Directory
Building elements
47 elements from our 3D assemblies, each explained: what it is, what it does, where it’s used and how to specify it.
- Concrete SlabA concrete slab is the structural floor deck a storey is built up from. At ground level it's usually a ground-bearing slab, poured on a compacted hardcore sub-base. Between storeys it's a suspended slab, cast in-situ or precast, spanning between beams or walls and carrying the floor above on structure rather than on the ground.In the Internal Stud Wall, External Door
- Floor FinishesThe floor finish is the final, visible, walked-on surface of a floor (carpet, timber, tile, or a resilient sheet or plank material) laid over the screed (or structural floor deck directly, in some build-ups). It's the last layer in the floor build-up and the only one anyone actually sees or feels underfoot.In the Internal Stud Wall, Kitchen, External Door
- FoundationThe foundation is the buried concrete base that spreads a wall's load into the ground beneath it. It sits below the footing blockwork, wide enough that the load per square metre of soil stays within what the ground can safely bear.In the External Door
- Rigid InsulationA rigid foam insulation board fitted within the ground floor build-up, beneath the screed, to insulate the floor rather than the walls.In the External Door
- ScreedScreed is a thin layer of cement-based material laid over a concrete slab (or over insulation, or over underfloor heating pipework) to provide a flat, level surface ready for the final floor finish.In the Internal Stud Wall, External Door
- TrimA metal trim strip used to contain the edge of a floor finish: holding it in place, protecting its edge, and providing a clean line where the finish stops or meets a different material.In the External Door
- BlockworkBlockwork refers to walls constructed using concrete blocks, sometimes called concrete masonry units. Concrete blocks are similar in form to bricks but are larger and made from cement, aggregate and water rather than fired clay.In the External Door
- BrickBricks are small masonry units typically made from fired clay, although other materials such as concrete may also be used. Clay bricks are produced by shaping clay and firing it in a kiln, which hardens the material and gives the brick its strength and durability.In the External Door
- Cavity BridgeA structural component that spans across the cavity at a door threshold, supporting the insulation and screed above it without filling the cavity with a solid, thermally conductive material.In the External Door
- Cavity ClosureA cavity closer is the component that closes off the open cavity between the inner and outer leaves of masonry in an external wall, which would otherwise be left open.In the External Door
- Cavity InfillA short length of concrete fill placed at the very base of a cavity wall, below ground level, closing off the bottom of the cavity between the two masonry leaves.In the External Door
- Cavity InsulationThermal insulation fitted within the gap (the cavity) between the outer and inner leaves of a cavity wall, forming the main thermal barrier of the wall.In the External Door
- DPCA damp proof course (DPC) is a continuous impermeable layer built into a wall to stop moisture rising up from the ground into the structure above. A damp proof membrane (DPM) does the same job across a horizontal area, typically under a slab, and the two are usually tied together to form one unbroken barrier around the base of the building.In the External Door
- Fire Protection to SteelFire protection to steel is a casing round a steel beam or column that slows down how fast the steel heats up in a fire. In houses it's usually a box of fire-rated plasterboard (such as Gyproc FireLine, which is pink) fixed round the beam on a light steel frame, then skimmed.
- LintelA lintel is the horizontal structural member that spans across the top of a door or window opening, carrying the wall above across the gap and transferring that load down to the masonry either side.In the External Door
- PadstoneA padstone is a solid block of dense, high strength concrete built into a wall under the end of a beam or lintel. It's usually precast to a size that courses in with the brickwork or blockwork around it, such as 440 x 140 x 102 or 440 x 215 x 100.
- Steel BeamA steel beam, often called an RSJ, is a rolled steel section that spans across an opening in a loadbearing wall and carries everything above it. In houses it's usually a universal beam (UB): an I-shaped section with two flanges joined by a web.
- Wall TiesWall ties are metal components used to connect two leaves of a masonry wall, typically the outer brickwork and inner blockwork in a cavity wall. They allow the two leaves to work together structurally while maintaining a cavity for insulation and moisture control.In the External Door
- Weep VentsWeep vents are small gaps or fittings left in the vertical mortar joints of the outer leaf of brickwork, spaced along the base of a cavity or above a lintel, that let water collect from within the cavity drain back out to the outside.In the External Door
- ACO DrainA threshold drain, sometimes called an ACO drain after a common manufacturer's name (used generically the way "Hoover" is for vacuum cleaners), sits just outside the door on modern buildings to stop surface water tracking in through the threshold.In the External Door
- ArchitraveAn architrave is a decorative trim fixed around a door frame (or window frame) to cover the joint between the frame and the adjacent wall finish, which would otherwise look messy because the frame is smaller than the opening so leaves gaps. It is typically made from timber, MDF, or occasionally plastic or metal, and is installed after the wall has been finished (e.g. plastered or plasterboarded).In the Internal Stud Wall
- CillA cill (sometimes spelled "sill") is the horizontal element that forms the bottom of a door or window opening. At an external door, it sits beneath the threshold, bridging the gap between the internal floor finish and the outside ground or paving level.In the External Door
- Door FrameA door frame is the structural lining that forms the opening for a door within a wall. It is typically made from timber or metal and is fixed into the surrounding wall structure before the door leaf is installed. The frame consists of vertical jambs and a head, forming a rigid opening sized to receive the door. It is usually installed early in the construction sequence, fixed to masonry or studwork, and later finished with linings, architraves, or other trims.In the Internal Stud Wall
- EPDMEPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) is a synthetic rubber membrane used as a flexible, fully waterproof seal between doors or windows and the structural openings in which they sit.In the External Door
- Metal DoorThe door leaf itself, the moving panel that opens and closes within the door frame, here formed with a metal (typically aluminium or steel) construction rather than timber or uPVC.In the External Door
- Threshold StripA threshold strip (or weathering strip) is the narrow trim fitted across the base of a doorway, at the point where the door closes down onto the floor. It covers and seals the joint between the door cill and the internal floor finish.In the External Door
- Acoustic InsulationAcoustic insulation is a soft, fibrous material installed within walls, floors, or ceilings to reduce the transmission of sound between spaces. It is most commonly made from mineral wool (glass wool or stone wool), although other materials may also be used.In the Internal Stud Wall, External Door
- CeilingThe ceiling is the finished underside of the structure above (the floor or roof deck of the storey above), usually plasterboard fixed to joists or battens, or hung independently of the structure on its own suspended grid. It's the overhead surface of a room, the counterpart to the floor finish underfoot.In the Internal Stud Wall
- Deflection HeadA deflection head is a detail at the top of a metal stud wall that allows movement of the structure above without transferring that movement into the partition. This would otherwise happen over time and cause cracking in the plaster and paintwork. It typically consists of a head track fixed to the soffit (e.g. underside of slab or beam), with studs installed short of the structure to create a small gap. The plasterboard lining is also stopped short of the structure, maintaining this gap.In the Internal Stud Wall
- Metal StudsMetal studs are lightweight steel sections used to form the internal structure of partition walls. They are typically made from cold-formed galvanised steel and are installed vertically between horizontal tracks fixed to the floor and ceiling.In the Internal Stud Wall
- Pattressing and NoggingsPattressing refers to a piece of solid timber board installed within a stud wall to provide a secure fixing point for heavier items such as shelves, TVs, or heavy picture frames that will later be attached to the wall. Pattressing is installed during the wall construction stage, before the plasterboard is fixed. Once the wall is finished, the pattress is concealed behind the lining but provides a strong backing for fixings.In the Internal Stud Wall
- PlasterboardPlasterboard is a sheet material used to form internal wall and ceiling linings. It is typically made from a gypsum core sandwiched between layers of paper, forming rigid boards that can be fixed to timber or metal framing.In the Internal Stud Wall, External Door
- Skirting and CovingSkirting and coving are internal trim elements used to finish the junctions between building surfaces. Skirting is fixed at the base of walls where they meet the floor, while coving is installed at the junction between walls and ceilings.In the Internal Stud Wall, External Door
- Timber StudsTimber studs are sawn softwood sections used to form the structural frame of a partition or the lining to an opening, fixed vertically between a head plate and a sole plate. They serve the same role as metal studs, a frame for linings to fix to, but are cut from solid timber rather than cold-formed steel.In the External Door
- Base UnitA base unit is the floor standing cabinet that forms the lower tier of a kitchen and carries the worktop. It is a simple box, known as the carcass, usually built from 18mm melamine faced chipboard (MFC), with two side panels, a base, a back panel and a rail across the top that the worktop sits on. The standard UK carcass height is 720mm, and the unit stands on four adjustable legs of around 150mm, so the finished worktop lands at a comfortable working height of roughly 890 to 910mm.In the Kitchen
- SinkThe sink is the bowl set into or under the worktop where washing up, food prep and filling pans all happen. It is one of the most used items in the whole kitchen, so it has to be tough, easy to clean and sized to suit how the kitchen is used. It sits over its own sink base unit, takes the tap and the waste, and connects down to the plumbing below.In the Kitchen
- Tall UnitA tall unit is a full-height cabinet, running from the floor to the same top line as the wall units above, built to house an integrated appliance such as a fridge freezer or a single or double oven rather than to store things directly. The carcass is the same 18mm melamine faced chipboard as a base or top cupboard, but built as one tall box instead of two separate ones, on adjustable legs like a base unit.
The appliance sits inside the housing on fixed shelves or runners set at the height the manufacturer specifies, with the housing's own door, or a matching pair of doors above and below it, giving the front a single, continuous look rather than a visible metal box.In the Kitchen
- TapThe tap is where water is delivered at the sink, usually a single fitting that blends hot and cold through one spout. It sits on the sink ledge or the worktop just behind the bowl, fed from the hot and cold supplies below through flexible connectors, and it is in use constantly, so it needs to feel good to use and stand up to years of daily handling.In the Kitchen
- Top CupboardA top cupboard, also called a wall unit, is the wall-hung cabinet fixed above the worktop, opposite the base units in height rather than on the floor. It is built the same way as a base unit, a simple carcass in 18mm melamine faced chipboard with side panels, a top, a back and an adjustable shelf, but it hangs from a wall-mounted rail or bracket instead of standing on legs.
Because nothing has to clear a work surface or a person standing at it, the depth is much shallower than a base unit, and the height and the gap left above the worktop are set to suit reach, headroom and, over a hob, the extractor.In the Kitchen
- WorktopA worktop is the horizontal work surface that sits on top of the base units and runs the length of the kitchen. It is the main surface you prepare food and work on, so it has to stand up to water, heat, knocks and stains day after day. It also takes the cut outs for the sink and hob, and ties the run of units together into one continuous top.In the Kitchen
- DishwasherThe dishwasher washes and dries dishes automatically, plumbed into the kitchen's water and waste. It takes a cold feed and drains into the sink trap, the connection covered under the plumbing element, so it usually sits right next to the sink to keep those runs short.In the Kitchen
- ExtractorThe extractor, or cooker hood, clears steam, grease and cooking smells from the air above the hob. It sits over the hob and either ducts the air outside through a vent, or filters it and sends clean air back into the room. It keeps the kitchen fresher and stops grease settling on surfaces and units.In the Kitchen
- FridgeThe fridge keeps food cold and fresh, and in most kitchens it is paired with a freezer in a single appliance, a fridge freezer. It is one of the few things in a kitchen running all day every day, so how efficient and reliable it is matters more than for anything else.In the Kitchen
- HobThe hob is the cooking surface set into the worktop, where pans are heated for everything from boiling and frying to simmering. It sits over a base unit, usually with a drawer or an oven below, and comes as a self contained unit that drops into a cut out in the worktop. In most UK kitchens the hob and the oven are separate appliances, so the hob is just the top surface, with the oven a separate element below or elsewhere.In the Kitchen
- OvenThe oven is the enclosed appliance that bakes, roasts and grills, heating food inside a closed cavity rather than in pans on top. In most UK kitchens it is a separate appliance from the hob, built into a tall housing at eye level or fitted under the worktop, and it drops into its own housing unit.In the Kitchen