Masonry uses materials like brick or stone combined with mortar and formed into a solid masonry construction.
The materials that we use to construct different types of buildings vary greatly. Most structures have at least some type of masonry construction, such as the brick walls in a home or concrete foundation in a building. Masonry uses materials like brick or stone combined with mortar and formed into a solid masonry construction. Continue reading to learn more about four types of masonry materials often used in construction.
Stone
Stonemasonry can withstand the tests of time and weather. We still have stone walls from hundreds of years ago standing strong because this type of construction is extremely durable. Stonemasonry can be either rubble masonry or ashlar masonry, which refers to the processing of the stone before the masonry starts. Ashlar means that the stones are cut or finished to a uniform size and shape to make the process easier.
Brick
Brick masonry is the process of using bricks – a solid, hardened clay shaped into a rectangle – held together with mortar to create a structure. There are three different brick classes with different uses: most visible masonry will use first-class bricks, masonry that will be covered over will use second class bricks (they have a rough, unfinished surface), and less important construction will use third-class bricks. Brick masonry is very strong generally, but the more openings (like doors or windows) the structure has, the more its overall tensile strength diminishes.
Concrete
Concrete masonry is a masonry process that uses concrete blocks instead of bricks or stones to achieve the same result. Concrete masonry is faster than brick since the concrete blocks are larger, and you can cover more area with fewer individual pieces. Concrete blocks also provide superior fire resistance, so this is one of the most popular choices for construction projects.
Veneer
This type of masonry project produces a surface look that differs from the masonry’s interior. For instance, if you wanted a wall to look like stone masonry, but it wasn’t, using veneer would be a way to achieve that. While it doesn’t have to have the same strength, since there is another wall behind it doing the actual work, veneer masonry still requires hard work and skill to produce a beautiful result (since aesthetic pleasure is the goal).
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