Masonry glossary

Find a masonry term.

100 terms

Absorption

The liquid taken into a porous material, often measured relative to its dry weight.

Accelerator

An admixture used to speed setting or early strength development; suitability depends on the specified material.

Admixture

An ingredient added to concrete, mortar or grout besides the basic cementitious materials, aggregate and water.

Aggregate

Granular material, such as sand or crushed stone, used in concrete, mortar or grout.

Anchor

A connector securing masonry or veneer to its supporting construction.

ANSI

American National Standards Institute.

ASHRAE

An organization developing resources and standards related to heating, refrigeration, air conditioning and building performance.

ASTM

ASTM International, a developer of material and test standards.

Backup

The supporting construction behind a masonry facing.

Batter

A wall slope that steps or leans back as it rises.

Bed joint

The horizontal mortar joint supporting a course of masonry.

Bevel

An angled edge or surface.

Block, concrete

A masonry unit formed from cementitious materials, aggregate and water.

Bond

Either adhesion between materials or the arrangement of masonry units in a wall.

Bond, grout

The connection created between grout, masonry and reinforcement.

Bond, mechanical

A connection made by ties, reinforcement, keys or other physical interlocking.

Bond, mortar

Adhesion between mortar and the adjoining units or reinforcement.

Bond beam

A horizontal reinforced masonry member within a wall.

Bond breaker

A material used to prevent two surfaces from adhering.

Bond strength

Resistance to separation at the connection between materials.

Brick, concrete

A concrete masonry unit made in a brick-sized shape.

Bullnose block

A unit with one or more rounded outside corners.

Buttress

A projecting support used to help stabilize a wall against lateral forces.

Cavity wall

A wall with separated masonry layers and a cavity between them, connected as designed.

Chase

A channel or recess for services such as pipes or conduit.

Class of unit

A designation distinguishing units by the requirements of the applicable specification.

Cleanout

An opening that allows debris to be removed and grout spaces to be inspected before grouting.

Collar joint

The longitudinal space or joint between adjacent wall layers.

Column

A primarily vertical structural member carrying compression.

Composite wall

A wall whose connected layers are designed to work together.

Compressive strength

Resistance to a compressive load, expressed as force per specified area; the test and area basis must be identified.

Concrete masonry unit, hollow

A unit containing substantial core spaces; classification follows the applicable unit specification.

Concrete masonry unit, solid

A unit meeting the solid-unit area criteria of its applicable specification; it need not be completely free of voids.

Control joint

A designed joint that accommodates masonry movement and helps manage cracking.

Corbel

Masonry courses that progressively project beyond the wall below.

Core

A formed opening within a masonry unit.

Cross-sectional area, gross

The overall area of a section, including designated voids under the applicable measurement rules.

Cross-sectional area, net

The area of material remaining after the applicable void areas are deducted.

Curtain wall

A non-loadbearing exterior wall supported by the building structure.

Customized masonry

Units shaped or finished to create an architectural surface or profile.

Dampcheck

A barrier intended to interrupt upward moisture movement through masonry.

Dampproofing

Treatment intended to resist moisture penetration; its purpose differs from a specified waterproofing system.

Dovetail anchor

An anchor shaped to engage a matching dovetail slot.

Dowels

Bars used to connect adjoining parts of construction.

Dry stack

Masonry placed without conventional mortar joints.

Eccentricity

The offset between a load’s line of action and a member’s reference axis.

Effective area of reinforcement

The reinforcement area considered effective in the direction being analyzed.

Effective height

The height used in structural calculations after considering support and restraint.

Effective thickness

The thickness used in stability or slenderness calculations under the applicable design method.

Efflorescence

A surface deposit of salts carried by moisture and left as water evaporates.

Empirical design

Design using prescribed limits and established rules based on experience.

Engineered design

Design based on analysis of loads, materials and structural behavior.

Expansion joint

A separation designed to accommodate movement between adjoining construction.

Face shell

An outside wall of a hollow masonry unit.

Face-shell bedding

Placing bed-joint mortar along the face shells as required by the wall design.

Fire wall

A wall designed to meet specified fire separation and structural requirements.

Flashing

Material that collects and directs moisture out of the wall assembly.

Foundation wall

A wall that transfers building loads to the foundation system and may retain soil.

Furrowing

Creating a trough in a mortar bed; bedding must follow the specified construction method.

Grid pavers

Open paving units that can accommodate vegetation or other infill.

Grout

A cementitious mixture placed into specified masonry spaces.

Grout lift

The height of grout placed in one continuous placement operation.

Grout pour

The total grouted height completed within a planned grouting operation, potentially in several lifts.

Grouted masonry

Masonry with specified cores or spaces filled with grout.

Grouting, high lift

Grouting after a greater height of masonry has been built, under the applicable placement and inspection requirements.

Grouting, low lift

Grouting in smaller increments as masonry construction progresses.

Head joint

The vertical mortar joint between the ends of units.

Interlocking block pavers

Paving units arranged to transfer loads through interaction with adjacent units.

Joint reinforcement

Steel reinforcement placed within mortar joints.

Lateral support

Support that restrains a member against sideways movement.

Lintel

A member spanning an opening and supporting loads above it.

Loadbearing

Designed to carry loads in addition to the element’s own weight.

Masonry cement

A cementitious product formulated for making masonry mortar.

Masonry unit

An individual block, brick or other unit used in masonry construction.

Moisture content

The amount of water present in a material, expressed using the specified measurement basis.

Mortar

A mixture used to bed and bond masonry units and form joints.

Net section

The effective material section used for the applicable calculation.

Nominal dimension

A modular or designated dimension, which may include an allowance for a joint.

Panel wall

A non-loadbearing wall panel supported by the surrounding structure.

Parapet wall

The portion of a wall extending above a roof.

Parging

Applying a coating of cementitious mortar to a masonry surface.

Party wall

A wall serving adjoining buildings or spaces, subject to the applicable property and building requirements.

Pier

A vertical support or localized compression member.

Pilaster

A thickened or projecting wall portion used for structural or architectural purposes.

Prism

A small masonry assembly used for testing specified properties.

Reinforced masonry

Masonry with reinforcement arranged so the materials work together under load.

Screen block

Open architectural units used for partial screening or decorative walls.

Shear wall

A wall designed to resist forces acting in its plane.

Shrinkage

A reduction in dimension, including that associated with moisture loss.

Single-wythe wall

A wall one masonry unit in thickness.

Slenderness ratio

A relationship between effective height or length and thickness used to assess stability.

Slushed joints

Joints filled by adding mortar after units are placed; this is not a substitute for proper specified joint construction.

Stacked bond

A pattern with vertical joints aligned from course to course.

Transformed section

An equivalent section used to analyze materials with different elastic properties together.

Tuck pointing

Repairing or finishing mortar joints by placing mortar into prepared joints.

Veneer

A facing supported or attached to backing construction rather than acting as the primary structural wall.

Waterproofing

A system intended to prevent water passage under its specified service conditions.

Web

A portion of a unit connecting its face shells.

Weep hole

An opening that allows water to drain from a wall assembly.

Wythe

A continuous vertical layer of masonry one unit thick.