Hempcrete: A Bio-Based Building Material Explained
Hempcrete is a lightweight building material made from the woody core of the hemp plant mixed with a lime-based binder and water. Despite the…
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Aluminium Honeycomb Panel: Structure, Fire and Uses
An aluminium honeycomb panel is a sandwich of two thin aluminium skins bonded to a lightweight core of aluminium foil formed into hexagonal cells.…
Laminated Glass Explained: Interlayers, Safety and Uses
Laminated glass is two or more panes of glass bonded together by a polymer interlayer under heat and pressure. When it breaks, the fragments…
Sandwich Panel Guide: Cores, Fire Rules and Detailing
A sandwich panel is a factory-made building element with two thin, stiff outer skins bonded to a lightweight insulating core. The result is a…
Fiberglass Insulation: Glass Wool for Tropical Buildings
Fiberglass insulation, known in British usage as fibreglass or glass wool, is a mat of fine glass fibres that traps air to slow the…
Fibre Cement Board Explained: Uses, Limits and Fixing
Cement board is a rigid building sheet made mainly from cement reinforced with fibres or mesh. Unlike gypsum board, it does not soften when…
Gypsum Board Explained: Types, Fire and Moisture Limits
Gypsum board, also called plasterboard, drywall or gypsum panel, is a sheet of gypsum plaster sandwiched between two layers of heavy paper. Fixed to…
Bar Counter Design: Heights, Overhangs and Support
Good bar counter design is a matter of a few critical dimensions: the height of the counter, the depth of the overhang for knees,…
Sensor Taps: How Touchless Taps Work and When to Use Them
Sensor taps, also called touchless or automatic taps, turn water on when they detect hands beneath the spout and off when the hands are…
Water Closet Types Explained: Flush, Trap and Mounting
A water closet, or WC, is the technical name for a flushing toilet: a bowl with a built-in water seal that is cleared by…
L Shaped Kitchen Layout: Planning, Corners and Islands
An L shaped kitchen places counters and cabinets along two adjoining walls that meet at a corner, leaving the rest of the room open.…
Galley Kitchen Design: Layout, Aisle Width and Storage
A galley kitchen is a narrow kitchen with counters along one wall or, more often, two parallel walls facing each other across a central…