VERNACULAR TERMS IN PHILIPPINE CONTRUCTION

http://architectureoverload.blogspot.com/2016/12/architects-guidelines-methods-of.html
A
ADOBE ANCHOR – LIYABE
Ang isang liyabe o birador (Ingles: wrench, spanner) ay isang kasangkapang ginagamit sa
pagpihit ng mga tuwerka (nut) at barang panagka (talasok, pansabat, tarangka, o
kabilya; bolt sa Ingles), o iba pang bagay na maiuugnay sa isang liyabe.

ALIGNMENT – ASINTADA
Asintada is the alignment of the wall. “Wala sa asintada” means it’s not aligned. “Asintahin”
is to align. Workers might say, “Natayo na ba ang asinta?” to ask whether the wall has been
put up.

ALIGNED - KALINYA
ALTERNATE OR STAGGERED - UNOSINOTRA
ANCHOR - LIYABE
ASTRAGAL – BATIDURA

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AWNING - MEDIA AGUA
A media-agwa is a canopy over a window. In old Filipino houses, the traditional media-
agwa was a scallop-bordered cloth. In modest nipa huts (bahay kubo), it’s a nipa push-out
or awning.

B
BALUSTERS - BALUSTER, BARANDILLA
BANISTERS - BARANDILLAS
BARREL BOLT - TRANKILYA
BASEBOARD - RODAPIS
BATH TUB - BANIERA
BRACE - PIE DE GALLO
BRICK - LA DRILLO
BEAM - BIGA
BOLT - PIERNO
BOTTOM CHORD - BARAKILAN
BOTTOM CHORD - TIRANTE

C
CANOPY - MEDIA AGUA
CABINET HINGE - ESPOLON
CARPENTRY - KARPINTERIA
CAST IRON - PUNDIDO
CEILING - KISAME
CEILING JOIST - KOSTILYAHE
CEMENT BRICK - LADRILYO
CEMENT TILES - BALDOSA
CHAIN BOLT - BARAL DE KADENA
CHB LAYING - ASINTA
CLOSED STRINGER - MADRE DE ESKALERA
COLAR PLATE - SINTURON
COLUMN - KOLUMNA , HALIGUE
CONCRETE SLAB - LARGA MASA

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CONDUCTOR - ALULOD

CONTACTOR - KONTRATISTA
CORNER - KANTO
CORRUGATED G.I. SHEETS - YEROCANALADO GALBANISADO
CRUSHED STONE - ESKONDRO

D
DIAGONAL BRACE - PIE DE GALLO
DIAGONAL BRACE - SINTURON
DIGLEAD - TINGGA , ESTOPA
DISH RACK - BANGGUERAHAN
DOOR FILLET - BATIDORA
DOOR HEAD - SOMBRERO PINTUAN
DOOR JAMB - HAMBA PINTUAN
DOWEL - ABANG
DOWN SPOUT - TUBO DE BANADO
DRAWBORE PINOR - PUNSOL
DRAW PIN - PUNSOL

E
EARTHFILL - ESKUMBRO
EAVE - SIBE
EAVE - ALERO
EXTERNAL SIDING - TABIKE
ELECTRICIAN - ELECTRISISTA

F
FASCIA BOARD - SENEPA
FAUCET - GRIPO
FEET - PIYE
FILL - TAMBAK
FILLER - TAPAL , DAGDAG
FILLET - BATIDURA
FLOORING - SAHIG, SUELO
FLOORBOARDS - DOTAL
FLOOR JOISTS - SOLERAS
FLOOR SILL - GUILILAN
FLUSH - ALAHADO
FOREMAN - KAPATAS
FRAME WORK - BALANGKAS

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G
GABLE ROOF - DOS AGUAS
G. I. STRAP - LINGUETA
GIRDER - KULING
GIRT - SEPO
GROOVE - KANAL
GUTTER - KANAL

H
HALL - CAIDA
HANDRAIL – GABAY
HINGE – BISAGRA
HORIZONTAL STUD – PABALAGBAG

I
INCHES – PULGADA
IRON - HIERO

J
JAMB - HAMBA
JOIST – SULERAS

L
LABORER – PIYON
LEAN-TO ROOF – SIBE
LOW TABLE – DULANG

M
MASON - KANTERO
MASONRY FILL – LASTILYAS
MITER - CANTO MESA
MIX OF CEMENT & GRAVEL - LASTILYAS
MORTAR - PAUPO
MORTAR JOINTS - KOSTURA
MOULDING - MULDURA

N
NAIL SETTER - PUNSOL

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NAILERS - PAMAKUAN
NAILS - PAKO
NEWEL POST - TUKOD
NICOLITE BAR - ESTANYO
NUT - TUERKA

O
OAKUM - ESTOPA
OPEN STRINGER – HARDINERA
OVERHANG OR PROJECTOR - BOLADA

PANEL DOOR – DE BANDEHA

PATTERN OR SCHEDULE - PLANTILYA
PEA GRAVEL - GRABITA
PENDULUM (KING POST) - PENDULON
PICK WORK ON MASONRY – PIKETA
PLAIN G.I. SHEET - YERO LISOGALBANISADO
PLAIN G.I. STRAP - LINGUETA
PLANK BOARD - SENEPA
PLASTER - PALITADA
PLASTERED COURSE – KUSTURADA
PLUG - TAPON
PLUMBING - TUBERIA
PLUMB LINE - HULOG
PLUM BOB - HULOG
POST - HALIGE / POSTE
PROJECTION – BOLADA
PURLINS - REOSTRA
PUTTY - MASILYA

Q
QUARTER ROUND - MEDIA CANA

R
RABBET - VACIADA
RAFTERS - KILO
REINFORCING BAR - CABILLA BAKAL
RIDGE ROLL - CABALLETE
RISER - SENEPA, TAKIP , SILIPAN
RIVETS - RIMATSE

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ROOF - ATIP , BUBONG RISER – TAKIP SILIPAN

S
SCAFFOLDING - ANDAMIYO
SCRATCH COAT - REBOCADA
SCREW - TURNILYO
SHEET - PLANTSA
SHOWER - DUTCHA
SIDING (EXTERNAL) - TABIKE
SINK - PRIGADERO
SKETCH PLAN - KROKIS
SLAB (ROUGH) - LARGA MASA
SLOPE - BAHADA
SOLDER - HINANG
SOLDER BAR - ESTANIYO
SOLDERING LEAD - ESTANYO
SPACING OF GAP - BIENTO
STAKE - ESTAKA
STRINGER (CLOSED) - MADRE (DE ESCALERA)
STRINGER (OPEN) - HARDINERA
STUCCO OR PLASTER - PALITADA
STUD (HORIZONTAL) - PABALAGBAG
STUD (VERTICAL) - PILARETE

T
TEMPER(METAL WORK) – SUBAN, SUBUHAL
TINSMITH - LATERO
TRELLIS - PERGOLA
TRUSS - KILO
TOP CHORD - TAHILAN
TREAD - BAYTANG

V
VARNISH FINISH - MONYEKA
VERTICAL STUD – PILARETE

W
WAINSCOTING TILES - ASOLEHOS

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WALL POST – BAGAD
WASHER - PITSA
W. I. STRAP - PLANCHUELA
WINDOW HEAD - SUMBRERO
WINDOW SILL - PASAMANO
WIRING KNOB – POLEYA
WINDOW OR DOOR JAMB – HAMBA
WOOD GRAIN – HASPE
WOOD PLANK – TABLA
WROUGHT IRON STRAP – PLANTSUWELA

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20 Common Construction Terms,
Decoded
Don't get lost in translation with your foreman and avoid mistakes with this handy, on -
site guide by a project manager
by Paula de Guzman Apr 20, 2017

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Photography: Pexels
If you've done a few home improvement projects with the help of a trusted carpenter or
contractor, chances are, you've heard words that may seem "alien" to you. Are you familiar
with kapak, nagbubuntis, and wala sa hulog? Knowing these terms by heart can help you
oversee a renovation as well as save on cash. Get started with this list:

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Medya—commonly understood in inches, it means a half-inch, a half-foot, or 0.5. Workers
say this when they do measurements and surveying on-site.
Porma—or formwork is a structural term that refers to the (usually) phenolic plyboard that is
used to mold concrete structural beams and posts. The plyboards are kept in place by a
temporary wooden substructure until the concrete dries.
Clebe—refers to the slope of the drain on the wet areas of your home; usually in the
bathrooms and kitchen. This slope allows the water to run straight to the drain.
Kapak—the hollow sound that you hear when the tile adhesive and cement were not applied
properly during the installation of tiles (ceramic or porcelain); this means there are air
pockets underneath the tile. Keep this from happening by tapping the corners and middle part
of the tile with a coin. If you hear the kapak, you have to re-install the tile.
Hulog or Nasa Hulog—when the walls are vertical and aligned. To check this, carpenters
use a level bar and plumb.

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Tansi—the nylon used to ensure that the wall and architectural finishes like tiles and
cladding are properly installed and aligned.
Tambol—means a board-up or false wall to cover imperfections on the application. It’s also
used to hide the mechanical, plumbing, and electrical pipes on the soffit (the underside of an
architectural structure like an arch or balcony).
Cerrujo—the wastage from the tiles, stone, and other architectural finishes and materials.
Kanto-Mesa—is the miter joint. A miter joint is formed when two pieces of wood or other
material is cut to an angle of 90° and the line of junction bisects this angle, forming a corner
or kanto.
Rodelang Bakal—the metal trowel used for finishing on the walls. This tool is also used to
smoothen the applied plaster.

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Ampao—the honeycomb air pockets that appear on the surface of the concrete if it’s not
applied correctly. If your floor has ampao, then they have to re-apply the concrete and
smoothen it out properly.
Salansanin—to put everything in order and/or in-place. This usually happens before a
turnover, or before the workers pack up and go home for the day.
Palitada—the application of plaster to the walls; can also mean skim-coating.
Gabay—the vernacular term for the railing and balustrade of the stairs.
Punsol—refers to the nailhead of the common carpenter's nail.

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Anilyo—these are rebar ties, which are used to tie together the reinforcement bars which will
be poured with concrete.
Masilya—means putty that is used to fill the holes and cracks of a surface to ensure a smooth
finish.
Risalte—the unevenness of the surface when it's supposed to be flushed and even; normally
used in concreting works.
Kamada—means piling of materials in a pallet to keep the materials organized on-site.
Plantilla—means pattern for cutting. This term is commonly used by furniture
manufacturers.

What All Those Pinoy Construction

Terms Mean
Here's a handy glossary to help you decode your contractor's or worker's lingo, from
Asintada to Tambol
by Amillah Rodil Aug 7, 2018

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Original Article: Amillah Rodil Photography: Seong Kwon (Main Photo)
If you’re building or renovating your house, are you always “lost in translation” when talking
to your contractor or finisher? It may sound like a secret construction code, but it’s quite easy
to learn or remember (so you’ll know exactly what they’re doing). Here are the common
Pinoy constru terms and their meanings:

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IMAGE Pexels
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Alulod
Alulod means gutter. When preparing for the rainy season, tell your handyman: “Tingnan mo
naman yung yero kung may butas. At linisin mo yung alulod—puno na siya ng dahon.”
Anay finish
This is a rough concrete wall finish (so-called because it looks termites ate through it). It’s
achieved by flattening a rough concrete finish with a trowel (a flat-bladed hand tool), and was
popular in the 1980s-90s.

Asintada
Asintada is the alignment of the wall. “Wala sa asintada” means it’s not aligned. “Asintahin”
is to align. Workers might say, “Natayo na ba ang asinta?” to ask whether the wall has been
put up.
Balbon
Not hairiness, but rater, a wall defect that is the result of uneven plastering done by an
inexperienced mason.

Dangkal
Length from tip of your thumb to the tip of your pinky finger (length depends on whose hand
you’re using).
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Dipa
Another unit of measurement—the length of both arms stretched out (including torso).

IMAGE Pixabay

Dos Aguas and Quatro Aguas Roof

A dos aguas has two sides or slopes (a gable roof), and quatro aguas has four sides (a hip
roof). Use either of the terms when you want to specify the type of roof, e.g. “Gawin nating
quatro aguas ang bubong.”
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IMAGE Pexels

Dos por dos, etc.

When specifying the sizes of wood for rough carpentry, refer to these terms: dos por dos is a
2”x2” strip of wood used in ceiling or cabinet framing; uno por dos is 1” x 2” wood, and de
uno is a slim 1” x 1” piece. Suppliers sell these wood strips at 8ft (2.4m) in length.
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IMAGE Ocs Alvarez

Ducco or duko
When designers want a durable finish for wood, they specify ducco–a type of paint finish.
Painters achieve this finish by applying putty, and sanding and painting in layers. This is
more expensive than your typical paint finish.

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IMAGE Ocs Alvarez
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Hamba
Carpenters use wood for constructing the hamba, or jamb—a frame surrounding the door or
window.
Hulog
When masons put up a concrete wall, they check the hulog—the vertical straightness of a
wall with respect to a plumb bob (a metal ball on a long string). Hulog has made its way to
everyday lingo: “Wala sa hulog” means a person can’t think straight.
Kapak
Plaster not bonding well with the wall produces a defect. Knocking on it creates a hollow
sound—probably why this defect is called kapak (the word itself mimics the hollow sound).
Masilya
When a wall is going to be painted, masilya (putty) is applied first.
Media Agua
A canopy over a window. In ancestral Filipino houses, the traditional media agua is a
scallop-bordered cloth; in a bahay kubo, it’s a nipa push-out or awning. In modern houses, it
could be as simple as a ledge shading the window.
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Nagbubuntis
There’s reason to be concerned when a worker says, “May nagbubuntis dito,” and it doesn’t
mean someone’s gotten pregnant! It means a concrete column is bulging due to weak
formworks.

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IMAGE Ocs Alvarez

Rebokada
When masons finish a concrete wall, they first apply a rough coat of plaster—the rebokada,
or scratch coat. This serves as a binder between the wall and the final layer of plaster, or
the palitada. “Habulin na lang sa palitada yan” is commonly proposed when wall defects
(like an uneven finish or a misaligned wall) need to be masked (by thickening the plaster).
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S4S and S2S
These terms refer to the smoothness of the sides of the wood; they’re abbreviations for
“smooth four sides,” and “smooth two sides.” S4S pieces are used for exposed members such
as some rafters (roof supports). When sending your carpenter to buy wood, say, “Dalawa
pang dos por dos, na S4S.”
Tabla
A wood plank, usually 5” or more in width.

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IMAGE Ocs Alvarez
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Tambol
When unsightly pipes appear in areas like the underside of a bathroom it needs a tambol—not
a musical instrument, but a covering made out of plywood or gypsum to hide the pipe or
eyesore. Say, “Lumabas ang tubo sa pader. Tambulan mo na lang.”

IMAGE Pexels

Tanguile
This is a popular type of wood with a reddish color, fine-textured but with large grains. It is
the most common wood specified nowadays for rough carpentry such as door and window
jambs.
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Tibag
To demolish.

So, the next time you feel like complaining about shoddy work on a concrete wall, instead of
just exclaiming, “Ang pangit!”, you can be more articulate and say, “Ang dami namang kapak
nito. Balbon at wala sa hulog. Nagbubuntis pa yung poste. At kulang sa pahid yung pintura.”
If the mason replies, “Habulin na lang natin sa palitada...” you can reply, “Huwag. Tibagin
mo!”

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Condensed from the original article "Say What?” in the May 2005 issue of Real Living
Magazine.

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