gear to be used, for example, in transmissions.
Pinned File Teeth
Material particle clogged file teeth.
Pin Punch
Apparatus that removes tapered pins from tools or machines.
Pintle
  1. Pin or bolt upon which another part turns.
  2. Vertical peg used as a hinge pin on a gate.
  3. Wood post base of cast iron or metal.
Pin-tumbler Lock Cylinder
Lock cylinder that has a series of pin that are moved into certain positions by a key when the cylinder is turned. The cylinder cannot be turned when the pins are in place, being held by a spring behind each one and the lock can only be opened by having the proper key inserted to push the pins back into the housing.

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