Dictionary of Interior Designing

Storage buildings - These shall include any building or part of a building primarily for the storage or sheltering of goods , wares or merchandise , garages , stables etc.

Stair - A stair may be defined as a structure comprising of a number of steps connecting one floor to another.

Service road - A road/lane provided at the rear or side of a plot for service purposes.

Set-back Line - A line usually parallel to the plot boundaries and laid down in each case by the local municipal bodies beyond which nothing can be constructed towards the plot boundary.

Site - A piece of land enclosed by definite boundaries.

Storey - The portion of a building included between the surface of any floor and the surface of the floor next above it.

Street - Any means of access i.e. highway road , lane , pathway over which public have a right of passage.

Sanitary fittings - The fittings or appliance used for collection and discharge of soil or waster matter is termed as sanitary fittings.

Sink - Sink is commonly used in kitchens , hospitals and laboratories. It is made of glazed fire clay , stainless steel , plastic etc.

Sliding window - In this type of window , the shutters move on roller bearing and can slide either horizontally or vertically.

Sash window - In this case , the window shutter consists of two vertical stiles , top rail and a bottom rail.

Sash door - This type of door is used in residential as well as public buildings with a view to supplement the natural lighting provided by windows or to make the interior of one room visible from the adjacent one.

Scaffolding - Scaffold is a temporary rigid structure having platforms raised up as the building increases in height. It enables the mason to work at different stages of a building and to hoist the materials for the immediate use at various angles.

Scarfing joint - This system of lengthening wooden member is especially suitable in places where it is necessary to maintain the same depth and width of the member throughout its length.

Service connection - It is a water connection given by the local body (municipal cooperation) from city water distribution mains to a consumer. The consumer may be the owner of a single house , a multistoried building , a planned block development or a water district buying water wholesale.

Stop cock - This is provided before water meter in a chamber with a cover to cut off the supply of water from the street main to the building for repairs to the plumbing system within the building.

Septic tank - In areas , where municipal underground sewage system is not available , the sewage from residential apartments , small residential colonies and isolated buildings like offices , schools , hospitals etc. is treated in a septic tank.

Sewage - It is combination of discharge from soil pipe , waste pipe with or without rain water.

Stack - It is a term used for any vertical pipeline of a drainage system.

Sewer - It is a system of underground pipe belonging to local municipal authority which collects discharge from drains or house drains from outside the private boundary of more than one property.

Stains - It is a liquid preparation which is used to change the color of various types of cheap quality wood to give them the appearance of wood of superior quality.

Shoring - The term shoring is applied to construction of the temporary structure required to support an unsafe structure.

Spalls - Chips or small pieces of stone broken off a large block are termed as spalls. They are used in filling the interstices in stone masonry.

Silt trap - Silt trap are provided only in situations where the waste water carries large amount of silt , sand , coarse particles etc. It is a masonry chamber which functions like grit chamber where the silt , sand etc. settle down before the waste water is discharged into the drainage.

Springer - It is the first voussoir at springing level on either side of the arch.

Springing line - It is an imaginary line joining the two springing points.

Span - It is the clear horizontal distance between the supports.

Skew-back - It is the surface of the abutment on which the arch rests.

Springing points - These are the points at the extremities of the intrados.

Spandril - It is the triangular walling enclosed by the extrados of the arch , a horizontal line from the crown of the arch and a perpendicular line from the springing of the outer curves.

Skylight - This is a type of fixed window provided on the sloping surface of a pitched roof , the window being parallel to the sloping surface. The skylight is provided with a view to permit the room below to be fully lighted with natural light.

Sliding door - This type of door is considered suitable for shops , sheds , godowns etc. and in places where the use of hinges for fixing the shutter is to be avoided.

Swing door - This type of door is generally provided in passages of public buildings like offices , banks etc. The door may have single shutter or two shutters. Since these doors are pushed open ,they should have glazed shutters so as to enable the users to see the objects on other side.

Sludge soak pit - This is an alternative method of disposal of sewage from an individual house drain. The sludge soak pit can function effectively in situation where the ground water table is low and the sub-soil is of porous type.

Sound insulation - Control of noise transmission is essential to minimize the disturbing effect of sound passing from one person to another , through walls , partitions, floors and ceilings.

Spray painting - Painting with the spray gun is considered to be a highly developed and efficient method of applying all types of protective coatings.

Spread footings - In this , the base of the member transmitting load to the soil is made wider so as to distribute the load over wider area.

Squint joint - This is formed when two walls meet each other at an angle other than a right angle without forming a quoin.

Storage tanks - In the areas , where continuous supply of water is available the pressure of water in the mains may not be adequate to raise the water to upper floors. Thus provision of storage tank is made in a building to ensure availability of water during non supply hours or when the municipal supply is stopped.

Strecher course - It is a course of brickwork in which all the bricks are laid as strechers.

String course - It is a horizontal course of masonry projecting from the face of the wall and is generally at every floor or sill level throughout the length of the wall. It is intended to improve the elevation of the structure.