In this reading Ching talks about different types of building materials. These materials include stone, two types of masonry (brick and CMU), wood, steel, and concrete. Stone is an aggregate or combination of materials. Qualities that it nees to qualify in construction or strength, hardness, durability, workabilty, density, and appearance. They can be classified as three different types: igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. In construction it is used as rubble, wall panels, cornices, copings, lintels, flooring, and horizontal surfacing.

The next material is masonry and two types are brick and CMU. Brick is made from clay. It has three different types for variation in size, color, chippage and distortion. The three types are FBX, FBS, and FBA. Brick also has different grades for durability when exposed to weathering. SW is for severe, MW for moderate, and NW for negligible. CMU stands for concrete masonry unit made out of precast Portland cement, fine aggregate and water, then molded into various shapes.

The next material is wood. It is very strong, durable, light in weight and easy to work with. The two major types are hardwood and softwood, each are used differently in construction. They way a piece of limber is cut determines its use. Wood needs special treatment against decay and insects. However, wood can have defects that can be natural and/or manufacturing effects.

Futhermore, ths next material is steel. It is the strongest and low cost material there is. When used in construction it needs to be coated, covered, and/or enclosed to become fire-resistant. Steel also comes in many diferent types of shapes for different uses.

Lastly, there is concrete. Concrete is cement, various mineral aggregates and sufficient water mixed together to make the cement set and bind. It is inherently strong, but needs steel reinforcements to handle tensile and shear stresses.

This thus shows how a building uses many materials in order to get its shape and use.