Tag Archives: structure

Exploring the Versatility of PVC Pipes in Modern Architecture and Design

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Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes and PVC pipes fittings have been an integral part of the construction industry for decades. They are a favorite among contractors looking for a cost-efficient piping solution for water transport, drainage, and sewer systems. The total cost of ownership of PVC pipes in these use-case contexts (including purchase, installation, operation, maintenance, and dismantling costs) is lower than non-plastic alternatives.

However, the usefulness of PVC pipes is not limited to plumbing, drainage, and sewage. PVC pipes have numerous potential architectural applications. Their long service life of 100+ years, low cost, and easy installation make them an appealing choice for architects, artists, builders, and do-it-yourself (DIY) enthusiasts alike.

Below are eight various architectural and innovative uses of PVC pipes and fittings.

1.    Structural Framework

PVC pipes are a good option if you require a structural framework for temporary structures. Do you need an event pavilion, an exhibition stand, or an aesthetic plastic pipe tunnel? PVC pipes are ideal for these use cases because they are easy to transport, install, and dismantle. They also have a variety of accessories and fittings that ensure you can form them into various structural shapes to realize your design vision.

2.    Furniture and Interior Design

PVC pipes are easy to cut, bend, and shape. The wide range of pipe accessories and fittings also means you can join PVC pipes in many creative ways. Additionally, PVC pipes can be painted in any number of colors. For these reasons, PVC pipes are a material you can use to create unique pieces of furniture.

Designers and DIY enthusiasts have used PVC pipes to create chairs, tables, bookshelves, and bed frames. You can put PVC pipes together to create a divan and, using steel cables or wire rope, hang the completed structure from the roof to make a hanging daybed. You can make a PVC pipe table frame and finish it with a glass table top or make a chair entirely out of PVC pipes and upholster it or top it with a chair pad or seat cushions.

PVC pipes are particularly ideal as patio furniture material. They can get wet and won’t rust. They can get exposed to the sun without elasticity and tensile strength degradation. The sun might degrade their impact strength over time, but as long as you don’t throw, kick, or hit it, this should not be a problem.

The possibilities for PVC furniture and furnishings are virtually endless. You can use it to build a wine rack, a shoe rack, a tool organizer, a bed for your pets, wardrobe rods, indoor planters for your succulents and ornamental plants, and original table lamps.

3.    Greenhouses and Garden Structures

PVC pipes are an excellent choice for constructing greenhouses and other garden structures due to their weather resistance, affordability, and ease of assembly.

You can easily create a PVC pipe frame for your greenhouse. The shell, you can make out of pre-bent PVC pipes; you can also buy straight pipes and bend them yourself. Once your frame is built and stable, you can cover it with greenhouse plastic.

You can also build yourself a garden gazebo. How about a garden PVC pipe outdoor shower? Your kids are sure to love that. You can also use PVC pipes to create trellises, planters, irrigation systems, bird feeders, birdhouses, outdoor clothes drying racks, and many others, providing endless possibilities for garden enthusiasts.

4.    Playground Equipment and Recreational Spaces

PVC pipes are durable and flexible, so you can use them to build playground equipment and outfit recreational spaces.

How about a PVC pipe water and sand table? That will make great entertainment at home when you can’t drive out to the beach. You can also build a rolling pipe slide, ball pit, PVC swing set, play climber, and other playground and recreational equipment. You can also use PVC pipes to build park benches and shade structures.

5.    Architectural and Art Installations

PVC pipes have also found a place in the world of art installations. Artists and architects have used PVC pipes to create stunning sculptures, interactive installations, and even sound-generating devices. They can be painted, bent, and molded into various shapes and forms, allowing for endless creative possibilities indoors and outdoors.

You can cut differently-sized PVC pipes to the same length, glue them together, and create a beautiful, eggshell-like structure you can put up as an art installation at home or in your office. You can do the same thing, but this time cutting the pipes thinner to create interestingly patterned PVC panels you can use as the walls and roof of a pavilion. You can also combine the panels in various interesting ways to create unique installation art. PVC pipe sculptures especially suit hotels in Dubai and other similar, tropical-desert-climate locations.

Kang Duk Bong is an artist who has created outstanding artwork using only PVC pipes and urethane paint. Among his pieces is a 70x10x91 cm sculpture of a man on a motorbike. His PVC pipe works of art also include a running man, a man on a unicycle, and a man on a bicycle.

6.    Canopies and Shade Structures

PVC pipes and fittings are an excellent choice for creating awnings, canopies and other types of shade structures. You can use them to create a structural frame for your patio and deck shade. They can also be used in public spaces like parks and outdoor dining areas.

7.    Tiny Houses and Emergency Shelters

The affordability, durability, and ease of assembly of PVC pipes make them ideal for constructing tiny houses and emergency shelters. Does your organization need to provide emergency shelters in conflict- or disaster-stricken areas? You can build such shelters using a PVC structural frame.

You can create hundreds of such temporary shelters using PVC pipes. Moreover, since PVC pipes are lightweight, they are easy to transport and assemble.

8.    Soundproofing Acoustic Panels

You can also use PVC pipes to create a sound absorption panel. This entails creating two PVC pipe frames, one for the bottom and another for the top.

After putting them together using PVC vertical posts to create a box frame, wrap the bottom and the sides with an acoustically transparent fabric (e.g., weed blocker fabric, woven or non-woven), pack the inside with a sound-absorbent filler, and seal the uncovered side with the same fabric you used initially until the entire PVC box is completely wrapped.

At this point, you must add PVC pipe spacers on the long sides of the bottom frame, where the corner connectors begin, and add short pieces of pipe to these spacers to give the acoustic panel at least a three-inch separation from the wall. An air gap between an acoustic panel and the wall makes it more efficient at absorbing sound.

When you’re done adding spacers, you can install the acoustic panel by hanging it on the wall.

PVC Pipes: Beyond Plumbing, Drainage, and Sewer Systems

The usefulness of PVC pipes extends far beyond their traditional applications in plumbing, drainage, and sewer systems. With their durability, low cost, and ease of installation, PVC pipes have become a versatile material that architects, designers, artists, and DIY enthusiasts continue to explore in making innovative and original furniture, furnishings, structures, decorative elements, and artistic installations.

Disaster Proofing Your House

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Your home is your sanctuary. It is the place that you’ve put a lot of time and attention into making a safe, comfortable environment for you and your family. This is why the prospect of a natural disaster causing damage or disruption to your house can be so upsetting. 

No-one likes to dwell on this possibility, of course. However, even if you aren’t living in an area that has frequent earthquakes or storms, that doesn’t mean to say that your home is immune to emergencies. The World Economic Forum recently reported that extreme weather events are occurring more frequently, and they are likely to continue causing severe damage and destruction in the future. This rise has also been linked to the growing effects of climate change. As such, it is imperative for the continued safety of yourself and your family that you take steps to ensure that your home is protected from disasters.  

This is all very well to say, but it’s not always easy to know how to go about doing this practically. It’s certainly a wide-ranging area, but we’re going to take a moment to guide you through a few main points for your attention. How can you best act to protect your home, and sleep soundly at night, safe in the knowledge that you’ve done all you can to keep your family safe? 

Audit Current Issues

Whether you’ve purchased a home with the specific intention to renovate, or you bought a new build, an audit is essential. Why? Well, in most cases, the pre-purchasing property survey that was undertaken at the time would have been geared toward determining the general safety of the home. Indeed, when buying a home, people are usually on the lookout for common trouble areas — existing water damage, pest issues, or health hazards. As such, you are unlikely to have the data you need to understand how well-prepped your home is to withstand an unexpected natural disaster.  

It can be a good first step to review the types of natural disasters that may be most likely to occur in your area. After all, it’s not wise to disaster-proof your home for earthquakes if you are not in a risk location. Review recent years’ weather and emergency events — has there been an uptick in any activity? The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) keeps statistics for all reported disasters, which can help guide you. However, it can be just as useful to talk to neighbors and local emergency services personnel about what you should be aware of.

Using this knowledge, undertake a review of your home. You can do this personally if you feel confident doing so — identifying all the areas that may leave your home vulnerable or dangerous. Use ready-made checklists to review systems like electrical and plumbing. It can also be helpful to engage a contractor here. That way you not only benefit from their assessment expertise, but can also arrange for any repairs to be made, or at least make a plan for the future that fits your budget. 

Alternative Utilities

Disasters don’t just affect the integrity of your home. In a lot of cases, they may impact the infrastructure that allows you to maintain a safe and operational house. There may be direct contact with your property that causes utility outages, or there may be a problem further down the line that affects you. If you live in a remote area, it may take a long time for your services to be restored. It can therefore be appropriate to look into alternative solutions.

A generator on your property can provide backup power when there is an outage. However, this tends to be terribly cost-ineffective, and it’s not particularly environmentally friendly. On the other hand, solar power is an increasingly popular and accessible choice for homeowners. In essence, you’ll need a solar panel array — either on your roof or somewhere near your property — which is attached to an inverter that turns the energy into usable electricity, which is then distributed through your home using a computerized controller. You can also get a battery backup system to assist in emergencies. While you can install it personally, it can be wise to engage a skilled contractor if you’re not familiar with your house’s electrics.  

While most internet and communications lines are underground, that doesn’t make them impervious to disasters. Your ability to stay in contact with friends, relatives, and emergency services can be vital when a disaster strikes. Therefore it can be sensible to set up alternatives in your home. A spare 5G router can keep you connected to the internet to check for updates and advice. 

Structural Upgrades

If you have the budget for it, it is definitely worth considering which structural upgrades you can make to your home. Over the last few decades, there have been technological advances that can put your home in a better position to withstand a disaster. Some of these are simple and others make for more involved projects.

If you live in an area that is particularly prone to heavy storms, earthquakes, or even wildfires a good example of advanced structural technology is interlocking 3D panels. These are constructed from a combination of materials — concrete, steel, polystyrene — and reinforced by welded wire trusses. As such, this means that the building can withstand high winds and effectively fireproof the home for at least two hours.

However, this requires substantial capital to undertake, and if you are unable to access these funds immediately it can be worth considering refinancing your home to some extent. This is possible even with bad credit, although it can be sensible to repair your credit score first to get a better financing rate. It can seem like a big step, but this could be an important safety feature in your home and even raise its value.

Conclusion

Your home is an important asset to you and your family, and as such you want to protect it and everyone within it from natural disasters. Not all the alterations you make need to be structural overhauls. However, you should guide your actions with a thorough understanding of the risks.