Grab Bar
Safety bar installed in a bathtub for use when bathing.

Grab Sample
Frequent samples done periodically for purposes of testing material or water.

Grace Period
Specified time, after the due date, in which a borrower may make a payment without incurring a penalty.

Grade
1. A rating in a scale to classifying according to rank, quality, degree, etc.
2. The ground level around a building.
3. The degree or rise of a sloping surface.
4. To change the original slope of ground to prepare for paving or for drainage purposes.
5. A method of classifying the quality of building materials, such as lumber.

Grade Beam
Foundation beam, which is resting, at grade level, on pilings, which are supports in a vertical position to provide stability when soul is not stable.

Grade Break
Point where the ground slope changes.

Grade Lath
Lath with marks indicating its grade.

Grade Level
Flat or sloping surface, the ground elevation, upon which a building is built.

Grade Mark or Stamp
Stamp, or other marking, which shows the classification of the quality of the material.

Grade, Percent
To evaluate the proposed slope of a driveway, road, etc. a calculation is done by dividing the rise and fall of the grade by the distance over which the rise and fall is measured. This decimal figure is then multiplied by 100 to obtain the percent grade.

Grade Pin
Steel pin, which hold the measuring string over the area that an excavation is being dug.

Grade Ring
Cylinder sections used are used to bring the top of a manhole close to grade so the manhole casting on the top is level with grade.

Grade Rod
Surveyor's rod with feet and decimal feet marked for measuring. A surveyor can ascertain the vertical change in grade, between his transit, from which he is viewing and the location of the grade rod.

Grade Stake
Stake that marks the correct height of a finished footing when they are cut to the proper elevation, and set into the footing excavation, which uses no forms. The tops mark the proper height.

Grade Stick
Measuring stick for the distance from an overhead structure to the wanted level of the top of a concrete surface. The grade stick is used to check the measurement as the concrete is poured to the proper depth and the slab is floated. Often using a grade stick is the only way to determine if a pour surface is level because there is no reference point.

Graded Tax
Increasing tax rates as levels of taxable income rise.

Grader
Earth-moving equipment that uses a scraper blade for smoothing the ground.

Gradient
The slope or rate of increase or decrease in the elevation of a surface; usually expressed as a percentage. Percentage is determined by dividing the rise of the grade in feet over a 100-foot length by 100. Gradient = vertical rise or fall/horizontal distance.

Grading
1. To determine the quality level of material.
2. Bring the ground level of a building site to the proper level for construction.

Grading Plan
View of an area, with the information for grading and shaping necessary to bring the ground to the proper level for construction.

Graduate
To mark with degrees, lines or numbers needed for measuring.

Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI)
Designation issued by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) to members meeting specific performance and education requirements for residential real estate.

Graduated-Payment Mortgage (GPM)
Mortgage where the monthly payments are low for the first few years, gradually rise for a few years and then remain fixed.

Graduation
The marking of a flask, tube, container, etc. with a series of degrees for measuring.

Grain
1. The natural growth pattern in wood, which gives a specific design.
2. Pattern in which the lattice structure, formed by the crystals produced when liquid metal becomes solid.

Grain Raise
Often, when wood is exposed to water, the wood fibers swell and rise above the surrounding wood. Fine sandpaper is used to sand the fibers off.

Graininess
1. Consisting of grains, coarsely textured, granular.
2. Defect in a paint surface, which appears rough, as though sand or some other material had become mixed with it.

Gram
Basic unit of weight in the metric system, which is equal to about 1/28 of an ounce; (.0022046 pound or 15.4324 grains troy) and, virtually is, the weight of one cubic centimeter of distilled water at 4 degrees Centigrade.

Grandfather Clause
Provision that, when a law is changed or a new law is passed, those whose specific activity was legal under the previous law will be allowed to continue, by virtue of this provision.

Grandstand
1. To make an unnecessarily showy play.
2. Main, stepped up, seating structure with more than three square feet available for each person.

Granite
A very hard, crystalline, plutonic rock, gray to pink in color, consisting of feldspar, quarts and smaller amounts of other minerals, which is produced naturally under intense heat and pressure. Often used as floors in office buildings or as kitchen and bathroom countertops in homes.

Granny Flat
Separate unit in a house or above the garage (slang term).

Grant
The technical term used in deed of conveyance of property to indicate a transfer to another party.

Grantee
One to whom an interest in a piece of property is conveyed.

Grantor
Person conveying interest in a piece of property to another.

Grantor/Grantee Index
A reference kept with public records that cross-indexes grantors and grantees with one another, along with the properties they relate to.

Granular
1. Having a grainy surface.
2. Containing or consisting of grains or granules.

Grape Stake Fence
Wooden fence consisting of horizontal rails holding 2 inch by 2 inch split redwood slates.

Graph
1. A diagram as a curve, broken line, series of bars, etc. that represent the successive changes in the value of a variable quantity or quantities.
2. A diagram plotting one value against another, showing the relationship between them and its changes over a chosen period of time. Forms are normally pie charts, columns or a line graph.

Graphite
A soft, black, lustrous form of natural carbon dust, which is used in locks, etc. as a lubricant.

Grapnel
An iron bar with claws at one end which are used to grasp or hold things by throwing up over the top of a wall where the hook catches and hold, securing the line to the top of the wall.

Grate
1. To grind into particles by rubbing or scraping against an object.
2. A frame of metal bars to hold fuel in a fireplace or stove.
3. Evenly-spaced metal bars at right angles making a framework that covers openings of drains, etc. and restrains large objects from flowing through.

Grating
1. A frame of metal bars to hold fuel in a fireplace or stove.
2. Evenly-spaced metal bars at right angles making a framework that covers openings of drains, etc. and restrains large objects from flowing through.

Gravel
Loose mixture of pebbles and rocks which consists of fragments more coarse than sand.

Gravel Roof
Built-up roof, which is protected from the elements with a final coat of gravel.

Gravel Stop
Raised rim around the edge of a roof, which keeps the final coat of gravel from washing or rolling off.

Gravimeter
1. A device used to measure specific gravity, for example liquids.
2. Instrument that measures the gravitation pull of the earth at different places.

Gravity Return Condensate System
A return system often used in steam heating which can use one set of pipes with a gravity return condensate system. Heated water turns to steam and rises through the pipes and into the radiators. After the steam cools, it condenses into water and drips back, through those same pipes, into the boiler.

Gravity Warm Air Heating System
Heating system, which circulates warm air through ducting using the rise of warm and the fall of cooler air, to heat a house.

Gray Paper
Backing paper on gypsum wallboard (sheetrock) panels or the paper on both sides of gypsum backing board panels.