Tradesmen Slang
Experienced tradesmen from builders to plumbers will often use their own words to describe materials, services or even other tradesmen! So, don’t be alarmed when your builder starts talking about muck - it's likely they are not referring to the state of your house! It’s purely tradesmen lingo for Mortar!
We’ve highlighted our favourite phrases below to help you understand your tradesmen!
|
Phrase |
Meaning |
|
Dust |
Cement |
|
Scratch |
Sandpaper |
|
Lagging |
Insulation that covers pipes to regulate the temperature |
|
Eggshell |
Type of paint that gives a glossier finish than matt paint, but isn't quite high gloss |
|
Drafting |
Drawn up plans or blueprints for a project |
|
Snag List / Punch List |
Minor issues once a job has been completed to be rectified to finish off the job |
|
Sparkie(s) |
Electrician(s) |
|
Chippie(s) |
Carpenter(s) |
|
Muck |
Mortar |
|
Lumber |
Timber |
|
Dib and Dab |
Drywall Adhesive |
|
Chinaman hat / mushroom vent/ elephant’s foot |
Flue ventilator cowl |
|
Tradie |
A Tradesmen |
|
Brickie |
Bricklayer |
|
Spoil |
Material dug out from excavation |
|
Efflorescence |
Powdery white salts that appear on the surface of brickwork |
|
Screed |
A layer of concrete that is used to smooth down a surface before being finished |
|
Skim |
Finishing coat of plaster |
|
Barge Board |
Wide board fitted on edge of tiles following the slope of the roof |
|
Coping |
Protective finish to the top of a wall |
|
Joist |
Support for floor & ceiling |
|
Knotting |
Varnish to stabilise knots in wood |
|
Render |
External sand-cement coating for walls |
|
Stack |
Vertical pipe carrying waste from sinks and toilets |
