When creating a glazed wall, curtain walling is one solution (with prefabricated sections hung in place) or, alternatively, the glass itself can be hung from a frame. Using trusses to span a wall or building height, often along with diagonal bracing, the structure must be strong in tension but able to flex if struck by [...]
Skyscraper buildings are usually built by constructing a core column in the building that is load bearing and is the main support for the construction. On the core, the various floors are effectively ‘hung’ from that support and then curtain walling techniques are often used to clad the exterior.
When in use, this core also is [...]
Curtain Walling is a method of cladding a building using prefabricated materials that are brought to site and simply hung off the main structure. Often these skins are either profile steel sheeting, such as is seen on light industrial buildings, or glazed panels, such as on tall office buildings.
The process is very simple to do, [...]
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Design Detail
This stage requires an agreement by all concerned of the design, in order for full drawings to be made as well as a complete cost check on all parts and components, pulled together in the Bill of Quantities.
Tender
Developers will then usually [...]
Insulation has the benefits of increased thermal advantage in a building. It locks in heat or helps to keep it out under warmer temperatures. It is also likely to reduce energy requirements, and as such utility bills and CO2 usage.
Many consider it to be very cost effective with the pay-back-period often quite short with the [...]
It used to be commonplace to have a Vapour Control Layer (VCL) as part of the wall lining in timber buildings. It would stop vapour escaping from rooms and into the structure, where it may condense and cause rot to occur – especially in timber framed buildings. More modern timber buildings, however, have their structure [...]
Cavity walls consist of two skins and a gap in between. However, most walls of this type would be now described as composite as their cavity is filled with insulation. Composite walls usually have brickwork as an outer skin and either further brickwork or concrete blockwork inside, with insulation in the blockwork’s holes in modern [...]
When using cement mortar on a waterproof brick cladding, the main types of pointing used are…
Concave (also known as ‘bucket handle’
V-shaped – a more sophisticated method which is not commonly used due to a higher degree of difficultly and increased time needed.
Neat Struck Weathered joint – used to prevent water penetration as water gets to [...]
Brick walls, bonded together using mortar, come in a wide range of different styles and formats.
An all stretcher wall is very common and is made up of entirely stretcher face bricks facing outwards. Occasionally headers may be seen where adjoining walls enter at right angles and the headers bond the walls together.
Usually stretcher walls are [...]
