Any material that is used in the construction process of any structure is known as a building material. Such materials are made of a variety of natural products for example leaves, clay, twigs, sand, and many others. Additionally, there are other building materials that are man made. It is interesting to note that there are countries where different building materials are manufactured to be used for the different aspects of the construction process. This can either function like plumbing or even house carpeting.
Construction building materials
Building material can be grouped into
two major categories, we have natural building materials, and we also have those materials that are synthetic or manufactured by engineering companies. Both of them have functions that they can serve. It is also important to note that people across the world use these building materials to construct their structures depending on the suitability of the materials as per their local weather conditions. In this article, we are going to look at some of the most common building materials that are mostly used in construction projects.
Rock
When you mention a construction project, this is the first building material that comes to the minds of individuals. It is one of the materials that have been used for long in building. Although it offers durability and it is very protective, it is very heavy for construction workers to carry around hence needs machinery when constructing, and it is not that effective in keeping the occupants of the house that is constructed of rocks warm.
Thatch
This one has been used in construction projects since time immemorial. Even though it does not have a long lifespan, each type of it has a lifespan of its own. It was mostly used in traditional house construction, but it has since been replaced by iron sheets
Brush
A brush is another commonly used construction material that is made from some unique plants that are found in tropical rainforest climatic regions. But brush itself is commonly used in construction projects that occur in tropical and subtropical areas. In most cases it is used in combination with rocks, to fill in the gaps that are left between the stones.
Ice
This can come as a surprise to many. When one thinks of structures that are built of ice, we are referring to units and igloos. But it might surprise you further to encounter large structures and buildings that are constructed out of ice. A good example is the many hotels that are made out of ice in Scandinavia.
Cement
Of course, cement is one of the most commonly used construction material and hence it needs no introduction. It has been used in structural constructions for centuries because of the durability that it offers.
Metal
It is very important as any structural framework of any building will be made up of metallic parts. Steel is the most common metal that is used in construction. It is used in the construction of small structures to skyscrapers.
Glass
This is usually used in the construction of those buildings that the owners want the light to penetrate into them. In recent times, solar glasses have been used in construction as they absorb energy from the sun.
Some other commonly used building materials include Hempcrete, Bamboo, Recycled plastics and even Ferrock.