{Re}habitat

This topic includes information related to acoustic room components installed during construction.  Acoustic room components are installed within a space on walls and ceilings to absorb and reflect sound.  Manufactured systems are available in a variety of materials for fixed and moveable installations.

This topic includes information related to staining and transparent finishing applied during construction.  Stain is a type of coating that consists of pigments, solvents and binder.  Depending on the makeup of these components stain may be transparent or semitransparent.  Stain can be applied to both interior and exterior wood finishes with a brush, roller or sprayer.

This topic includes information related to decorative finishing applied during construction.  Decorative finishing is applied to horizontal, vertical and overhead surfaces of an interior space.  These surface finishes are not paint or high performance coatings.  Texture, faux and multicolor finishes are commonly achieved with metallics, plasters, cementitious materials, in addition to other coating materials.

This topic includes information related to high-performance coatings applied during construction.  High-performance coatings are applied to materials installed in areas where conditions may affect a material and require added protection.  High-performance coatings include: abrasion resistant, graffiti resistant, marine, high temperature, chemical resistant, fire retardant, intumescent, elastomeric, epoxy, high build glazed, textured plastic and aggregate wall coatings.

This topic includes information related to intumescent painting applied during construction.  Intumescent paint is a thin film like substance that swells when exposed to high temperatures.  Commonly applied to structural steel columns, beams, trusses, fire escape stairwells, in addition other materials, intumescent paint provides passive fire protection to concealed and exposed structural assemblies to prevent structural failure.

This topic includes information related to steel coatings applied during construction.  Steel coatings are protective coatings applied to steel materials used in construction.  Depending on the application, steel coatings are field applied organic or inorganic coatings.

Soils are made up of fragments of rocks and minerals as well as organics such as decayed plant material. Construction professionals use established soil classifications that help them define the type, size and distribution of soil particles in a representative sample at a project site. Prior to work, soil samples will often be taken and analyzed if a clear and comprehensive assessment of the site soils cannot be quickly determined. Classification allows for a sound understanding of a soil’s weight by volume, ability to support loads, permeability, cohesiveness and texture. These factors are not only critical to academic engineering concerns, but also represent time and cost considerations for earthwork, such as a potential need to remove existing soils and replace them with new ones, or concerns about construction equipment becoming mired in poor soils. Earthwork activities for a project might include clearing away debris and vegetation, grading of the project site to a level condition, excavations and embankments, and preparing roadway soils for pavement operations.

Board insulation, also referred to as foam-plastic board insulation, can be used in many areas of building construction to provide thermal resistance. It is appropriate for use under concrete floor slabs, at foundation walls, in wall cavities, as a backer material for remodeling with new siding, and in a wide range of roofing applications. Foam plastic boards encompass three types: polystyrene, polyisocyanurate, and polyurethane. All types of foam-plastic board insulation panels need to be protected from the damaging ultraviolet effects of the sun. Additionally, foam-plastic insulation should be protected from fire as it will emit dense smoke containing toxic gases. Unfaced foam-plastic insulation boards used in construction are required by codes to be completely concealed in fire resistant materials. Glass fiber resin mixtures and mineral wool are also manufactured in board products for use in construction applications. Blanket, foamed-in-place, loose-fill, blow-in and sprayed type insulations are summarized in other sections.