GROUP 3

MASONRY

BELIGANIO
Overview
Masonry is a branch of construction in which trained masons build structures which
are bound together with mortar. Masonry utilizes materials such as brick, stone,
concrete, and more to create beautiful, durable, and long-lasting structures. The art of
masonry requires training and understanding in not only the workmanship, but the
quality and design of all the materials involved. Masonry professionals not only
construct structures but also repair brick, concrete, and stonework.

What is Masonry?
Masonry means an assemblage of masonry units properly bound together with mortar.

Did you know that?

The art of masonry originated when early man sought to supplement his valuable but
rare natural caves with artificial caves made from piles of stone. Circular stone huts,
partially dug into the ground, dating from prehistoric times have been found in the Aran
Islands, Ireland. By the 4th millennium BCE, Egypt had developed an elaborate
stonemasonry technique, culminating in the most extravagant of all ancient structures,
the pyramids.

ARBAS
Masonry Materials
Masonry materials or Concrete masonry units provide strength, durability, fire
resistance, energy efficiency, and sound attenuation to a wall system. In addition,
concrete masonry units are manufactured in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and
architectural finishes achieve any number of appearances and functions.
Bricks
A type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry
construction.
Concrete Block
A standard-size rectangular block used in building construction.
Granite
A common, coarse-grained, hard igneous rock consisting chiefly of quartz, orthoclase or
microcline, and mica.
Natural Stone
It Is composed of minerals and the main ingredient is silica. These stones include
diorite, quartzite, marble, travertine, granite and the like. Natural stones are found in
natural mines on the surface of the earth and are used for the exterior of the building
and its interior.
Marble
A stone which is composed of calcite, dolomite or serpentine that is capable of taking a
polish.
Glass Stone
A glass block or glass bricks are wall bricks made of glass. They provide visual opacity
and light transmission at the same time, making them an amazing architectural element
to upscale interior design.
Stucco
A stylized siding option for buildings made out of a mixture of cement, sand, water, and
lime. It is a seamless, rot-resistant material that can be used for an array of home
projects.
Mortar
A material used in masonry construction to fill the gaps between the bricks and blocks.
Mortar is a mixture of sand, a binder such as cement or lime, and water and is applied
as a paste which then sets hard.
Grout
A composite material generally consisting of water, cement, and sand. It is typically
used for filling voids under machines or other structural elements, sealing joints and
openings in surfaces and reinforcing existing structures
Rebar
Steel reinforcement bars or rebars are used to improve the tensile strength of the
concrete, since concrete is very weak in tension, but is strong in compression.

LAPINIG
Masonry Tools
The various tools used by a mason for his work can be grouped as follows;
1. Common Masonry Tools
1.1 Trowels
Trowels are basic and traditional instruments developed in a variety of shapes
and sizes to suit their function. Some common types of Trowels include

a) Brick trowel: Brick trowels are usually about 18 cm with a steel blade
and wood handle. Brick trowels are used to collect the mortar and spread
it to the next brick course level.
 b) Small size brick trowel: IIt is a trowel but small, it is about 12.5 cm
long and is mainly used to fill joints between bricks.

c) Margin trowel: Margin trowel is like pointing, but has a flat rectangular
blade. It is used by plasterers to apply and smooth material in areas where
a larger trowel would be inconvenient.

d) Gauging trowel: The gauging trowel having blade length 15 cm to

20cm is used by plasterers in the same way as a margin trowel. It is
preferred by some masons for general application, such as mixing small
quantities of quick setting plaster.

e) Angle trowel: Angle Trowel has a flat blade with edges facing 100 mm
x 62mm wide and at right angles of 25mm height. Plasterers use this to
soften the surface of the material when working in a corner.

1.2 Floats
Floats is a tool used to finish a concrete surface by making it smooth. A float is
used after the surface has been made level using a screed.

a) Wooden float: The 50 cm long and 10 cm wide wooden strip with a

handle used to place the mortar in line on bricks, sometimes also at the
time of the plaster. It is also available in smaller sizes, such as 25cm x
10cm. The main purpose of using floats is to fill voids, level ridges, and
smooth surfaces in trowel preparation.

b) Metal float: The metal float is a flat rectangular steel sheet, typically
25cm x 10cm, with a handle positioned in the center of the back face. Its
general purpose is to apply and finish the material, applying a pure
cement finish to the plaster.
LLANITA
1.3
a) Plumb Bob: Plumb bob is a basic tool for a bricklayer to build any
bricklaying job in the vertical plane. It is available in normally mild steel
with a coating that weighs approximately 30-40 gms. The plumb bob is a
pointy weight attached to a line length that is contained in the bob itself
and clamped in a slot in the lid.
 b) Right Angled Scales: It is used to set the right angle corner. This is
the MS. The square is 30cm x 60cm long with hands representing an inch
or so of Cms. It is used to lay the corner of the bricks in the rectangle.

c) Line Dori: This is a basic tool for any Mason to do the job. Usually a
line of 3 mm dia. Wax coating is used. Nowadays the nylon line tori is
very used, it can be from 1mm to 2mm dia.

d) Aluminum Hollow box section: Screenboard is used to balance the

surface during plastering and site preparation. It can be wooden slabs of
50mm x 65mm length 1.2m to 1.5m. An aluminum hollow box section of
65mm x 30mm and 1.5m long is also used. This can be called a straight
edge.

e) Measuring Tape: A steel tape marked in meters and feet and divided
into cm and inches. Usually used by a meson to measure the length and
width of the masonry. It is available in 2m, 3m, 5m, 15m and 30m.

2. Mortar Making Tools

a) Measuring Box: It can be a wood or steel box of 1 ft x 1 ft x 1.25 ft,

equivalent to the size of a bag of cement. When pouring raw materials into
luggage (say 1: 4), one bag of cement will be mixed with 4 pharma sand.

b) Mixing Tray: Lightweight steel plate is usually used for mixing the
mortar. It is 2.0 m long and 1.0 m wide with the handlebars.

c) Sand screen: Usually a wire mesh of 0.9 m x 1.2 m is used as a

screen for sand in a wooden frame or angular frame. For masonry work,
the screen is 0.6 mm dia.Wires and 10 x10 wires per inch square.

For plastering work a screen having 0.3mm dia of wire with 24 x24 wires
per inch square.

d) Pan: 40cm Dia's Iron Pan is used to transport the mortar. The same
can be used for the rate of mixing. If there is 1: 4 mortar mix, mix 1 pan
cement with 4 pot sand

e) Showel: It is the most common tool for mixing the mortar and for filling
the pans.
 f) Bucket: Generally an iron bucket of up to 10 liters capacity is used for
mixing the water in the mortar.

g) Drum: A 200 lit capacity M.S. A drum is used to store the water.
Nowadays PVC containers are also available.

h) Garden Shovel: A group of 8 to 10 wires of 6 mm MS bars of 500 mm

length and these wires are bent at 90-degree edges (shown in fig.) Are a
very effective tool for spreading concrete with the required thickness in a
given area.

DALAWIS
3. Leveling Tools
These tools are used for setting the levels at the time of work.

a) Spirit level: This is the most important tool with the help of which the
degree of movement of the bubble can be determined between any two
surfaces. Typically this tool is used for tiling work to check the size of tiles.

It is usually 30 cm long. The important part of any level is the vial. It is a

curved or barrel glass or plastic tube which may contain alcohol, oil or
chloroform. There is a bubble of air in the liquid which floats to the highest
point of the curve, where two lines are marked in the vial. When the
position is "true", the bubble will rest between the two lines.

b) Level Tube: A thin 6mm diameter clear PVC tube about 8-10m. long
and is used to check levels when filled with water. The basic principle is
that the water will occupy the same level, it is used to do the work at the
level.

4. Cutting Tools
These are tools used for minor cutting or chipping work
a) Chisel and Hammer: There are several types of hammer and chisel
available on the market, but the bricklayer must have at least two types of
hammer weighing 1 pound and 4 pounds for dismantling jobs and 10cm
chisels for small jobs and 20 cm for major dismantling jobs .

b) Pointed hammer: It is like a hammer, but it has both ends with pointed
edges and is used to cut the concrete surfaces of beams and columns or
 slabs before plastering, for a better bond. Some have a pointy point for
deep hacking.

c) Tile cutter: The simplest tile cutter is a square-sectioned steel shaft of

20cm length with a pointed tungsten carbide tip. It is used to score a line
on the glazed surface of a ceramic tile prior to snapping it off.

d) Portable Circular saw: The portable circular saw is an invaluable

power tool. It is mainly a woodworking tool, but with special tile cutting
blades, it can be used to cut ceramics and other types of tiles.

PARATE
5. Finishing Tools
These tools are used for finishing work such as Sponge.

a) Sponge: A 12.5 cm x 10 cm square of the sponge is used to finish

plaster surfaces as sand-coated plaster. By applying two or three rounds
of this sponge, a fine sand texture will appear on the surface.

b) M.S. Corners: Small pieces of MS sheet of approximately 12.5 cm in

length and used for the perfect finishing of the corners of the wall and the
plaster edges of doors and windows.

c) Cove Corner: The corner of the cove is like a metal float, but the
rectangular blade bends in a curved width. It is used to smooth the internal
curve of decorative plaster trim that is sometimes found between ceilings
and walls.

d) Finishing Trowel: This trowel, also called a floating trowel, consists of

a wide, flat surface with a handle on one side. Can be used as a tray to
transport large amounts of mortar or plaster and for a final pass to smooth
mortar or plaster

h) Brushes: At least two types of brushes 25mm wide and 75mm wide
must be with a mason to clean surfaces and finish the job.
SANTOS
Strategies in Masonry
Masonry can be classified into the following categories:
1. Stone Masonry
- Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture
using stone as the primary material. It is one of the oldest activities and
professions in human history.
Different Techniques in Stone Masonry
1. Traditional Dry-stack Technique
2. Traditional Mortared Stone Technique
3. Modern Veneered Stone Technique
4. Slipform Stone Technique
5. Framed-One Side Stone Technique
6. Tilt –Up Stone Technique

2. Brick Masonry
- Brick masonry is a highly durable form of construction. It is built by placing bricks
in mortar in a systematic manner to construct solid mass that withstand exerted
loads.

3. Hollow Block Concrete Masonry

- Concrete blocks are made from cast concrete, usually sand and fine gravel for
high-density blocks. Lower density blocks may use industrial wastes as an
aggregate. It has many advantages, such as durability, strength and structural
stability, fire resistance, insulation, sound absorption and economical
construction.
Advantages of Hollow Block Concrete Masonry
1. Highly Durable
2. Cost-effective
3. Speedy Construction
4. Greater Earthquake Resistance
5. Comfortable Interiors
PANOTES
4. Gabion Masonry Construction
- Gabion is a welded wire cage or box filled with materials such as stone, concrete,
sand, or soil. So, gabion is a partially flexible block construction used for slope
stability and erosion protection in construction. Various types of gabions are
constructed and used in different engineering constructions.
Advantage of Gabions
1. Durability
 2. Flexibility
3. Permeability
4. Strength
5. Economical
6. Environmentally

5. Composite Masonry Construction

- Composite masonry is the one that is constructed out of two or more types of
building units or of different types of building materials.
Composite Masonry: When walls are constructed with two or more types of
building materials it is termed composite masonry. It makes the use of locally
available materials to obtain optimum economy.
Classification of Composite Masonry Construction:
1. Stone Facing Brick Backing
2. Brick Facing with Concrete Backing
3. Ashlar Facing with Rubble Backing
4. Ashlar Facing with Rubble Backing
5. Brick Composite Masonry
6. Stone Composite Masonry
7. Glass Block Composite Masonry

PANOTES
Steps in Planning and Designing Your Own House
Every self builder has their individual expectations and ambitions in terms of the final
result of their Self Build project. The process of designing a home is very demanding
and challenging, as it is a crucial stage that is responsible for making your vision a
reality.

1. Start Simple
2. Think about the Future
3. Showcase and maximize the lot
4. Prioritize features
5. Consider function and flow
6. Reflect on Light