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Glossary of DIY Home Improvement Terms - A

This page of our online a to z glossary of DIY home improvement terms is for do-it-yourself terms beginning with the letter 'A'.

• Abrasive - A rough-surfaced material used for grinding and polishing.
• Abrasive paper - Paper coated with abrasive particles for smoothing wood. Graded by grit size and spacing.
• Acrylic sheet - A rigid plastic sheet, usually about 3 mm thick in clear, coloured or opal.
• Adhesive - A powerful bonding agent. Many types are available for use with specific materials.
• Adjustable spanner - Open-ended spanner with a movable jaw enabling it to adapt to a wide range of sizes.

  
  
  An adjustable spanner

• Aggregate - Sand, rock and gravel-like materials used with cement to make concrete, or added to paint to make a textured finish.
• Air brick - A perforated brick placed in a wall which provides ventilation by allowing air to pass through.
• Air pocket - The empty space in a concrete wall caused by improper pouring.
• Airlock - A blockage in a pipe caused by a trapped bubble of air.
• Alkyd resins - Synthetic resins used in paint manufacture.
• Alloy - A mixture of two or more metals.
• Anchor bolt - A fixing bolt securing a wood or metal frame to a masonry wall or solid floor.
• Anhydrous - Moisture-free.
• Aniline dyes - Synthetically produced colours made from coal tar substances.
• Applique - Fabric pieces sewn to a backing material in a decorative fashion.
• Arc - Curve formed by part of the circumference of a circle.
• Architrave - Traditionally a moulding for doors and windows, covering the gap between frame and wall. Often (incorrectly) used as a generic term for mouldings.
• Arris - The sharp edge at the meeting of two surfaces.
• Arris rails - the horizontal rails of a fence to which the upright boards are fixed. Arris rails are usually triangular in cross-section.
• Asbestos - Threadlike fibres of calcium and magnesium silicate used in fireproofing. Asbestos is now considered a very serious health hazard.
• Aspect - The direction that a house or room faces, its fronting; for example if a room has a southerly aspect, it faces directly south.
• Asphalt - A mineral material used widely for waterproofing roofs, walls and floors.
• Auger - A small pointed tool for piercing holes in leather.
• Auger bit - A spiral-shaped tool for boring holes in wood.

  
  
  A selection of auger bits

• Awl - A sharp-pointed tool for marking holes and scribing.