Factors to consider when choosing building materials

The correct choice of building materials is important for all types of construction projects. Especially in buildings, if the materials are selected properly, it can make a huge difference in engineering costs, maintenance costs, durability, etc.

Sound products are only possible with sound materials, so materials are the key to everything. This is especially true for the construction industry; the quality of the building depends mainly on the materials used. The building materials you choose will determine the overall strength, service life and appearance of the building. Therefore, be careful when choosing building materials. Therefore, if you want to know how to buy your building and where to cut corners, this article is what you need. Read on to learn about the factors that influence your decision on building materials.

As the name suggests, the materials used in construction are often referred to as building materials or building mate. Any material used to make any building components from the foundation to the roof, including doors and windows, is called a building material.

Factors to consider when choosing building materials

  1. Type of Structure
  2. Performance Requirements
  3. Cost-Effectiveness
  4. Building Materials Availability
  5. Climate
  6. Aesthetic Reasons
  7. Environmental Reasons               
  1. Type of Structure

The choice of building materials varies depending on the type of building. For example, if the structure is a load-bearing structure, choose the best quality bricks for construction, because bricks are the main load-bearing elements in the load-bearing structure, while for frame structures, high-strength bricks are not required as the main load-bearing elements due to concrete components.

Another example; if the structure is a residential kitchen, choose splash and scratch-resistant decorative tiles such as mosaic tiles, while for commercial kitchens, choose high-durability tiles such as quarry tiles for construction. Similarly, choose the best building materials according to the type of structure.

2. Performance Requirements

The next factor to consider when choosing a building material is the expected performance requirements of the material. This is basically what we want this material to do. What are the engineering properties we want the material to have, such as strength, weight, thermal conductivity, sound insulation, durability, etc…, For example, high-rise buildings require thin, lightweight blocks to reduce the weight of the structure, while residential buildings and library buildings require high-thickness bricks or blocks for sound insulation.

3. Cost-effectiveness

Of course, as long as other requirements are met, cost-effective materials will take precedence over other materials. Cost is the main concern of all stack holders participating in the project. Some cost-effective materials are artificial sand or M-Sand, fly ash bricks, PPC cement, roof slabs, etc.

4. Supply of construction materials

Availability plays an important role in the choice of building materials, because if the materials are available locally, the transportation cost will be lower, and the materials can be purchased in small quantities according to convenience. In addition, the chance of being deceived by local suppliers is lower than other suppliers because they usually care about their reputation in the service sector. Therefore, it is best to choose locally available materials to construct your building. You can check the availability of local materials through online websites such as India mart to get better deals.

5. Climate

Climate plays an important role in certain regions. For example, in places with little sunlight like European countries, we can use glass as the main building material to introduce more sunlight into the building. Unfortunately, the Indians tried to imitate(copy) the West, using glass cladding and introducing more heat into their buildings. Therefore, climate is one of the decisive factors that affect the choice of specific building materials in certain locations.

6. Aesthetic reasons We obviously all want to build or choose to use structures that look good, from buildings and roads to bridges and towers. In many fields, aesthetics plays an important role in choosing the right building materials.

7. Environmental reasons

Finally, one thing that we humans have neglected so far, but in the past few decades, we have begun to realize the importance of environmental issues in the use of building materials, such as energy content, use of raw materials, depletion of natural resources, emissions, etc.

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VideRime

A Demrot is the founder of VideRime Online Learning, a leading engineering website. He did his BE Civil and M.Tech Structure from RGPV University, Bhopal and has been working as an Assistant Professor in a reputed college.

1 Response

  1. My dad is constructing a structure in our backyard that he can use as his office and he needs to purchase the right building materials. I like how you said that it is important to take the climate of your area into consideration when purchasing building materials. I think that it would also be beneficial for my dad to research the reputation of a building supplier before he purchases from them.

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