Last Updated on April 19, 2024 by Kravelv
Construction or building materials can be defined as anything that is used for building or construction. Construction industries use many varieties of building materials for different types of construction.The most common materials used are; timber, metal, sand, stones, concrete, aggregate, bricks, clay, strongboy props, and many more. Each of these materials has different durability, strength, and weight, and therefore, for one to come up with a building project, these factors have to be considered.
During old times, people would use bricks, clay, or post and beam construction, but in the modern age, experts have known to mix different materials to come up with a high-quality product to be used for construction. Construction materials can be grouped into two, i.e., natural materials such as wood and stone and human-made materials like steel and concrete.
However, these materials have to be treated before they are used in construction.
The list below is the seven necessary construction materials you might need.
Rock.
Building using rocks can be traced from ancient times; for example, Egyptians used stones for building their magnificent pyramids. Rocks are amongst the long-lasting materials available and are used for different types of constructions. Rocks are readily available, thus making it to be less expensive. Other types of stones have different properties, and therefore before coming up with a construction, make sure you are building with the excellent quality rocks. The most significant advantage of using stones for the building is that they are firm, making it an ideal protective material.
Wood.
Wood is most widely used globally, and especially in the United States. In ancient times the wood used for construction was not processed and was used as logs notched or tied up together. However, the time has changed, and these days’ wood is manufactured to come up with different products such as boards or planks that are usually used for flooring, sealing, and making of cabinets. Wood is generic, and therefore it can be used for construction in any climate. Wood can also be curved to different shapes without losing its strength.
In some instances, not every wood can fit every purpose. One has to consider the durability and quality of wood. Different species of trees are stronger than others, an aspect that makes them more expensive. Nowadays, people build classic homes using wood as it is easier and quicker to put up.
Metal.
Metal is a vital material used for building. Most of the modern buildings use metal to make them strong. The commonly used metal is steel, which is an alloy of iron and carbon. Steel can also be doped with other components to increase its flexibility, strength, and longevity. For example, chromium is used to make stainless steel help to prevent it from corrosion and oxidation. When occasionally treated with an anti-corrosive formula such as ACF-50, you’re guaranteed to get decades of life out of your metal materials. The good thing about using steel for construction is that it has a high strength to weight, takes less time to put up than concrete, can be used in almost any climate, and is less expensive than other metals such as gold.
Other metals like silver, chromium, and gold are mostly used for finishes and decorations due to their high cost.
Concrete.
Concrete is usually defined as a composite material made from cement and aggregate. Aggregate from minerals such as sand, cement, gravel is mixed together with water to form liquid concrete, which is later hydrated and hardened to create solid concrete.
In most cases, concrete has lower tensile strength than steel or stone, and therefore, it is enforced using rods of steel to strengthen it.
During the making of concrete, vibrators should be used to eliminate the air bubbles, which usually weakens concrete. In places where wood and concrete are used for surfacing, malthoid can be used as a moisture barrier.
Masonry.
Masonry or bricks are single units such as bricks bound together by some kind of mortar to come up with a structure. Traditionally, clay was mixed with water then dried using fire to make a brick. However, today, concrete blocks are reinforced with steel to make bricks for masonry.
The advantages of using bricks are that they are resistant to fire and compression of loads.
Fabrics.
Fabrics can be used to build tents or for canopies supported by steel in big buildings. The use of fabric has been revived due to the development of synthetic materials and tensile architecture.
Glass.
In most of the commercial buildings, glass is used to cover walls. A building covered with glass is beautiful in terms of appearance. However, most buildings use glass in windows or doors
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Author Bio:
Jim Pulman has extensive knowledge and experience in Home Building, Construction, and Design. He writes articles in his free time and partners with content creators to share his expertise with the online community.