Is Dry Construction Considered the New Era of Construction?
Robert Mathews, Construction Business Review
Construction Business Review | Thursday, July 30, 2020
Out of two distinctive types of construction system-wet and dry construction, the wet construction system is primarily adopted worldwide.
Fremont, CA: The wet construction system is based on employing construction materials that are placed or installed in a wet state or other than dry state or condition. This includes the use of concrete, mortar, plaster, and liquid cement. On the other hand, dry construction involves using materials other than concrete, mortar, and plaster in building construction. It employs plasterboards, wood, steel, and prefab concrete panels. This method of building construction includes minimum usage of water during the process of construction.
Challenged by an unstable price of crude oil and a high cost of funds that is needed in order to execute building projects and the fast-paced nature of the business climate, the construction industry is under pressure to deliver buildings that are more cost-efficient and time-saving, hence the need to consider other methods of construction other than the traditional way of construction.
Builders are not only thinking of mixing water with sand, gravel, and cement to form concrete but also a mixture of cement and sand, with the addition of the right quantity of water to form brick and mortar.
While taking a critical look at what construction was like in the olden days, it is evident the dry construction is no alien, in few countries materials like timber and palm fronds were used for the construction of houses, sheds and other structures that could serve as a shelter for people, love stocks and crops. It is also essential to state that it was a time when the housing deficit was low ebb.
However, the dry construction that is seen currently is nowhere near the primitive era of construction. Therefore building a house that would have taken six months is done in less than two months.
To put it plainly, the dry construction method brings the entire building on a30 tons truck. All that is left to do is assemble the building on-site, which makes the process faster, lighter, and the finishing is better and neater with less waste on-site, unlike the traditional system where there is always waste from broken blocks, extra sand, gravel, and other waste on-site.
