Typical Types of Joints in Building Construction

In a building, a building joint is a place where different types of building elements, materials, and trades meet. A joint is an interface between two elements and the meeting point of two components forms a joint.  A joint can also occur within an element of construction. Joint sealing facilitates construction because lots of components are used in it. These components are made of different materials. When water, air, cold, heat, and vapor are tight then joints can also allow for needed movement of the materials.

What is the Importance of Joint Sealing?

Some building blocks like the concrete slab, the roofing membrane, the glass façade element, and the metal cover plays an important role in building construction. They generally don’t allow water, moisture, and air to enter the building or structure. Joints are the main place where a building is weakest to leakage. For such leakage, correctly specified and professionally applied high-quality joint sealants are the best solution. Because these are the sealants that can manage to keep your building or structure sustainably tight for a long time.

Different Types of Joints

Joints depend on the type of building material basically building or structures are built from concrete and reinforced concrete. On the basis of material buildings are divided into sections by forming joints. Joint sealing is used to minimize water ingress and it also helps to create a secure waterproofing barrier. Always choose a seal that is capable of accommodating the anticipated joint opening. Joint sealing is suitable for any kind of building and joints for waterproofing. Let’s understand typical types of joints in buildings or structures.

1. Construction Joints:

Construction joints are the simplest movement joints. They are used during the construction of buildings that allows the material to move without any distress.

2. Control Joints:

Control joints are sometimes used in masonry construction that helps in cracking. They are useful to prevent cracking due to material shrinkage. So when the surfaces of concrete masonry shrink, control joints expand to prevent the building from cracks.

3. Expansion Joints:

Expansion joints are also known as movement joints. They can easily handle both expansion and contraction. Expansion joints are able to maintain weather tightness and they are waterproof also. To make them waterproofs, elastic joint sealants, metal flashing, water stops, and caulking is used.

4. Seismic Joints:

Seismic joints are used for geometrically complex building that divides the building into small units. Due to this, small units can easily move independently of one another during an earthquake.

5. Isolation Joints:

Isolation joints are also called abutment joints that separate new construction from existing construction. They are used when some new changes are made to an old building. The main purpose of isolation joints is to allow movement and settlement within the new structure without disturbing the old one.