Thomas Grant Content
Introduction xi
Acknowledgements and Dedication xiii
Abbreviations xiv
1 Masonry Construction in Bricks and Blocks 1
Bricks and blocks standards and dimensions 2
Bricks 2
Terminology 2
Brick sizes 2
Nominal sizing 3
Durability of bricks 3
Mortar joints 3
Coordinating sizes 3
Types of brick by shape 4
Kinds of brick by function 4
Brick materials 5
Testing of bricks 5
The bonding of bricks to form walls 5
Convention on thicknesses of walls 8
Types of bond 9
Vertical alignment 14
Honeycomb brickwork 16
Quoins – an alternative definition 16
Half brick thick walls 16
Frog up or frog down 17
‘Tipping’ 17
Common and facing brickwork 18
Facing brickwork 18
Pointing and jointing 19
General principles of bonding 21
Blocks 22
Block materials 22
Concrete blocks 22
Dense and lightweight concretes 23
Autoclaved aerated concrete 23
Dimensions of standard metric block 23
Whys and wherefores of mortar 25
Cement 25
Lime 26
Sand 27
Water 27
Which mortar mix? 27
‘Fat’ mixes 28
General rules for selection of mortar 29
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Mortar additives 30
Mixing in additives 30
Mixing mortar 31
Good or bad weather 32
2 Substructures 34
Excavation generally 34
Topsoil 35
Subsoils 36
General categorisation of subsoils and their loadbearing capacities 37
Foundations 37
The principal considerations 38
Simple foundation calculations 39
The mass of buildings 39
Mass, load and bearing capacity 40
Foundation width and thickness 41
Reinforced concrete foundations 44
Failure of wide, thin, strip foundations 44
Trench fill foundations 45
Critical levels and depths 46
Level 46
Finished ground level 47
Bearing strata 48
Depths and levels 48
Step in foundation 49
Setting out 49
The site plan 49
Where do we put the building? 49
Equipment required for basic setting out 49
Setting out procedure 50
Excavation 53
Marking out the excavation 53
Excavation for and placing concrete foundations – and not
wasting money doing it 53
Building masonry walls from foundation up to DPC level 57
Ground floor construction 59
Detail drawings 59
Wall–floor interfaces generally 62
Precautions 62
Solid concrete floors 62
Single and double layer concrete floors with hollow masonry wall 62
Hung floors 64
Hung timber floors 64
Hung timber floor alternatives 66
Hung concrete floors 67
Blockwork substructure 71
3 Walls and Partitions 73
General 73
Requirements 74
Walls – environmental control 75
Heat loss and thermal capacity 75
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Resistance to weather – precipitation 75
Air infiltration 77
Noise control 79
Fire 79
Dimensional stability 79
Walls of brick and blockwork 81
Insulation of external walls 84
Timber frame construction 88
Traditional timber frame 88
Modern timber frame construction 91
Loadbearing and non-loadbearing internal partitions 96
Expansion joints 99
4 Timber Upper Floors 103
Upper floor joists 103
Linear and point loadings on upper floors 112
Openings in upper floors 113
For pipes 113
For flues 114
For stairs 116
Alternative materials for joisting 118
Sound proofing 120
Modern sound and fire proofing 121
Support of masonry walls 123
Floor finishes 124
Ceiling finishes 124
5 Openings in Masonry Walls 126
For small pipes and cables 126
For larger pipes and ventilators 127
Large openings in masonry walls 127
Alternative sill arrangements 136
Threshold arrangements 137
Partitions of masonry 139
Openings in timber frame walls 141
6 Roof Structure 148
Roof classifications 148
Prefabrication 149
Trussed roofs 150
The trussed rafter 153
Verges meet eaves 159
Roof bracing 160
Flat roofs in timber 162
Insulation, vapour control layers and voids and ventilation 164
Traditional roofs 167
Roof insulation 169
7 Roof Coverings 171
Tile and slate materials 171
Slates 175
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Plain tiles 175
Interlocking tiles 176
Timber shingles 176
Bituminous shingles 176
Pantiles 177
Spanish and Roman tiles 177
Edges and abutments 178
8 Doors 182
Functions of doors and windows – obvious and not so obvious 182
Types of door 184
Ledged and braced doors 185
Bound lining doors 185
Flush panel doors 187
Panelled doors 188
Pressed panel doors 189
15 pane doors 190
Hanging a door 190
Fire resistant doors 193
Smoke seals 195
Glazing 196
Ironmongery 196
9 Windows 204
Timber casement windows 205
Depth and height of glazing rebates 206
Timber for casement windows 206
Draught stripping materials 206
Hanging the casements 207
Joining the frame and casement members 209
Timber sash and case windows 211
The case 212
The sashes and case together 214
Vertical sliding sash windows 214
Glazing 218
For ordinary glazing work 218
10 Stairs 221
Landings 222
Steps 222
Balustrades 223
Measurements 224
Joining steps to stringer 225
Winders 227
11 Mutual Walls 228
Transmission of sound 228
Calculation of surface density 228
Wall types 229
Fire resistance 231
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12 Plumbing and Heating 233
Pipework 233
Pipe fittings – couplings and connections 234
Range of fittings 239
Valves and cocks 241
Services generally 243
Hot and cold water services 243
Soil and ventilation stacks 246
Overflows 246
Water supply from the main 246
Equipment 247
Cold water storage cisterns 248
Hot water storage cylinders 248
Feed and expansion tanks 251
Central heating 252
Piping for central heating systems 253
Emitters 255
Appliances 255
Waste disposal piping and systems 259
Insulation 262
Corrosion 263
Air locking and water hammer 263
First fixings 264
13 Electrical Work 266
Power generation 266
Wiring installation types 267
Sub-mains and consumer control units 268
Sub-circuits 270
Work stages 272
Electrician’s roughing 272
Earth bonding 273
Final fix 275
Testing and certification 275
More on protective devices 275
Wiring diagrams 276
Accessories 277
Appendices:
A Maps and Plans 279
B Levelling Using the Dumpy Level 285
C Timber, Stress Grading, Jointing, Floor Boarding 291
D Plain and Reinforced In-situ Concrete 316
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E Mortar and Fine Concrete Screeds laid over Concrete Sub-floors or Structures 322
F Shoring, Strutting and Waling 325
G Nails, Screws, Bolts and Proprietary Fixings 328
H Gypsum Wall Board 341
I DPCs, DPMs, Ventilation of Ground Floor Voids, Weeps 344
J Drawing Symbols and Conventions 353
K Conservation of Energy 355
L Short Pr ́ecis of Selected British Standards 356
Index 380
