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Chapter 17 Constructing Structures
normally installed during the construc-
tion of the building. Installing them after
a building is finished takes considerable
work to feed the wires through attics, under
floors, and inside walls. Many houses are
now being built with sound systems that
allow music to be played throughout the
home.
Finishing the Exterior and
Interior
The final exterior finishing step is
installing siding and trim. Siding is the
finish covering used on a wood building.
Wood shingles and boards, plywood, hard-
board, brick, stone, aluminum, vinyl, steel,
and stucco can be used as siding. Look
back at Figure 17-17. You see bricks being
installed over plywood sheathing. Trim
is the strips of wood covering the joints
between window and door frames and the
siding.
The interior walls are the next walls to
be finished. Insulation is placed between
the studs and around the windows and
doors of all exterior walls and reduces
heat loss on cold days and heat gain on hot
days. The most common type of insula-
tion is fiberglass blankets or batts. A vapor
barrier of polyethylene film is attached to
the studs over the insulation. This barrier
prevents moisture from building up in the
insulation.
Once insulation and utilities are in
place, the interior wall surfaces can be cov-
ered. The most widely used interior wall
covering is gypsum wallboard, commonly
known as drywall. Drywall is a sheet
material made of gypsum bonded between
layers of paper. The sheets of drywall are
nailed or screwed onto the studs and ceil-
ing joists. The fastener heads and drywall
seams are then covered with a coating
called joint compound. The compound is
applied in several thin coats. This is done to
make smooth surfaces and joints between
the sheets of drywall.
The inside and outside of the house
are now ready for the finishing touches.
Interior wood trim is installed around the
doors and windows. Kitchen, bathroom,
and utility cabinets are set in place. Floor
coverings, such as ceramic tile, wood floor-
ing, carpet, or linoleum, are installed over
the subflooring. Baseboards are installed
around the perimeters of all the rooms. The
exterior siding and wood trim are painted.
Interior trim is painted or stained. The
walls are painted or covered with wallpa-
per or wood paneling. Lighting fixtures,
switch and outlet covers, towel racks, and
other accessories are installed. The floors
and windows are cleaned. Now the home
is finished and ready to be occupied.
Completing the Site
Completing the building is the major
part of the project. Other work remains to
be done, however. The site must be finished.
Earth is moved to fill in areas around the
foundation. Sidewalks and driveways are
installed.
The yard area needs to be landscaped.
Landscaping is trees, shrubs, and grass
that are planted to help prevent erosion and
improve the appearance of the site. These
trees, shrubs, and grass can divide the lot
into areas for recreation and gardening.
Landscaping can be used to screen areas
for privacy, direct foot traffic, and shield the
home from wind, sunlight, and storms.
Look at Figure 17-22. The top view
shows dirt being moved onto the site for
landscaping activities. The bottom view
shows a finished landscaped area. Notice
how the trees and lawn improve the
appearance. Also, a grassy mound is used
to guide people onto the sidewalk.
Heavy Engineering
Structures
Construction activities do not always
produce buildings. They can be used to