BUILDING MATERIALS

CONTENT

1. Definition of Building
2. Common Building Materials
3. Identification of Buildings by Materials
4. Uses of Building Materials
5. Uses of Buildings
6. Types of Buildings

Definition of Building

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.

Building Materials

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)