Real Estate Glossary
Our glossary is the largest dictionary of real estate and construction terms on the Internet with almost 10,000 definitions.
- Cease and Desist Order
- Judicial order prohibiting a person or business from doing something and is usually issued by the Court when unlawful activity is occurring.
- Cease and Desist Petition
- A notice filed by a homeowner, which notifies the Secretary of State that a certain premises is not for sale, puts real estate brokers on notice that the premises has no implied invitation to be solicited.
- Cedar
- One of a group of wide spreading coniferous trees of the pine family, this fragrant, durable wood is rot resistant.
- Cedar, Incense
- Cedar wood that is red in color with streaks of off-white through it. This wood have a spicy odor, resistance to decay, has a uniform texture and good thermal insulating ability. Since it is repellant to moths and other insects, it is often used as a lining for storage closets and chests.
- Cedar Shake (Roofing)
- Also called handsplits, cedar shakes are hand cut to a 18" or 24" length and may be either tapered or constant in thickness. Depending on whether they are medium or heavy, the blunt end may be ½ to 1 ¼ inches thick. As cedar shakes age they turn from the reddish brown color to gray-brown. Good drainage is essential so that there is no leakage, the pitch of the roof must not be less than 4 in 12. Installation should be with no more than 10 inches of exposure of the thicker end. Installation is done over roofing felt and may be laid on spaced or solid roof sheathing and add to the structural stiffness of the roof.
- Cedar Shingles (Roofing)
- Flat, machine-cut wooden shingles between 16 to 24 inches and originally tan in color, fading to gray. Since they are capable of catching fire, they must be treated with a fire retardant to get a Class C rating but may still cause an increase in insurance rates.
- Cedar Shingles (Siding)
- Installed in courses, cedar shingles are secured with hot-dipped galvanized nails. No. 1 Blue Label is the top of the line, being clear, without blemish and 100 heartwood. No. 2 Red Label is mostly clear and still presents a nice appearance.
- Cedar, Western Red
- Oil contained in this light, even-grained wood makes it resistant to rot and insects, in addition to being a good thermal insulator makes it useful for moist applications such as roofing and siding.
- Cedar, Wormy
- Cedar wood that has channels and grooves randomly eaten though it.
- Ceiling
- The inside part or covering of a room. Alternately, an upper limit set on anything.
- Ceiling Exposure Limit
- Maximum contaminant limit of exposure for workers as set by OSHA.
- Ceiling Fan
- Large, paddle fan mounted on the ceiling.
- Ceiling Fixture
- Electrical fixture attached to the ceiling.
- Ceiling Fixture Box
- Electrical box that is mounted on the ceiling so that the electrical fixture may be attached.
- Ceiling Height
- Standard ceiling height is eight feet.
- Ceiling Joist
- A joist that usually consists of several small 2"x 4" boards which are nailed to the sides or bottom of overhead joists and to which the ceiling is attached.
- Ceiling Loan
- Maximum loan that can be borrowed by a potential debtor.
- Ceiling Panel
- Lightweight, sound absorbing material used to cover a ceiling area. Also called a ceiling tile.
- Ceiling Panel Suspension Grid
- Suspended metal framework that is used for the attachment of ceiling panels.
- Ceiling Rate
- A controlled or administered price, which is set for property by a federal or local agency, usually in extraordinary circumstances.
- Ceiling Tile
- Lightweight, sound absorbing material used to cover a ceiling area. Also called a ceiling panel.
- Cella
- The inner part of an ancient Greek or Roman temple, housing the statue of a God or Goddess.
- Cellar
- Lowest floor, partly or completely underground, of a building.
- Cellarage
- Volume of space in a cellar.
- Cellaret or Cellarette
- Wine cabinet.
- Cellular Concrete
- Lightweight, low density concrete that holds trapped air.
- Cellular Trim
- Vinyl trim.
- Cellulose Acetate
- Paint and varnish binder, made from a sulfuric or acetic reaction with cellulose fibers
- Cellulose Nitrate
- Paint or varnish binder, also called pyroxylin or nitrocellulose, which is composed from a nitric acid reaction with cellulose fibers.
- Celsius
- Centigrade temperature scale.
- Cement
- Portland cement is used to bind aggregates and sand together to form concrete. Alternately, glue used to adhere things together.
- Cement Board
- ½ inch thick sheets of hard material composed of cement and fiberglass, which is used as a backing for ceramic tile or as an underlayment in showers, wherever a moisture barrier is needed, because it is waterproof. Cement board is installed much like drywall; the 3 x 5 foot sheets are cut to size and fastened using drywall screws. Joints are sealed with drywall joint tape and thinset mortar or the tile adhesive. Wonder Board and Durock are the two most well-known brands, with wonder board being used generically. Also called "glass mesh mortar unit."
- Cement Block
- Hollow building block that are widely used in the construction of foundations and outer walls to provide strength and durability. Size: 8"x 8"x16".
- Cement Brick
- Cement and sand, rectangular shaped building block, which cannot be used where acids or alkaline extremes might touch the brick.
- Cement-coated Nails or Sinkers
- Nails that have been coated with plastic cement to increase their holding power and increase ease of use.
- Cement Joint Pipe
- Drainage pipe that has its joints sealed by cement mortar when it is laid.
- Cement Mason
- Builder of items such as driveways, sidewalks, foundations, etc. using concrete.
- Cement Mixer
- Motorized drum that mixes the components of concrete by use of internal paddles. Also called a Concrete Mixer.
- Cement Mortar
- Mixture consisting of portland cement, sand and water.
- Cement Tile
- Matte tile, which is manufactured out of portland cement, white sand and color, pigments by casting in polished metal molds and which can be used for both exterior and interior walls and floors.
- Cement Trowel
- Piece of flat metal with a handle that is used to finish cement work. Also called a concrete trowel.
- Cement, White Portland
- Cement, ASTM C150 and C175, white in color.
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