Materials that are used commonly in the construction of residential buildings and infrastructure are called building material. The strength and durability of the building depends on the quality of the materials that you use in its construction. In order to ensure the longevity of the building you shouldn’t compromise on the quality of the material that you use.
Usually in construction projects the most commonly used materials include the following;
- Cement
- Clay
- Brick
- Sand
- Reinforced Bars
- Aggregate
Different brands provide different grades and sizes of these building materials. Depending on what your construction project requires you can select the grades and sizes of the building material that you are going to use.
However, before buying construction material you need to understand their individual purpose and usage.
Cement
In construction work cement is used as a binder, you can use it to bind materials like sand, bricks or steel bars. There are different grades of cement available in the market and all of them serve different purposes. For instance, low grade cement is used in general construction work whereas, a higher-grade cement is used for plastering and concrete work. Although, higher grade cement is the one that is mostly preferred by contractors as it can be used for all types of construction work and is the most suitable for concrete grade mix.
Sand
A few different types of sands are used in construction work. They serve an important purpose in construction work as they provide much needed bulk and strength to concrete. In construction work different types of purposes sands serve different purposes. For instance, river sand is used for plastering whereas coarse sand is used commonly for concreting.
Brick
Bricks are an essential element of construction work. They’re usually manufactured from clay and are available in different types and sizes. The two main types of bricks are burnt and unburnt bricks.
Unburnt bricks are sun dried and are used usually for construction of temporary structures. Since they are not water or fire resistant, they are not very durable and cannot be used for construction of permanent structures.
There are a few different types of burnt bricks available in the market that are used for different construction purposes such as ground molding and masonry tasks.
Aggregate
In construction work aggregate is used in the cement mix to provide it with much needed stability and volume. The finished result is more stable due to the coarse aggregate that is used as an additive in concrete mix.
Wood
One of the most commonly used material in construction work is wood. Different types of woods are used in construction for different tasks. For instance, Deodar wood is used in making cheap furniture and packaging boxes as it is soft in nature. However high-quality wood like Mahogany wood is used for making all sorts of furniture as it is durable and known for lasting long. Other high-quality woods include satin wood and teak wood, they are both durable and used in furniture making and other ornamental and interior decoration work. Of course, there are other types of woods available in the market but these are the ones most popular in construction work.
Besides these, there are other important materials that are used in construction work like metal, foam, glass and many more. But the most important thing is the quality of the material that you use as it determines the longevity of the structure you are building. Just like how you choose the best deal equipment when you are working on a project, you should also try to find the best materials to ensure that the infrastructure that you are building is durable. If you compromise on quality, it will only cost you more down the road.