STUDY MATERIAL NATA’22
Knowledge about Building Materials
Introduction
Building materials are the
smallest denomination of any
built structure. Many naturally
occurring substances, such as
clay, rocks, sand, wood, and
even twigs and leaves, have
been used to construct
buildings. Apart from naturally
occurring materials, many
man-made products are in
use, some more and some less
synthetic.
Use of building materials are
typically segmented into specific specialty trades, such as masonry, carpentry, insulation,
plumbing, and roofing work, etc.,
Commonly used Building Materials in the Sequence of Usage in a typical Building
1. Aggregate
a. Fine
b. Coarse
2. Cement
3. Reinforcement Material
4. Structural Members
a. Mild Steel (MS) Sections
5. Masonry
a. Burnt Clay Bricks
b. Fly Ash Bricks
c. Cement Based Solid Blocks
d. Cement Based Hollow Blocks
e. Hollow Clay Blocks
f. Autoclaved Aerated Cement (AAC) Blocks
6. Finishes
a. Flooring
i. Stones
1. Marble
2. Granite
3. Kota
ii Tiles
1. Ceramic Tiles
2. Vitrified Tiles
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STUDY MATERIAL NATA’22
Wall
i. Stones
1. Slate
2. Sand Stones
ii. Paint
1. Water Based - Emulsion
2. Oil Based – Enamel
iii. Varnish
Plumbing
a. Supply Pipes
i. Galvanised Iron (GI)
ii. PVC
iii. uPVC
iv. cPVC
v. Pex
vi. Copper
b. Drainage Pipes
i. Cast Iron
c. Fittings
i. PVC
ii. Brass with Chrome Plated
d. Sanitary Fittings
i. Wash Basin
ii. Water Closet
iii. Urinals
Electricals
a. Switches
b. Wires
Joinery
c. Wood
d. Metal
i. MS
ii. Aluminium
e. uPVC
Handrails
f. Cast Iron
g. Stainless Steel
h. Glass
8. Roofing
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a. Concrete
b. Corrugated GI Sheets
c. Shingles
d. Burnt Clay Tiles
Fine Aggregate
River Sand
One of the constituent of
Mortar, Concrete.
Coarse Aggregate
Crushed Rock
Size greater than 4.75 mm.
Usually used in 10mm, 20mm &
40mm sizes.
One of the constituent of
Mortar, Concrete.
Cement
Cement is a binder.
Important constituent of
Mortar, Concrete.
e. Thatch
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Reinforcement Material
TMT (Thermo-Mechanically Treated)
Bars
Used as reinforcement material in
RCC (Reinforced Cement
Concrete).
It’s a Tension member.
PCC
Plain Cement Concrete
It’s a combination of Cement,
Fine Aggregate, Coarse
Aggregate in desired ratio.
Eg. 1:5:10 (1 parts cement, 5 parts
fine aggregate, 10 parts coarse
aggregate).
RCC
Reinforced Cement Concrete
It’sderived when
reinforcement material is
added in PCC.
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Structural Steel Sections
Made of Mild Steel (MS).
Available in various sizes.
Masonry
The process of building things out
of stone or brick and to the
structures that result from this
process.
Brick
Burnt – Clay Brick
Available in various sizes.
Generally used types are
Table Moulded, Wire Cut.
Modular Brick Size is 200 x 100 x 100
mm. Standard brick size available
in India is 228 x 107 x 69 mm.
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Brick
Fly-Ash Brick
Made of Cement, Fly Ash, Sand.
Waste material (Fly Ash) from
Coal Power plant is used as raw
material, making it
environmentally sensitive
material.
Concrete Solid Blocks
Made of concrete.
Used as masonry unit where
high compressive strength is
required.
Concrete Hollow Blocks
Made of concrete.
Used as masonry unit where high
compressive strength is required
along with insulation.
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Hollow Clay Blocks
Made of Burnt Clay.
Used as masonry unit where
insulation is required.
Provides aesthetical appeal
when left exposed.
Autoclaved Aerated Cement
(AAC) Blocks
Autoclaved aerated concrete
(AAC) is a lightweight, precast,
foam concrete blocks.
Finishes
Stone – Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock
composed of recrystallized
carbonate minerals, most
commonly calcite or dolomite.
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Stone – Granite
Granite is a coarse-grained
(phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock
composed mostly of quartz, alkali
feldspar, and plagioclase.
Stone – Kota
Kota Stone is a fine-grained
variety of limestone.
Ceramic Tiles
Ceramic tiles are a mixture of clays
and other natural materials, such
as sand, quartz and water.
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Vitrified Tiles
Vitrified tile is a ceramic tile with
very low porosity.
Wall Cladding
Wall cladding simply means to
layer material over a wall.
Slate Stone cladded Wall
Slate as a building material can
be used as roofing, paving, walls
and as aggregates to provide a
stylish and contemporary finish
to any building.
Usually available in grey in colour
with rough to smooth texture.
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Sand Stone Cladded Wall
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary
rock composed mainly of sand-
sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate
grains.
Sandstones comprise about 20–25%
of all sedimentary rocks.
Usually available in ivory to red
in colour & has rough texture.
Paint – Emulsion
Emulsion paint is water-based
paint, which contains small
polymer particles that have
pigments inside. The particles
containing pigment are
suspended in water. After the
paint dries, the particles combine,
producing a film of paint on the
wall.
Paint – Enamel
Enamel paint is paint that air-dries
to a hard, usually glossy, finish,
used for coating surfaces that are
outdoors or otherwise subject to
hard wear or variations in
temperature.
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Varnish
Varnish is a liquid coating
material containing a resin that
dries to a hard transparent film.
Most varnishes are a blend of
resin, drying oil, drier, and volatile
solvent.
Plumbing Works
Plumbing is any system that
conveys fluids for a wide
range of applications.
Plumbing
uses pipes, valves, plumbing
fixtures, tanks, and other
apparatuses to convey fluids.
Heating and
cooling (HVAC), waste removal,
and potable water delivery are
among the most common uses for
plumbing, but it is not limited to
these applications.
GI (Galvanised Iron) Pipes
Galvanised Iron (GI) Pipes
are manufactured using mild
steel strips of Low Carbon Steel
Coils.
These pipes are widely used for
conveying raw water &
distribution of treated water in
majority of rural water supply
schemes, where the requirement
of water is less.
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PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) Pipes
Plastic pipe is a tubular section, or
hollow cylinder, made of plastic.
It is usually, but not necessarily, of
circular cross-section, used mainly
to convey substances which can
flow—liquids and gases, slurries,
powders and masses of small
solids.
uPVC (Unplasticized Polyvinyl
Chloride)
UPVC is odorless and tasteless, it is
suitable for transport of
processed water, wastewater,
as well as for a large number of
chemicals. UPVC is suitable for
use at temperatures ranging
from 0°C to 65°C at a wide range
of operating pressures.
cPVC (Chlorinated polyvinyl
chloride)
CPVC is a thermoplastic made by
further chlorination of the polyvinyl
chloride resin.
CPVC can handle temperatures
up to 200° Fahrenheit.
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PEX Pipes
Cross-linked polyethylene,
commonly abbreviated PEX, XPE
or XLPE, is a form of polyethylene
with cross-links.
It is used predominantly in
building services pipework
systems, hydronic radiant heating
and cooling systems, domestic
water piping, and insulation for
high tension electrical cables.
Copper Pipes
Copper tubing is most often used
for heating systems and as
a refrigerant line in HVAC systems.
Copper tubing is slowly being
replaced by PEX tubing in hot and
cold water applications.
Cast Iron Pipes
Cast iron pipe is pipe made
predominantly from gray cast
iron. It was historically used as a
pressure pipe for transmission of
water, gas and sewage, and as a
water drainage pipe during the
17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
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Polymer (Plastic) Bathroom Fittings
Polymer bath fittings are cost-
effective, considering their low
cost of installation and
maintenance, along with
durability, in comparison to
traditional materials. Moreover, it
offers more safety to the users, as it
is chemical and corrosion-
resistant.
CP (Chrome Plated) Bathroom Fittings
CP bath fittings are metallic
products such as taps, hand
shower, shower and faucet that
are chrome plated.
Chrome plating increases the
durability of these products
which do not get corroded
easily.
Sanitary Fitting – Wash Basin
Bathroom sanitary ware is made
from porcelain that includes
washbasin, WC, urinals and other
products that you use in your
bathroom.
The picture shows a wall mount
wash basin.
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Sanitary Fitting – Water Closet
Bathroom sanitary ware is made
from porcelain that includes
washbasin, WC, urinals and other
products that you use in your
bathroom.
The picture shows a wall mount
Water Closet, with concealed
flush tank visible.
Sanitary Fitting – Urinal
Bathroom sanitary ware is made
from porcelain that includes
washbasin, WC, urinals and other
products that you use in your
bathroom.
The picture shows a wall mount
Urinal.
Electrical Fitting – Modular Switches
& Switch Board
The modular switches are free
from any metallic parts on the
switchboard. These switches
ensure that there is no risk of
electrical shock.
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Wires
An electrical wire is a type of
conductor, which is a material
that conducts electricity. In the
case of household wiring, the
conductor itself is usually copper
or aluminum (or copper-
sheathed aluminum) and is either
a solid metal conductor or
stranded wire.
Joinery
Wooden Window
Wood is a natural insulator and
does not readily transfer heat or
cold. Wood frames will keep your
home more comfortable during
winter and summer months. And
with good insulation come great
energy savings.
Aluminium Window
Wood is a natural insulator and
does not readily transfer heat or
cold. Wood frames will keep your
home more comfortable during
winter and summer months. And
with good insulation come great
energy savings. Aluminium
windows have can last up to 30
years. This is because, aluminium is
considerably more resistant to the
outside elements compared to
other frames, making them less
likely to warp or rot as a result.
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MS (Mild Steel) Window
Steel is a strong metal that can be
used to give window frames a
high level of security as well as a
sleek modern design. Something
worth noting is that not all steel
windows are made entirely of
steel. In many cases they actually
have a timber core that's then
coated in steel.
uPVC Window
UPVC, also known as Unplasticized
Polyvinyl Chloride, is a low-
maintenance building material
used as a substitute for painted
wood.
uPVC windows provide great
insulation from pollution,
pollens, dust, and scorching
heat. Unlike metals, uPVC is a
non-conductor of heat.
Handrails
Cast Iron Handrail
An iron railing is a fence made of
iron. This may either be wrought
iron, which is ductile and durable
and may be hammered into
elaborate shapes when hot, or
the cheaper cast iron, which is of
low ductility and quite brittle.
Cast iron can also produce
complicated shapes, but these
are created through the use of
moulds of compressed sand
rather than hammering, which
would be likely to damage the
iron.
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SS (Stainless Steel) Handrail
SS is one of the premium
materials used for Staircase &
balcony railings that can give a
high-end modern look.
A stainless steel railing is more vital
than other materials such as
wood because of its
comparatively higher tensile
strength. It also has anti-rust
properties and can withstand
various weathering conditions
(such as hot sun and hail).
Glass Handrail
Glass railings typically utilize
tempered glass. The tempering
process adds structural rigidity and
prevents against cracking and
damage. Many modern home
builders turn to glass railings for their
customizable elegant design
potential and low maintenance.
Roofing
RCC
Roof
A concrete slab is a common
structural element of modern
buildings, consisting of a flat,
horizontal surface made of cast
concrete.
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Corrugated GI (Galvanised Iron)
Sheet Roof
GI roofing sheet is short for
galvanized iron roofing sheet. It is
profiled with galvanized steel
sheet for roofing purposes, which
has been coated with zinc. The
zinc coating provides the base
steel protection from moisture
and oxygen.
Shingles Cladded Roof
Roof shingles are a roof covering
consisting of individual
overlapping elements. These
elements are typically flat,
rectangular shapes laid in courses
from the bottom edge of the roof
up, with each successive course
overlapping the joints below.
Shingles are held by the roof
rafters and are made of various
materials such as wood, slate,
flagstone, metal, plastic, and
composite materials such as fibre
cement and asphalt shingles.
Clay Tiles cladded Roof
The Most Durable, Natural
Roofing Material.
Clay roof tiles have a longer
lifespan than many other
materials.
Clay roof tiles are made by
baking moulded clay. The
density of these roofing tiles is
determined by how long the tiles
are heated, and at what
temperature.
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Thatch Roof
Thatching is the craft of building a
roof with dry vegetation such as
straw, water reed, sedge (Cladium
mariscus), rushes, heather, or palm
branches, layering the vegetation
so as to shed water away from the
inner roof.
Common Building Materials
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Various MS (Mild Steel) Sections
BUILDING MATERILAS AND CONSTRUCTON 21
