Summary and Reaction to Finishing Work in Construction

Mark Angelo M. Marco

Bicol State College of Applied Sciences and Technology
Peñafrancia Avenue, Naga City
Corresponding Email: markangelommarco@astean.biscast.edu.ph

Summary
• Finishing work in construction is a complex construction task. It includes external and internal decoration of
buildings and structures. This includes plastering, facing, floor covering (including parquet), painting,
wallpapering, and glasswork. In order to improve the functional and aesthetic features of the building.
• Finishing work technology has evolved significantly in current construction practice for residential, public,
and industrial buildings. Large prefabricated units, structures, and parts that are delivered to the construction
site in the final finished form are becoming more popular. This significantly reduces post-assembly finishing
work.
• Finishing work is performed on construction sites using various types of mechanized equipment. Examples
are plastering and painting equipment, puttying tools, polishing machines, smoothing machines, paint
sprayers, and vibration pumps. Construction equipment speeds up and minimizes the number of activities
required to complete a project.
• Exterior-facing works primarily include the completion of building and structure fronts with slabs and sections
composed of natural stone, face brick, or ceramic blocks. Steel bars or rods and cement mortar are also used
to fix the facades. The facing is secured to the wall using screws implanted in holes drilled in the wall and by
filling the recesses with mortar. Facing must be built so that moisture does not penetrate through the seams
and joints of the facing products.
• For interior-facing work in modern mass construction, various materials and products are utilized. Ceramic
and plastic tiles, chipboard, fiberboard, asbestos-cement boards, decorative plywood, paper-laminated plastic,
and decorative acoustic panels are examples of such items. After the major construction work has been
finished, the finishing procedures within a structure are normally performed.
• Finishing work in machine construction refers to finishing procedures performed on metals to increase surface
quality. The most frequent finishing processes are machining operations that remove a tiny chip. Drawing and
stamping are surface finishing processes that do not remove a chip. Finishing techniques like rolling, precise
forging, and burnishing are also utilized.
• Among the most labor-intensive types of finishing work are facing operations to cover the front surfaces of
structures with inlaid products made of natural or artificial materials. Facing operations may be of the exterior
or interior type, depending on the items utilized. Finishing work accounts for 35% of overall labor
expenditures in residential building construction and assembly processes.

Keywords: Finishing work, Construction, Exterior-facing works, Interior-facing works, Industrial buildings,
Residential building, Machine

Reaction
As I read the article and summarized all the information about the finishing works in
construction, I realized that the construction work doesn't really end with just making plans,
columns, beams, walls, roofs, and other structural elements required in constructing houses
and buildings. Another essential aspect of constructing a building and other structures is
finishing work, which enhances the aesthetic elements of the internal and external sections of
the building, including plastering, facing, floor covering (including parquet), painting,
wallpapering, and glasswork. Finishing work also aims to improve the building's strength,
particularly in columns, beams, and walls. Based on the article, finishing works do include
exterior-facing works and interior-facing works, and as I learned, this is very important when
it comes to the aesthetic design since it has more dominant materials such as face brick or
ceramic blocks for the exterior and Ceramic and plastic tiles; chipboard, fiberboard, asbestos-
cement boards, decorative plywood, paper-laminated plastic, and decorative acoustic panels
for the interior. The article also mentioned that finishing work in the construction industry is
considered labor-intensive. Because much of the essential work is done by hand, it accounts
for up to 35% of total labor expenditures for residential construction and assembly operations.
Even with the use of certain tools, a person must be engaged with the vast majority of the
work.
In conclusion, finishing work is such an important aspect in the field of construction.
It might be a complex task since it has a lot of things to be done and things to consider while
doing the finishing work, but as the work is done and you see the finished project or task, it is
satisfying to perceive the things that started as a plan and now you can see them in actual. In
construction, finishing works are just one part of the construction work but play a significant
role when it comes to the beautification of the building and adding more features, not only for
additional strength but for the features that make the owner or the clients satisfied as the
construction works are already finished.

Reference:

Finishing Work. (n.d.) The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition. (1970-1979). Retrieved
from https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Finishing+Work