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Drywall, also called sheetrock or gypsum board, is widely used for interior walls and ceilings because it A potential disadvantage of drywall is that it is susceptible to moisture damage. Common causes of such moisture include roof, plumbing, or window leaks. Drywall exposed to significant moisture will usually stain and eventually weaken or crumble. COMPOSITION […]
Cracks at an interface between two dissimilar materials are common. These cracks often occur due to thermal movement, shrinkage or swelling due to varying moisture content, normal deflection due to applied loads, other environmental effects, or a combination of these. Different materials move differently as the result of these factors, and this differential movement between […]
Traditional stucco, or exterior plaster, is widely used as a final wall finish, and is often applied directly over concrete masonry unit (CMU) or over wood sheathing with paper and metal lath. As a mixture of lime and sand, stucco has been in use for thousands of years. Modern traditional stucco consists of Portland cement […]
Shallow foundations, such as continuous (also called spread) footings and monolithic footings, are often used to support CMU walls, and rely on the underlying soil for support. As such, the soil beneath the foundation may be considered a primary component of this structural system. Changes that occur in the soil after a foundation is placed […]
Cracks in concrete masonry unit (CMU) walls are common, and usually reflect through an exterior stucco finish. Typical shrinkage and restrained thermal movement cracks in CMU walls often manifest as generally vertical cracks. While normal shrinkage cracks in CMU walls are typically not a cause for structural concern, they present a potential source of moisture […]
Several methods are used to install floor tiles over concrete slabs. These include the use of mortar beds and membranes of various types. This discussion focuses on debonded and tented ceramic floor tile that were installed directly over a concrete slab on grade using thinset mortar. Thinset mortar is often used to bond ceramic tile […]
Concrete slab on grade rely on the underlying soil for its support. As such, the soil beneath the slab could be considered to be a primary component of this floor structure. Changes that occur in the soil after a slab is placed can have a significant detrimental effects on the slab. These may include consolidation […]
It is concrete’s nature to crack. This fact arises from at least two primary characteristics of concrete. The first of these is concrete’s tendency to shrink. The amount of concrete shrinkage is a function of numerous factors including the gradation and quality of aggregates, water and paste content, admixtures and cement used in the mix, […]
Tile is widely used for finish floors and wall covering in tubs, showers, and pools. Ceramic tile is primarily composed of kiln-fired clay, usually with one surface glazed. It is a brittle material and is therefore prone to cracking. Such cracking typically results from problems with the underlying substrate. Tiles are routinely installed over concrete […]
Roof and floor decking cover the roof/floor structural members (trusses, joists and rafters), and may act as a structural diaphragm. Roof sheathing accepts the roofing (membrane, shingles, tiles, metal), and floor decking accepts the finish flooring (carpet, tile, vinyl). The terms ‘decking’ and ‘sheathing’ are often used interchangeably. However, ‘sheathing’ generally refers to plywood or […]
