building paper

noun

1. heavy paper used especially in the construction of frame buildings to block drafts, for insulation, etc.

building paper

noun

1. any of various types of heavy-duty paper that usually consist of bitumen reinforced with fibre sandwiched between two sheets of kraft paper: used in damp-proofing or as insulation between the soil and a road surface

Word History and Origins

Origin of building paper¹

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

Example Sentences

By meticulously building Paper Portal’s stock to reflect his reading life and aspirations, LaFlam is inviting others into a conversation about books and storytelling.

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In those early years, he would play in the rubble of bombed-out buildings, clambering over the ruins, playing violent games with bricks, building paper airplanes out of the pages of discarded books.

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The wood framing is typically wrapped with building paper — probably tar paper 50 years ago — and then the bricks are installed with metal ties to the wall but with a small gap behind them.

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When tin is applied to roofs, resin-sized building paper should first be laid on the roof plank, and the sheets of tin should be painted on the lower side before being laid.

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In place of lath and plastered walls, thick building paper formed the interior covering, leaving a space between the iron outside and the paper within.

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