This page of our online a to z glossary of DIY home improvement terms is for do-it-yourself terms beginning with the letter 'C'.
- Cable
- Thick insulated wire for the fixed wiring of electrical systems.
- Calorifier
- Heat exchanger in a hot water storage cylinder.
- Came
- The grooved strip of lead that holds the glass in a leaded light or stained-glass window.
- Canopy
- A fabric panel fixed above head height, for example above a bed or a sunscreen for an outdoor chair.
- Cantilevered
- Any rigid structure such as a beam or roof which extends beyond its vertical support.
- Cap
- A finished cement top of a chimney or wall; a fitting to close the end of a threaded pipe.
- Cap and lining joint
- A type of joint for making a connection to a tap.
- Cap-nut
- The nut used to tighten a fitting onto pipework.
- Cape chisel
- A narrow-bladed cold chisel for masonry work.
- Capillary joint (plumbing)
- Close fitting soldered joint.
- Casement window
- A type of window having, typically, one fixed pane, a small top pane that can be opened, and one large pane that can be opened (usually hinged at the side).
- Casing
- The timber lining of a door or window opening.
- Caulking compound
- A mastic material which is used to seal and waterproof the joints around windows and doors.
- Cavity wall
- A wall made from two skins of masonry separated by an air gap to form damp proof insulation.
- Ceiling rose
- A roughly circular ceiling decoration, usually placed centrally on the ceiling. The rose is often made of plaster, and in many cases a lighting fixture is suspended from it.
- Cement (Portland)
- Powdered composite of calcinated lime and clay which hardens by crystallization in the presence of water. Used with an aggregate to make mortar or concrete.
- Chalk line
- A string coated with coloured chalk which is used to make a straight line on a flat surface. If it is snapped after being fastened taut between two points it will produce an accurate measuring line on the surface.
- Chamfer
- To remove the sharp edge of a board by planing it to a 45° angle.
- Chase
- A groove cut in masonry or plaster to accept pipework or an electrical cable. or To cut or channel such grooves.
- Chimney breast
- The projecting part of a wall above a fireplace.
- Chipboard
- A man-made board comprising wood chips bonded under pressure with synthetic resins. Sometimes veneered. Chipboard is available in several grades.
- Chisel
- Sharp-tipped woodcutting tool used with a mallet.
- Chuck
- A device which is attached to the head stock spindle of a rotating machine to hold work: adjustable jaws for holding drill bits in power or hand drills.
- Circuit
- Complete pass of wiring through which electric current flows.
- Circuit breaker
- A protective relay device incorporated into a consumer unit or added on, cuts electricity supply if an overload, fault or leakage of electricity occurs.
- Cladding
- A top surface, usually decorative, applied to a wall or ceiling.
- Closure
- A longitudinally cut brick used to close the end of a course in a brick wall.
- Coarse stuff
- Mixture for first and second coats of plaster, usually consisting of lime, sand and cement.
- Cold chisel
- A wedge-like chisel used for cutting metals and masonry.
- Colour washing
- Painting on several weak layers of wash or glaze over a base colour in order to produce an extremely luminous colour effect.
- Combing
- A decorative paint technique. Paint on a base coat and, when this has dried, cover it with a glaze. While the glaze is still wet, 'tease' it with a comb.
- Compression joint
- A brass plumbing fitting for joining copper pipes. The watertight joint is made using only spanners.
- Concave - Curving inwards.
- Concrete
- A composite of cement, sand and small stones mixed with water to form strong formwork for building purposes.
- Conductor (electrical)
- A component, usually a length of wire, along which an electric current will pass.
- Conduit
- A pipe or tube of metal or plastic in which an electrical cable is installed.
- Consumer unit
- An electrical distribution unit in a domestic premises. It contains the main switch and fuses.
- Contact adhesive
- Glue applied to both surfaces of a joint which bonds without the application of cramps.
- Continuity (circuit) tester
- Device for testing faults on electrical circuits.
- Convex
- Curving outwards.
- Copolymer
- A technical term used to distinguish varnishes used in the manufacture of certain paints.
- Corbel
- A bracket of brick, stone or plaster; usually an internal feature.
- Cornice
- A decorative exterior trim of moulding or boards placed at the junction of roof and wall.
- Counterbore
- To drill a larger, second hole in the original hole's centre to a specified depth. This allows a screwhead to be hidden below a wood surface.
- Counterpunch
- To set a nail below the wood surface, filling the entry hole with a matching coloured filler.
- Countersink
- To shape a drilled hole in wood or metal using a cone-shaped tool to provide a recess for a flathead screw or bolt; a drill attachment for cutting recesses to take screw heads.
- Coving
- Decorative plaster or expanded polystyrene moulding between walls and ceiling.
- Craft knife
- Handle fitted with sharp replaceable blades useful for cutting sheet materials and other items.
- Crazing
- Hair-line cracks in a rendered or painted surface.
- Crimp
- To turn or close down the edge of a piece of sheet metal.
- Cutting-In brush
- A paintbrush specially designed for painting along the edges of, for example, ceiling lines and window frames.
