Must Need Building Materials for any Type of Construction

Ever wondered – what are things made up of around us? Well, that might seem to be a highly philosophical question but it has several practical implications on our habitats and our businesses. Construction at its core is about creating habitats where humans can come, be productive and create memories of a happy life. When as a construction business operator, you are responsible for the productivity and happiness of people who will reside or work in your project, can you afford to leave any stone unturned?

The fundamentals of construction are very clear- a fine balance between structural integrity, utility of the building material and aesthetic satisfaction. Obviously, when you have worked in the construction business for a brief period of time, you will be more adaptive to understanding material palettes for your projects. You might as well visit an online construction mart and get the basic info. Yet, many a time, construction business operators keep using the same set of materials and forget the fundamental usage of each material in terms of strength, utility and aesthetics.

This is a quick reviewer for all those who want to understand or review the fundamental usages of the common building materials:

1. Concrete and Cement: Think about concrete as the binding agent, protecting agent and skin of all your construction projects! Now you might be able to see the key roles of concrete – binding the several component materials of a construction project, give it structural strength and an outer skin which shall be later painted or coated with other materials for protective as well as aesthetic purposes.

Cement is actually a component of concrete. A mixture of 15-20% of cement, 60-75% of aggregates and the rest with water is what gives you concrete. The ratios of these materials would depend on the purpose of the project. Remember, make the mixture too thing and you will end up with a hollow layer which lacks structural integrity; make a really thick layer and you will make it prone to cracking easily.

1. 2. Wood: You may actually avoid looking at wood as an important part, if you are not looking close enough. Not only is wood used in the furniture inside the project, it is used in building the project itself. Apart from the ladders and brush handles, wood has wider applications in giving finishing touches to the walls, being used as a mould for complex shapes and for ancillary support till the material dries out.
2. 3. Bricks and Blocks: Exposed bricks have recently caught up as a great aesthetic component. Beyond exposed bricks, bricks have had a great application in residential and commercial projects. Think of bricks as molecules which are responsible for building the entire structure. For aesthetic purposes, several construction managers opt for reinforced concrete blocks which are great for warmer climates.
3. 4. Metals: Finally, the metals like stainless steel and iron rods. The decision is really simple, if bricks are the core building blocks, metal provides this structure with skeleton required to keep it strongly standing its grounds for decades if not centuries. Beyond the structural support aspect, metals are also used as exoskeletons to structures for both support and aesthetic purposes.

Confused on what do you want to use, how do you want to use it and where to source it? Buy construction materials online and get rid of all your material sourcing problems in one go!

Mr.Vikram Patel is a Founder & CEO of eConstructionMart. eConstructionMart is India's first active online marketplace for construction and building materials.