Types of Materials used in Construction
There are various types of materials used for construction, offering different benefits and advantages. Here are the some of the commonly-used materials for construction. It is important to choose the right construction material for your projects to ensure that your building lasts long and of the best quality. Here are some of the commonly-used materials in construction:
Steel
As one of the strongest building materials available for construction, steel has excellent strength capacity in both tension and compression. Steel is a metal alloy of iron and carbon, with additional alloying materials added to make it stronger and more fracture-resistant than iron. It’s commonly used for the structural framework of tall modern buildings and large industrial facilities due to its high strength-to weight and strength-to-size ratios.
Concrete
Concrete is one of the most commonly-used construction material. It is a composite material made of fine and coarse aggregate, mixed with a binder like cement and water. The mixture is then left to cure and set over time for an average of 28 days. An important thing to note about concrete is the fact that it has a low tensile strength, therefore it is usually embedded with steel to make it stronger and versatile for a wide range of structures.
Wood
Wood is a construction material that have been used for thousands of years and can last for hundreds of years if properly maintained. It is cost-efficient, as well as strong and durable. Wood is a great choice as a building material for homes and residential buildings as it provides a good insulation from the cold. In addition, it is also good in soundproofing and has high tensile strength.
Stone
Stone is the most durable building material. Stone is widely used in walls and flooring because of its texture, ranging from smooth finish textures to rough textures. Sandstone, marble and granite are some instances of stones commonly used in construction.
It is rather difficult to maneuver and work around stone as it has a rather high density. Stones are also not an ideal material to choose for construction in cold environments due to its nature as a terrible insulator.
Brick/Masonry
Masonry involves the binding of rectangular blocks (bricks) made of heated and dry clay with mortar. Masonry is still fragile despite its high compression resistance, hence why the use of steel is prominent in our concrete blocks now. This allows for the building of multi-story buildings, which ultimately becomes and economical building choice.