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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M
Machine Graded Lumber:	Lumber evaluated by a machine using a nondestructive test followed by visual grading to evaluate certain characteristics the machine cannot or may not properly evaluate. Machine-stress-rated (MSR), machine-evaluated-lumber (MEL), and E-rated lumber are three types. The MSR and MEL systems differ in grade names, quality control, and coefficient of variation (COV) for E values.
Main Frame:	A frame located between end walls of a building which supports the loads from a portion of each adjacent bay.
Main Wind:	Force Resisting System - An assemblage of structural elements assigned to provide support and stability for the overall structure. In post frame buildings this includes the individual post frames, diaphragms and shearwalls.
Mainwall:	Typically the wall of a "main" building at the point where a shed roof attaches.
Man Door (or Entry Door or Walk Door):	A pre-hung, hinged door allowing for access into the building by turning a lockset. Most popular size is 36 inches in width by 6'8" in height.
Mansard:	A tilted fascia system mounted to the wall outside the wall columns. This extends above the roof line to form a decorative fascia appearance and hide the roof line.
Manufactured Component:	One assembled in a manufacturing facility. Generally the pre-fabricated wood trusses and laminated columns used in post frame buildings.
Masonry:	Anything constructed of materials such as bricks, concrete blocks, ceramic blocks or concrete.
Maximum Load Duration:	The cumulative duration of maximum load over the life of a structure. For snow, the maximum is generally assumed to be two months. This does not mean the snow load from any event would last for two months. Rather, it means the total time the roof supports the design snow load over the life of the structure is two months. For wind and earthquake loads, the cumulative duration over the life of the structure is generally assumed to be 10 minutes.
Mechanically Laminated Post:	A structural timber manufactured either partly or wholly in a plant or on the construction site, consisting of suitably selected wood laminations in which the individual layers are mechanically fastened together, typically with nails, screws, bolts and/or shear transfer plates.
MEL (or Machine Graded Lumber):	Lumber evaluated by a machine using a nondestructive test followed by visual grading to evaluate certain characteristics the machine cannot or may not properly evaluate. MEL is just one type of machine graded lumber.
Metal Building Insulation or Condensation Control:	A thin layer of insulation glued to a vinyl facing. When installed between framing and steel roofing or siding, it helps to prevent condensation from forming inside the building. Generally has a fairly low "R" value.
Metal Cladding:	Metal exterior and interior coverings, usually cold-formed steel sheeting, fastened to the structural framing.
Mezzanine:	An intermediate floor placed in any story or room. When the total area of any mezzanine floor exceeds 33-1/3 percent of the total floor area in the room, it will be considered an additional story.
Moment:	The tendency of a force to cause rotation about a point or axis.
Moment of Inertia:	A physical property of a member, which helps define strength and deflection characteristics.
Monolithic Construction:	A method of pouring concrete grade beam and floor slabs together to form the building foundation without forming and pouring each separately.
MSR:	Machine Stress Rated - Lumber where each piece is non-destructively tested for strength mechanically. Provides for more consistent strength qualities than visually graded lumber.