BUILDING MATERIALS

UNIT – II
Clay Products
 Clay Products
• Clay is an abundant raw material
• When mixed with water it forms a plastic mass
– Easily shaped
– Easily processed
• Structural clay products
– Bricks
– Tiles
• Whitewares
– Only whiten after high temperature firing
• Porcelain
• Pottery
• Tableware
• China
• Plumbing “sanitary ware” = toilets
• The tiles may be defined as thin slabs of bricks which are burnt in kiln.
• Tiles can be classified in the following two groups.
a. Common Tiles
b. Encaustic Tiles

Common Tiles:
These tiles have different shapes and sizes.
They are mainly used for paving,
flooring and roofing.

Encaustic Tiles:
These tiles are used for decorative purposes
in
floors, walls, ceilings and roofs.
Common Tiles:
Manufacture of common tiles
➢ Preparation of Clay
➢ Moulding
➢ Drying
➢ Burning
 Preparation of
•
Clay:
Selected clay is made free from any impurities such as grit,
pebbles, etc.
• Then the clay is pressed and converted into fine powder in pug
mills.
• For tiles of superior quality large quantity of pure water is
added to the powdered clay and its mixed well in a tank.
• The mixture is allowed to stand quietly.
• The heavy particles settle at the bottom of the tank.
• The fine particles are taken into the other tanks and the water is
allowed to dry off.
• The fine clay left after such process is used for the manufacture
of tiles.
• To make tiles hard and impervious, a mixture of ground glass
 Mouldin
• Theg:clay is placed in the mould with desired shape and pattern.
• Moulding is done either by wooden moulds or mechanical means.
• Wooden moulds should be prepared from seasoned timber. The
clay is pressed into such moulds and the tiles are ready for drying
when the mould is removed. Care should be taken during the
removal of moulds.

• Moulding by mechanical means includes provision of machines and

the clay is pressed into such machines to get tiles of desired section
and shape. The cutting of tiles in desired length is carried out with
 Dryin
• g: moulding the tiles are allowed to dry for two days.
After
• warping is corrected with a flat wooden mallet.
• After the tiles become hard they are lifted and the edges and
under surfaces are cleaned.
• They are stacked under shade for 2 days.
• Drying under shade prevents warping and cracking of tiles due
to rain and sun.
 Burnin
• g:
A typical kiln, known as Sialkot Kiln, accommodating about 30000
to 40000 tiles are used.
• It circular in shape and covered by a shed.
• A layer of bricks is laid flat on the row of long narrow flues ( flues
are ducts or openings for conveying hot air).
• Above the layer of bricks tiles are arranged in layers.
• The doorway is closed by brickwork in mud.
• The top portion of the kiln is covered with old tiles.
• Regulation of heat is very important to get good quality of tiles.
• The fire is gentle in the beginning. It removes moisture.
• It is raised to a temp of about 800 deg C. It is slackened for about 6
hrs and again raised to white heat, temp being 1300 deg C.
• The temp is maintained steady for 3 hrs.
• The process of slackening is again repeated.
• Finally the flues are filled with fuel and the doorways are closed.
• The kiln is then allowed to cool down.
• It required about 72 hrs to complete the process of burning of tiles.
• The tiles are taken out of the kiln. The underburnt tiles are placed
on top of the kiln.
• Its thus an intermittent kiln.
 Characteristic of a
good tile:
• It should be free from any cracks, flaws or bends
• Regular size and shape.
• Hard and durable
• Well burnt
• Should fit in properly when placed in position.
• Uniform colour
• A strong sound should be produced when struck against each other.
 Types of Common
Tiles:
• Floor or paving tiles
• Roof tiles

Floor or Paving
• Tiles
Square :
or hexagon in shape.
• Thickness is between 12mm to 50mm
• Size is between 150mm to 300mm.
• Should be hard and compact to resist wear and tear.
• To prepare coloured floor tiles, colouring substance is added in the
clay at the time of preparation.
• Floor tiles of less strength can be used for walls.
 Advantages of ceramic floor or
pavingintiles:
• Available an endless range of colours and
designs.
• Easier to lay as they are small in size.
• Light Weight.
• They are scratch, stain and damp-proof as
well as anti-slip.
• They don’t require polishing and can be used
the very next day.
 Roof
• Tiles:
Used as covering for pitched roofs.
• Tile roof coverings are heavy; moreover they are apt to absorb water,
and to keep the roof wet.
• To prevent this they should be glazed, which involves reburning and
makes them expensive.

Plain Tiles are flat, either

rectangular, or cut to various
patterns.
To fix them on battens, two or
more holes are provided on
their surface. The suitable laps
are provided at sides or edges.
Pan tiles are short and heavy. They
are less curved in section than pot tiles.
The tiles are moulded flat first and then
they are given the required curvature by
moulding in suitable forms.
These tiles are of length 330mm to 380mm
and width 230mm to 280mm.
Pot tiles they are half rounded
country tiles and they are also known as
locking tiles.

Semicircular in section and taper along

the length of 300mm with diameter of
about 230mm larger end and 200mm at
smaller end.

They are placed on the roof with their

concave and convex sides so that they can
become self-locked.

An overlap of atleast 80mm is provided.

These tiles break easily and needs to be

replaced and repaired often.

The roof may be made leak proof by using

these tiles even when the slope of the roof
is less.
Mangalore tiles are a type
of tiles native to the city of Mangalore,
 India.

These tiles are flat in pattern and are

provided with projections to interlock
with each other.

They are red in colour prepared from

hard laterite clay.
About 15 Mangalore tiles are required to
cover one square meter of the roof area.

Effective length 320 to 350mm and

effective width 210 to 220mm. They
provide excellent ventilation especially
during summer and aesthetically as well.

These tiles are most popular in rural and

semi-urban area and they are used by
middle and low income group.
 Terracot
ta is a ceramic material that has been
Terracotta
used for building construction and decorative
arts since ancient times in cultures around
the world. The name literally means "baked
earth," is it made from natural clay, which
gives it a characteristic reddish-brown color.
The color varies slightly depending on the
clay used. Terracotta may be glazed for extra
durability or to provide color. It is a
waterproof and very sturdy material, and
many ancient sculptures made from it are still
Compositio
Manufacture
in excellent shape.
Process:of clay
• Preparation • Dryn:clay 50 to 60%
• Moulding • Crushed pottery 20%
• Drying • Powdered glass 8 to 10%
• Burning • Sand 10 to 20%
 Preparation of
• TheClay
clay with high alumina content are used.
• Powdered glass, sand or old pottery are added in sufficient
proportions.
• Addition of these materials is to give strength and rigidity and
prevents shrinking while drying.
• Clay is made free from all impurities and water is added in
required quantity and mixed with spades.
• Wet clay is kept for several days in damp condition for weathering
and tempering.
• Required quantity if colouirng substance is added at this stage to
obtain desired shade of colour in the final product.
 Mouldin
• g : porous moulds are made of Plaster of Paris or of zinc.
Special
• The pugged clay is placed in these moulds to get desired pattern or
shape and is allowed to dry.

Dryin
• g: a period of time, the terracotta are taken out from the moulds
After
and they are allowed to dry further in a room or under a shed.
• Proper temperature should be maintained during drying. Gradual
drying helps in retaining the correct shape and size of the blocks.
 Burning
• : dried
The products are taken into the
muffle furnace.
• A muffle indicates a box or a compartment
of a furnace in which things can be heated
without contact with the fuel and its
products.
• A damper indicates a metal plate which is
provided in the opening to regulate the
draught.
• The dried articles are placed in the muffle
and heated to a temp of 1200 deg C.
• The temp is maintained for 4 days and
then allowed to cool down for 5 days.
• Glazing materials should be applied by
 Uses
:
• Hollow blocks of terracotta are used for masonry.
• Cornices and arches.
• Ornamental works.
• Statuettes.
• Porous terracotta us used for sound insulation.

Advantag Disadvantag
es:
• It is strong and durable material. • Ites:can cause unequal
• Available in different colours. shrinkage in drying and
• Easily cleaned. burning
• Easily moulded in desired shape.
• Its fire proof.
• Its light in weight.
 Varieties of
Terracotta:
▪ Porous
terracotta
▪ Polished
terracotta
Porous Terracotta: It is manufactured by mixing sawdust
or finely
fragmented cork in the clay and burnt in a kiln, the organic particles
are burnt and
Light
• they weight.
leave pores in the articles. The following characteristic are
• Fire proof.
• Can be nailed and sawn to various shapes.
• Sound proof.
• Structurally weak.
 Polished Terracotta: is also known as fine terracotta. To
obtain this
variety the articles are burnt at a temp of about 650 deg C. The first
burning is
called biscuiting. They are removed from kiln and allowed to cool
down.
• Hard, Thenand durable.
strong
they are coated with glazing and burnt again to 1200 deg C.
• Leak proof
• Available in different colours
• Resistant to chemical reaction.
• Fire proof.
• Unaffected by atmospheric conditions
Ceramics
A ceramic is an inorganic, non-metallic solid prepared by the action of
heat and subsequent cooling.

Ceramic is the product of clay after heating and cooling. The

temperature at which the clay is baked, as well as the baking duration,
also vary greatly and determine the hardness of the end product.

Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline

structure, or may be amorphous (e.g., a glass).

The earliest ceramics were pottery objects made from clay, either by
itself or mixed with other materials. Ceramics now includes domestic,
industrial and building products and art objects.

Ceramic is a broad term that includes earthenware, stone ware,

pottery, and, yes, porcelain.

Refractory Clay is used for making ceramics.

 Earthenware:
• Prepared from ordinary clay which is burnt at low temp and cooled
down slowly.
• Sand and crushed pottery are mixed with the clay to prevent
shrinkage during drying and burning.
• Earthenware are soft and porous.
• When glazed it becomes impervious and becomes resistant to
atmospheric conditions.
• Used for making drain pipes, electrical cable, partition blocks, etc.
 Stoneware:
• Prepared from refractory clay which is burnt at mid temp and
cooled down slowly.
• Sand and crushed pottery are mixed with the clay to prevent
shrinkage during drying and burning.
• Stoneware is more dense and compact than earthenware.
• When glazed it becomes impervious and becomes resistant to
atmospheric conditions.
• Hard and durable.
• Gives good finish and appearance.
• Used for light sanitary wares like washbasin, water closets.
• Used for drain pipes and fittings.
 Porcelain:
• High grade ceramic ware. Since its white in colour it is also known
as Whitewares.
• The clay of sufficient purity and possessing high degree of tenacity
and plasticity is used in preparing porcelain.
• It is prepared from clay, felspar, quartz and minerals baked at high
temperature and covered with coloured or transparent glaze.
• The glazing is applied before firing.
• Properties associated with porcelain include
low permeability and elasticity; considerable strength, hardness,
 toughness, whiteness, translucency and resonance; and a high
resistance to chemical attack and thermal shock.
• Used for sanitary wares, containers and crucibles, reactor
chambers and electric insulators.
• Its classified into 2 types Soft porcelain used for switch block,
 Glazing:
• A glaze is a glassy coat of thickness about 0.1 to 0.2mm applied on
the surface of the item and then fused into place by burning at high
temperature.
• Glazing is important for earthenware vessels as otherwise they
would be unsuitable for holding liquids due to porosity. Glaze is also
used on stoneware and porcelain. In addition to the functional aspect
of glazes, they can form a variety of surface finishes, including
degrees of gloss and matte and color.
Methods of glazing:

• Transparent glazing
Purposes:
• Lead glazing
1. To improve appearance. • Opaque glazing
2. To make it durable and impervious.
3. To produce decorative effects.
4. To provide smooth surface.
Fully Vitrified Tiles:
Vitrified tiles are prepared by creation of 'glass phase inside
the tiles'. In other words, they have glassy stuff inside then.
This gives then more strength and durability.
They are expensive also.

Vitrified tiles refer to the tiles that are made by the process
of vitrification. In this process, high temperatures
are used for baking the tiles.

Vitrified tiles have got the name from the word 'vitrify' referring to the
process of making a glass or similar to a glass. All the tiles that are
made using the method of vitrification fall in the category of vitrified
tiles. This tile is known for its capacity to absorb less water and also
for being stain resistant. Vitrified tiles are composed of a mixture
containing silica and clay. This mixture is used to form a non-porous
tile that has a glassy texture.

Vitrified tiles are unglazed tiles. Their polish is achieved by very hard
materials and they are very strong and durable
Difference between ceramic anf vitrified tiles:
Ceramic Tiles
Ceramic tiles are made from natural
clay that is mixed with water and
moulded. Creators apply a glaze to the
tile to help protect it from water and
scratches, then fire the clay in a kiln to
harden it. Ceramic tiles can come in a
wide variety of colors and sizes, but
they must always be glazed for
protection.

Vitrified Tiles
Vitrified tiles are very similar to
ceramic tiles, but are made with
slightly different elements. The clay is
mixed with quartz and feldspar before
it is heated in the kiln. These extra
ingredients melt, creating a glass
element inside the tile. This glass
component makes the vitrified files