Nylon in construction
Nylon is a polymer which has a molecular structure built up from a large number of similar units bonded together based on aliphatic or semi-aromatic polyamides. The first nylon was produced by DuPont in 1935.
Nylon is a thermoplastic material that can be used for a wide range of applications in the construction industry. When heated it can be moulded into a range of shapes or films, or it can be drawn into fibres. It is is used in sheets, rods, tubes, pipes, screws, washers, bolts, spacers, safety nets, plumbing fittings, and so on. Its fibres can be woven together to produce a silky and lightweight fabric that can be used in carpeting, canopies, sheets, and so on.
The advantages of nylon include its strength, durability, high pressure-bearing capacity and corrosion resistance. It also has a low coefficient of friction meaning that it can be used in applications that involve rotation or sliding with little or no lubrication.
Nylon is also waterproof and fast-drying. However, it can dissolve when exposed to chemicals such as phenols, alkalis and acids.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Guidance notes to prepare for April ERA changes
From the Electrical Contractors' Association Employee Relations team.
Significant changes to be seen from the new ERA in 2026 and 2027, starting on 6 April 2026.
First aid in the modern workplace with St John Ambulance.
Ireland's National Residential Retrofit Plan
Staged initiatives introduced step by step.
Solar panels, pitched roofs and risk of fire spread
60% increase in solar panel fires prompts tests and installation warnings.
Modernising heat networks with Heat interface unit
Why HIUs hold the key to efficiency upgrades.
Reflecting on the work of the CIOB Academy
Looking back on 2025 and where it's going next.
Procurement in construction: Knowledge hub
Brief, overview, key articles and over 1000 more covering procurement.
Sir John Betjeman’s love of Victorian church architecture.
Exchange for Change for UK deposit return scheme
The UK Deposit Management Organisation established to deliver Deposit Return Scheme unveils trading name.
A guide to integrating heat pumps
As the Future Homes Standard approaches Future Homes Hub publishes hints and tips for Architects and Architectural Technologists.
BSR as a standalone body; statements, key roles, context
Statements from key figures in key and changing roles.
ECA launches Welsh Election Manifesto
ECA calls on political parties at 100 day milestone to the Senedd elections.
Resident engagement as the key to successful retrofits
Retrofit is about people, not just buildings, from early starts to beyond handover.
Plastic, recycling and its symbol
Student competition winning, M.C.Esher inspired Möbius strip design symbolising continuity within a finite entity.
Do you take the lead in a circular construction economy?
Help us develop and expand this wiki as a resource for academia and industry alike.
Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce
Risks of undermining UK’s energy transition due to lack of electrotechnical industry representation, says ECA.
Cost Optimal Domestic Electrification CODE
Modelling retrofits only on costs that directly impact the consumer: upfront cost of equipment, energy costs and maintenance costs.