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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Scissor Truss:	Roof truss designed with a bottom chord sloping upwards to an interior peak at the center of the building. Allows for increased interior clearance as the center of the building is approached. May require a steeper than standard exterior roof slope.
Screeding:	The process of striking off the excess concrete to bring the top surface of the concrete to proper finish and elevation.
Secondary Framing:	Structural framing members used to transfer load between exterior cladding and primary framing members, and/or laterally brace primary framing members. In a post frame building this includes the girts, purlins and any structural wood bracing.
Section Modulus:	A physical property of a structural member. It is used to design and basically defines the bending strength of a member.
Section Overhead Doors:	Doors constructed in horizontally hinged sections. They are equipped with springs, tracks, counter balances and other hardware which roll the section into an overhead position, clear of the opening.
Seismic Loads (or Earthquake Loads):	Produce lateral forces on structures caused by the sudden movement of the foundation of the structure. If these forces exceed those caused by wind loads, they may govern the design. Post frame structures are generally so light that earthquake forces do not usually control their design unless additional dead loads are applied to the structure.
Self-Service Storage Facility:	Real property designed and used for the purpose of renting or leasing individual storage spaces to customers for the purpose of storing and removing personal property on a self-service basis.
Shake:	Separation of annual growth rings in wood (splitting parallel-to-growth rings). Usually considered to have occurred in the standing tree or during felling.
Shear:	The force tending to make two contacting parts slide upon each other in opposite directions parallel to their plane of contact.
Shearwall:	A vertical diaphragm in a structural framing system. The wall may be an endwall, sidewall or an intermediate wall capable of transferring in-plane shear forces. In either case, the wall transfers shear forces from the roof or ceiling diaphragm to the groundline.
Sheathing:	OSB, plywood or steel roof covering which transfers roof load to purlins, rafters and/or trusses.
Shed Roof:	Slopes in a single direction. May be attached to a main building or free standing.
Side Lap Fastener (or Stitch Screw):	Fasteners used to connect two adjacent pieces of metal cladding, and thereby adding shear continuity between the sheets.
Sidewall Truss Bearing Columns:	A rectangular primary structural member, sawn on four sides before treatment, is generally uniform in cross section along its length. May be either sawn or laminated dimensional lumber. It is the primary structural element of the building side walls. They are a vertical structural member used in a building to transfer loads from main roof beams, rafters and/or trusses to the foundation. Supports a horizontal wind load. Generally partly embedded in the soil to provide lateral and vertical support for the structure.
Single Slope:	A sloping roof in one plane. The slope is from one wall to the opposite wall.
Siphon Break:	A small groove to arrest the capillary action of two adjacent surfaces.
Skirt Boards (or Splash Boards):	Pressure treated lumber installed at grade line to which the bottom of the building siding is normally installed.
Sliding Door:	Typically found in pure agricultural or animal confinement buildings. Door is typically a metal framework with a steel cladding skin and moves horizontally along a building face. Supported on top edge by two sets of trolley wheels running through a horizontal steel track attached to the face of the building.
Soffit:	The underside covering of roof overhangs or mansards.
Soil Pressure:	Load per unit area the foundation of a structure exerts on the soil.
Solid Sawn:	A structural wood member comprised of an individual piece of lumber.
Span:	Horizontal distance between two points.
pecialty Contractor [from RCW 18.27.010(3)]:	Means a contractor whose operations do not fall within the definition of "general contractor".
Splash Boards (or Skirt Boards):	Pressure treated lumber installed at grade line to which the bottom of the building siding is normally installed.
Static Loads:	Result from the weight and/or pressure from equipment, livestock, and stored products and the materials used for construction and maintenance activities.
Stiles:	The vertical side members of framed and paneled doors.
Stitch (or Seam) Screws:	Fasteners used to connect two adjacent pieces of metal cladding, and thereby adding shear continuity between the sheets.
Stress:	A measure of the load on a structural member in terms of forces per unit area.
Structurally Glued:	Laminated Timer Post (or Glulam Timber Post) - An assembly in which the individual layers are joined together with a structural adhesive.
Stud:	A vertical wall member to which exterior or interior covering or collateral material may be attached. May be either load bearing or non-load bearing.
Suction:	A partial vacuum resulting from wind loads on a building which cause a load in the outward direction.