There are thousands of products available for use in interior environments, every one with its assets and disadvantages. The process of selecting the right interior material for the job can be bewildering and--occasionally--perilous. This book is a guide to knowing, evaluating, and selecting materials that will look good, work well, and respect human and environmental needs. Organized by types of materials, and applications this guide helps designers successfully address material evaluation and selection of interior components. Technical information for each material is presented in a concise reference format to aid designers in their design solutions. Covering all aspects of interior design materials, this book includes: Health and Safety Codes Human Factors and Material Selection Economic Criteria Environmental Criteria Finishes for Walls, Windows, Ceilings, Flooring, and Millwork and Furniture Materials Practical estimating and installation tools, industry standards, testing and code requirements, and written specification guides for each application. Engagingly written, highly detailed, and helpfully illustrated with more than 250 color and black-and-white illustrations, Materials for Interior Environments is a comprehensive guide to everything a designer needs to know about the materials available for interiors--from aesthetic qualities to manufacturing and fabrication, applications, installation and maintenance, and specifications for materials used in commercial and residential applications.

Table of Contents

Preface. Chapter 1: Finish Selection and Specification. Health and Safety Codes. Human Factors and Material Selection. Accessible Design. Budgetary Criteria. Functional Criteria. Environmental Criteria. Energy Use. The LEED System. Water Use. Recycling. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). Asbestos. Lead. Historic Preservation, Restoration and Adaptive Reuse of Materials. Chapter 2: Concrete and Cement-Based Materials. Cement. Types of Cement. Cement's Environmental Impact. Cement's Health Impact. Cement-based Materials and Applications. Mortar. Mortar construction and installation practices. Grout for Masonry Walls. Grouts for Ceramic Tile Installation. Cement-Based Overlays. Terrazzo. Specifying terrazzo. Terrazzo Installation. Concrete. Concrete's Historical, Cultural and Architectural Context. Concrete's Aesthetic Qualities. Concrete's Basic Physical Properties and Characteristics. Sources of Concrete's Materials. Basic Manufacturing Process for Concrete. Concrete's Environmental Impact. Concrete Health and Safety Issues. Major Types of Concrete. Finishes for concrete. Interior Applications for Concrete. Chapter 3: Stone, Masonry and Concrete Masonry Units. Stone. Aesthetic Qualities of Stone. Historical, Cultural and Architectural Context of Stone. Stone Types, Physical Properties and Characteristics. Stone: Manufacturing and Fabrication. Environmental Impact of Stone. Stone Forms used in Interiors. Installation and Maintenance of Stone. Brick. Historical, Cultural and Architectural Context of Brick. Basic Physical Properties and Characteristics of Brick. Aesthetic Qualities of Brick. Materials Sources for Brick. Major Types of Brick. Basic Manufacturing Process for Brick. Environmental and Health Impact of Brick. Interior Applications for Brick. Specifying Brick. Cost Factors for Brick. Construction and Installation Practices for Interior Brick. Finishes for Brick. Concrete Masonry Units. Environmental and Health Impact of CMUs. Specifying CMUs. Cost factors for CMUs. Installation and Maintenance of CMUs. Chapter 4: Glass and Ceramics. Glass. Basic Physical Properties and Characteristics of Glass. Historical, Cultural and Architectural Context of Glass. Aesthetic Qualities of Glass. Types of Glass. Environmental and Health Impact of Glass. Manufacturing Flat Glass. Specifying Glass. Cost factors for Glass. Installation of Interior Glass. Manufactured Glass Products. Glass Finishes. Coatings and Films for Glass. Ceramics. Environmental and Health and Safety Impact of Ceramics. Applications for Ceramics. Maintenance and Disposal of Ceramics. Chapter 5: Wood and Wood Products. Historical, Cultural and Architectural Context of Wood. Basic Physical Properties and Characteristics of Wood. Aesthetic Qualities of Wood. Environmental Impact of Wood. Types and Sources of Wood. Basic Manufacturing Process for Wood. Manufacturing Wood Veneer. Construction and Installation Practices for Wood Veneer. Finishes for Wood Veneers. Maintenance and Disposal of Wood Veneers. Wood Finishes. Materials and Applications for Wood. Wood Panel Products. Specifying Wood Panel Products. Specifying veneers. Cost factors for veneers. Cost factors for wood panel products. Construction and installation practices for wood panel products. Bamboo. Chapter 6: Plaster and Gypsum Board. Plaster. Aesthetic Qualities of Interior Plaster. Historical, Cultural and Architectural Context of Plaster. Manufacturing and Fabrication of Plaster. Environmental and Health and Safety Impact of Plaster. Plaster Installation. Applications of Plaster. Plaster Finishes. Maintenance and Disposal of Plaster. Gypsum Board. Characteristics and Types of Gypsum Board. Types of Gypsum Wallboard. Specifications for Gypsum Board. Installation of Gypsum Wallboard. Environmental and Health Impacts of Gypsum Board. Maintenance and Disposal of Gypsum Board. Glass Fiber Reinforced Gypsum (GFRG). Stucco. History and Aesthetics of Stucco. Manufacturing of Stucco. Installation of Stucco. Chapter 7: Metals and Metal Products. Aesthetic Qualities of Metals. Historical, Cultural and Architectural Context of Metals. Metal Production. Finishes for Metals. Ferrous Metals. Non-Ferrous Metals. Aluminum. Bronze and Brass. Chromium. Copper. Lead. Magnesium. Manganese. Nickel. Tin. Titanium. Zinc. Chapter 8: Synthetics . Aesthetic Qualities of Synthetics. History of Synthetic Materials. Types, Physical Properties and Characteristics of Plastics. Thermoplastics. Thermoset Plastics. Environmental Impact of Synthetic Materials. Economics and Cost Factors for Plastics. Synthetic Materials Applications. Architectural Resin Panels. Plastic Laminates. Plastic Lumber Products. Solid Surfacing Materials. Synthetic Fibers. Synthetic Textile Finishing and Maintenance. Leather. Chapter 9: Finish Flooring Comparisons. Hard Floor Surfaces. Tile Flooring. Concrete and Cementitious Floors. Poured Floorings. Wood Flooring. : Wood Floor Finishes. Laminate Flooring. Bamboo. Resilient Flooring. Cork Flooring. Linoleum. Rubber. Vinyl Flooring Products. Soft Flooring Materials: Carpets and Rugs. Rugs. Chapter 10: Wall and Window Finishes Comparisons. Fire Resistance Ratings. Plaster. Gypsum Wallboard. Glass Fiber Reinforced Gypsum. Plywood Paneling. Solid Wood Paneling. Veneers. Prefinished Panels. Ceramic Wall Tile. Stone Facing. Flexible Wall Coverings. Vinyl Wall Coverings. Wallpaper. Textile Wall Coverings. Upholstered Wall Systems. Fiberglass Wall Coverings. Wood Flexible Wall Coverings. Paints, Coatings, and Custom Finishes. Moldings and Trims. Glass and Glazing. Window Films. Window Treatment Selection and Installation. Chapter 11: Ceiling Finishes Comparisons. Ceiling Forms. Exposed Ceiling Treatments. Exposed Wood Structure. Exposed Concrete Structure. Exposed Metal Decking. Wood Decking and Planks. Illuminated Ceilings. Plaster and Drywall Ceilings. Acoustical Ceiling Tiles. Metal Ceilings. Suspended Ceiling Systems. Acoustical Panels. Linear metal ceilings. Perforated Metal Pans. Suspended Decorative Grids. Stretched Ceiling Systems. Banner Materials. Chapter 12: Millwork, Furniture Materials, and Textiles Comparisons. Countertops. Sink Installation. Manufactured Toilet Partitions. Demountable Partitions and Office Systems. Furniture Materials. Upholstered Furniture. Textiles. Textile Selection. Textile Appearance. Fibers. Textile Fiber Sources. Natural Cellulosic Fibers. Natural Protein Fibers. Synthetic Fibers. Special-Use Fibers. High-Tech Textiles. Fabric Finishes. Basic Weaves and Fabrics. Dyeing and Printing. Leather Applications. Appendix A.

Author Biography

Corky Binggeli, ASID, is a practicing interior designer and teaches in the interior design program at Boston Architectural College in Boston, Massachusetts.