1. Building Materials
Project Report
January 2013
By: Suneeta Bodapati
B-23 A, Sector- 62 (Next to Fortis Hospital) Noida, 201301 Uttar Pradesh

2. Index
Topic Page
1. Acknowledgements- 03
2. Introduction - 04
3. Timber - 05
4. Glass - 15
5. Stone - 22
6. Brick - 29
7. Steel - 34
8. Concrete - 38
9. Price list - 44

3. Acknowledgements
This project would not have been a success without the guidance and motivation of all my
mentors. I am thankful to all the persons behind this project.
I would like to express my gratefulness to Ms. Shivani Sood, who acted as a
mentor throughout my project for providing me valuable information and
guidance.
Secondly, I would like to thank Ms. Renu Bhargava who have been very
helpful in facilitating my site visits and encouraged at every instant.
Last but not the least; I would like to thank my classmates & my family for motivating me all the
time throughout this project.
Suneeta Bodapati
Interior Designing – JD Institute, Noida
3

4. Introduction
Fundamentally, Interior designers must know about the building materials that will be used to
create and furnish the space, how texture, color, lighting and other factors combine and interact
to make a space.
The aim of this project was to understand about different types of the basic building materials i.e.
wood, bricks, glass, sand, steel, stone, concrete & Bamboo.
This report explores the basic properties of building materials featuring
Timber, Glass, Stone, Brick, Steel and Concrete. Common uses of these building material is also
covered.
Prices of these building material is based on the survey report by Builders Association of India
and are subject to change based on type, supplier and location of sale.
4

5. Timber
Timber is a live material. Its properties are anisotropic, they change with changes in
environmental conditions and load duration has also a significant effect upon strength and
deformation. The properties not only vary from species to species but even within a particular
species. Due to climatic differences and different forestry practices, spruce from Northern
Europe, for example, has different properties than spruce from Southern Europe. To be able to
design timber structures successfully, the practicing engineer needs to be aware of the particular
properties of the timber being specified.

6. Timber - Properties
1. Flexibility and Strength:
This property is due to the abundance of interlocked fibers to provide strength. The direction and
structure of the cells also effects the strength of the timber, straight grained timber is stronger
than a cross grained or wavy timber. Defects like cracks, decay or a knot will decrease the
strength of the timber.
2. Toughness:
Toughness is the ability of timber to change its shape. It is dependent on the strength and
elasticity so that it can be bent without breaking. A timber that has been used for steam bent
work is Beech as it has these two properties. A timber is tough if it has an interlocked cell
structure that makes it difficult to split.
3. Durability:
Durability is being able to withstand disease or insect attack. Impregnated in the cell walls during
growth are chemical substances, oils, resins that cause the timber to be durable. Impregnating
the wood with a suitable preservative can increase durability. Softwoods/Hardwoods and light or
heavy timbers can all be durable.

7. Timber - Properties
4. Hardness:
This can be gauged in different ways. The timbers resistance to nails, the difficulty in sawing and
working, and the resistance to wear. As a rule, hardwoods are more resistant to wear than
softwoods as they have small thick walled cells, and the softwoods generally have thin walled
cells. The thickness of the cell wall and the smallness of the cell cavities make the wood hard. The
moisture content of the wood and the maturity of the timber also affects the hardness.
5. Density or Weight:
Heavy timbers have thick cell walls and small cell cavities; this means that it is made up of a lot of
wood substance and little air. Whereas light timbers have thin cell walls and large cavities, these
have little wood and a lot of air. Balsa is an excellent example of light timber as only 7% of its
volume is solid wood, the remaining is air cavities.
6. Resistance to Fire:
All timber or wood burns, but as we have learnt, different timbers can have extremely different
properties. The denser the timber the longer it takes to ignite. Jarrah, Teak and Kauri are all dense
and partially fire resistant and can be used in construction. Chemical treatments are available to
apply to timber providing added fire resistances as well as specialised fire resistant paint
products.

8. Timber - Properties
7. Smell:
Whilst being planed or sawn several timbers have strong distinctive smells. Certain oils being
present in the wood usually cause this. Some people can recognize a timber from its scent alone.
Some scents are very useful for example cedar and camphorwood have an smell that is pleasant
to us but not to insects therefore they are an ideal timber for making clothes chests. This works
both ways as some timbers have a very unpleasant smell, e.g. the Australian Walnut and
Stinkwood, which would not be desirable as clothes chests.

9. Timber - Uses
1. Timber flooring:
A very popular flooring that cannot be matched for its lasting beauty and durability. The boards
are all pre-finished with coating already applied, so it can be installed in half the time of
traditional flooring.
Pre-finished engineered flooring also comes in Raw, so you can choose the level of gloss as
required.
Pre-finished engineered flooring is comprised of 4 or 5 layers of timbers fused together into long
planks then pre-finished ready to lay.
Even though pre-finished, the boards can be sanded many times giving them the same lifespan as
traditional timber flooring.

10. Timber - Uses
2. Timber Elements:
If you have a timber floor then you might want to add some timber elements. Timber elements
can be almost anything from a coat rack through to ceiling fans. They create an air of class as well
as a natural look for your home. However, if you are using many different timber elements there
are many different colors and shades so you want your timber elements to match.

11. Timber - Uses
3. Timber Outdoors:
Timber features are extremely popular for outdoor use but they will need to be treated in order
to prevent warping, staining and general degradation.
Timber decks look amazing and they create a more easily maintained entertainment space and
are often being used to replace some grassed areas. It is much easier to use some decking oil
every six months rather than mow the lawn every week.

12. Timber - Uses
4. Timber in the Kitchen:
Timber in the kitchen can sometimes look a little dated but if you use it in combination with
other modern elements it can look amazing. Ornate kitchen cabinets are out but chunky timber
cupboards look great and wooden bench tops can be amazing. However, some of these options
will be more costly than traditional kitchen options such as stainless steel or tiles.

13. Timber - Uses
5. Timber in the Bathroom:
Timber in the bathroom can work well but like outdoor timber it needs to be done carefully. Due
to the amount of moisture in a bathroom there is a huge risk of warped timber and even
moisture rot. It is best to consult with a professional before installing anything timber in a wet
area.

14. Timber - Uses
6. Furniture:
Wood veneers are ideal for doors, panels and curved surfaces as they are thin and can be glued
over the edges and rounded surfaces. They are used a lot in furniture.

15. Glass
Interior designing can never be made much stylish and elegant without glass usage. As glass
provides all the possible ways to decorate your home furniture, kitchens, floors, doors with
ecstatic looks, and your home beauty would be further refurbished. Even your office writing
boards, signage, lobbies, and staircases can be made vibrant while embellishing with the various
type of interior glass solutions available on the go.
Interior designing glasses are the decorative glasses that use the combinations of
color, transparency and ample lighting to beautify your interiors with stylish looks.
The interior designing glasses are available in plethora of options of range, color and style. They
are broadly classified into the following categories:
1. Lacquered/ Colored glass
2. Patterned glass (with clear patterns)
3. Décor glass
The various types of these interiors have wide range of applications and can be
partitioned, paneled to suit your taste in your office or home location.

16. Glass - Properties
1. Weight:
Glass, like water, can be deceptively heavy even in relatively small physical sizes. Glass has a
density of 2,500 kilograms per cubic meter, making it approximately 2.5 times heavier than the
equivalent volume of water and heavier for its size than many other building materials. The
weight aspect of glass means that window frames and other structural elements need to be
specifically designed for their glazing role. Specialist products, laminate units and double glazing
can be exceptionally heavy in large units and need specific safety, handling, mounting and
engineering consideration.
2. Chemical Resistance:
Glass will resist most acids with the exception of hydrofluoric, and at high temperatures
phosphoric acid. Alkalis will attack the surface of unprotected glass. General water-born materials
from surrounding surfaces and the atmosphere may leave deposits on glass, these should be
removed for longevity and optimal performance.

17. Glass - Properties
3. Strength:
Glass is a strong building material with greater capacity to resist compression than stretching or
sudden impact. Specialty products, outlined in detail on the Viridian Glass website, are produced
with enhancements that add to the natural strength of float glass. Typical float glass may have the
following properties:
Compressive strength – 248 Mpa for a 25mm cube.
Tensile strength – 20 Mpa as a modulus of rupture.
Impact strength – Highly variable depending upon shape, hardness and velocity of impacting
object.
Hardness scale – Around 6.0 on Moh’s scale of .
4. Conductivity:
Glass is generally a poor conductor of electricity, with volume electrical resistivity of
310,000,000,000 Ωm. Glass is a better conductor of heat, a typical thermal conductivity measure
(U Value) of 5.9 W/m2°K for 6mm thick float glass (determined under AFRC 100-2001
environmental conditions and varying slightly with thickness). The thermal conductivity of
standard glass is a potential problem for energy efficient building that is addressed by coating
technology and double glazing (see our posts on Energy Management with Glass).

18. Glass - Properties
5. Light Transmission:
Clear glass is not completely transparent, a 6mm-thick piece of clear float glass will capture
around 13-percent of light within the visible spectrum, allowing 87-percent of the visible light to
pass through it. As the wave-length of light moves away from the visible range, the transmission
changes and for many frequencies, glass is quite opaque. Almost as though it was created for our
viewing pleasure and natural light transmission. Glass is relatively transparent to short wave infra-
red but opaque to long-wave infra-red. Float glass transmits very little in the short-wave length of
the ultraviolet band but transmission increases as the boundary with the visible light spectrum is
approached (in all cases, transmission varies with glass type and thickness).
6. Temperature Performance
Glass is created at high temperature (see our post on Manufacturing Float Glass) and will return
to liquid form if heated sufficiently. This can be a problem for fire-resistance. Glass products made
for fire protection are enhanced with the addition of substrates, laminates and other
technologies to maintain rigidity at high temperature. The most common temperature issue with
glass is not ‘high temperature’ but ‘thermal endurance’. Normal 6mm-thick float glass will rupture
if heated to 75-degrees Celsius and plunged into 20-degree Celsius water (a temperature
differential of 55 degrees). For this reason many glass products are toughened. Toughened float
glass has a temperature differential of around 250 degrees.

19. 1. Lacquered glass:
Glass – Uses
Lacquered glass is a colored glass with high durability giving your interiors with a fresh and
rejuvenated look.
Usage: The lacquered types have significant applications in interior wall paneling offices and
houses. They are graded as the best decorative glasses and ideal materials to embellish
receptions, lifts and are available in colors such as ivory, black, almond green, solar yellow, extra
white, etc.
The colored glasses also have wide usages in wardrobes, cupboard of your homes and
signage's, writing boards in your offices. They are again helpful in cladding and can be easily
maintained and installed.
The lacquered glasses play a significant role in humid and UV resistance. They are hygienic, easily
maintained and are resistant to discoloration .As they are devoid of many chemicals such as
lead, copper, arsenic, etc, they play a vital role in enhancing the environmental friendliness and
sustainability. They can be cut, polished, laminated, screen printed for modern and trendy
interiors.

20. 2. Patterned glass:
Glass – Uses
The patterned glasses have precise geometric patterns that allow optimized lights into the
interiors.
Usage: The patterned glasses are the appropriate ones to the kitchen
shutters, workstations, windows & shelves. They give vibrancy in shop fittings, furniture and are
available with clear finishes.
The textured / patterned glasses are the ones that give privacy with translucency. They enhance
the aesthetics by its diffusing properties and make the interiors vibrant to the full.
The patterned glasses can be bent, laminated, double-glazed, etc and have controlled geometric
structures for our applications.

21. 3. Decor glass:
Glass – Uses
These are the textured glasses that are designed with creativity and available in various patterns.
It works by the process of diffusing lights into the interiors creating a vibrant environment.
Usage: These are the apt ones for your kitchens, workstations that enhance the aesthetics to the
full. Even it has myriad of uses in windows, shop fittings, furniture for creating stunning interior
environment.
The décor glasses have fantabulous aesthetics and provide privacy without sacrificing the benefits
of natural light.
They have huge mechanical strength and provide optimal light transmittance with translucency.

22. Stone
Materials that are originally from nature are the ones that makes home feel fabulous. Rock is one
of those materials. Whether it is in the raw sense for a rustic fireplace or it has been polished
smooth into beautiful accents around a master bath tub. Rock is one of the oldest home
materials since the beginning of civilization and it remains a timeless classic for years to come.
Stone is an amazing material for home improvements and commercial designs.
Stone is a timeless material which will never date (if selected right). Natural stone has to be
quarried, cut and finished. There are many types available which are really made by nature. Some
of them are created by volcanoes and lava, some of the are created by riverbeds and oceans.
There are many different types of stone with different properties and applications

23. Stone - Properties
1. Strength & Durability:
The more compact grained and heavier a stone the harder it is. Due to alternate wetting and
drying the resulting crushing strength can be reduced even up to 30-40%. Being dry stones allow
more crushing strength than when wet.
2. Porosity:
Porosity is the ratio of pores (micro-voids) in the stone, to its total solid volume. Pores and the
capillary structure develop differently in each of the three stone groups. Dense and compact
stones have very few or no pores in them. An important feature of sedimentary rocks is their
porosity. Pores are natural holes in the stones which allow fluids like rainwater to enter and leave
the fabric. Some free fluid flow through a rock is necessary to maintain the rock's durability, and it
is not always advisable to block such flow by using incorrect mortar mixes or by injecting
unsuitable synthetic fluids.
Very high porosities, however, may allow excessive volumes of corrosive fluids such as acid
rainwater to enter and cause severe damage to the rock. Thin section rock analysis can identify
where such problems are likely to occur. Most durable sedimentary building stones commonly
have moderate porosity.

24. Stone - Properties
3. Permeability:
Associated with stones porosity is its permeability. This is the extent to which the pores and
capillary structures are interconnected throughout the stone. These networks, their
size, structure and orientation affect the degree and depth to which moisture, vapors and liquids
can be absorb into the interior of the stone or migrate from the substrate by capillary action
through the stone.
Permeability is increased when a stone is highly fractured or the veining material is soft or grainy.
A particular variety of stone may be highly permeable (a well defined interconnected network of
pores), although its porosity is low (a low percentage of voids).
The size and shapes of pores and the capillary structure differs in stones and is an important
factor in relation to stone decay.

25. Stone - Properties
4. Hardness:
Hardness is the property of a material to avoid and resist scratching. It is determined by
comparison with the standard minerals of the MoH’s (Measurement of Hardness) scale. The
objective of the MOH Scale is to measure stones resistance to hardness.
MOH Scale: Talc, Gypsum, Calcite (Most Marbles), Fluorite, Apatite, Feldspar (Granite), Quartz
(Granite), Topaz, Corundum, Diamond
5. Weathering
It is a complex interaction of physical, chemical and biological processes that alters the stone in
some general or specific way. The physical properties of stone differs widely between stone
groups and even within the same stone type.
The mineral composition, textural differences, varying degrees of hardness and pore/capillary
structure are the main reasons why stone nor all the surface of the same stone shows signs of
alteration the same and evenly. These minerals can be broken down, dissolved or converted to
new minerals by a variety of processes which are grouped as Mechanical and Chemical. Intensity
and duration are two key elements that govern to what extent weathering reactions will have on
stone.

26. Stone - Properties
6. Absorbency:
It is the result of these two properties (permeability and porosity). Absorbency is an important
determining factor in stones sensitivity to stains. The size of the pores, their orientation, how well
they are networked and the type of finish the stone has are important contributing factors to a
stones overall absorbency. In relation to clean-ability this factor is more important than how
porous a stone is. Honed and textured surfaces are more susceptible to soiling and staining due
to the fact that there are more open pores at the surface than a highly polished finish.

27. Stone - Uses
1. Building and decorative stone:
Stone used for its resistance to weather or its aesthetic appeal – walls and decorative purposes.
Buildings, walls, paving slabs.
2. Aggregates:
Stone used for its strong physical properties – crushed and sorted into various sizes for use in
concrete, coated with bitumen to make asphalt or used 'dry' as bulk fill in construction. Mostly
used in roads, concrete and building products.

28. Stone - Uses
3. Other uses:
Stone walls, Roof tile in the form of slates, Murram for covering and flooring of road surface

29. Bricks
More than ever, architects, builders and clients appreciate the beauty and flexibility brick adds to
interior designs. From churches to restaurants to conference centers, interiors that incorporate
brickwork into their designs enhance intimacy and communicates a homey, comfortable feeling
to all its visitors.

30. Bricks – Properties
1. Feel:
Hard - molded clay is baked at a very high temperature to form bricks
Bricks are roughish, dry and looks dull
Easy to handle - bricks are all the same regular shape and size making them easy to carry and
build
2. Resists:
Cold - brick keeps in heat (insulates)
Electricity - they will not carry an electrical charge
Weather - bricks are hard-wearing and reasonably weatherproof
Fire - they will blacken but not burn. A number of bricks burnt black in the simple kilns
3. Changes:
If frozen - bricks are not waterproof and will slowly absorb water - if the water freezes and
therefore expands then the ice will lead to the bricks flaking and breaking up
If knocked - bricks are brittle and will shatter - some bricks are stronger than others depending
on the sort of clay used

31. Bricks – Uses
1. Bricks in building construction:
Various types of bricks such as common burnt clay bricks, sand lime bricks, fly ash bricks, concrete
bricks, and fire clay bricks are used for construction of buildings. Among these types, common
burnt clay bricks are recommended for building a house. Red clay bricks have been in use from
many years for home constructions. The red bricks are much heat resistant and hence are
preferred in India.

32. Bricks – Uses
2. Indoor exposed brick work:
Many people like the appearance of bare bricks inside their house too. Why not try installing an
exposed brick wall. Admittedly, this works best if you live in historical areas where exposed brick
is commonplace, rather than an ultra modern apartment development.

33. Bricks – Uses
3. Brickwork garden path:
A garden path can look amazing when constructed from bricks. You really can let your
imagination run wild when it comes to the pattern you want the bricks layed in. You don't even
have to have a completely brick covered path either as you can mix the bricks with other building
materials to add an extra special visual impact.

34. Steel
Of all the different metals and materials that we use, steel is by far the most important. When
steel was developed, it revolutionized the American iron industry. With it came
skyscrapers, stronger and longer bridges, and railroad tracks that did not collapse. Steel is
manufactured from pig iron by decreasing the amount of carbon and other impurities and adding
specific amounts of alloying elements.

35. Steel – Properties
1. Ductile:
Steel is tough and ductile, easily machined, formed, and welded. It does not respond to any form
of heat treating.
2. Tough:
These alloys are used in structures where the strength of material is especially important. Bridge
members, rail-road cars, dump bodies
3. Corrosion resistant:
Some of these steels are so highly resistant to wear that they are used for the races and balls in
antifriction bearings. Chro-mium steels are highly resistant to corrosion and to scale.

36. Steel – Uses
1. Residential Steel:
In residential construction, steel is actually gaining popularity. In the past, builders preferred
wood over steel for framing residential buildings, but its durability has some builders looking to
steel as an alternative. We use steel for structural work, such as beams, purloin and girders. As
sheet steel for cladding, such as in furniture or stainless steel bench tops and backsplashes also
for component work such as brackets, screws and hardware.

37. Steel – Uses
2. Rust free Steel (Stainless steel):
Steel is also used on bench tops, in bathrooms, for sanitary fittings for hardware and fixings and it
is also used extensively in appliances.

38. Concrete
One of the easiest ways to achieve an industrial look at home is to use industrial materials.
Concrete is an obvious choice and in recent months we have witnessed a huge rise in the use of
concrete in interior design. Many designers are now using concrete in unexpected and unusual
ways and it would seem that there is nothing that can’t be made using this versatile material.

39. Concrete – Properties
1. Strength:
With proper materials and techniques, concrete can withstand many
acids, silage, milk, manure, fertilizers, water, fire, and abrasion. Concrete has substantial strength
in compression, but is weak in tension.
2. Surface:
Concrete can be finished to produce surfaces ranging from glass-smooth to coarsely
textured, and it can be colored with pigments or painted.
3. Curing:
Concrete that has been specified, batched, mixed, placed, and finished "letter-perfect" can still be
a failure if improperly or inadequately cured.

40. Concrete – Uses
1. Concrete floors:
Flooring, especially in high traffic commercial applications is what most people associate concrete
floors with. Residential concrete floors can be stained, sealed or painted any color in the rainbow
to create the perfect color for your application.

41. Concrete – Uses
2. Kitchen countertops:
One of the gorgeous benefits of concrete is that it can be formed into almost any shape. With
form work, concrete can making sweeping curves and angled cantilevers. Kitchen countertops are
no exception to this design creativity. Simple lines of natural concrete or you prefer colored
concrete, the choices are limitless.

42. Concrete – Uses
3. Concrete in the bathroom:
Similar to the kitchen the bathroom has opportunities for high design or simple lines. Bathtubs
that once use to only be made from cast iron, or porcelain, are now starting to use concrete for
simplicity of form. Modern and minimalist bathrooms have taken on the use of concrete bathtubs
the most.

43. Concrete – Uses
4. Exterior forms:
The majority of ultra modern architecture homes use concrete to convey sharp angles, sweeping
lines and massive forms. Concrete is one of the few building materials that can take on the
changes in climatic changes beautifully. Concrete has been used in a multitude of innovative
products like light emitting concrete. This concrete allows light and figures to be seen through the
concrete! This type of concrete works well in homes that want to convey subtle design with light
trickling through the ‘porous’ surface.

44. Price list
Timber Brick
Teak Wood – Burma Rs. 3,000/cft Bricks Rs. 18,000/lorry load
Teak Wood – African Rs. 2,400/cft Mud Bricks Rs. 1.50 - 1.75 per piece
Teak Wood – India Rs. 2,800/cft Mud Bricks (Light Weight) Rs. 2.50 - 2.75 per ton
Teak Wood- Medium Rs. 1,450/cft Fly Ash / Hallow Bricks Rs. 3.25 + per piece
Beeja Sal Rs. 900/cft
Neem Rs. 350 to 500/cft
Mango Rs. 150 to 250/cft Steel Rs. 35,000 ~ Rs. 37,000
Babool Rs. 350 to 400/cft Glass Rs 30 ~ Rs. 300/sqft
Concrete Rs. 41,000 ~ Rs. 43,000
Stone
Shabad stone Rs. 5 - 10 per tile
Markapur Rs. 4 - 8 per tile
Marbles – tiles Rs. 14 onwards per sft
Marbles – Slabs Rs. 20 onwards per sft
Granite – tiles Rs. 20 onwards per sft
Granite – Slabs Rs. 45 onwards per sft