This page of our online a to z glossary of DIY home improvement terms is for do-it-yourself terms beginning with the letter 'F'.
- Fabric grain
- The lengthwise direction of the fibres of a piece of fabric, parallel with the selvedges.
- Face
- The front surface of a wall; to cover with a new surface.
- Fair faced
- Surface prepared for its finished or decorative qualities.
- Fascia board
- The vertical board fixed to the rafter ends. It carries the gutters around the eaves.
- Faux bols
- Decorative paint technique which simulates the effect of wooden surfaces.
- Feather edges
- Using abrasives to sand back the rough, chipped edges of a previous finish, to provide a smooth starting surface.
- Fender
- A low screen that stops burning coals and logs rolling out of an open fire.
- Ferrous metal
- A metal which contains iron.
- Ferrule
- For paint-brushes-the metal part between bristles and handle; for screwdrivers - the metal part between handle and blade.
- Fibreboard
- A lightweight, low-density board, usually with a high heat insulation value.
- File
- Rough-bladed tool for smoothing metal and wood, removing burrs and irregularities.
- File card
- A file cleaning brush with short fine wires.
- Finials
- Ornamental ends for curtain poles.
- Fireclay
- A heat resistant cement used to bond firebrick.
- Flashing
- A strip of zinc, lead or plastic used on the roof around chimneys and vents or between two roofs to prevent water from entering.
- Flat paint
- Oil-based paint which is matt.
- Flaunching
- A curved mortar fillet around a chimney pot and on the top of the stack to throw water off.
- Flex
- Short for flexible cord; insulated wire used to connect plugs to appliances and pendent light fittings to ceiling roses.
- Float
- A wood plastering or rendering tool.
- Floating floor
- A thin layer of flooring laid on top of the existing surface, designed to 'float' by the use of a cushioning sub-floor between the two.
- Flogger
- Specialist long-haired, wide, flat brush, used dry to drag through a finish.
- Floor sander
- One of two types of machine used together for sanding floors: the large drum sander sands the main area and the smaller disc sander cleans the edges.
- Flue
- Chimney passageway which allows smoke, gas or fumes to rise.
- Flush
- Condition describing adjacent surfaces which are level and fit evenly.
- Flute
- A rounded concave groove.
- Flux
- A paste which removes oxides from metals and inhibits oxidation while soldering. Flux Paste makes solder flow easily when it is heated for joining pipework.
- Foam plastic
- A plastic material containing many air bubbles, like a sponge.
- Footing
- The conctrete foundation or support at the base or bottom of a wall or column.
- Frass
- Powdered wood produced by the activity of woodworm.
- French windows
- A casement window which extends to the floor and can be used as a door.
- Frenchman
- A tool for neatly trimming the mortar when using the weathered type of pointing.
- Frieze
- A band of plaster, paper or other material usually placed horizontally all around the four walls of a room, often at or above cornice (crown moulding) height.
- Frog
- The indentation in one side of a house brick.
- Fungicide
- Mould or fungus destroying agent.
- Furring
- Narrow wood strips fastened to studs or masonry walls to provide a nailing base for wall materials.
- Fuse
- Rewirable or cartridge devices designed to interrupt a circuit if a fault, overload or leakage of electricity occurs.
- Fuse board
- Where the main electrical service cable is connected to the house circuitry. or The accumulation of consumer unit, meter etc.
