Architectural Flashing Supply
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Trade terminology and component identification · Lesson 1 of 4

Trade terminology and component identification: principles and terminology

Roof geometry words, slope, the legs, girth, flange, kick and hems of a formed piece, where each AFS part sits on a building, and the safety words in OSHA's definitions.

You will be able to: Name the parts of a roof, the parts of a formed piece of flashing and the places on a building where AFS parts go, define the key terms, and recognise the words that carry a safety meaning.

10 min · 12 slides · 6 questions

All lessons in this module
Slide 1 of 12

Videos for this lesson

What this video shows: A supplier's overview of the areas of exposed-fastener and standing-seam roofs, such as eaves, valleys, gables, hips and ridges, as its description states. Its terms are one supplier's; NRCA's definitions govern this lesson.

Video: Metal Roofing Components: Roof Parts & Design, Materials, Accessories by The Metal Roofing Channel, on YouTube. Chosen from the video's published description.

What this video shows: Installing eave and rake metal and then valley metal on a home roof before the panels, as its description states. It shows one supplier's standing seam trim; follow the panel maker's details.

Video: Installing Standing Seam Perimeter Trim: Eaves, Rakes, Valleys by The Metal Roofing Channel, on YouTube. Chosen from the video's published description.

Glossary

Eave
The lower edge of a sloping roof, the part that projects beyond the wall (NRCA).
Rake
The sloped edge of a roof at or next to the first or last rafter (NRCA).
Ridge
The highest point on a roof, the horizontal line where two roof areas meet (NRCA).
Hip
The sloping line along the outer angle where two sloping sides of a roof meet, with eaves that meet at a right angle (NRCA).
Valley
The internal angle where two sloping roof planes intersect (NRCA).
Leg
One straight section of a formed profile. AFS letters the legs A, B, C in drawing order from one free edge to the other.
Mold line
The theoretical sharp corner to which AFS measures every leg of a profile.
Girth
In AFS quoting, the sum of the legs plus a hem allowance for each hem; the allowance is a quoting simplification, not a physical bend deduction.
Hem
A free edge folded back on itself. FlashDraft offers open, smashed and teardrop hems, all drawn rounded.
Step flashing
Individual sheet-metal pieces along the slope of a roof, overlapped and stepped up a wall, chimney or dormer (NRCA).
Lap
The part of a component that overlaps or covers part of another component (NRCA).
Flange
The projecting edge of a rigid or semirigid component, such as an edge metal flashing flange (NRCA).