Weak Market
Low volume of real estate transactions and also referred to as a depressed market.

Wear and Tear
Decline in the value of a property due to physical damage, old age or environmental factors.

Weather
To allow exterior wood to be exposed to the elements for a period of time so that it is a better supporting surface for the finish.

Weatherhead
Rain-tight conduit fitting over the service entrance head, which is located where overhead electrical power enters a building.

Weatherproof Electrical Boxes
Electrical boxes which can operate even when directly exposed to the weather. A gasket under the cover plate seals against the possibility of moisture entering, with other entrances being threaded through connectors.

Weatherproof Switch
Electrical switch which has a cover to protect it from moisture when it is used outside.

Weatherstripping
Lengths of plastic or rubber used to plus air leaks around windows and doors.

Web
1. The thin central vertical portion of an I-beam, which connects the top and bottom sections which are the flanges.
2. The cross section wall that connects the face shells of a hollow concrete masonry wall.

Web Clamp
Belt, of woven fabric, with a tightening mechanism, which maintains tension on the belt when it is placed around an object to hold it still.

Web Connection
The steel connection that holds the web of a beam to the flanges.

Wedge
Triangular-shaped, tapered piece of wood or metal, which can be used to brace an object.

Weep Holes
Small holes made in a wall, allowing water to drain from it and making the walls able to withstand water pressure.

Weeping Joints
Joints that have the mortar squeezed out slightly and set without being troweled or smoothed.

Weir
1. A low dam built on a river to divert or back up water for a mill.
2. A raised piece in the flow path of a fluid, which slows or seals off the flow when the diaphragm is pressed against the raised piece, closing the valve.

Weld
The fusing together of metals by melting the pieces where they meet and will be joined. Use of pressure and/or a filler material may aid in the fusion.

Weld Bead
The metal that has been deposited in the weld joint, after it has cooled off.

Welded-wire Fabric
Heavy wire laid in a grid pattern and welded to form a wire mesh mat. Available in sheets and rolls, used to reinforce concrete.

Welder
An individual who does welding work.

Welding
The fusing together of metals by melting the pieces where they meet and will be joined. Use of pressure and/or a filler material may aid in the fusion.

Well
1. A deep hole or shaft sunk into the earth to tap and remove an underground supply of water, gas, etc.
2. A shaft in a building or between buildings that is open to allow access for light and air.

Wellhold
The space that holds the staircase and the space around it.

Wellpoint Dewatering
System used to remove groundwater from an are prior to beginning excavation, because groundwater makes the soil unstable, which is dangers to work and not usable for backfill.

Western Framing
House framing which has the wall framing resting on top of the subfloor with each story being built up as a separate unit. Balloon framing, another type, has the studs running from the bottom of the first floor to the top of the second floor. Also called platform framing.

Western Style
Style of cabinet with a face frame around the front opening.

Western Union Splice
Splice, also called a lineman's splice, which overlaps the bared end of wires and twists them around each other to join them together.

Wet-aggregate Cleaning
Gentle method of cleaning softer surfaces utilizing a low-pressure water stream which carries friable aggregate (an easily crumbled masonry material).

Wet-bulb Thermometer
Instrument that takes the measurement of water vapor in the air. The water-saturated cloth wick over the reservoir bulb at the end of the tube, which holds the liquid. When the thermometer is swung through the air, the 0evaporation of the water in the wick speed up and the temperature recorded varies depending on the water vapor in the air. It determines humidity when used along with a dry-bulb thermometer and a calibration chart.

Wet Edge
The time when a newly painted surface is still wet enough to blend in with adjacent areas.

Wet-film Thickness
The estimated thickness of a wet paint surface, which is based on the characteristics of the paint, used.

Wet-pipe Sprinkler System
System providing protection, in the event of fire, by keeping a pressurized water supply in the pipes. When sufficient heat is present, the sprinkler heads open, spraying water on the area in question.

Wet Plaster
Water & plaster mix that can be used as a surface for walls and ceiling, but was more often used previously. Wallboard/sheetrock is now commonly used.

Wet-rubbed Finish Limestone
Limestone whose finish has been rubbed smooth by use of an abrasive.

Wetlands
Land situated near water that meets various criteria regarding water level, soils, and plant growth. Wetlands are subject to extreme levels of government regulation regarding building activity. Wetlands may include swamps, marshes, and floodplains, or may appear to be relatively dry areas at certain times.

Wet-sand Cleaning
Sand blasting, which is used on hard surfaces and is abrasive, due to the fact that the sand is carried in a stream of water rather than air.

Wet Sanding
Sanding that is done by use of a special, water-resistant sandpaper that is coated with a fine abrasive.

Wetting Characteristics
The ability of any coating to flow across a surface.

Wet Vent
Pipe which rids a building of unwanted substances such as hazardous and non-hazardous liquids and solids. It is also called a fixture branch, fixture drain, and waste pipe.

Wet Wall
Masonry wall that has been built, in the traditional manor, using plaster.