TABLE OF CONTENTS Masonry consistently ranks among consumers as the first choice in residential cladding materials. Studies conducted by the National Association of Home Builders have found that 60% of home buyers prefer masonry homes, that the homes command higher selling prices, and that masonry homes produce higher profit margins for the builder.
Brick and stone masonry have been favorites of builders and homeowners for hundreds of years, and concrete block is becoming popular for residential construction as well. Masonry symbolizes strength, durability, and prestige and at the same time adds warmth, color, and scale to a home. Masonry is most visible in building walls, but is also used in foundations, fireplaces, garden walls, retaining walls, floors, sidewalks, patios, and driveways. This chapter covers basic materials and properties of masonry.
The term masonry includes many different materials and types of construction. Natural stone as well as manufactured units of clay brick, concrete block, cast stone, structural clay tile, terra cotta, adobe, and glass block are all masonry materials. Brick, concrete block, and stone are the most popular and most widely used. Brick and concrete block are usually laid with mortar, but some block can be dry-stacked without mortar if the units have an interlocking shape or if a special surface-bonding mortar is applied to hold the units together. Natural stone is also usually set in mortar, but can be dry-stacked for walls of modest height used in landscaping applications. In addition to units and mortar, most...
