Pattern B Decking Board

Building materials cover the boards, joinery and sundries used to build, repair and finish a home. The range includes plasterboard, loft boards, internal doors and door lining sets, architraves and skirting, paving jointing compound, tactile paving, post-fixing mix, fire cement, and fire bricks for stoves and grates.

Boards

• Plasterboard: made to BS EN 520, which sets board types. Type A is standard board, type H1 has reduced water absorption for humid areas, and type F has an improved core for fire-resisting walls and ceilings. Check the thickness and board size too.
• Loft boards: boarding laid straight onto loft insulation squashes it and reduces how well it works. Raise the boards above the insulation so it keeps its full depth.

Doors and joinery

Measure the opening height, width and door thickness before choosing a door, and match door linings to the wall thickness. Architraves and skirting come in primed MDF or timber, in profiles such as ogee, torus, bullnose and chamfered; choose matching sets for a room. Fire-rated door linings are made to go with fire doors, so check the door's rating and the fitting instructions together.

Mortars and sundries

Paving jointing compounds fill the joints between paving slabs, and post-fixing mix is for setting fence and gate posts. Fire cement seals and repairs joints in stoves and grates, and fire bricks line the firebox. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and safety data for mixing, curing times and handling.

For screws and plugs, see fasteners and fixings; for wall and floor finishes, see tiling.