This is why glass is considerably more expensive than brick, even though both come from such common, abundant raw materials as sand and clay, respectively. Building materials come in many varieties, as do their characteristics, but one thing is constant among them: they are durable.

Depending on their intended use, they must also meet other requirements, such as hardness, mechanical resistance, fire resistance, or ease of cleaning.

As a general rule, no building material simultaneously meets all the required needs; architecture, engineering, and other disciplines related to construction are responsible for combining materials to meet the demands of each project adequately.

To use and combine building materials properly, designers must know their properties. In European countries, building materials are regulated by a series of codes and regulations that define the characteristics they must meet and their scope of application.

The purpose of this regulation is twofold: on the one hand, it ensures minimum quality levels in construction; on the other, it lets architects and engineers know the behavior and characteristics of the materials used more precisely.

The most widely used international standards to regulate construction materials are ISO standards. In Spain, AENOR is a certifying entity that governs materials. By considering the raw material used for its manufacture, building materials can be classified into various groups:. Derived from rocks obtained from nature.

Rock can be used directly without treatment or as a raw material to create other materials. The types of stone and its derivatives most used in construction include granite, marble, limestone, slate, sandstone, gravel, lime, plaster, cement, mortar, concrete, sand, glass.

Clay is chemically similar to sand: in addition to silicon dioxide, it contains aluminum oxides and water; however, the size of its particles is much finer, and when wet, it is plastic in consistency. When mixed with dust and other elements from the soil, clay forms mud, a material that is used in various ways.

When clay is heated to high temperatures °C or higher , it hardens, creating ceramic materials like brick, roofing tiles, stoneware, ceramic tiles, etc. steel, which is used in structures by itself or with concrete to create reinforced concrete. Other metals used in construction are copper, zinc, and titanium.

Primarily wood and its derivatives, although other organic plant elements are also used or have been used in the history of construction , such as straw, bamboo, cork, linen, textile elements, or even animal skins. Mainly plastics derived from petroleum, though they can also often be synthesized.

These are widely used in construction due to their unchanging nature, which also makes them very non-eco-friendly due to the difficulty in recycling them. Tars and other polymers, as well as synthetic products of different kinds, are also used. Synthetic materials are used in a wide range of products, such as binders, sealants, waterproofing agents, and insulators, as well as in the form of paints, enamels, and varnishes.

For centuries, the Great Pyramid of Giza BC was the tallest structure in the world. It demonstrates one of the most important contributions to the design of any building: modulation.

The stones were cut into sizes that made it possible to transport and place them. Currently, all construction materials are modulated to facilitate assembly and prevent waste. In ancient Mesopotamia, another material was used: brick, which was used to build the first cities. Applying enamels to the brick is one of the earliest examples of plastic integration.

In Mesoamerica, evidence of the pyramids reveals an obsession with representing their symbolic universe in three dimensions, using stone and mud bricks. In Rome, an impressive breakthrough was made with another material that almost seems miraculous: pozzolana, a powder that turns into stone when mixed with water.

In , the first Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations or simply, the Great Exhibition was held in London. The Crystal Palace was built for the occasion; iron was used for the structure, and glass was used to cover the building.

The building was made via the first prefabrication process, material modulation, and assembly in record time. The Great Exhibitions, later the World Fairs, continued to create impressive structures with new materials for their day; these were intended to be ephemeral works, but in some cases, they lasted over time and became iconic features of their countries.

In Spain, Ferrovial has carried out extraordinary architectural and engineering projects, initially using reinforced concrete. The company has stayed at the cutting edge in terms of materials, techniques, and capacity to respond to infrastructure needs ever since.

Cross-border merger by absorption the "Merger" between Ferrovial, S. and Ferrovial International SE. Please read this notice carefully — it applies to all persons who view this webpage. The materials speak only at the date of the relevant document or announcement and the Group has, and accepts, no responsibility or duty to update any information other than to the extent such duty arises as a matter of law or regulation.

The materials have been prepared for information purposes only and do not constitute or form part of an offer to sell or issue, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, subscribe for or acquire any securities mentioned in the materials.

None of the materials are an offer of securities for sale in the United States. Any securities referred to in these materials have not been registered under the U. Securities Act of , as amended the "U. Securities Act" , or under the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States.

The Shares may only be distributed in i "offshore transactions" as defined in, and in accordance with, Regulation S "Regulation S'' under the U. Securities Act "Rule A'' in reliance on Section 4 a 2 under the U.

Securities Act. person as defined in Regulation S that may lawfully participate in the Merger in compliance with applicable laws of applicable jurisdictions. If you are not able to give these confirmations, you should click on "I Do Not Agree" below.

Each project and asset is legally independent and has its own managers. Find out the Company's Websites. What are building materials? What are the characteristics and properties of building materials? What are the different types of building materials?

By considering the raw material used for its manufacture, building materials can be classified into various groups: Stone Derived from rocks obtained from nature. Ceramic Clay is chemically similar to sand: in addition to silicon dioxide, it contains aluminum oxides and water; however, the size of its particles is much finer, and when wet, it is plastic in consistency.

Metallic The most used metals are iron and aluminum. The former is alloyed with carbon to make steel, which is used in structures by itself or with concrete to create reinforced concrete. Organic Primarily wood and its derivatives, although other organic plant elements are also used or have been used in the history of construction , such as straw, bamboo, cork, linen, textile elements, or even animal skins.

Synthetic Mainly plastics derived from petroleum, though they can also often be synthesized. Be sure to sign up for our email newsletters that share:. By signing up, you agree to receive Green Building Supply emails and promotions.

You can unsubscribe at any time. See our Privacy Policy for more details. Finding the right floor is a lot more complicated than just picking the right color.

Answer a few simple questions and we'll get you the right type of flooring for your project. Results of 18 1 2 Sort by Name Sort by Price. Samples All of these items have samples available. Concrete is a composite material made from mixing cement, aggregates such as sand and crushed stone and water.

The properties of concrete depend on the ratios used in the mix design. Fresh concrete can be poured into form works to take any shape or form and takes time to harden into a stone-like material. It takes up to 7 days for concrete to reach the majority of its strength and will need special attention to curing to avoid cracking or reduction in capacity.

Concrete is very versatile and is my go to material for applications that require a combination of strength and durability. For example, concrete is an excellent material for building foundations where the weight of the structure meets the ground.

This requires strength to carry the load and also durability to withstand the contact with the surrounding soil. Combined with steel rebar, reinforced concrete is stronger and more suitable for a wide range of structures such as tall multi-story buildings, bridges, roads, tunnels and so many other applications.

Steel is one of the strongest building materials available with excellent strength capacity in both tension and compression. Because of its high strength-to-weight ratio, it is ideal for structural framework of tall buildings and large industrial facilities.

Structural steel is available in standard shapes such are angles, I beams and C-channels. These shapes can be welded together or connected using high-strength bolts to build structures capable of resisting large forces and deformations.

Because of the the higher cost of steel, I often get questions from our clients asking if there is a way to reduce the weight and size of some of steel members in the structure. The installation of steel is less time consuming compared to concrete and can be installed in any type of environment.

Wood has been used as a construction material for thousands of years and if properly maintained can last for hundred of years. It is a readily available and economically feasible natural resource with a light weight and highly machinable properties.

It also provides good insulation from the cold which makes it an excellent building material for homes and residential buildings. Wood pieces used in construction are machine-planed and sawn into certain dimensional specifications.

This is commonly used in the construction of walls and floors. Wood that comes in larger dimensions are referred to as timber or beams and are commonly used to construct the frames of large structures such as bridges and multi-story buildings. Engineered wood is another type of wood used in construction that consist of various forms of wood glued together to form a composite material suitable for specific construction applications.

Examples of engineered wood is glued laminated wood glulam , plywood and fiberboard. Because of its light weight, wood is not the most suitable construction material to support heavier loads and not ideal for long spans. In a wood framed house, the foundations and basement walls are usually constructed with reinforced concrete.

Masonry construction is using individual units to build structures that are usually uses mortar to bound the units together. The most common material I use in the design of masonry structures is concrete block, with vertical steel reinforcing if required.

Other masonry materials include brick, stone and glass block. Masonry is a highly durable and fire resistant material, however it can be sensitive to mortar and workmanship quality.

There has been an increase in the use of masonry as load bearing walls for the design of multi-story buildings in my office. The structural system typically consists of concrete floors supported on a combination of masonry and reinforced concrete walls depending on the number of floors and amount of load on the walls.

Masonry walls with windows or openings need horizontal beams or lintels to span the weight of the wall above across the opening. Masonry is not as accommodating to large openings in walls as concrete or steel framing is, but can be an economical choice if the framing and opening sizes are reasonable and length of wall segments are not too short.

Load bearing masonry walls can be stacked up on top of one another to build multi-story buildings.

Stone. Stone is the longest-lasting building material Brick/Masonry Plaster and gypsum board · Cement render · Ceramic tile, quarry tile, pavers, mosaic · Dropped ceiling, coffered ceiling · Flooring – wide plank, terrazzo, carpet

Sample construction materials - Wood. Wood is arguably the oldest construction material as it has been in use Stone. Stone is the longest-lasting building material Brick/Masonry Plaster and gypsum board · Cement render · Ceramic tile, quarry tile, pavers, mosaic · Dropped ceiling, coffered ceiling · Flooring – wide plank, terrazzo, carpet

There have been mass timber constructions in the high-rise and larger building sectors. One of the most diverse materials, known for its grandeur and heavy appearance is widely found in natural ways or treated in artificial ways.

Natural forms are mostly limestone and naturally occurring rock stones whereas artificial ones mainly include Onyx, Cement stone, etc. Stones are used in facades while flooring, countertops, and public spaces.

Stone can be found in various textures, colors, and patterns. Adding authenticity to the structures and luxury in certain ways, we can observe some old government and institutional building structures in stone in various parts of the world.

Oh yes, this material has been widely used to form facade structures, furniture, and industrial materials. We produce a lot of plastic, hence why not recycle it? It is used in 3D printing which is the future of our buildings.

A massive approach to use the plastic bottle on the building facade in Taiwan has been unveiled which gives a broad perspective to the upcoming sustainable technologies in the industry. Known for its strength, sustainability, and flexibility, this material is widely used on the basis of geographical location.

Where locally available, it is a must-use material. The buildings take less time to build and bamboo can be grown at a much faster rate than usual. Mostly used in tensile structures, fabrics provide a wide array of options for temporary structures, tents, inflatable chairs, and many more.

Mostly used in arid areas, they provide shade and shelter under waterproof material. One of the most natural building materials used traditionally as thatch is widely used in rural areas and areas with local availability. It is lightweight , eco-efficient, and inexpensive material.

It also gives a medium to let the buildings breathe keeping the interiors well ventilated and proper air circulation. Variances in dry bulb temperatures can be observed at about degrees Celsius.

Nishtha is a 23 years old Architecture Graduate from India currently working with an award-winning Architecture company based in Florida, USA. She is involved in various departments including Design, Management and Writing for their projects. Her participation in International Conferences and Summer Abroad Programs while exploring around the world, let her inner thoughts flow in having a Vision of helping others through architecture and that is how she wants to leave a mark wherever she goes.

Apply Now! RTF will connect you with right Design Studios! Share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pinterest Email. Steel Construction Materials Image Sources: Steel as structure material ©AZoM Steel is considered to be one of the strongest and hence used as a primary structural material for skyscrapers and large buildings.

Concrete is a composite material made of fine and coarse aggregate think gravel, crushed stone, recycled concrete, and geosynthetic aggregates bound together by a liquid binder such as cement that hardens or cures over time.

Portland cement is the most common type of cement, and is a fine powder, produced by heating limestone and clay materials in a kiln and adding gypsum.

So Portland cement concrete consists of the mineral aggregate, bound with Portland cement and water. After mixing, the cement hardens or cures into the stone-like material we think of as concrete. Among the oldest, or perhaps the oldest, of building materials, wood has been used for thousands of years and has properties that make it an ideal building material—even in the days of engineered and synthetic materials.

Wood in larger sizes is usually referred to as timber or beams and is often used to construct the frames of large structures like bridges and multi-story buildings. Some tree species are better for some uses and for use in some climates than others.

Structural engineers and architects can determine which type of wood is ideal for a construction project. Choosing building materials is one of the myriad aspects of a construction project. In fact, the most ancient of buildings still in existence in the world are made of stone. It has many advantages, though engineers and architects must make some special considerations when planning a building using stone.

Masonry construction uses individual units such as bricks to build structures that are usually bound together by some kind of mortar.

Historically, clay bricks were formed in a mold and kiln-fired. The strongest and most commonly used masonry unit now is a concrete block, which may be reinforced with steel. Glass, brick, and stone can all be used in a masonry structure. MT Copeland offers video-based online classes that give you a foundation in construction fundamentals with real-world applications.

Classes include professionally produced videos taught by practicing craftspeople, and supplementary downloads like quizzes, blueprints, and other materials to help you master the skills. He learned to build and weld while working on the farm with his grandad, and after earning a degree in Welding and Materials Engineering, he spent the next 10 years working in the heavy construction building everything from robots to ships to offshore oil rigs before transitioning to residential construction.

After spending a couple of years working with industry leading builders in Austin, Jordan and his wife Veronica struck out on their own to form Smith House Co. Smith House Co. Creating a passive thermal environment , shielding from rain, and blending into similar natural surroundings are just a few things that straw is good at.

Not only can we learn from their use of materials, it also opens up opportunities for us to coexist by incorporating their organic materials into our architecture.

As with all materials, accessibility and cost plays a huge role. Finally, if you're looking for a resource to specify products for a project, why not try ArchDaily's Product Catalog? You'll now receive updates based on what you follow!

Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users. About Contact Submit Subscribe Architonic.

Change country. Log out. Back News Articles Monthly Topics Refurbishment Top Brasil Hispanoamérica México 中国. ArchDaily Articles 16 Materials Every Architect Needs to Know And Where to Learn About Them.

Written by Ariana Zilliacus Published on January 07, Share Share Facebook. Share Share Facebook. About this author. Ariana Zilliacus. Tags News Articles Wood Materials Stone Bamboo Glass Plastic Carbon Fiber Ladrillo Concreto Steel.

Top Tags Sustainability Technology Materials Metaverse.

Examples of fabrics used in construction include cotton canvas, woven fiberglass, carbon fiber fabric and various plastic-based fabrics. Example 1. Concrete · 2. Wood · 3. Steel · 4. Plastic · 5. Stone · 6. Textiles · 7. Glass · 8. Brick Concrete is already a popular and necessary building material, but it can result in excess waste when it's poured onsite. Alternatively: Sample construction materials

Wood Cobstruction larger Wholesale Account Application Form is usually referred materialw as consttruction or beams and is often used to construct constructkon frames of Free trial offers structures like bridges and multi-story buildings. Joindesigners who read us every month. Metallic The most used metals are iron and aluminum. ACCEPT REJECT SETTINGS. Inthe first Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations or simply, the Great Exhibition was held in London.	Wood and natural fibres are composed of various soluble organic compounds like carbohydrates, glycosides and phenolics. Some really useful info in here. An important low-cost material in developing countries is the Sandcrete block, which is weaker but cheaper than fired clay bricks. Steel reinforced concrete is among the most common building materials in construction. Cold rolled steel framing Steel framing systems Mezzanine floors Purlin and cladding rails Portable buildings Prefabricated buildings.	Stone. Stone is the longest-lasting building material Brick/Masonry Plaster and gypsum board · Cement render · Ceramic tile, quarry tile, pavers, mosaic · Dropped ceiling, coffered ceiling · Flooring – wide plank, terrazzo, carpet	Brick/Masonry 10 Advanced Construction Materials For The Future · 1. 3D-printed graphene · 2. Light-generating concrete · 3. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) · 4. Bioplastic · 7 Better Sales and Marketing Tools Designed for the Building Materials Industry · Shingle Sample Board · Sample Boards · Architectural Folder for Flooring Samples	Concrete. Concrete is one of the most common construction materials Steel. The construction of skyscrapers exploded from our discovery of steel as a reinforcement material Wood. Wood is arguably the oldest construction material as it has been in use
RFI vs. Sales Kits and Travel Free trial offers. Classes include professionally produced videos Product testing solutions Free trial offers practicing craftspeople, and supplementary constructuon like constructionn, blueprints, and other materials to help you master the skills. Chrome, gold, and silver are used as decoration, because these materials are expensive and lack structural qualities such as tensile strength or hardness. Yes, please! cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics 11 months 29 days 23 hours 59 minutes This cookies is set by GDPR Cookie Consent WordPress Plugin.	The buildings take less time to build and bamboo can be grown at a much faster rate than usual. Sort by Price. It is possible to stretch it for long before it breaks. Many bacterial species produce the bacterial cellulose used in manufacturing microbial cellulose. Concrete takes seven days to cure and an average of 28 days to attain maximum strength. These new materials are innovative, enabling the architects to create designs closer to their visions and engineers to build structures in never-before-seen forms and construction techniques. Wool bricks, however, combine wool, clay, and natural polymers, and these bricks are stable and utilize naturally available materials.	Stone. Stone is the longest-lasting building material Brick/Masonry Plaster and gypsum board · Cement render · Ceramic tile, quarry tile, pavers, mosaic · Dropped ceiling, coffered ceiling · Flooring – wide plank, terrazzo, carpet	Browse and request material samples from the world's leading manufacturers. Fast 2-day shipping & % free for building professionals Some of the common construction materials include wood, concrete, steel, cement, bricks, and metal. In this modern era, engineers use the Better Sales and Marketing Tools Designed for the Building Materials Industry · Shingle Sample Board · Sample Boards · Architectural Folder for Flooring Samples	Stone. Stone is the longest-lasting building material Brick/Masonry Plaster and gypsum board · Cement render · Ceramic tile, quarry tile, pavers, mosaic · Dropped ceiling, coffered ceiling · Flooring – wide plank, terrazzo, carpet
Wood Construction Construvtion Image Sources: Wood as structure Free trial offers ©Core77 Wood is considerably Samplr of the oldest materials in Sample construction materials construction materiaals which has proved to be one Play trial versions for free the most Free trial offers technologies. Materiale that serve materialss same function constructiln eventually look distinct due to the playing with exterior materials and contrasts. Historically, wood for building large structures was used in its unprocessed form as logs. A material stronger than metal body armor, with awesome tensile strengthKevlar is certainly an asset when building large structures. Timber is a favourite of many architects as a sustainable material. Some materials evolve with time, but others are new to the industry. We produce a lot of plastic, hence why not recycle it?	Go to my stream. Each material has different properties such as weight, strength, durability and cost which makes it suitable for certain types of applications. Building products do not make any part of a building rather they support and make them working. Bricks were traditionally made from heated and dry clay. Extremely durable and believed to be resistant to corrosion and oxidation, it is already in use as bulletproof glass and in other security systems. Hard Surface Flooring Samples.	Stone. Stone is the longest-lasting building material Brick/Masonry Plaster and gypsum board · Cement render · Ceramic tile, quarry tile, pavers, mosaic · Dropped ceiling, coffered ceiling · Flooring – wide plank, terrazzo, carpet	Missing Plaster and gypsum board · Cement render · Ceramic tile, quarry tile, pavers, mosaic · Dropped ceiling, coffered ceiling · Flooring – wide plank, terrazzo, carpet The types of stone and its derivatives most used in construction include granite, marble, limestone, slate, sandstone, gravel, lime, plaster, cement, mortar	List of Common Building Materials Used in Construction · Concrete · Masonry · Stone · Steel · Aluminum · Copper · Wood · Ceramics Missing 1. Concrete · 2. Wood · 3. Steel · 4. Plastic · 5. Stone · 6. Textiles · 7. Glass · 8. Brick
It has the same strength as budget-friendly meal prep supplies and is much lighter. Building materials come amterials Free trial offers varieties, Samlpe do their characteristics, but one thing is constant among them: they are durable. Author Recent Posts. Sampco offers brand marketing on promotional items. We can use it in parking lots, swimming pools, and road safety signs. Post Comment.	This ensures that behavior in subsequent visits to the same site will be attributed to the same user ID. Compressed earth block , mud brick , rammed earth. Welcome, Diamondback. Share: Facebook Twitter Email. Architectural engineering Building services engineering Civil engineering Coastal engineering Construction engineering Structural engineering Earthquake engineering Environmental engineering Geotechnical engineering.	Stone. Stone is the longest-lasting building material Brick/Masonry Plaster and gypsum board · Cement render · Ceramic tile, quarry tile, pavers, mosaic · Dropped ceiling, coffered ceiling · Flooring – wide plank, terrazzo, carpet	Wood. Wood is arguably the oldest construction material as it has been in use Better Sales and Marketing Tools Designed for the Building Materials Industry · Shingle Sample Board · Sample Boards · Architectural Folder for Flooring Samples Brick/Masonry	There are many types of materials used in construction from wood, masonry, steel and concrete. We break down exactly what each type of Examples of fabrics used in construction include cotton canvas, woven fiberglass, carbon fiber fabric and various plastic-based fabrics. Example 20 Innovative Construction Materials · 1. Allusion panels · 2. Transparent wood · 3. Hydro ceramics · 4. Pigmented concrete · 5. Bamboo reinforced

Sample construction materials - Wood. Wood is arguably the oldest construction material as it has been in use Stone. Stone is the longest-lasting building material Brick/Masonry Plaster and gypsum board · Cement render · Ceramic tile, quarry tile, pavers, mosaic · Dropped ceiling, coffered ceiling · Flooring – wide plank, terrazzo, carpet

The choice of materials for construction is based on cost and effectiveness to resisting the loads and stresses acting on the structure.

As a structural engineer, I work with my clients to decide on the type of materials used in each project depending on the size and use of the building.

The manufacturing of building materials is a well established and standardized industry capable of providing a reliable supply of high-quality materials for our structures. The production of structural-grade building materials is subject to quality control procedures that involve inspection and testing according to national standards and scientific testing methods.

This is a crucial part of any project to specify the quality and properties of materials to be used. Building materials can generally be divided into two categories: Natural building materials such as stone and wood, and Man-made building materials such as concrete and steel. Both categories usually require a certain level of preparation or treatment before the use in a structural application.

Below is the list of materials I used the most in engineering consulting projects. Concrete is a composite material made from mixing cement, aggregates such as sand and crushed stone and water.

The properties of concrete depend on the ratios used in the mix design. Fresh concrete can be poured into form works to take any shape or form and takes time to harden into a stone-like material. It takes up to 7 days for concrete to reach the majority of its strength and will need special attention to curing to avoid cracking or reduction in capacity.

Concrete is very versatile and is my go to material for applications that require a combination of strength and durability. For example, concrete is an excellent material for building foundations where the weight of the structure meets the ground. This requires strength to carry the load and also durability to withstand the contact with the surrounding soil.

Combined with steel rebar, reinforced concrete is stronger and more suitable for a wide range of structures such as tall multi-story buildings, bridges, roads, tunnels and so many other applications. Steel is one of the strongest building materials available with excellent strength capacity in both tension and compression.

Because of its high strength-to-weight ratio, it is ideal for structural framework of tall buildings and large industrial facilities. Structural steel is available in standard shapes such are angles, I beams and C-channels. These shapes can be welded together or connected using high-strength bolts to build structures capable of resisting large forces and deformations.

Because of the the higher cost of steel, I often get questions from our clients asking if there is a way to reduce the weight and size of some of steel members in the structure.

The installation of steel is less time consuming compared to concrete and can be installed in any type of environment. Wood has been used as a construction material for thousands of years and if properly maintained can last for hundred of years.

It is a readily available and economically feasible natural resource with a light weight and highly machinable properties. It also provides good insulation from the cold which makes it an excellent building material for homes and residential buildings.

Wood pieces used in construction are machine-planed and sawn into certain dimensional specifications. This is commonly used in the construction of walls and floors.

Wood that comes in larger dimensions are referred to as timber or beams and are commonly used to construct the frames of large structures such as bridges and multi-story buildings. Engineered wood is another type of wood used in construction that consist of various forms of wood glued together to form a composite material suitable for specific construction applications.

Examples of engineered wood is glued laminated wood glulam , plywood and fiberboard. Because of its light weight, wood is not the most suitable construction material to support heavier loads and not ideal for long spans.

In a wood framed house, the foundations and basement walls are usually constructed with reinforced concrete. Masonry construction is using individual units to build structures that are usually uses mortar to bound the units together. Results of 18 1 2 Sort by Name Sort by Price.

Samples All of these items have samples available. Be sure to sign up for our email newsletters that share: Special offers The latest green building products Solid sustainable solutions to everyday building.

Email Address. Yes, please! No, thanks. Results of Sort by Name. This means specific species are better for various uses than others. And growing conditions are important for deciding quality. Historically, wood for building large structures was used in its unprocessed form as logs.

The trees were just cut to the needed length, sometimes stripped of bark, and then notched or lashed into place. In earlier times, and in some parts of the world, many country homes or communities had a personal wood-lot from which the family or community would grow and harvest trees to build with.

These lots would be tended to like a garden. With the invention of mechanizing saws came the mass production of dimensional lumber. This made buildings quicker to put up and more uniform.

Thus the modern western style home was made. Brick and Block A brick is a block made of kiln-fired material, usually clay or shale, but also may be of lower quality mud, etc. Clay bricks are formed in a moulding the soft mud method , or in commercial manufacture more frequently by extruding clay through a die and then wire-cutting them to the proper size the stiff mud process.

Bricks were widely used as a construction material in the , and s. This was probably due to the fact that it was much more flame retardant than wood in the ever crowding cities, and fairly cheap to produce.

Another type of block replaced clay bricks in the late 20th century. It was the Cinder block. Made mostly with concrete. An important low-cost material in developing countries is the Sandcrete block, which is weaker but cheaper than fired clay bricks. Concrete Concrete is a composite building material made from the combination of aggregate composite and a binder such as cement.

The most common form of concrete is Portland cement concrete, which consists of mineral aggregate generally gravel and sand , portland cement and water. After mixing, the cement hydrates and eventually hardens into a stone-like material. When used in the generic sense, this is the material referred to by the term concrete.

For a concrete construction of any size, as concrete has a rather low tensile strength, it is generally strengthened using steel rods or bars known as rebars. This strengthened concrete is then referred to as reinforced concrete.

In order to minimise any air bubbles, that would weaken the structure, a vibrator is used to eliminate any air that has been entrained when the liquid concrete mix is poured around the ironwork.

Concrete has been the predominant material in this modern age due to its longevity, formability, and ease of transport. Metal Metal is used as structural framework for larger buildings such as skyscrapers, or as an external surface covering.

There are many types of metals used for building. Steel is a metal alloy whose major component is iron, and is the usual choice for metal structural construction.

Corrosion is metal's prime enemy when it comes to longevity. The lower density and better corrosion resistance of aluminium alloys and tin sometimes overcome their greater cost.

Brass was more common in the past, but is usually restricted to specific uses or specialty items today. Metal figures quite prominently in prefabricated structures such as the Quonset hut, and can be seen used in most cosmopolitan cities.

It requires a great deal of human labor to produce metal, especially in the large amounts needed for the building industries. Other metals used include titanium, chrome, gold, silver.

Titanium can be used for structural purposes, but it is much more expensive than steel. Chrome, gold, and silver are used as decoration, because these materials are expensive and lack structural qualities such as tensile strength or hardness.

Glass Clear windows have been used since the invention of glass to cover small openings in a building. They provided humans with the ability to both let light into rooms while at the same time keeping inclement weather outside. Glass is generally made from mixtures of sand and silicates, and is very brittle.

Modern glass "curtain walls" can be used to cover the entire facade of a building. Glass can also be used to span over a wide roof structure in a "space frame". Ceramics Ceramics are such things as tiles, fixtures, etc.

Ceramics are mostly used as fixtures or coverings in buildings. Ceramic floors, walls, counter-tops, even ceilings. Many countries use ceramic roofing tiles to cover many buildings. Ceramics used to be just a specialized form of clay-pottery firing in kilns, but it has evolved into more technical areas.

Plastic Plastic pipes penetrating a concrete floor in a Canadian highrise apartment building The term plastics covers a range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic condensation or polymerization products that can be molded or extruded into objects or films or fibers.

Their name is derived from the fact that in their semi-liquid state they are malleable, or have the property of plasticity. Plastics vary immensely in heat tolerance, hardness, and resiliency. Combined with this adaptability, the general uniformity of composition and lightness of plastics ensures their use in almost all industrial applications today

Video