Construction materials
Approved Document 7: materials and workmanship, provides a very wide definition of ‘materials’:
| Materials include manufactured products such as components, fittings, items of equipment and systems; naturally occurring materials such as stone, timber and thatch; and backfilling for excavations in connection with building work. |
Narrower definitions of materials such as 'physical substances that things can be made from' would seem to exclude manufactured products such as components, fittings, items of equipment and systems. For example, steel is a material, whereas a steel beam is a product.
Some of the more commonly used construction materials that might be considered to fall within this narrower definition are listed below. For a wider list, including products and components see: Products and components.
- Adhesives
- Adobe.
- Aggregate
- Alkali-activated binder
- Architectural fabrics
- Asphalt
- Bulk filling materials
- Carbon fibre
- Cast iron
- Cavity wall insulation
- Cement
- Ceramics
- Chert
- Clay
- Coal ash
- Concrete
- Concrete fibre
- Daub
- ETFE
- Fibre cement
- Glass for buildings
- Glass reinforced concrete
- Glass reinforced plastic GRP
- Glulam
- Graphene in civil engineering
- Gravel
- Gravel v hardcore v aggregates.
- Grouting in civil engineering
- Hempcrete
- High alumina cement
- Icynene spray foam insulation
- Laminated veneer lumber LVL
- Lead in construction
- Limecrete
- Masonry
- Mastic sealant
- Mortar
- Mycelium
- Nylon
- Oil - a global perspective
- Paint
- Paints and coatings
- Pebbledash
- Phase change materials
- Phenolic foam insulation
- Plastic
- Plywood
- Polyamide intermediates
- Polyethylene.
- Polystyrene
- Polyurethane spray foam in structurally insulated panels and composite structures
- Polyvinyl chloride PVC
- Precast concrete
- Prestressed concrete
- Products v goods v materials.
- R22 phase out
- Recyclable construction materials
- Refrigerants in buildings
- Reinforced concrete
- Render
- Renewable chemicals
- Solid wall insulation
- Stainless steel in construction
- Steel
- Straw bale construction
- Structural steelwork
- Stucco
- Sundry items.
- Sustainable materials
- Terracotta.
- Thermoplastic materials in buildings
- Timber
- Topmix Permeable
- Tradical Hemcrete
- Transparent insulation
- Types of steel
- Wattle and daub
- Wrought iron
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Approved documents.
- Approved document 7.
- BREEAM Material efficiency.
- Building Regulations.
- Construction buyer.
- Conversion of material volumes.
- Workmanship in construction.
- Defects.
- Off-site goods and materials.
- Material handling.
- Materials on site.
- Performance gap.
- Quality control.
- Schedule of defects.
- Snagging.
- Testing construction materials.
- Truth to materials.
Featured articles and news
The phrase ‘time at large’ describes the situation where there is no date for completion, or it has become invalid.
The Maldives is under threat from climate change. Read this report from BRE on their potential involvement in the region.
MHCLG update states there are still 124 private high-rise buildings with unsafe cladding and no remediation plan.
Starting a new built environment degree? We have a wide range of resources aimed at students.
Former railway chief James Blake says trust and control are key to successful infrastructure projects.
Do you know your Rococo from your De Stijl, your Gothic from your Post-modernist?
May outlines a new funding strategy for housing associations and says the 'stigma' of social housing needs to end.
RIBA launches a consultation on a new Plan of Work for Fire Safety.
This article offers some basic rules to follow when writing your next specification.
The iconic Mackintosh Building will definitely be rebuilt, board chairwoman confirms.
The machinery used to fashion stone has changed dramatically - and so have the products.