Types of Building Walls

Types of Building Walls

Walls serve many purposes, including enclosing space, supporting floor loads and roof loads, and giving a building form.wall panel roll forming machine Originally, walls were defensive structures.wall panel roll forming machine But today, they are more often used as decoration or for design purposes.wall panel roll forming machine They are often made of a variety of materials, such as bricks, stone and concrete. Depending on the application, they can also be made of wood, rammed earth, and other solid materials.

In general, a wall consists of materials bonded with mortar and is designed to support the weight of the occupants of a building.wall panel roll forming machine A masonry wall is typically in a horizontal course, but can be constructed in other patterns.wall panel roll forming machine The overlapping of stones in adjacent courses creates a longitudinal bond.wall panel roll forming machine These bonds are called Flemish and English.

Another common type of masonry is the monolithic wall.wall panel roll forming machine This is a single sided wall constructed of a material placed in a form during construction.wall panel roll forming machine Often, a brick arrangement is chosen for its surface pattern.wall panel roll forming machine It is possible to cut bricks in various ways, which produces characteristic 'textures' on the wall's surface.

Other types of walls include the framed wall, which is a frame of small structural members.wall panel roll forming machine Some framed walls have a support over an opening, such as an arch of reinforced concrete.wall panel roll forming machine Framed walls can also be made from timber or a metal frame.wall panel roll forming machine

In a masonry wall, the face of the wall is anchored to the base through a series of joints.wall panel roll forming machine Each joint is sealed with a flexible mastic to prevent water from entering the wall.wall panel roll forming machine If the wall is framed, studs are typically spaced at 400 or 600mm centres.wall panel roll forming machine When the wall is constructed of brick, the sill plate is 150mm wide. However, when a brick wall is anchored to a concrete base, the sill plate is 100mm by 50mm.

For a framed wall, the structural elements are usually designed to transfer load from the foundation to the building.wall panel roll forming machine There are two main types of structural elements in a framed wall: lintels and sheathing.wall panel roll forming machine Lintels are subject to vertical loads, while sheathing is subject to bending and compression loads.wall panel roll forming machine Both lintels and sheathing must be weather-tight.

As a result, a comprehensive building envelope quality assurance program should be designed to ensure that the critical cavity wall elements are installed and maintained correctly.wall panel roll forming machine It is important to identify the potential problems that may arise from a variety of factors.wall panel roll forming machine Among these are condensation and bulk rainwater penetration.wall panel roll forming machine

Whether a masonry or mass wall is best for your project depends on a number of factors.wall panel roll forming machine First, your local building code must determine the minimum performance requirements.wall panel roll forming machine Second, it is important to understand the rate of wetting and drying in order to control moisture.wall panel roll forming machine Finally, you must know the appropriate length of time it should take for the wall to dry out. Unless you understand how the wall will perform, it can be difficult to detect any potential issues.

Mass-walls are often considered less practical for modern designs, but retrofitting them is feasible.wall panel roll forming machine Mass-walls can be a cost-effective solution for renovating or converting a building to meet modern needs.wall panel roll forming machine