We have put together probably one of the most comprehensive pole building glossaries found on the internet today. And if you are like most people, if you can't see it, you still don't understand it very well.

If there is any pole building term you still don't understand, or one not yet listed here, please use the Contact Us page to email us. We will be glad to send drawings or pictures for illustration.

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B
B Exposure:	Urban and suburban areas, wooded areas, or other terrain with numerous closely spaced obstructions having the size of single-family dwellings or larger. Exposure B shall be assumed unless the site meets the definition of another type exposure.
Backfill:	The material (usually concrete) placed into the pre-bored holes around a structural building column. Its properties affect post foundation strength substantially, because backfill directly supports the post and dissipates pressures to the virgin soil. Because the hole is larger than the post, backfill bears on a much larger area of the surrounding soil than the area of the post bearing on the backfill. Therefore, backfill carries higher pressures than the virgin soil and provides the foundation's lateral strength and ability to reduce post deflection.
Base Shear:	The total design lateral force at the bottom of a column.
Basic Wind Speed:	Is the fastest-mile wind speed associated with an annual probability of 0.02 (once in 50 year occurrence), measured at a point 33 feet above the ground for an area having exposure C.
Bay:	The distance between adjacent mainframe (post-frames) centerlines or primary supporting members along the length of the building, measured parallel to the ridge.
Beam:	A structural member, usually horizontal, used for support in a building and subjected to bending loads.
Beam and Column:	A structural system consisting of a series of rafter beams supported by columns. Often used in animal "stall" or "grid" barns.
Bearing Block:	A dimensional lumber block placed beneath roof trusses, rafters or beams and nailed and/or bolted to a support column to provide extra support for vertical loads.
Bearing Height:	Vertical distance between a pre-defined baseline (generally the grade line) and the bearing point of a component.
Bearing Pads (or Footing):	Concrete placed under a structural column, wall or other structural member to transfer loads from main framing members to the soil by distributing loads over a greater soil area. Normally not required when column holes are backfilled with concrete.
Bent:	The main member of a structural system.
Board-Foot (BF):	A measure of lumber volume based on nominal dimensions. To calculate the number of board-feet in a piece of lumber, multiply nominal width by nominal thickness in inches and divide by 12.
Bottom Chord:	An inclined or horizontal member establishing the bottom of a roof truss.
Bottom Girt (or Splash Boards):	Pressure treated lumber installed at grade line to which the bottom of the building siding is normally installed.
Bow:	Deviation, in a direction perpendicular to the wide face, from a straight line drawn between the ends of a piece of lumber.
Brace:	A piece of structural material, either temporary or permanent, serving to strengthen another member, or to hold the member in place.
Branding:	Marking on pressure treated lumber or timber to indicate the intended use and the type of retention of preservative. Can either be a stamped-on ink mark or an end tag.
Bridging:	Structural blocking used to give weak axis stability to floor joists or roof purlins.
Building Code:	Regulations established by a recognized agency describing design loads, procedures and construction details for structures. Usually applying to designated political jurisdictions (city, county, state, etc.).
Building Level (or Transit):	A surveyor's instrument in which a telescope is mounted horizontally. Parallel to the ground, it can be used to determine a level point or points.