Building material

Concrete and steel rebar used to build a reinforced concrete floor
Wooden church in Bodružal in Slovakia
This wall in Beacon Hill, Boston shows different types of brickwork and stone foundations.

Building material is material used for construction. Many naturally occurring substances, such as clay, rocks, sand, wood, and even twigs and leaves, have been used to construct buildings and other structures, like bridges. Apart from naturally occurring materials, many man-made products are in use, some more and some less synthetic. The manufacturing of building materials is an established industry in many countries and the use of these materials is typically segmented into specific specialty trades, such as carpentry, insulation, plumbing, and roofing work. They provide the make-up of habitats and structures including homes.[1]

  1. ^ "building" def. 2 and 4, "material" def. 1. Oxford English Dictionary Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0)© Oxford University Press 2009