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Glossary of Masonry Terms
| BRICK a solid or hollow manufactured clay masonry unit, usually formed into a small rectangular prism; brick is the preferred exterior material on homes due to its attractiveness, durability, and versatility | CAST STONE a precast building material manufactured from concrete and made to imitate natural cut stone; on homes cast stone is commonly used as trim or ornamentation | CONCRETE MASONRY UNIT (CMU) a large rectangular block that is hard and strong consisting of sand, conglomerate gravel, pebbles, and broken stone; often used on homes as a back to brick veneer walls or alone when cmu has a textured or colored finish |
| GLASS BLOCK Hollow or solid masonry unit made of glass; from showers to flooring and stairs, the creative uses for glass block are endless | GROUT A very high slump concrete used to fill cavities in a masonry wall | MASONRY the work resulting from the practice of the mason's craft- structures built with hand-laid units of brick, block, or stone |
| MASONRY VENEER a single facing portion of a wall of masonry units securely attached to a wall for the purpose of providing ornamentation, protection, and insulation, but not adding to the strength of the wall | MORTAR a mixture of cementitious, fine aggregate, and water used to bond masonry or other structural units | PAVER brick, stone, or block that is especially suitable for use in pavements where resistance to abrasion is important; pavers are a practical and attractive addition to driveways, landscaping, and outdoor living spaces |
| RETAINING WALL a masonry wall designed to prevent the movement of soils and structures placed on one side of it; masonry materials for retaining walls are available in thousands of shapes, sizes, and colors | STONE term used to discuss rock in a semi or finished form to be used in construction or landscaping; recently surging in popularity, impressive stone features are admired on both the interior and exterior of many new and updated homes | STUCCO traditional stucco consists of a thick layer of a sand and cement mixture applied over wire mesh and masonry block or brick base; also referred to as cementitious stucco, the style is common in Spanish and Mediterranean architecture |
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