Design Glossary - W

Weatherboard:

A weather moulding, Horizontal boards on edge, nailed over the outside of light buildings. The boards overlap, often with a rebate at the lower edge of each board, to help keep out rain and wind. See clapboard, shiplap boards.

Weathercock:

Weathervane. A pivoted ornamental finial that turns with the wind to show which way it is blowing.

Weathering:

A change in colour of the surface of a building material after exposure to rain and sun. The mechanical and chemical break-up of a wood surface exposed to rain and sun. It is not decay.

Weave:

Interlacing of threads that form a piece of fabric.

Wedge:

A tapered piece of wood.

Weephole:

A small drain hole for water. One is drilled through a wooden window sill to allow condensation water to escape; cross joints in the outer leaf of a cavity wall are left without mortar at intervals.

Weft Faced:

Fabric that has a large proportion of the horizontal (weft as opposed to warp) threads on the surface.

Weft:

The term used to describe the direction of horizontal threads in fabric “(weft to wite)”.

Welding:

This is the fusing of two pieces of metal, achieved by first softening with heat then joining them by pounding or a fusible binding material. In 1916 the blowtorch (oxyacetylene) process was perfected for the use of constructing World War 1 airplanes. This process enabled the butt welding of tubes and bars, which were used in the next decade of furniture.

Winder:

A tread of triangular or wedge shape, changing the direction of a stair. A circular or elliptical geometric stair.

Stair winder

Window Back:

The vertical panelling, match boarding, or other joinery between the floor and the window.

Window Bar:

A glazing bar.

Window Bead:

A sash stop.

Window Board:

sill, elbow. A horizontal board fixed like a shelf at sill level inside a window. It was always wooden, but now may be of pressed steel or aluminium.

Window Efficiency Ratio:

The daylight factor.

Window Frame:

The part of a window surrounding the casements or sashes, in which they hinge or slide as the case may be.

Window Sash:

Windows are usually either side-hinged on vertical hinges (casements) or they slide up and down (sash windows). Other less usual windows are sliding sashes, pivoted sashes, night vents, hopper windows.

Window Sill:

ledge. The lower edge of the interior of a window. The part the flies collect on when they die.

Window:

A window is an opening in a wall other than a door, which provides light and ventilation. Such an opening is covered by transparent material inserted in a frame usually located for admitting sunlight and constructed so that it can be opened to admit air.

Wool:

(textiles) This is sheared from a sheep and processed to various levels of refinement. It comes in only a few natural colours, although it can be dyed. Its performance characteristics are generally excellent. It is a good insulator and has good soil resistance; it is a very versatile high quality fibre and blends well with synthetics to improve the service characteristics. It is subject to moth and UV light damage.

Worsted:

A yarn that is made from combed wool that gives a smoother finish than that of carded wool. Usually tightly woven.

Wrought Iron:

This is iron, which is created by means of pounding out with hammers. Not to be confused with Cast iron, which is formed by pouring molten iron into a mould. Wrought iron is stronger and more malleable that cast iron.

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