Tie Beam 
Concrete or timber beam that serves as a support in the wall structure of a building. Concrete tie beams are often reinforced with steel rods. 

Tie Coat 
A treatment applied between two coatings to improve bonding.

Tie In 
To join together. 

Tie Out 
To mark the locations of objects in a roadway under construction so they can be located after paving. 

Tie Wire
Wire used to secure rebar and forms when installing a foundation. 

Tied Columns 
Concrete columns with lateral reinforcing members to help support a load. 

Tier
Series of rows. Townships moving as a row from east to west, covering a 6-mile area in width. The term is employed under the rectangular survey method. 

Tight Market 
Market in which the spreads between the asking and offer price of real estate are small. The property may be in abundant supply and actively traded. 

Tile
Flat sheets or tablets of material used on floors, countertops, roofs, and walls. There are many types of tile including clay, stone, asphalt, and metal. 

Tile, Asphalt 
A durable, inexpensive type of tile used primarily in high traffic commercial locations. 

Tile, Ceramic 
Extensively used tile made form clay. 

Tile Cutter 
A tool for cutting tile. A blade scores the tile and then pressure is applied to cause it to break along the scored line. 

Tile, Rubber 
Durable and resilient tile made form natural or synthetic rubber, typically used to cover hard surfaces (such as concrete) in commercial areas. 

Tile Saw 
A water-cooled power saw with a metal and diamond blade, used to cut tile. 

Tile, Vinyl 
A durable tile made from vinyl and used in residential and commercial buildings. 

Tilt-up Door 
see overhead door. 

Timber 
1. A stand of trees. 
2. A piece of lumber that measures at least 5" x 5". 

Timber Connectors 
Metal fasteners bolted to intersections of structural timbers. 

Timber Construction 
A building where timbers are used as structural members. 

Time and Materials Contract 
A contract providing for the contractor to be paid for time spent on the job plus the cost of materials.

Time-clock Switch 
An electrical switch with a timer that can be set to turn the circuit on or off at pre-set times. 

Time is of the Essence 
Legal phrase in a contract that indicates a specific period of time in which an act must be performed.

Time-lag Fuse 
A fuse that can withstand a small overcurrent but will blow out with a large overcurrent. 

Time-line 
A chart depicting changes over time, for example a schedule for a construction project. 

Time Weighted Average 
Method of measuring the maximum safe exposure of workers to hazardous materials or conditions. 

Time with Materials Furnished Contract 
A contract providing for the contractor to be paid for time spent on the job with all materials supplied by the owner. 

Timer Switch 
A switch with a built in time clock that turns the switch on and off. 

Timeshare 
Ownership of a specific period of time or percentage of interest in a vacation home. 

Time Value of Money 
A concept that money available now is worth more than the same amount in the future because of its potential earning capacity. It is the rationale behind compounding for future value or discounting for present value.

Tin
Metallic element with atomic number of 50. Tin is used in many alloys. 

Tin Snips 
Shears used to cut sheet metal. 

Tint 
1. A pigment added to paint. 
2. To modify color. 
3. Transparent color. 

Tipping Off 
Smoothing paint with the tip of a brush. 

Titanium 
Metallic element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Titanium is a light, yet strong, metal. 

Titanium Dioxide 
White pigment used in paint. 

Title
The legal right of an ownership interest in a property. Legal document which shows ownership of a piece of real estate. 

Title Block 
Markings on a blueprint containing design and revision information. 

Title Company 
Firm that provides insurance of a clear title once it completes its search for liens.

Title Defect 
An unresolved claim against he ownership of property, which prevents presentation of a marketable title. Such claims may arise from failure of the owner's spouse or former partner to sign a deed, current liens against the property or an interruption in the title records to a property. 

Title Examination 
The check of the public record, by the title company, to determine the legal ownership and that there are no claims or liens affecting the property. 

Title Insurance 
The policy that is issued to protect against loss due to a dispute in property ownership. 

Title Insurance Binder 
Written commitment, issued by the title company, agreeing to insure title to a property, subject to conditions or exclusion shown. 

Title Report 
A document indicating the current state of the title, such as easements, covenants, liens and any defects. The title report does not describe the chain of title. 

Title Risk 
Possible impediments to the transfer of title of a property. 

Title Search
The reviewing, of all recorded transactions in the public record, to discover any title defects, which could interfere with the transfer of ownership of a property. 

Title Sheet 
The first page of set of construction drawings. Information on the title sheet typically includes the name and address of the architect as well as an index to the plans. 

Title Theory States 
States in which the law splits the title of mortgaged property into legal title, held by the lender and equitable title, held by the borrower. This is based on the legal assumption, based on a title theory, that the mortgagee is a partial owner of the real estate securing the mortgage and remains as is until the debt is fully paid. The borrower gains full title to the property upon retiring the mortgage debt. The lender is granted more immediate cure to a default than in "lien theory" states. 

T-Nail 
A T-shaped nail used in pneumatic nailers.