Masonry Construction articles from April 2004

Masonry Construction archives from April 2004

Hope springs eternal.(Editorial)
April 1, 2004... April in the Chicago area is a time for renewed hope. Everywhere I drive I discover long dormant projects that are now active beehives of scaffolds, mixers, and lifts. And with an ever stronger sign that times might be improving, I saw several...

Masonry Institute of Washington reveals design award winners.(brickbats)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... All forms of masonry construction brick, block, stone, and tile--were honored by the Masonry Institute of Washington at its annual "Excellence in Masonry Design Awards" banquet, according to Executive Director Barbara Headrick. Honor...

Potomac Valley Brick names new vice president.(brickbats)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Paul M Scott has joined Potomac Valley Brick and Supply Co. (PVB) as vice president, sales. The new VP brings 34 years of residential and commercial experience to PVB, which is a full-service supplier of masonry products in the Washington,...

"Check Out a Career Masonry".(brickbats)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Mason Contractors Association of America's "Check Out a Career in Masonry" high school recruitment program is nearing its one-year anniversary and has enrolled nearly 1200 schools representing every state in the country. The program was...

2003 very strong year for home builders.(brickbats)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Residential construction activity picked up in December helping make 2003 the best year for home builders in 25 years. Commerce Department figures revealed that housing construction increased 1.7% in December over November to an annual rate of...

Fleet feat.(showcase)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The City of Clovis, Calif., Public Utilities Corporation Yard used concrete block to combine aesthetics and function. The seven-building complex situated on 14 acres incorporates the administration facility and offices for utilities, solid...

Detail for deep brick spandrels.(details, details, details)
April 1, 2004... Deep brick spandrels are required in exterior masonry walls with multiple, horizontal window bands. A high degree of coordination between the masonry and steel components is necessary to produce an economical and constructible detail. The...

Installing flashing over arched windows.
April 1, 2004... Q How do you install flashing at an arched opening over a window? This situation is a particular problem if the window is installed after the masonry work is completed. How can flashing be installed in this case? A Flashing above an...

Grinding joints for repointing.(working with brick)
April 1, 2004... Q What is a good way to grind out joints for repointing glazed brick masonry? I am afraid that I will chip off the glaze when grinding. How can I stop this from happening? A Grinding glazed brick masonry for repointing is difficult if...

Using IRA brick.(initial rate of absorption)
April 1, 2004... Q I have heard that if you use brick with a very low IRA in masonry walls, they will float on the mortar during construction, which results in later water leakage problems. Is this a common problem? If so, which IRA brick should not be used...

Behind the facade.(cladding)(masonry- performance and analysis)
April 1, 2004... Masonry is just one component of a complex wall system. If its integrity is compromised, the performance of the masonry can be affected. Few masonry contractors are willing to assume responsibility for the entire wall system because of the many...

CSI Show & Convention: the Chicago event will feature hundreds of exhibitors and more than 70 education and training sessions.(csi)(The Construction Specifications Institute)(trade shows)
April 1, 2004... The 48th Annual CSI Show & Convention will be held in Chicago's McCormick Place, April 21-23. The event, which is sponsored by The Construction Specifications Institute, serves as the gathering place for all members of the commercial design and...

Only hire and promote the best players!(Masonry News Contractor Tip)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... A few months back I wrote about how a company can benefit by utilizing all the players on the team regardless of whether they are A, B, C, or D players. Let's make sure we don't forget that in business we must hire only the best. As for the...

The future of MasterFormat: CSI is updating its specifications system, but masonry contractors will still find themselves in familiar territory.(specifications)(Construction Specifications Institute)
April 1, 2004... When the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) established the MasterFormat Expansion Task Team in April 2001, it seemed clear that technical advancements in the industry regarding both practices and products, as well as an expanded focus...

Charting a course for the future: NCMA's first masonry design-build conference examined the process and how to make it happen.(design)(National Concrete Masonry Association)
April 1, 2004... The purpose behind the National Concrete Masonry Association's first "Masonry Design-Build Micro-Conference held recently in Scottsdale, Ariz., "was to identify what the industry needed to know about the design-build process and how to...

Mortar gun fills numerous joints.(new products)
April 1, 2004... This mortar gun is a hand-held, motorized repointing tool that quickly applies to all types of masonry. It can be used to fill joints in thin brick, tuckpointing, stonework, cultured stone, paving, glass block, and window steel casements. The...

Vehicle combines two functions.(new products)
April 1, 2004... The VersaHandler V623 telescopic tool carrier combines the speed, agility, and strength of a skidsteer loader with the extended reach of a forklift. Operators select from two transmission modes: direct drive for faster reaction to movement of...

Booster cable provides easy jump.(new products)
April 1, 2004... The Safe-T-Connect booster cable assembly enables the vehicle operator to provide a jump without opening its hood. The assembly attaches permanently to the vehicle with heavy-duty clamps. The two-gauge version comes in lengths from 20 - 35 feet...

Insert quickly changes truck functions.(new products)
April 1, 2004... The Dump-Pro insert enables users to change a pickup truck to a dump truck in minutes. The dump body is constructed of industrial weight polyethylene, and the drive system uses a winch rather than costly hydraulics. The 60-degree dumping angle...

Rebar anchors provide cost-effective performance.(new products)
April 1, 2004... Lenton terminator rebar anchors provide more reliable, cost-effective, and efficient anchorage than hooked rebar versions. Eliminating the hook simplifies bar placement, minimizes embedment lengths, and gives greater design flexibility. The...

Solution seals masonry and concrete.(new products)
April 1, 2004... W-2 penetrates and bonds to seal masonry and concrete surfaces, which prevents damage due to moisture penetration. It can be used on regular concrete block and other moderately porous surfaces, such as weathered brick and heavily textured...

Shotblaster strips, cleans, and profiles.(new products)
April 1, 2004... I deal for small jobs and tight areas, the 1-8DEZ shotblaster is a portable machine that runs on 120 V to strip, clean, and profile in one step. No rinsing or drying time is required, and the resulting profile provides a good surface for...

Water jet pump operates at various pressures.(new products)
April 1, 2004... The 331 series high-pressure water jet pump offers high horsepower performance in a mobile unit. The pump is easily converted to various operating pressures and features a quick-change fluid end that lets operators choose from five pressures,...

Sander works in tight quarters.(new products)
April 1, 2004... The Sr356 is a 1/3-sheet orbital finishing sander with a rubber-coated top that deadens vibration to increase operator comfort, and a two-position side handle to increase control. It has no protruding parts, making it well suited for sanding...

Scanner locates hidden rebar.(new products)
April 1, 2004... The Datascan MK II helps operators locate steel rebar and other features within concrete. Based upon ground-penetrating radar technology, the product offers simple, rugged, and reliable performance. A large graphic screen, which is visible in...

Laser level aligns and plumbs.(new products)
April 1, 2004... The LEA38 multi-functioning torpedo level projects either a laser dot or line for precise leveling, aligning, and plumbing measurements. Its double magnetic base locks onto metal studs, pipes, and other ferrous surfaces. An attached leveling...

Machine creates block and brick.(new products)
April 1, 2004... The Model D concrete products machine creates block, brick, retaining walls, and architectural products. Its quick mold change feature saves down time; height changes are accomplished in 5 minutes. The synchronized vibrators mold vertically to...

Roller offers three drum configurations.(new products)
April 1, 2004... The CA 150 single-drum roller is designed for light-duty operations and offers a tight turning radius (6.9 feet), making it suitable for compacting on large building foundations and in industrial applications. The drum is 66-inches wide, and...

Mixer operates in confined quarters.(new products)
April 1, 2004... The Mobile Mud Hog provides quick, thorough mixing with a gravity-fed side discharge. To use, mix materials in the machine, which is powered by the hydraulics of a skidsteer, and then drive the vehicle to the location where the product is...

Rotary hammer brushes live extended life.(new products)
April 1, 2004... The 11250VSR rotary hammer features a rotating brush system with extended life. The tool also offers a six-amp motor, which enables it to work up to 1350 rpm in rotation-only mode; the dual-mode selector also lets it operate at 6000 bpm in...

Stones handle hot and cold climates.(the mason's toolbag: cladding systems)
April 1, 2004... These all-natural stone products withstand both harsh winters and hot summers. Cast in molds formed from actual stones, they can be installed onto any interior or exterior surface. The light weight stone eliminates the need for brick ledges and...

Tiles offered in 20 colors.(the mason's toolbag: cladding systems)
April 1, 2004... Alphaton clay tile facade is suitable for new and existing residential, commercial, public, and industrial construction. When used on concrete slab structures, the product prevents corrosion by allowing the old building material to dry out. The...

Masonry units replicate limestone.(the mason's toolbag: cladding systems)
April 1, 2004... Renaissance masonry units utilize a cement-free process to replicate limestone. The process fuses limestone's major components under intense heat and pressure to form a dense, fine-grain natural building stone. It is easy to install and clean...

Oversized brick available in classic colors.(the mason's toolbag: cladding systems)
April 1, 2004... The Tidewater Series of oversized, tumbled brick captures the warmth of early American homemade versions. A wide variety of classic blended colors and styles are available. Production is computer control led and monitored with an in-house...

Line includes slates and quartzites.(the mason's toolbag: cladding systems)
April 1, 2004... This diverse line of stone products is suitable for interior and exterior wall cladding. The slates and quartzites do not fade, are non-absorptive, resist staining, and are not affected by freeze/thaw cycles or other extreme environmental...

Wall system suited for inside and out applications.(the mason's toolbag: cladding systems)
April 1, 2004... This wall system provides a high degree of functionality and design flexibility, as well as ease of installation. Suitable for exterior or interior installation, it permits ventilation behind the wall, requires no drilling through brick, needs...

Manufactured stone lays like brick.(the mason's toolbag: cladding systems)
April 1, 2004... Liberty Classic Stone is a manufactured product that is light weight, offers the durability and beauty of natural stone, and is less expensive than natural stone. The molded stone is sized to a 3-inch thickness, which allows it to be laid by...

Secrets to business success.(bookshelf)(book review)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... Rewarding and Challenging Employees: For Profits in Masonry (RACE) is a book that should be in the hands of every masonry contractor, block producer, and construction company owner because it provides a roadmap to reinventing your organization....

Shoot at something.(lookout)(leadership qualities)
April 1, 2004... Leadership is simple. You just have to know exactly what you want for your company, department, or project team. I speak to business owners and ask them, "What do you want?" They respond, "I want to make a profit?' I ask, "How much?" and...