Structural

Flitch Beam

Structural · definition

A composite beam of steel plate sandwiched between wood members, used where a slim but very strong beam is needed.

Source: Wikipedia — Flitch Beam

  • Beam

    A primary horizontal member that carries loads from joists or framing across a span to posts or walls. Opening up a floor plan usually me…

  • Footing Drain / Drain Tile

    Perforated pipe in gravel along the footing that collects groundwater and routes it away or to a sump, relieving pressure on the foundation.

  • Exterior Waterproofing

    Excavating to the footing and applying a membrane/coating plus drainage to the outside of the foundation — the most thorough (and costly)…

  • French Drain

    A gravel-filled trench with perforated pipe that redirects surface and groundwater away from the structure.

  • Expansive Soil

    Clay-rich soil that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, cyclically stressing foundations. A leading cause of foundation cracking and mo…

  • Frost Heave

    Upward soil movement when moisture freezes and expands, lifting shallow footings, slabs, and steps. Prevented by footing depth and drainage.

  • Expansion Joint

    A deliberate separation that lets adjacent concrete or structure move with temperature and load without cracking or buckling.

  • Frost Line / Frost Depth

    The depth to which ground freezes locally. Footings must bear below it (in central Ohio ~32 in.) so frost heave can't lift the structure.

Where this term fits in a remodel

The pillar guides set terms like this one in context — what the work involves, what drives its cost, and where it sits in the sequence of a project. Pricing a specific house takes a defined scope and an on-site assessment.

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