Building Construction Illustrated (Paperback)

~ Francis D. K. Ching (Author), (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...does exactly what it says on the cover...skilfully detailed illustrations, comprehensive definitions and general construction advice on practical matters".Building Engineer August 2008 --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Description

Comprehensive and up-to-date-

the classic visual guide to the basics of building construction

For twenty-five years, Building Construction Illustrated has offered an outstanding introduction to the principles of building construction. Now this Third Edition has been expertly revised and updated to address the latest advances in materials, building technology, and code requirements.

Complete with more than 1,000 illustrations, the book moves through each of the key stages of the design process, from site selection to building components, mechanical systems, and finishes. Topics within each chapter are organized according to the CSI MasterFormat(TM), making the book extremely easy to use.

Special features of this edition include integrated coverage of environmentally friendly materials, sustainable building construction strategies, and ADA requirements, as well as the inclusion of both metric and standard U.S. measurements throughout the book.

With its clear presentation of the basic concepts underlying building construction, Building Construction Illustrated, Third Edition equips students and professionals in all areas of architecture and construction with useful guidelines for approaching virtually any new materials or techniques they may encounter in building planning, design, and construction.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 3rd edition (October 2, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471358983
• ISBN-13: 978-0471358985
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (78 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #76,933 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

113 of 113 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars easy to understand for constuction novices, November 1, 2000

By	L Lucas (Indianapolis, IN USA) - See all my reviews

I teach construction technology to future General contractors and Interior Designers...and this is the best reference book I have found for beginners. When they ask me the size of a door or height of a kitchen cabinet I tell them to look it up...and I have the utmost confidence that it is both in this book and so well illustrated that the students can easily understand it. I call this book the Beginners Graphic STandards. And at about 1/3 the cost. I also reccomend KaffeeKang' book called Graphic Guide to Frame Construction for residential framing.

66 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Just enough to make you dangerous, January 23, 2003

By	James Ferguson (Vilnius, Lithuania) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

As an architect I worked for noted, this book gives you just enough information to make you dangerous. Ching provides a beautifully illustrated guide to basic concepts of building construction. It is a great introductory book filled with much useful information, but one can't necessarily build from this book. I use it mostly to explain construction ideas, especially when it comes to wood-frame buildings, than I do as a set of graphic standards. Ching does offer some specific information, such as thermal resistance of building materials and a general span guide for roof and floor trusses, but much of this information is general and should be verified with more precise data books. However, Ching didn't set out to create another "Standard Architectural Graphics" book, but rather an affordable guide to building construction which would provide some useful information to the design student and home builder alike.

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book was a steal, December 4, 2001

By	Richard Sherwood (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is jam packed with almost everything you could need to know about construction. When I say that, I mean it covers all of the major components. It does not walk you through tiling a floor, but as an example it does show the different methods of framing and provide clear illustration of how each method is done. I only wanted information on residential construction, but this book covers commercial building as well. The drawings are excellent. I found it tough to put the book down and found myself re-reading several sections because of all the information contained in them. It will serve as an excellent reference guide for all of my future projects. I have already changed many of the details for my upcoming project as a result of this book.