Interior Finishes Flashcards
Name the elements a building is made up of.
- Structural elements
- Non-structural elements
List some structural elements.
- Structural columns
- Openings; windows and doors
- Walls
- Floors
- Ceilings
- Stairways
List some non-structural elements.
( Anything that doesn’t support any loads )
- Partitions
- Some openings
- Some steps/stairs
List the types of materials typically used for the structure of a building.
- Wood
- Masonry
- Metals
- Concrete
Bonus
Although structural materials may appear in interior spaces, many other interior materials are non-structural. They may:
- Cover over structure
- Be added to the structure to modify function and appearance
- Be used independently of structure to modulate interior space (as in partition walls, suspended ceilings, and inserted elements such as stairways or platforms)
- Be surface materials used for a vast range of practical and aesthetic purposes.
Name the three major categories of materials
( levels of modification ).
While all materials originate from natural sources, human needs impose certain levels of modification on materials, as they are found in nature. They may be classified into three major categories:
- Natural Materials
- Processed Materials
- Synthetic Materials
Define ‘Natural Materials’ and give some examples.
‘Natural Materials’ remain unchanged except when they need to be superficially modified for use.
- Stone and wood, for example, can be used in their natural forms, but they are usually cut into standard shapes.
- Quarried stone is often cut into blocks, in which form it is called ashlar.
- Trees are first cut into logs, then into boards, or lumber of standardized forms and sizes.
Define ‘Processed Materials’ and give some examples.
‘Processed Materials’ are the result of converting natural materials into special forms for practical use.
-For instance, the natural material clay takes on different properties and uses when fired into brick and tile/
- Sand and small stones (called aggregate) when bonded together with cement form concrete, a kind of artificial stone that can be poured in mass, reinforced with embedded steel rods, or made up into blocks similar to cut stone.
- Wood may be sliced up into sheets of veneer, and layers of veneer may be glued together to form plywood.
- All metals require processing to extract them from ore, refine them, and possibly combine them into alloys. Then they are formed into sheets, tubes, rolled sections, castings, or other shapes.
Define ‘Synthetic Materials’ and give some examples.
‘Synthetic Materials’ do not exist in nature but have been brought into being, or manufactured, through artificial processes.
- For example, glass is an ancient synthetic made from sand and various other elements fused by heat.
- Plastics, the most familiar of modern synthetics are made from various chemicals, most of them derived from petroleum.
- Synthetics themselves can be combined. Leading to the creation of hybrids, such as fiberglass.
Bonus. Types of materials.
In practice, many materials result from combinations of these levels of processing.
- A natural fiber such as wool may be processed through spinning and weaving to make a textile.
- A core of solid wood may be surfaced with synthetic plastic laminate.
- Rolled steel beams or columns may be enclosed in poured concrete and covered in turn with metal lath and plaster, plasterboard, solid wood boards, plywood, tile, or any number of other materials.
What is the purpose of a wall?
- To control the passage of air, sound, heat, and light
- Protect from the outdoor environment
- Divide and modulate interior space
- Control views
- Provide privacy
- Create interior features
- Provide aesthetic opportunities
Bonus. Wall Construction.
Stud framed walls are made of either wood or metal studs connected by top and sole plates, then covered in a sheet material like plywood or gypsum. The sheet material may be the finish material, or it may support another finish material.
Concrete and masonry walls are thicker than stud-framed walls because they depend on their mass for strength and stability. They may be left exposed.
Explain ‘Wall Articulation;
- Contrasting color or texture can visually differentiate wall planes from floors and ceilings.
- Carrying the ceiling treatment down lowers a wall’s apparent height.
- Wainscots or other horizontal bands can reduce the vertical scale of a room’s walls.
What is PLASTER?
Plaster is a building material used for the protective or decorative coating of walls and ceilings and for molding and casting decorative elements.
What is GYPSUM?
Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate. It is widely mined and is used as a fertilizer and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, drywall, and blackboard or sidewalk chalk.
