Building Materials & Supplies

How Tapcons work to attach a sign to brick. Describes how the tapcon screw taps threads in to the brick and important information on the minimum embedment and spacing requirements. Tapcons should...

If you have various types of metal and want to sell them to a scrapyard or metal recycling facility, you will need to know how to identify each type of metal. There are several different types of...

Jack posts are designed to provide adjustable leveling of floors and beams, both in new and re-modeling situations. Some are one piece while others are designed for either crawl spaces or full...

Durable, strong and relatively inexpensive, steel is an essential metal of our modern society. It is made from iron ore, a resource plentiful in the earth's crust.

Steel, one of the most important metals of our modern world, is produced from iron ore. This strong, useful metal is employed in everything from serving spoons to skyscrapers.

Wood screws are a common type of fastening tool designed mainly for wood-to-wood use, but can be used for a variety of other purposes. These types of screws are used to strengthen joints in...

You don't want to scrimp on your gutters. Without an effective gutter system, rainwater can cause basement flooding or result in roof rot. Gutters are made from a variety of materials, such as...

Steel and aluminum are both versatile metals that have many applications in many industries. These materials come with their advantages and disadvantages. Over the past several decades...

Several different types of pipe fittings are available to consumers. As of 2009, there were several materials used in the creation of pipe fittings. Each type of pipe fitting has its proper...

Rust is a common enemy to the structural integrity of iron and steel building components. If left unchecked, it can cause serious damage to any building or device. To ensure the long-lasting...

If you are in an area without a hardware store or you just cannot get the building supplies that you really need, importing them is a great alternative to using something that is not exactly what...

Selecting the right saw blade is important if you want to get proper, smooth cuts on the material that you are going to use your saw on. There are steel blades, abrasive blades, high speed blades...

Metal specially coated to resist rust and corrosion is galvanized steel. Galvanized steel is an ideal component for building structures that need to withstand years of exposure to the elements....

Cutting steel tubing for welding is a relatively simple task. Steel tubes are used for everything from transporting natural gas underground to building scaffolding. Prior to welding the apparatus...

Spray paint can be an unsightly problem on surfaces in some cases, or in others you may be trying to remove spray paint from a steel piece of furniture such as a table or chair to give it a new...

Metal has been used for roofing structures for over a century, and has been growing more popular in recent years. Builders and owners alike have noted a long list of advantages over other roofing...

MIG, or metal inert gas, welding is a popular welding method that is useful on many types of metals and alloys. Stainless steel is no exception, and while it can be more difficult than some metals...

The basic redipe for creating galvanized steel is to coat steel with zinc. The zinc helps provide resistance to corrosion. Several methods are used to create galvanized steel. Galvanized steel is...

Wire is commonly sized in gauges, which increase in number while the size of the wire decreases. A 10-gauge wire is considerably larger than 20-gauge wire. The standard wire gauges for steel wire...

Galvanized steel is a metal alloy that is used in a wide variety of applications. It has all the properties of steel, but possesses increased durability because of the galvanization process. It is...

Metal roofing is starting to replace asphalt shingles as the material of choice for many homeowners. Metals roofs offer both aesthetic and functional advantages over other materials, including...

Metal roofing is a popular finish option for residential and commercial buildings. It is available in a variety of styles and materials, and is known for its durability and strength. Metal roofs...

A drill bit is a tool used to bore holes in material. They are usually loaded into hand-held power drills or drill presses. Drill bits come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are constructed in...

Steel tubing is some of the strongest, most versatile home plumbing and heating tubing on the market. One of the best ways to purchase steel tubing quickly and cheaply is from online suppliers.

A steel frame house is one of the newest options available to you if you are looking at building or buying a new home. While these homes are relative newcomers to the market, they have quickly...

Whether a person is trying to bore a hole in wood, glass, metal or brick, there are drill bits for every occasion. Two of the more popular types of drill bits are cobalt and titanium bits. Each...

Galvanized steel is made by coating the steel in zinc to better resist corrosion. There are three methods of producing galvanized steel. The end-use application and coating thickness required...

Being able to immediately tell if a piece of steel is galvanized or galvannealed is not an easy task, as the two look similar. Their essential difference pertains to the amount of iron found in...

Steel buildings are made from sheets of metal fastened to a steel frame. They are fairly low-cost and can be constructed much more quickly than traditional buildings. Because the walls in a metal...

Galling occurs when two stainless steel fasteners weld together due to high heat and friction. Once galling occurs, the bolt and nut have to be cut apart. Stainless steel fasteners can be used in...

Steel is a material that is primarily used in the architecture of buildings, tools, boats, automobiles, appliances and various machines. Steel is hard and strong and is rarely broken.

A steel braided hose is a rubber hose that contains a braided steel center. The diameter of the hose depends on the thickness of both the rubber and the steel braiding. Steel braided hoses...

Comparing steel and concrete as possible building materials entails deciding where stress will go on the structure. Use concrete for good compression resistance and steel for good expansion...

Unless you're trying to break out of prison, cutting steel bars is a very easy process with the right tools. Some say that it's possible to cheaply cut steel bars with a mitre saw and an abrasive...

Steel cable is a versatile and durable product. It's useful for building fences, tying down objects, reinforcing buildings and a bevy of other useful applications. Steel cables come in a variety...

A variety of household and steel projects require pipe and steel tubing, such as roll bars for a go-cart, a frame for a work bench or a support on a hay bale holder. Unlike PVC pipe, joints and...

Aluminum siding is a type of product that people use to cover the exteriors of buildings. It comes in panels with interlocking flanges to seal out air and moisture. Aluminum siding is available in...

Steel is an umbrella term that covers a large group of metals, all of which are alloys. Galvanized steel, one of the most popular and widely used types of steel alloy, is coated in zinc to render...

If you are a builder, architect or construction manager, you are probably familiar with various types of metal building components. These components are mostly used for roofing construction and...

In recent times, there has been an increase in advertisements and campaigns for home builders to construct metal buildings or to simply use more metal in their construction plans. This is because...

Steel pipes play a large role in the construction of many building types. The most common places to see steel pipes used in buildings are in the foundations of tall buildings, the railings of...

Cheap steel building insulation may require that you think out of the box, but if cost savings is your goal, consider your alternatives. One of the advantages of steel buildings is that they can...

Whether you're hauling around building supplies or transporting snowmobiles, have a lawn care company or just find yourself acting like a Sherpa 24/7, nothing beats owning a travel trailer. If...

Hardening mild steel with salt water is an old-time method not used so often anymore in the welding community, although using salt water is a great way to keep everything easy, and it's readily...

Magnesium is a silver-white, abundant metallic element. Pure magnesium does not occur in nature, but it is contained in a variety of mineral compounds such as magnesium chloride and magnesium...

Stainless steel refers to a type of steel. Brushed steel refers to the finish of steel--so stainless steel can have a brushed finish.

Since its conception in the early 1900's, galvanized metal has offered a durability other steels and metals do not, a durability that lasts for decades. There are health risks involved for those...

Galvanization is the curing of steel to prevent rust and corrosion. This is done by lowering the steel into melted zinc. The metal then undergoes a chemical reaction that yields a combined alloy...

Steel is iron that is alloyed with carbon. Other elements may be present in the alloy, but the term carbon steel is generally used when carbon and steel are the only elements that affect the...

Reinforced concrete is a type of material used by designers, engineers and architects for over a century. The finished product is stronger than concrete, steel or any other material on its own....