Professional Documents
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WOOD
CHARACTERISTICS
● STRENGTH - Wood, as compared to steel, can be both light and flexible and
can be durable and stiff. Another characteristic of wood is its anisotropic
property, wherein it has different properties in different directions. Therefore,
they do not behave in same direction, due to its annual-ring-and-grain
structure.
MAIN TYPES
(1) Softwood - These are the wood and lumber which are milled form conifer
trees. Softwoods, particularly from cypress family has the characteristics of
resistance to rotting and insects. Softwoods also has poorer resistance to fire
than hardwoods. Examples are:
● Redwood
● Douglas Fir
● Cedar wood
● Larch/ Tamarack
(3) Engineered wood - These are woods that does not occur naturally in the
environment, but are instead manufactured. They are treated through
chemical or heat process to produce a wood product.
● Hardboard
● Veneered bamboo
Wood Treatment
Wood treatment is an essential aspect in applying wood on site development, thus explained below
are considerations, methods, and techniques summarized by Devaraj and A meda.
If moisture, oxygen, and temperature are not kept under control, wood will
deteriorate. Keeping wood dry is the easiest approach to stop biological decay.
However, for outside constructions, this is not feasible. The only way to stop wood
from deteriorating is to choose wood species that are resistant to decay or wood that
has been treated with preservatives. Wood can deteriorate in several ways, including
by losing strength as a result of flaws, absorbing water and warping, and raised grain
shelling.
Inside high-pressure cylinders, copper and arsenic are driven into the grain of the
wood to cure it. Pressure-treated wood is acceptable to use in vegetable gardens
since the chemicals are fixed in the wood and don't drain out.
Chemicals in wood preservatives fight the fungi and insects that damage or discolor
wood. A penetrating wood finish coated in oils or waxes called a "water repellent" is
made to stop water from permeating wood. Wood is re-dried following the use of any
waterborne-preservative-treatment method (kiln dried or air dried).
The following treatments can also be applied to wood, however they are more for
aesthetics than for preservation.
● Painting: To completely hide the wood grain, two coats of paint are put over one
coat of priming.
Significant blistering and peeling are symptoms of serious moisture issues. Before
repainting, it could be essential to install exhaust fans, attic louvers or fans, vented
holes or wedge vents, and caulking. It might be required to power sand the wood
down to its bare surface before priming and painting. Chalking can be cleaned off
with water. Mildew can be removed by giving the affected area a thorough cleaning
with dish detergent, followed by using a solution of water and bleach that you should
allow to sit on the area for a few minutes before rinsing off.
Wood Joineries
● A basic butt joint is created when two pieces of wood butt into one another
and are secured with screws. On building sites and in wall framing, this is
frequently employed.
● A mitered butt joint is when the two boards are attached at an angle (instead
of square to one another). Although less sturdy, the mitered butt joint is more
aesthetically beautiful.
● In a half-lap joint, half of each of the two boards being joined is taken out so
that the two boards join flush with one another. This type of wood joinery is a
stronger joint than butt joints.
● Tongue and groove refers to the joining of two boards with long edges that
are square to one another and kept together by fasteners. When bonding the
connection, this joinery offers more contiguous surface areas, which is
especially helpful.
● To hold the boards in place, a biscuit joint is used, which involves cutting
gaps and using biscuit-shaped beechwood wafers. This cutting-edge
woodworking joint, which depends on glue and the swelling of the beechwood
biscuit, is very beneficial for making table tops.
● Cutting a slot between two boards and drilling an angled pilot hole before
screwing the two together is known as a pocket joint.
● A dado joint is nothing more than an area on one board with a square groove
where another board can fit. This is a typical wood joinery technique, like
tongue and groove joinery, for joining plywood, such as when making
cabinets. Find out when to use a dado and how to cut one effectively.
● The Rabbet Joint, which is essentially a cut along a board's edge, is used in
cabinetry. These are frequently utilized at the back of cabinets to fasten the
back to the box's sides.
● The Dovetail Joint is stunning and robust. Either manual cutting or machining
using a jig can be used to make dovetails.
● When a dovetail joint is the best connection but neither of the dovetail edges
should be visible, the half-blind dovetail is employed.
● The sliding dovetail joint has a wide range of applications. It's best to picture
it as a locking dado. Discover how to construct a precise sliding dovetail joint
and when to utilize one. to continue
● Dovetail joints can be replaced by box joints, which are more useful.
Maintenance
The discussion on maintenance is based on the summary of the Royal City Nursery.
(1) Deck/Patio
A wood patio uses wood furniture and potentially wood fencing in place of
concrete pavement. Typically, the patio is attached to or near to a private
residence or another structure. The patio can be constructed using a variety
of wood kinds and sealed with weather-resistant sealer (Kate, 2022).
Public Seating
Wood is utilized to build public shade structures. It serves both functional and
aesthetically.
(3) Railings
For many years, wood railings have been a common choice. It does result in
sleek, earthy railings that often have a polished appearance (Mountain View
Sun Decks, 2020).
Image source:
https://buildingadvisor.com/materials/decks-porches/building-deck-railings/
(4) Fence
(5) Pathway
Wood is an excellent material to cover outdoor paths since it gives any
outdoor space a natural appearance. Although these walkways won't endure
for very long, they are warm and natural and blend in with the surroundings
(Shelterness, 2019).
(6) Planters
Image source:https://www.pinterest.com/pin/171910910761714008/
https://www.rona.ca/fr/projets/Build-a-flower-box
INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION
Wood has been used in construction since prehistory. However, it has several disadvantages
such as fire, decay, water damage and termites. During the 20th century the construction
industry shifted to concrete and steel (Jesus, 2021). Despite that, wood is a natural,
renewable, and sustainable material for building, it’s a raw material that stands on its own, it
can grow and harvested repeatedly (Martinez, 2015). This in turn made builders find ways to
use wood in construction while countering those problems and issues.
Introducing a new way of using wood known as “mass timber” short for massive timber.
Mass timber involves sticking pieces of soft wood such as pine, spruce, or fir, sometimes
deciduous species such as birch, ash, and beech to form larger pieces like structural panels,
posts, and beams. Mass timber is a generic term that encompasses products of various
sizes and functions, like glue-laminated (glulam) beams, laminated veneer lumber (LVL),
nail-laminated timber (NLT), and dowel-laminated timber (DLT). But the most common and
most familiar form of mass timber is cross laminated timber (CLT) (Roberts, 2020).
Glulam is made with wood composed of kiln-dried and glued dimension lumber with the
strongest laminations centered within the beam. The resulting product is strong, stable and
corrosion proof with significant advantages over structural steel and concrete. Glulam is
often used for trusses, beams, and columns (Cesnik, 2022).
How is Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) made?
LVL is made of dried and graded wood veneers, strands or flakes that are layered upon one
another and bonded together with a moisture resistant adhesive into large blocks known as
billets. A diverse range of species can be used to produce LVL—such as Douglas-fir, larch,
pine, and spruce—to produce members that are beyond conventional lumber lengths.
Typically, LVL veneers are oriented in the same direction. LVL is suitable for use as beams,
trusses, planks, and rafters (naturallywood.com, n.d.).
NLT is made of dimension lumber stacked together on its edge and fastened together with
nails or sometimes screws to form a solid structural element. NLT is popular for the
construction of floor and ceilings, often left exposed to feature a natural wood finish. While
most popular for floor and ceilings, NLT can be used as wood walls, stairs, and elevator
shafts. It can even be bent and assembled to create curvaceous roof structures
(naturallywood.com, n.d.).
How is Dowel-Laminated Timber (DLT)?
DLT is a mass timber panel product created by stacking dimension lumber together on its
edge (left) or cross laminating them (right), fit together with hardwood dowels. It can be used
as walls, floor and roof construction. Similar to nail-laminated timber, DLT panels can be
used as stairs and elevator shafts as well as bent and assembled to create curved
roof structures (naturallywood.com, n.d.).
According to Jesus (2021), CLT is made up of wooden planks that are sawn, glued and
layered, wherein each layer is oriented perpendicular to the previous plank. By joining layers
of wood at perpendicular angles, it gains structural strength for the panel. This results in an
extraordinarily strong and stable material. According to naturallywood.com (n.d.), CLT can
be used as an alternative to concrete to form the walls, roofs, floors, and ceilings of a
building, and is particularly well-suited to multistorey taller wood construction.
Advantage of Mass Timber According to (Cesnik, 2022)
1. PERFORMS WELL IN FIRE - CLT, like other mass timber products, naturally resists fire
because it chars. In the event of a fire, this char on the outside forms a protective layer while
retaining strength. This slows combustion significantly, allowing time for evacuation. For
added safety, typical CLT construction that uses panels for floors and load-bearing walls
helps compartmentalize a fire—stopping it from spreading to other parts of a building.
The new, modern passenger terminal, located in a special economic zone, is expected to be
the next premier gateway of Asia, connecting travelers throughout the region. The wood used in the
glulam timber roof arches is made from white spruce imported from Austria sourced from
sustainable commercial forests (Jesus, 2021).
The Wood Innovation Design Center (WIDC) serves as a gathering place for researchers, academics,
and design professionals generating ideas for innovative uses of wood. The eight-story building
stands 97 feet tall — the world’s tallest modern all-timber office building, a benchmark soon to be
surpassed by other mass timber buildings (Castro, 2014).
References
Castro, F. (2014). Wood Innovation Design Centre / Michael Green
Architecture. Retrieved from
https://www.archdaily.com/630264/wood-innovation-design-centre-michael-gr
een-architecture
Jesus, A. d. (2021, January 02). Are we ready for timber buildings? Retrieved
from https://business.inquirer.net/315043/are-we-ready-for-timber-buildings
Martinez, T. (2015, August 21). Sustainable building: Why wood is our most
valuable resource. Retrieved from
https://www.usgbc.org/articles/sustainable-building-why-wood-our-most-valua
ble-resource
Roberts, D. (2020, January 15). The hottest new thing in sustainable building
is, uh, wood. Retrieved from
https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2020/1/15/21058051/climate-ch
ange-building-materials-mass-timber-cross-laminated-clt
Kate, P. (2022, July 20). What is a wood patio? (with pictures). Home Questions
Answered. Retrieved August 17, 2022, from
https://www.homequestionsanswered.com/what-is-a-wood-patio.htm
Mountain View Sun Decks. (2020, April 3). Aluminum vs wood railings. Retrieved
August 17, 2022, from
https://www.mountainviewsundecks.com/railings/aluminum-vs-wood-railings/
MReuter. (2020, August 3). A closer look on … public benches! ABES - Public
Design. Retrieved August 17, 2022, from
https://abes-online.com/en/guides/a-closer-look-on-public-benches/
Royal City Nursery. (2022, January 20). How to care for wood decks and pergolas.
Retrieved August 17, 2022, from
https://royalcitynursery.com/how-to-care-for-wood-hardscapes/
Shelterness. (2019, March 30). 25 catchy and cozy wooden garden paths. Retrieved
August 17, 2022, from https://www.shelterness.com/wooden-garden-paths/
Builderology, Valerie, Mimi, Hallsten, D., Ajay, Alibrahim, A., Joy, K., Adler, R., Adel,
Tan, A. K., Singh, R., Emes, P. D., Standfast, Kerin, I., Abbott, J., Mw, Fewell, P.,
Ingrid, Mweetwa, E., … Chambers, F. L. (2021, March 21). Different types of wood &
their uses. Builderology. Retrieved August 14, 2022, from
https://builderology.com/types-of-wood/
Chris Woodford. Last updated: March 16. (2021, March 16). Wood - an introduction
to its structure, properties, and uses. Explain that Stuff. Retrieved August 14, 2022,
from https://www.explainthatstuff.com/wood.html
Mou, S. U. (n.d.). Shanta Urmila Mou. Civil Engineering. Retrieved August 17, 2022,
from
https://civiltoday.com/civil-engineering-materials/timber/150-difference-between-softw
ood-and-hardwood
Scribd. (n.d.). Wood in landscaping. Scribd. Retrieved August 17, 2022, from
https://www.scribd.com/presentation/29842989/Wood-in-Landscaping
d. Detail dwgs
4. Stones
a. Characteristics
● Sandstone : 10 %
● Limestone : 10%
● Granite : 1%
● Trap : 6%
● Shale : 10%
● Gneiss : 1%
● Slate : 1%
● Quartzite : 3%
II. Slate - commonly used for roofing purposes, slabs, and sills work due
to its moisture resistance.
IV. Marble - among the most commonly used stone for facing and
ornamental works, and flooring.
IX. Granite - widely used for bridge piers, retaining,external cladding, and
stone columns.
Sources:
Characteristics:
Application:
-https://theconstructor.org/building/stones-building-constructions/36144/
-https://www.brainkart.com/article/Characteristics-Of-Good-Building-Stone_35
76/
- https://www.builderspace.com/types-of-stones-used-in-construction
-https://civiconcepts.com/blog/types-of-stones
Construction:
-https://classroom.synonym.com/limestone-ancient-greek-architecture-7981.ht
ml
-https://sustainablebuild.co.uk/constructionstone/
-https://theconstructor.org/building/stone-masonry-construction-materials-and-
classification/36306/
Detail Drawing:
-https://thestonetrust.org/stone-wall-design-and-specifications/
-https://sjce.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stone-Masonry.pdf
-https://www.fdlnaturalstone.com/architects-specifications/
b. Construction
ii. Dry Stone Stacking - Dry stone stacking is the earliest form of
stone construction. These are freestanding structures such as
field walls, bridges and buildings that use irregularly shaped
stones carefully selected and placed so that they fit closely
together without slipping.
d. Polygonal Masonry
e. Flint Masonry
c. Detail dwgs
5. Flint Masonry
5. Clay
a. Characteristics
Plasticity - Clay has a unique crystal structure of molecules where it
has the ability to form and retain shape by an outside force. It can be
affected by water where it becomes sticky that can easily hold a shape
from an external force.
Particle Size - Starting from the smallest clay particle, it has a
diameter of less than 0.002mm. Some of its particles are so small that
it cannot be seen under a standard microscope. Silt Particles of clay
ranges from 0.002 to 0.05mm
Metamorphous - Clay becomes hard when it is subjected to heat.
Example of Claybodies:
Porcelain - Compared to other clays, porcelain contains more clay
particles. It is used for making toilets, bathtubs, potter and tiles.
Stoneware - Compared to its earthenware and porcelain cousins,
stoneware is often a less porous and more durable substance.It is used
for cooking, baking or storing liquid
Earthenware - Compared to its porcelain and stoneware relatives,
earthenware often has a more porous and gritty feel. It is also used for
building, fire and pottery.
b. Application
ii. Walls - The clay bricks have high insulating properties due to its
thermal mass that maintain pleasant indoor temperatures and reduce
energy consumption. The firing process the clay bricks undergo in
production makes them highly fire-resistant materials.
iii. Fences - Clay bricks can be used to create fencing. Since the
fences are prone to outdoor elements such as dirt, weather, and
insects the use of clay bricks is due to its durability and
low-maintenance.
iv. Steps - Together with poured concrete steps the clay bricks can be
used as brick veneer cladding to clad the steps.
c. Construction
Clay - used as a building material all around the world, most frequently
baked into brick or roof tiles. The ease with which clay can be dug up
from the ground and used for processing.possesses good durability,
stability, and robustness. It has a potential lifespan of 100 years or
more because it can endure earthquakes and is fire resistant.
Clay Building Bricks - Clay bricks that are used in brick masonry
construction. Brick masonry is a construction wherein brick is laid out
systematically and uses mortar as the bonding agent.
Clay Facing Brick - These bricks are used in the facades of the
building. The bricks are manufactured where the surface texture, color,
and chipping are considered to achieve aesthetically pleasing features.
• subgrade
• base course
• bedding course
• surface course
• jointing sand
• subgrade
• jointing sand
• base course
• expansion joint
• joint filling
Examples of Buildings
Innovative Construction
d. Detail Drawings
Clay Pavement
i.
SOURCES:
Brick industry Association (2012) Accessible Clay Brick Pavement. Retrieved from
https://www.gobrick.com/docs/default-source/read-research-documents/technicalnot
es/14e-accessible-clay-brick-pavements.pdf?sfvrsn=0
Constro Facilitator (2002. Advantages of using clay facades for buildings. Retrieved
from
https://www.constrofacilitator.com/advantages-of-using-clay-facades-for-buildings/
Brick Industry Association. (2007) Paving Systems Using Clay Pavers. Retrieved
from https://studylib.net/doc/18771529/paving-systems-using-clay-pavers
Dines N. & Harris C. (1988) Time Saver Standards For Landscape Architecture (2nd
Edition). McGraw-Hill Publishing Company.
S. Naganathan et al. (2013) Development Of Bricks From Waste Material: A Review
Paper. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306279418_Development_of_Bricks_from_
waste_material_A_review_paper
Yglesias, C (2014) The Innovative Use of Materials in Architecture and Landscape
Architecture. History, Theory and Performance. McFarland &Company, Inc., North
Carolina
6. Ceramic Tiles
a. Characteristics
Toughness
Hygiene/Impermeability
Safety
Anti-slip - Ceramic tiles are salt glazed and are anti-slip and
non-skid.
Note: It has variety of color options and long exposure to light won’t
affect it
MAIN TYPES:
Glazed ceramic tiles - are ceramic tiles with a glass-like protective coating. It
thus varies from matte to semi-gloss or highly-gloss finish. Matte finish
ceramic tiles looks more similar to a natural stone finish where dirt is less
visible. While the highly-gloss finish ceramic tiles are more slippery and
scrapes are more observable. They are mostly used on the interior floors and
walls as they have better stain and moisture resistance.
Unglazed ceramic tiles - are ceramic tiles with very dense and hard surface
textures. Unlike glazed ceramic tiles, these unglazed tiles are mostly installed
on the exterior as they have a good slip resistance finish and do not provide
much protection against stains.
Most tiles are made from clay and other raw materials and fired. Thus, they
come under the same category as ceramic tiles. The following tiles are the
types of unglazed and glazed forms of ceramic tiles:
1. Earthenware tiles
4. Glazed tiles
5. Stoneware Tile
b. Application
- In the Bathroom
- In the Bedroom
- In the Kitchen
Ceramic tiles can be used for outdoor surfaces like terraces and
patios. However, proper waterproofing, grouting, and sealing of
tiles are highly recommended as it is much more prone to
expansion upon being exposed to the sun’s heat.
c. Construction
● Upon crushing, weighing, and sorting the raw materials into batches,
the manufacturing process then begins.
● Mixing and grinding the weighed materials proceeds into the mixer.
Wet milling results in a slurry or slip where water is added to the
material for a finer finish. Once achieved, the excess water of about
40-50% is removed through filter pressing followed by spray drying.
● The fine powder will then be molded into its shape through forming.
● To prevent possible cracks and shrinks, the formed material will then
be dried for a few days in a highly humid place. Thus, more moisture
will be removed.
● When the tile has dried enough, glazing then follows.
● To give an intense strength and improve the tile porosity, it is fired
up additionally in a low-temperature furnace or kiln.
● The tile will then be transferred, ready to be packed, and shipped.
The walls of the centre’s interior are covered in densely packed Hebrew letters; photo Iwan Baan
The white faience facade fronting One Eagle Place, in London’s Piccadilly, is adorned with a jazzy ceramic
cornice by artist Richard Deacon and red window reveals; photos Dirk Lindner
Spanish practice Mestura Arquitectes’ CEIP primary school near Barcelona is fronted by a double skin of ceramic
components forming a lattice, supplied by veteran ceramicist Toni Cumella
Tiles in seven, subtle shades of white, also provided by Toni Cumella, clad a building designed by architect Pedro
Campos Costa – a new addition to the existing Lisbon Oceanarium
Designed by Spanish architects-cum-landscape architects Urbanarbolismo, this ceramic wall, which doubles as a
vertical garden, soundproofs a restaurant in Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach hotel from its adjacent, open-air nightclub
d. Detail dwgs
Ceramic tile flooring system
Characteristics
Tile styles. Grigsby's Carpet, Tile and Hardwood. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.grigsbys.com/tilestyles
Application
5 ways how ceramic tiles is used in modern, day-to-day life - somany. (n.d.).
Retrieved from
https://www.somanyceramics.com/blog/applications-of-ceramic-tiles-2
Detail Drawing