Building Materials
Return to DiscussionsWhat building materials are you proficient with? Myself, I have used wood in carpentry projects as well as building some cabinets and shelving units. I have used concrete for walkways, retaining wall footings, foundations for small buildings and even a boat ramp at the end of my yard, 10'x20'.I also work with metal, steel and aluminum, mostly steel. The boat ramp I made, was formed using mobile home frame "I" beams welded together. The forms were left in place after the work was done. All the rebar in the concrete was welded together everywhere they crossed another piece, and most were welded to the forms around the edges. The ramp has a 13* slope to it.I built a rack for my truck to carry long materials on, as well as the rear bumper that also is a compressed air tank, that I can use to air up tires. I have made several BBQ /smokers, a matched set of "A" frames used for hoisting, some steps with landings and railings to access the house. I made a trailer to haul my engine drive welding machine on and a dumping yard trailer for behind the riding mower to make yard work easier.I have used steel pipe, cut and threaded to build water and compressed air systems, and PVC pipe for water and sewer lines. As well as steel and PVC conduit for electrical systems.I've run the wiring and made 120 and 240 volt circuits. I even did the hook up from the inside circuit breaker panel to the meter pole for my new house, and built everything/installed on the meter pole, too. From the weather head to the disconnect switch on the pole as well as setting thepole. So everything from the weather head on the meter pole all the way to the inside panel was done by me. Then I ran the conduit and wiring hook up for a 240 volt 30 ampcircuit to the outside A/C compressor unit. I have done roofing, too. Three tab shingle and roll roofing, along with sheet metal roofing too.So this is a general run down of things I have experience with, but not an all inclusiveinventory of everything I have worked on. I didn't get to do any of this work nude though. What do you work with?
I have rewired houses, done plumbing sufficient to create new shower rooms, drainage, laying patios,minor masonry, dry walling/plastering,tiling and (of course) decorating. My main strength is working with timber. That includes making furniture in oak, building decking that spans a stream, wood carving, turning, minor structures and sets/props for plays.
I find it interesting how different practices and materials are in different parts of Europe. Wiring is very different between UK and France or Portugal, as are the very bricks used to build houses. I'm also impressed by French and Spanish paint. In one case it was sufficient to fill holes and treat the joints in dry walling before painting with a single coat (no skimming). Both paint and plaster are of better quality.
I am like some of the others here.I have designed and built buildings and various component systems for all manner of projects over the years.I have done extensive carpentry, masonry, plumbing, wiring, passive and active solar heating and electric, radiant floors, geothermal heat pump systems, etc. I had a small construction and alternative energy company for a number of years, but just do these things for my own projects for the last 20 years or so.
I am in the process of building a much needed cabinet in the master bathroom of my house. It will be 8' tall and nearly 30" wide. I plan on posting some pictures of some of the building project when I am closer to being done with it. That is, if I can figure out how to upload pix to a thread. Haven't been successful at that yet.