Storage of building materials in winter

The issue of storage of building materials also arises in the case of conservation of the construction site until spring, and if work is continued in winter. Of course, if it is decided to continue construction, then the materials should be at hand, near the place of work. In the case of the construction site conservation, if there is practically no one on the site until the very spring, the stocks of materials should be covered especially securely – in this case, there is also a danger that they will simply be taken away.

Experts advise to adhere to the following basic principles when storing building materials:

1. Each material needs to be allocated its own place, so that later you do not waste time searching and make less effort for transportation. In addition, different types of materials may require different storage conditions..
2. It is recommended to arrange storage areas for various materials, dividing by passages at least one meter wide. For the convenience of approaching the stacks, there should be at least 70 centimeters between the rows.
3. The main attention should be paid to the protection of building materials from precipitation and contact with the ground..

Storage bricks should be stored according to brands and grades, it is advisable to arrange them according to shade so that the wall surfaces are homogeneous. The best option is to put the bricks on pallets, pallets, and cover the top with a waterproof film or other durable covering material. Foil, geotextile or tarpaulin should be secured to the stacks of bricks with straps or pressed down on top with something heavy enough to prevent the shelter from being blown away by the wind.

If there are blind holes in the bricks, it is advisable to place the products with the voids down to prevent water from getting inside, because it can freeze and begin to destroy the material. The height of the stacks with bricks should be about 1.5 meters, higher is undesirable.

Lumber is also stored in stacks; before stacking, each board or timber should be inspected for waste of harmful insects and fungus. Rejected lumber is removed to prevent contamination of the rest. All products are cleaned of sawdust and debris. Lumber is laid for storage according to the following principles:

• In one stack there should be bars or boards of the same size, from the same type of wood, it is advisable to also be divided by grades.
• A reliable horizontal base is arranged under the pile – it is very important that the tree does not come into contact with the ground. As a base, you can use pallets, girders from a bar, piece reinforced concrete products, cast foundations.
• Each row of boards or beams is separated from each other by spacers, for example, small-section bars. For wood, ventilation is very important. The edges of the rows should not sag, so the spacers are located no further than 30 centimeters from the edge.
• It is highly recommended to treat lumber with antiseptics before storing it – every layer that you stack in a stack should be treated.
• The height of the stack should be less than its width – so it will be stable.
• Unlike bricks, wood cannot be tightly covered with tarpaulins or polyethylene; this will prevent air from circulating freely. It is best to build a temporary shelter under which the lumber will be protected from precipitation.

In general, the principles of storing lumber are similar to arranging a woodpile to store firewood..

Consider the rules for storing other building materials:

• The glass must be stored in boxes, the sheets are set in one row and firmly fixed. The box itself is securely installed in an upright position.
• For storing bitumen, you can use dense boxes, barrels or a specially equipped pit with a thermally insulated bottom.
• Bulk building materials – sand, gravel, crushed stone – should be protected with retaining walls.
• Dry building mixtures, gypsum, lime, cement must be stored in a room with minimal humidity, in a utility block, a shed, a heated basement. If there is no factory sealed packaging, cement and other mixtures can be poured into barrels, chests or boxes.
• Nails, screws and other hardware can be kept in a tight box, on the lid of which it is advisable to put a piece of cloth pre-soaked with machine oil.
• It is better to leave aerated concrete blocks for storage in the factory shrink wrap. If the packaging has already been removed, from the direct hit of rain and snow, the blocks should be covered from above with a film or other covering material.

Thermal insulation materials, like dry mixes, cannot simply be stored outside! Moisture is destructive for them.

Based on the need to store stocks of dry mixes, fasteners, thermal insulation in a dry and protected from snow and rain place, you will have to worry about the presence of a shed, utility block on the site. Well suited for these purposes are shipping containers, long enough to store planks and timber. Conveniently, the containers have securely closing gates, this will additionally protect your materials from the encroachments of thieves.

If a house has already been erected on the site, at least under a temporary roof, all the remaining building materials can be brought inside in order to mothball the construction site until spring, along with supplies.