Cement, bricks and tiles are the main construction materials used in building construction. Today, the increased demand for various building materials has led to many building material manufacturing companies. Many new building materials are environmental hazards, which have become a major concern for everyone.
Traditionally, the basic types of building materials used for construction were mud, stone, and brush. The mud was used to fill the spaces between the bricks and acted as concrete and insulation. Centuries ago, houses were made entirely of earth and clay. This was followed by the use of rocks (mainly granite) as a building material. From the Neolithic to the Middle Ages and modern times, granite has been commonly used as a building material. Shrub structures were commonly seen in tropical areas and were made entirely of plant parts such as branches, bark, twigs, and leaves. These structures were often used by Native Americans as resting places.
Stones and bricks were also common in construction. Different types of bricks have been and continue to be used for masonry. This includes specially shaped bricks for jointing, taping and tooling, as well as glazed or polished bricks for decorative purposes.
Thatch is one of the oldest types of building material used for thatching. Another generic construction material is wood. Due to the diverse character of the different types of wood, it can be used for any type of structure in most climates. Although wooden structures were very common in earlier times, they disappeared with the advent of concrete structures.
Concrete is a construction material composed of aggregates and a binder (cement). Concrete finds good use in all types of building construction. Fly ash is an important ingredient in the concrete mix due to its lightness and high thermal insulation.
More recently, new types of building materials are being used. These include metals (for the structural framework of larger buildings), plastics, asbestos, and fabrics. Tar-based waterproofing materials, paper linoleum, polyvinyl chloride clay, and solvent-based interior wall coatings are other building materials.