Building materials

A building is a structure which is designed by the architects or draughtsman and built for the purpose of providing shelter for human beings. Building materials are the materials used to construct buildings and other structures.

Common Building Materials 

The following are the common building materials:

(i) Cement  (ii) Sand  (iii) Gravel  (iv) Metal  (v) Plastics  (vi) Wood  (vii) Glass  (viii) Leaves  (ix) Ceramics  (x) Grass, etc.

Identification of Buildings by Materials

Buildings are identified by the types of materials with which they are erected. They are:

1. Mud Buildings:These are erected with loamy or clayed soil which has been properly treated to plastic nature.
2. Brick Building: Bricks are molded from dried mortar (a mixture of cement, sand and lime and at times clay burnt in a kiln. There two types of Brick Building:

(i) The Sun dried bricks

(ii) The fire burnt bricks (Red bricks)

3. Sand Crete Building:This is made from the mixture of cement and sand. The blocks are used to erect buildings
4. Wood Building:These are erected with logs timber or plywood

KEYWORDS:

• Roofing – Making the roof of a building
• Foundation – The lowest and supporting layer of a structure
• Gravel – Rock fragments.

Uses of Building Materials

1. Sand: This is the most common building materials. The two types of sand used in building construction are soft sand and sharp sand.
2. Gravel: This is a constituent of concrete which is used in building construction. There are two types of gravel;

(i) Pebbles: These are small stones excavated from pits or rover bails

(ii) Granite chippings: These are chipping of blasted granite stones generally collected in grade sizes

3. Cement: This is a finely powdered, manufactured substance consisting of gypsum plaster or Portland cement that hardens adheres after being mixed with water. It is an essential material in building construction.
4. Wood: Wood is a natural product that forms the trunk of trees which is used as a material for building construction. They are used to produce wooden doors and windows and are also as roof and ceiling structures.
5. Loaves and grasses: They are not commonly used nowadays but were good roof covering materials in the past.
6. Glass:
7. Plastic and Ceramicsfor sewage pipes for draining waste.

Uses of Buildings

Buildings are used for the following:

(i) Shelter  (ii) Convenience  (iii) Storage  (iv) Privacy  (v) Protection  (vi) Knowledge  (vii) Comfort  (viii) Security

Types of Buildings

A building is a structure which is designed by the architects or draughtsman and built for the purpose of providing shelter for human beings.

Types of Buildings According to Construction Design

Building can also be identified through their construction design. The types of buildings are: bungalow, duplex, detached and semi-detached, hut, high-rise, skyscrapers etc.

1. Bungalows: These are buildings that are only at the ground floor.
2. 2. Duplex: This is a compact storey building, roofed at the first floor and only designed to locate the sitting room, dining room, the kitchen and guest room with their conveniences are located at the first floor.
3. Detached: A residential building standing alone.
4. Semi-detached or terraced buildings: These are series of unit buildings along a line joined together with common dividing walls
5. Skyscraper: A very tall storey-building with many floors.
6. Hut: This a small unit and usually round in shape and covered with thatch.

Types of Building According to Uses

Buildings are generally classified according to their uses. These are

(i) Agricultural Buildings

(ii) Commercial Buildings

(iii) Residential Buildings

(iv) Educational Buildings

(v) Government Buildings

(vi) Industrial Buildings

(vii) Religious Buildings.

EVALUATION

1. What is a building?

Mention 3 types of building you know