Wall materials

Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   Text © Copyright April 2009, Oast House Archive; licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence.
Images also under a similar Creative Commons licence.


A basic photographic illustration of wall types, materials and finishes found within Britain.

Also see Roof-TypesExternal link and Brick BondsExternal link

❖ Traditional Materials

Cob


A mixture of clay, sand, straw, earth and water. Used in Europe since the 12th century, and popular within the West Country of Devon and Cornwall in England.
SX7264 : Clapper Cottage, Upper Dean by Adrian Platt

Straw

Straw bales, usually covered in lime render. There are few straw buildings in the UK, but its low cost and high insulating values are giving it a renewed interest.
SH7504 : Straw bale building by ceridwen

Wood


Timber frame (Half-timbered)
TQ7061 : Mulberry Cottages, High Street, Snodland, Kent by Oast House Archive SO0897 : The rear view of Gregynog Hall by Dave Croker

Timber (un-processed)
TL8338 : Kiln at the Bulmer Brick and Tile Works by Gareth Hughes

Weatherboard
A form of cladding, typically over timber framed structures.

TR1460 : Weatherboarded cottage, Tyler Hill by Nigel Chadwick
White weatherboard. Traditionally used on domestic buildings.


TQ6271 : Oast House at Hazells, Southfleet, Kent by Oast House Archive
Black/Stained weatherboard. Traditionally used on farm and utilitarian buildings.


Lime Render & Plaster



SO3164 : Rendered timber-frame cottages by mfjordan

Stone


Ragstone
TQ9345 : Sheerland Farm, near Pluckley by David Kemp

Limestone
ST7465 : The Circus, Bath by Oast House Archive

Ashlar
NY5261 : The Hollies, Main Street, Brampton by Humphrey Bolton
Dressed stone work, made into rectangular blocks with sculpted edges, with a smoothed finish.


Flint
TQ0210 : South Downs Flint by Colin Smith

Stone & Pebble dashing
SH3545 : Corner of ruined building by John S Turner TG2142 : Chesterfield Lodge by Evelyn Simak

Slate tile hanging
SM9835 : Slatehung farm buildings at Cwrt by ceridwen

Clay products


Brick
TQ9464 : Cheke's Court, Blacketts Road, Tonge, Kent by Oast House Archive Also see Geograph article; Brick BondsExternal link.

Mathematical tile
TQ4110 : Lewes by Charles Rawding A cladding designed to give a brick faced appearance. Also called brick slips.

Tile hanging
TQ8750 : Mansion Farmhouse, Liverton Street, Kent by Oast House Archive

❖ Modern Materials

Concrete


In-situ concrete
TQ3080 : Hayward Gallery by Graham Parker

Concrete blocks
SP2966 : All Saints Road by Robin Stott
A common method of construction often covered in render, or finished to emulate stonework.


Concrete panels
SO6189 : Concrete house by John M J3373 : Former social security office, Belfast by Aubrey Dale SK9771 : Ryvita House by Richard Croft

Render


Rendered concrete block walls
TG1423 : New house in Perrys Lane by Evelyn Simak

Pebble dash
TQ4382 : East Ham: Hameway, E6 by Nigel Cox

Wood


Cedar cladding
SO9398 : St Matthews Place on Willenhall Road by John M SJ9902 : Furlong House by John M

Gridshell
SU8712 : Inside the Weald and Downland Gridshell by Hugh Chevallier SU8712 : the Downland Gridshell by Janine Forbes
Not particularly well used method of construction. The whole building structure is constructed from a lattice grid of flexible wood. It allows for more organic and unusual shapes.


Curtain walling

Commonly built around steel and concrete framed structures.

Metal panels
TL8564 : Debenhams, Arc Shopping Centre, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk by Oast House Archive TQ3476 : Peckham Library by Richard Rogerson TQ3379 : Modern Building on Druid Street, London by Oast House Archive SP0786 : Selfridges Store, Bullring, Birmingham by Derek Reynolds

Asbestos panels
Used in many building materials, and widely used from the 1930's to the 1970's. Despite its health risks being known before the 1900s, it wasn't until the late 1980s that it was banned in many countries. It still existing in many buildings and most is safe until disturbed.
TM0219 : Barn, Bridleway and Ripening Barley by Glyn Baker

Glass
As double and triple glazing technology improves, curtain walling systems are becoming ever more popular.
TQ3266 : Office Block at East Croydon by Peter Trimming TQ3381 : City of London: the Gherkin – up close by Chris Downer

Concrete panels
see above

Structural Insulated Panels
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS) are composite panels sandwich of structural panels and insulation. Built in a controlled factory environment and brought to site.

Solar Panels

Though not actually a walling product they are becoming an increasing feature of buildings. Usually seen on roofs they are sometimes fixed to walls.
SE2933 : Solar Panels, Park Lane College, Leeds by RichTea NT2471 : Solar wall by M J Richardson

❖ Further reading

Wikipedia: GridshellExternal link

If you can suggest more suitable geograph images, corrections, or relevant text, please send a messageExternal link.
KML
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