Made from asphalt and available in a wide range of colours asphalt shingles have the effect of a tiled roof. Asphalt shingles come in strips of three tiles which are butted together horizontally and are lapped vertically. Asphalt shingles are fixed over a under felt

Breather membrane is fitted over the outside of timber sheathing

Cold spots are areas in a building where there is no insulation such as corners of a building where timber frames meet. Cold spots are common in timber frames where the insulation is only found between the joists

A Damp Proof Course is normally used in brick wall construction but it is also used in timber frame construction. Normally a reinforced plastic strip is used, this strip is placed under the joists

Damp Proof Membrane is high density plastic sheeting that is laid under a concrete slab and stops moisture from the ground being sucked up into the concrete.

Floorboards are fixed over the joists and many different types are used in garden room construction. Composite sheets such as chipboard are the most basic and require a further decorative cover such as carpet, softwood tongue & groove floorboards are sometimes used and can easily be stained and varnished. Hardwood floorboards such as oak or wal [..]

The gable end is the pointed section of wall between two planes of the roof.

A hipped roof is a roof with a pitched slope on all four sides of the building. The pitch of the slope is the same on each side. The point where the slopes intersect is called the hip.

Joists form the framework of the floor; they are normally made from wood but can also be made of materials like steel. Joists are fixed to header and footer plates which run in the opposite direction to the joists. To strengthen the floor noggins

Noggins are small lengths of timber fixed between joists or studs to strengthen the framework.