An All Purpose Masonry Unit manufactured with 'blind' slots to ease knock out for placement of reinforcing steel. Blind slots have a thin section of face material so that face is unmarked by slots when the knock out is not employed.

The horizontal placement of Mortar between layers in a masonry application.

Combed block, with a vertically rough furrowed face, creates an attractive shadow effect appropriate for both small and large-scale projects. Interesting variations may be achieved by combing the combed unit with a raked, tooled or combed mortar joint. Sandblasting will produce an even rougher texture.

A modular unit of concrete, manufactured to be used in masonry applications of structures. The concrete mix used to create masonry units typically consist of cement, sand, gravel, oxides, and proprietary admixtures. The units are manufactured with enough water to hold dense form after molding where they then go through a heat/kiln process to cure and are stored until appropriate strength is met.

The vertical separation(s) in a masonry application used to prevent or reduce wall and mortar cracking that result from normally occurring expansion and contraction - a factor in the design of all materials in response to changing environmental conditions.

Ground face units allow the creation of quality aesthetic and structural designs as varied as your imagination. Ground Face block is manufactured and allowed to sit until sufficiently cured. The units are then ground to achieve a smooth finish that reveals the natural color of the aggregates. The type determines the finished look of the units and a proportion of aggregates as well as the color that is used in the mix design.

Grout describes the concrete-like material mix that is used to fill the masonry cells to solidify the masonry structure. Grouts usually contain smaller gravel sizes to easily flow through masonry cells. Cells containing reinforcement, and often entire masonry structures, contain grout.

Describes a 4 height unit. They are manufactured to 1/2 the height of their partner units to facilitate the construction of specific wall heights, to create unique aesthetic designs, or to construct entire structures with a new look.

Units manufactured to 1/2 the length of their partner units to facilitate the construction of wall ends in bond pattern, expansion joints or where unique design impact is sought.

The vertical placement of Mortar between two individual units in a masonry application.

Additives of specific compounds incorporated during manufacture that are used to increase the water repellency of masonry units. To be truly integral, the mortar and grout used during construction must incorporate water repellent additives as well. This method requires no regular maintenance to remain effective.

Describes a section of the masonry unit that is prepared to be knocked out with a mason hammer when needed. Typically created using 2 or more vertical cuts or slots to the head ends or web of a masonry unit for creating a bond beam.

Mortar is the material that bonds and holds masonry together to create structure from individual masonry units. It typically consists of cement, or a modified cement, sand, and plasticizers. When mixed with water and applied, the cement in the mix hardens to create the bond.

Describes an absent or open head side of the masonry unit. It is used to facilitate the placement of the unit where vertical reinforcement steel exists.

Describe units designed specifically to accommodate larger amounts of steel and grout where called for in the engineered column application of masonry.

Precision, or smooth face, units are the most common block; perhaps the most versatile. The choice of bond pattern or mortar joint finish can subtly alter a wall's appearance. Various block sizes or colors can be combined for even more dramatic patterns. Available in the widest selection of types and sizes.

Precision units are smooth-faced, straight-edged CMU, the common or basic block type. Its texture is the as molded finish produced by vibration during manufacture. Precision units are expressed in terms of nominal dimensions and compensate for a standard 3/8-inch mortar joint. That is, an 8 x 8 x 16 is actually 7 5/8 x 7 5/8 x 15 5/8 inches, with a permissible variation in overall dimensions (width, height, length) of +/- 1/8 inch.

Masonry reinforcement is used to create a more monolithic structure from the individual components of a masonry application. Typically of steel rebar and engineered steel or other engineered products. Reinforcement requirements are determined through engineering calculations performed by qualified persons and include design influences.

The horizontal placement of subsequent layers of masonry in such a manner that each unit is laid over two adjoining units below. Typically the units below support 1/2 the unit above, though offset running bond can be created by spanning 1/3 & 2/3 or 1/4 & 3/4 of the unit above.

Typically describes a pre-fabricated material used to support, and hold in place, the horizontal steel used in masonry applications.

Slump block, designed to simulate adobe, is rich and rustic in character as well as durable and structural lending itself to both interior and exterior use. Slump block is available in a variety of colors and sizes all meeting ASTM pecifications.

achieve the appearance of adobe, slump bock is first formed in slightly overheight molds. The formed, unset units is then placed between two metal plates which compress and deform it. This deforming creates the slump irregularity characteristic of adobe. As a consequence, unit dimensions will vary plus or minus one-quarter inch.

The process of slumping inherently precludes manufacturing a unit that is precision or unslumped on any of its surfaces.

Sizes of slump block units are expressed in terms of nominal dimensions and compensate for an approximate 1/2 mortar joint. That is, an 8 x 6 x 16 is approximately 7 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 15 1/2 inches, with permissible variation in height of +/- 1/8 inch. Since width may vary 1 inch or more due to texture, it is recommended that the design of slumpstone walls should be based on a width 1 inch less than the nominal size.

A special admixture unique to the slump block mix design produces the surface sheen.