Buildings, materials, and how they stand up
Nominal Measurement Lumber: Actual Sizes and Exceptions
Convert nominal lumber labels to dressed dimensions with a U.S. size chart, then check rough-sawn, hardwood, moisture and regional product exceptions.
By Clara Voss · 2026-10-06Latest
What Is Limestone Used For? Building and Industrial Uses
Limestone is used for building stone, road base, concrete aggregate, cement and lime. Learn how its form and properties affect specification.
Fox Blocks Insulated Concrete Forms: Sizes and Wall Details
Fox Blocks ICF core sizes, overall wall thickness, concrete quantities and the attachment, opening and waterproofing details to coordinate.
Cinderblock Weight: 8×8×16 Blocks and Pallet Loads
Compare sourced 8×8×16 concrete block weights, calculate pallet loads, and distinguish individual block weight from finished masonry wall weight.
What Is Portland Cement? Ingredients, Uses and Types
Learn how portland cement differs from concrete and mortar, what clinker and gypsum do, and how ASTM cement types affect purchasing and specification.
High Strength Concrete Mix: Ratios, Water and Specification
Distinguish bagged mixes from engineered high-strength concrete, understand water ratios, and coordinate mixing, placement, curing and testing.
Fire-Rated Plywood: FRT Panels, Ratings and Specification
Learn what FRT plywood labels establish, when an hourly assembly rating is needed, and how treatment affects structural capacity, exposure and installation.
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Fire Resistance Materials in Building: Specify the Assembly
Compare gypsum, concrete, masonry, steel protection and mass timber, with the assembly details, joints and penetrations needed to document fire resistance.
What Is Concrete Made Of? Ingredients and Their Roles
Concrete combines cement, water, sand and stone. Learn how aggregates, admixtures, water ratio and curing affect strength and construction.
Insulated Concrete Forms Homes: Benefits, Limits and Details
How ICF homes affect wall thickness, structure, openings, waterproofing, services, finishes, cost and construction sequencing.
Interlocking Retaining Wall Blocks: Design and Detailing
How to detail interlocking retaining wall blocks, including height, setback, base, embedment, drainage, geogrid, surcharges and inspection.
How to Tell if a Wall Is Load Bearing
Identify a possible load-bearing wall by tracing joists, roof framing and supports—then verify it before cutting, drilling or demolition.
How to Tell If a Wall Is Load Bearing
Follow joists, roof framing and support below to assess whether a wall is load bearing, then learn which clues cannot safely authorize removal.
How to Find Out If a Wall Is Load Bearing
Learn to trace loads above, below and along a wall, read framing clues, check other structural roles and know when professional verification is required.
ICF Walls: Insulating Concrete Form Anatomy and Details
How ICF walls combine reinforced concrete and continuous foam—and how to detail thickness, openings, attachments, waterproofing and placement.
Insulated Concrete Forms Materials: What ICF Walls Contain
See what an ICF wall is made of, from EPS forms and webs to concrete, rebar, bucks, membranes and finishes, plus what drawings must specify.
Using Insulated Concrete Forms: Design and Construction Guide
How to coordinate ICF core size, reinforcement, openings, embeds, concrete placement, waterproofing, finishes and trade work.
Boulder Retaining Walls: Design, Drainage and Construction
How to size, drain, detail and inspect a boulder retaining wall—and when geotechnical and structural engineering should lead the process.
Concrete Lintel Types, Sizing, Bearing and Detailing
Learn how to choose a concrete lintel by system, loads, span and bearing, then coordinate reinforcement, installation, drainage and thermal details at openings.