Materials for construction

In the same way that new ideas about buildings bring new methods of construction, they also inspire new materials. The range of materials that may be utilised during the construction process is much wider today then even a couple of decades ago, yet there remains a core of enduring materials, some of which have been around for centuries, which in one form or another account for the majority of building materials consumed. 

Timber

Timber is a very convenient material to use for construction. It is easy to transport and handle, and generally easy and forgiving to work with. There are two categories: hardwood and soft wood. It should be understood that these names are not intended to describe the actual properties of the timber; rather they refer to its origin. 

Soft wood is predominantly from coniferous trees such as larch, pine and spruce, and often farmed in managed forests. It is generally used for construction (for example, light timber frames) and therefore usually hidden from view. However, it can be used decoratively, too.

Hardwood species are broadleaved trees such as oak, ash, walnut and teak. They are most often used decoratively for floors, furniture and interior fittings. Hardwoods are sometimes farmed from sustainable sources, but tropical hardwoods such as teak, iroko and wenge are vulnerable to illegal logging operations in their native forest habitats and several species are recognised internationally as being either endangered or critically endangered as a result. A responsible designer will check the status of timber species before specifying.

Raw timber can be processed into products such as plywood, chipboard and fi breboard. These materials retain many of the desirable properties of timber, such as their workability, but overcome some of the problems, imperfections and natural defects that may manifest themselves when using natural timber. They are sometimes used for construction, but can be used for furniture manufacture and may be on display. If used in this way, clients may see them as inferior or fake, but they are valid materials to use, especially in contemporary schemes, and their benefits can make them the most appropriate material choices in many situations.

Timber veneers have been extensively used in this dressing area to provide a beautiful highquality finish on this bespoke joinery. The pieces have been carefully matched by the joinery company in order to create a uniform finish. It is often possible for the designer to hand select the veneers to be used for work of this nature.

High-quality stone and timber elements work together here to convey a sense of sophistication. The success of such simple use of quality natural materials is often surprising but is almost always the case. When after a similar look, the designer should be careful to let the materials speak for themselves; there is no need to resort to over-complicated design.

Stone

Stone is used in construction and many types are considered attractive enough to be used for their decorative as well as their practical properties. However, natural stone should be selected carefully as some types (limestone, for example) can be porous (the result of which is that it can stain easily), and can be relatively soft, such that they may not be suitable for uses such as flooring. When using stone, the suppliers’ recommended fixing methods and after-care regime should always be followed. The surface can be cut and finished in different ways to highlight colour, pat ern and texture. Designers should alert clients to the fact that, as a natural material, installed stone may not match completely any samples which have previously been viewed, as there may be significant variations in pattern or colour, even from stone quarried at the same time and in the same location. Although relatively little energy is used to finish stone to a usable condition, it is not a sustainable material simply because once quarried, the source cannot be renewed. Indeed, designers are already finding that some quarries are exhausted of particular types of stone.

Brick

Brick is manufactured from clay that is hardened by kiln firing. The mineral content of the clay will define the colour of the fired brick, which may vary from dark brown through red to yellow. Surface texture can be applied to the moulded or cut brick before firing. Standard sizes are used for construction, and brick can be used decoratively rather than structurally to clad interior and exterior surfaces.

In this contemporary take on the traditional deli, new shapes and styles of furnishings and fittings are married to a use of materials that have been found in similar establishments for decades. The cool, clean feeling of the marble connects past and present and its natural markings provides subtle decorative pattern.

Concrete

Concrete has been used as a building material for centuries. It is a mix of cement with an aggregate, traditionally stone chippings or gravel. Concrete is generally used in construction, where it is poured to form slabs for floors and foundations, or into moulds (called shutt ering) to form vertical features such as walls or columns. It is often used in conjunction with steel reinforcing rods that combat tensile and shearing forces, but it is a very versatile material. It is increasingly used for its decorative qualities as it can be polished and coloured. The gravel aggregate can be exposed, or other materials (such as crushed recycled glass) may be substituted, which give new opportunities for colour and texture when the surface of the concrete is polished. However, the manufacture of cement used for concrete uses vast amounts of energy and produces a great deal of pollution, to the extent that many designers choose not to use the material because of the environmental harm that it causes. If used in large quantities in a structure, though, this damage may be offset by the thermal store effect of the mass of concrete which helps to regulate temperature. Considered over a period of at least 15 years (depending on the installation), this can offset energy used during manufacture.

Textured concrete (the lower balustrade) and polished concrete (the floor) combine with English oak, bronze and glass to provide practical and decorative finishes in The Lightbox gallery in Woking, England, designed by Marks Barfield Architects. The concrete was poured into a rough timber container to give it a textured surface.

Steel and other metals

Used in large amounts in the construction of the frames of many structures, steel is another material that is being used more for its aesthetic qualities. As always, careful selection of materials is important as there are different types and grades of steel suitable for different purposes. Decoratively, stainless steel is most commonly used for kitchen appliances, but other steels can be used for other purposes. Steel is available as sheets, bars and tubes in various sizes. It can be formed into different shapes by metafabricators. Architectural metal mesh is a relatively new treatment that has great decorative potential in which steel cable and rods are woven into sheets. Depending upon the weave and the gauge (size) of material used, the mesh may be completely rigid, or it may flex parallel to the warp and / or weft , allowing it to be wrapped around other objectand surfaces.

Other metals used both in construction and for their decorative qualities include aluminium, zinc and copper. Designers should carefully consider the effects of oxidation on the visual appearance of these materials, and protect against this as appropriate. Some metals are also relatively soft, and wear and tear needs consideration before specifying.

Glass

Glass can be used as an interesting material in its own right, rather than simply being a practical choice of transparent material for windows. Glass has many uses such as for shelving, work surfaces and splash-backs, doors, screens and wall panels. For any interior application, toughened or tempered glass should be specified. Such glass has been made safer by heat treating. Not only does this make it around five times stronger, it also affects the properties of the glass such that when broken it shatters in small square fragments which are far less likely to injure than long shards. However, once heat treated, the glass cannot be cut or worked, so any drilling or cutting required for hinges and handles must be done before the heat treatment takes place.

Glass provides many opportunities with apparently contradictory qualities of enclosure and transparency. Because of its nature, it should be respected but certainly not feared by the designer. As long as advice is sought from the supplier and care is taken when detailing its installation, it is possible to use it creatively in many situations, though it is by no means a cheap material for large installations.