3-Tab Shingle - An asphalt shingle made up of a single layer that have tabs or strips along their lower edge to make it look like three separate pieces.

Abutment - Where sections of the roof come together at a vertical area. (like a wall or chimney)

Acrylic Coating - A water-based restorative coating that is designed to reduce the effects of rusting as well as increase reflectivity.

Aggregate - A gravel material often seen on top of built-up roofing that is intentionally worn down by water before use.

Algae - A fungus that grows on roofs that are in areas of frequent rain and high humidity. Can cause discoloration and the lack of durability of a roof.

Aluminum Roofing - Usually installed in corrugated or standing-seam panels, known for its rust resistance and high reflectivity. 

Aluminum Siding - Horizontal planks of aluminum with a baked-on enamel finish. One of the cheaper types of siding.

American Hardboard Association - Otherwise known as the AHA, is the national trade organization for manufacturers of hardboard products.

Angled Fasteners - Roofing nails and/or staples that are driven into decks in angles that are not parallel to the deck.

APP - Atactic Polypropylene, a plastic polymer used in the modification of asphalt.

Apron Flashing - The metal flashing used at chimney fronts.

Architectural Shingle - An asphalt shingle whose tabs are cut to different sizes and shapes to make a more 3-dimensional appearance.

Asphalt - A bituminous water proofing agent used in multiple types of roofing materials, such as shingles, roof decking, drip edge and flashing.

Asphalt Cement - Used to bond roofing materials, also called flashing cement or mastic. 

Asphalt Concrete Primer - Asphalt based primer used prepare metal and concrete for asphalt sealant. Used to improve the adhesion of self-adhering membranes.

Asphalt Sealant - A protective layer of asphalt emulsion to asphalt surfaces. Prevents water, chemicals, etc. from damaging the asphalt.

ASTM - American Society for Testing Materials, often referred to when looking up material impact and fire-resistance. 

Back Gutter - A gutter formed at the back of a chimney that prevents water from penetrating shingles and diverts water away from the roof system.

Back Surfacing - Fine material matter that is applied to the back side of the shingles to keep them from sticking together.

Backerboard - Used on the face of the house between the studs and the siding to provide a surface for the nails to go into. 

Balanced Ventilation System - Brings in good quality air from outside and gets rid of bad quality air from inside at the same rate.

Barge Board - The board along the edge of a gable. 

Base Flashing - The portion of the flashing attached to (or resting on) the deck to direct the flow of water away from the structure.

Base Sheet - The bottom layer of waterproofing on a multilayer roofing system. 

Batten - Horizontal timbers that are nailed to the rafters, where tiles/slates are secured.

Blind Nailing - A technique where the nail heads are not visible, usually covered by a putty or another concealing product.

Blisters - Bubbles that appear on the surface of asphalt roofing. 

Board & Batten - A type of siding consisting of wide boards of plywood set vertically with the joints and covered by battens (narrow strips of plywood).

Booster Tile - A long strip used to lift up the cover tile to create and authentic looking roof.

Boot - Flexible flashing used to cover gaps surrounding a pipe or vent. 

Brick Veneer - A construction method of a wall where a layer of bricks is attached to the wood framework of a house. 

Bridging - A method of re-roofing where the new shingles follow the shape of the old shingles. 

Built-up Roof - A roof with several layers of specialized materials and adhesives, usually a flat or sloped roof. 

Buckling - When a shingle appears to be raised in the center, caused by wrinkling of the underlayment or the deck shifting. 

Building Code - National, State, or Municiple standards that govern construction and building maintenance. 

Bundle - A pack of shingles, there are usually 3, 4, or 5 bundles per square. 

Butt Edge - The lower, horizontal edge of the shingles tabs.

Buttlock - The bottom edge of a siding or soffit panel, which locks into the previously installed panel. 

Butyl Tape - Used to seal spaces between the roofing material seams to prevent water infiltration.

Cap Sheet - Coated with mineral granules, the top layer of a roofing system. 

Caulk - A waterproof material used to seal joints or seams to prevent water infiltration.

Center Butt - The bend in the center of a piece of siding that makes it seem like the siding is split into two, but it is really only one piece.

Centerline of Ridge - The wall or rafter under the end of a roof where the gable ends. 

CertainTeed - A popular manufacturer of roofing and building materials.

Chalk Line - A line made with cord or taut string that is dusted with chalk, used for alignment purposes for the roof. 

Channel - For example, J-Channel or F-Channel. The area on a piece of trim or post where siding or soffit panels are inserted. They are named after the letter of the alphabet that they resemble. 

Checking - A crack or split in wood plank siding due to the wood taking in moisture or losing moisture, it will shrink and swell until reaches its balance.

Chemical Resistance - A material's strength to withstand exposure to chemicals without being damaged. 

Clapboard - Horizontal, rectangular or taped planks overlapping one another; a type of siding.

Class "A" Fire Resistance - The highest fire test classification, tested by ASTM. Indicates that the roofing is able to withstand severe exposure to fire coming from outside sources.

Class "B" Fire Resistance - Indicates that the roofing is able to moderately withstand fire coming from outside sources. 

Class "C" Fire Resistance - Indicates that the roofing is able to lightly withstand fire coming from outside sources.

Closed Cut Valley - A type of roofing valley that has a straight line of cut shingles running down the middle of it.

Collar - Also called a vent sleeve, it is placed over the vent pipe to seal the roof around the opening. 

Composition Board - Sheets of weather resistant scrap wood compressed with resins, a type of siding.

Cool Roofing - Roofing systems that are designed to limit the amount of sunlight absorbed, reduces heat gain. 

Corrugated Metal Roofing - A common form of metal roofing involving aluminum or steel panels.

Corrugated Siding - A type of waved or grooved siding, comes in large metal sheets or panels and a variation of thickness. 

Counter Flashing - The part of the flashing that is between the roof and a vertical wall and directs water away from the roof.

Course - A row of panels running from one side of the house to the other, unless it's vertical siding which would then run top to bottom. 

Cricket - Also known as a saddle, a ridge structure that reroutes water away from the roof and prevents water from entering the house.

Cupping - A defect that will cause the siding to have a ripple effect or wavy appearance. 

Cutout - The open part of a shingle between the tabs.

D4 Profile - "Double 4", a siding profile that has two rows, each at 4 inches tall. 

D5 Profile - "Double 5", a siding profile that has two rows, each at 5 inches tall.

Dead Load - The weight of a roofing system, that includes all of the fixtures that the system must be able to support.

Dormers - Parts of the home that stick out from the roof, used to bring in natural light to and attic. Not all houses have dormers.

Double Coverage - Two layers of roofing materials over the decking. 

Downspout - A pipe that drains water from the roof gutters.

Drip Edge - A metal flashing that is used along the eaves and rakes of a roof to send water away from the fascia. 

Eaves - The edges of the roof that hang over the exterior walls of a house.

Eave Flashing - An additional layer of material applied at the eaves to prevent water damage. 

Fascia - The horizontal board under the roof edge that connects the roof to the house's outer walls.

Fillers - Also called mineral stabilizers, are finely ground materials added to the asphalt in shingles for durability and a higher resistance to weather and fires. 

Flashing - Pieces of metal that prevent water from seeping into a building around intersections in a roof. Vent pipes, adjoining walls, chimneys, dormers, and valleys are some places you would find flashing. 

Flat Roof Blistering - When small bubbles form underneath a flat roof's membrane. 

Gable Wall - Triangular parts of the house that extend from the eaves to the peak of the roof.

Granules - Ceramic-coated crushing rock that sit on top of asphalt shingles to protect them from weather, aging, and UV rays. 

Gutter - A water discharge system that channels the water away from the eaves to the downspouts.

Gutter Splash Guards - Prevents water from overshooting the gutters, they are installed where roof valleys meet the gutter. 

Hip - A high point where two parts of the roof connect.

Hip Roof - A type of roof where all four sides consist of sloping planes. 

Ice Dam - Ice buildup at the edge of a roof that prevents the melting snow from going off of the roof.

Ice and Water Shield - Also called Ice and Water Barrier, is a material specifically designed to protect the roof from water damage.

Joists - Provide extra strength for the roof structure, they are laid horizontally and connect to the bottom end of the rafters. 

Lap - The overlapping of one roofing material to another.

Lap Cement - A type of adhesive that is applied to the underside of the rooftop to adhere the rolled roofing materials. 

Low Slope Application - The installation of asphalt shingles and underlayment on roofs that have a low pitch or angle. 

Mansard Roof - A type of roof that has two slopes on each four sides. The lower slope has a much steeper pitch than the higher slope. 

Non-Veneer Panel - Wooden panels that do not contain any wooden veneer.

Open Valley - When shingles on both sides of the valley are trimmed along the chalk line. The valley flashing is exposed, and the shingles do not extend across the valley.

Overhang - The part of a roof structure that extends beyond the exterior walls of a building.

Ply - A layer of roofing, 1-ply, 2-ply, etc.

Ponding (pooling) - The accumulation of water on a roof that remains wet after all the other parts have dried up. 

Primer - A base coating used to prepare the surfaces of a roof for adhesion of a roof coating or membrane.

Purlins - Horizontal beams that lay across rafters and provide additional support for the roof load. 

Racking - When the shingle courses are applied vertically up the roof.

Rafters - Wooden or metal slats inside of a house that support the sheathing and shingles. 

Rake - The sloping edge of a gable roof that extends past the exterior walls, runs from the eave to the ridge and covers the top edge of the roof.

Release Tape - A plastic strip that is on the back of self-sealing shingles, it prevents the shingles from sticking together in bundles.

Reroofing - The process of removing roof coverings and replacing them with an all-new roofing system. 

Ridge - The highest point of a roof. Also known as the peak. 

Ridge Board - Runs parallel to the ridge and provides a connection to the rafters.

Rise - The vertical distance between two points of a roof.

Roll Roofing - A type of roofing material that is similar to asphalt shingles, mineral surfaced and oil-based asphalt, and used on low slope or flat roofs.

Roof Alligatoring - A phenomenon that happens as a flat roof ages, usually caused by the sun, the UV rays dry out the coating and cause it to crack looking like alligator skin.

Run - The distance from the eaves to the middle of the roof horizontally.

SBS - Styrene Butadiene Styrene. A synthetic polymer mixed with asphalt that is added to increase the flexibility. 

Scupper - A drainage system that allows water to drain through an opening in the roof's edge, they are used with the design of the roofing system to direct water to the edge.

Self-Sealing Shingles - Shingles that have factory applied strips or spots of adhesive.

Self-Sealing Strip/Spot - A factory applied adhesive that bonds shingle courses together. 

Selvage - The self-sealing edge of roll roofing to prevent water from entering the roof.

Sheathing - Boards or sheet material that are attached to the rafters. Also called "decking".

Single Coverage - Asphalt roofing that only provides one layer of material over the deck. 

Slope - The incline of the roof shown as a ratio, of the vertical rise to the horizontal run. For example, a slope of 3/12 would have a 3-inch rise for every 12 inches.

Snow Guard - A device installed on the roof to prevent snow and ice from sliding off & damaging gutters or worse, causing harm to people.

Soffit - The overhang where the roof meets the siding, installed on the bottom side of the fascia board. 

Square - Equivalent to 100 square feet, this measurement is used to determine how much roofing material will be needed.

Starter Strip (Starter Shingles) - Shingles that have an adhesive strip and used underneath the first layer of shingles.

Step Flashing - A piece of metal that is bent at 90 degrees. It goes between areas where a roof meets a sidewall, dormer or chimney.

Tab - The bottom portion of a shingle defined by cut-outs. 

Telegraphing - When shingles become distorted due to being applied on an uneven surface. 

Trim - A finishing piece on a roof that is to protect the seam along a hip or ridge. 

Trusses - Roof framing structures that are factory made and take the place of rafters and joists. 

UL - Underwriter's Laboratories, LLC. An organization that does safety testing and certification for different products, including roofing materials.

UL Label - A label, by UL, displayed on packaging to let buyers know that the product was properly tested and meet safety and performance standards.

Underlayment - A water resistant material applied directly onto the roof deck to provide an extra layer of protection.

Valley - Areas of the roof where two sections meet and slope down. 

Vapor Retarder - A material that limits the movement of water vapor in the roofing system. Usually installed underneath the insulation.

Vent - Any outlet that allows air to circulate through the attic as well as allow air in and out. Soffit vents and ridge vents are most commonly used.

Zinc Strip - A strip that releases zinc ions into the water rolling off of the roof, the metal prevents the growth of moss, algae, and fungus.

For any quotes, questions about materials, or contractor referrals - Call Bonded Building Materials, Inc. (518-346-2395) or stop in @ 1329 Amsterdam Road, Scotia, NY 12302