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General. During hot weather masonry construction, the mortar’s temperature and properties, the masonry unit’s temperature and properties, wind velocity, and relative humidity influence the rate at which mortar sets. As the temperature of the mortar increases, the following physical property changes take place: a. Workability is reduced, or the addition of more water is required […]
If patios, garden walls and pathways are made of brick, these structures take the shape, character and beauty that cannot be matched by other building materials. Even a simple brick design, as found in many brick driveways, can change a utilitarian piece of pavement into something with texture and aesthetic appeal. Many projects are also […]
Natural stone is held in high regard as a premier building material because it reflects unique character, stability, and grandeur. Variations in natural stone’s broad range of color, pattern, and texture are visually interesting and impossible to replicate. And, because it comes from the earth, from eco-friendly compositions, it is a natural choice. Variety The […]
DURABILITY Masonry’s higher durability means less repairs, plus the color and brilliance of masonry won’t fade, rust or discolor from the weather–eliminating painting and maintenance. LOCALLY MANUFACTURED Concrete masonry units are manufactured locally and ready for delivery in a short period. VERSATILE & ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE Pre-finished masonry units such as split face, colored, glazed, […]
The images have become all too familiar: houses and communities turned into piles of giant toothpicks by fierce tornadoes. Much of this kind of damage can be prevented by enacting stronger building standards. The first week of March had an unprecedented 440 tornado warnings issued, and severe storms contributed to the deaths of 39 people […]
Keep the Masonry Rectangular Brick and blocks come in rectilinear pieces and are easiest to install in straight walls with 90-degree corners. We can build curves and odd angles, but this is more expensive. If you want to maximize your budget, let the masonry be square and do the odd angles and swooping curves with […]
Brick Brick is made by molding blobs of clay into cubes and then firing the cubes into weather resistant, rock-hard construction modules. Bricks are typically small, easily handled bits of fired clay held together with a cementitious paste. Concrete Block Concrete block units are made by forcing a paste of cement, sand and water into […]
Q: What is the purpose of tooling a mortar joint? A: Tooling has several purposes. Aesthetically, it produces the joint profile, which is made when the jointer or “tool” is struck against the mortar before the joint has set. This profile is usually concave, but it can have other configurations, such as a grapevine or […]
Reston, VA, September 22, 2004 – A new study shows that homes built with brick offer dramatically more protection from wind-blown debris than homes built with vinyl or fiber-cement siding. The study, conducted at the Wind Science and Engineering Research Center at Texas Tech University, demonstrated that a medium-sized wind-blown object, suchas a 7.5-foot long […]
Superior Performance Against Moisture, Earthquakes, Wind, and Fire RESTON, Va., December 5, 2012 — After the third most active storm season on record, tests continue to show that genuine clay brick outperforms other home exteriors in severe weather conditions. As homeowners head into peak home fire season in December and January, brick also offers a […]