CET 210 Masonry Wiki by student for junior level Fundamentals of Building Construction class at Old Dominion University.

1. CET 210 Masonry Wiki Assignment
David Shofstahl
Fall 2014
Old Dominion University

2. Structural Masonry:
Structural masonry usually involves additional provisions and reinforcement to account for live
loads and other building stresses. Today, concrete masonry units (CMUs) are typically the material
of choice for structural masonry because of their versatility for reinforcement. Examples of
structural masonry include foundations and load-bearing walls.

3. Structural Masonry:
Not as common as CMU, bricks, stone, and other units are also used for structural masonry.
100 years ago, masons used heavy, local stone
for the foundation of this 2-story brick structure.

4. Structural Masonry:
Reinforced headers, beam pockets,
and control joints are a few com-mon
features of structural masonry.
Beam pocket & bond beam window header
Residential basement at
the Greenbrier in WV
Control joint (circled in red) to
absorb movement at the corner
of this load-bearing wall at
Walmart in Covington, VA
Bulkhead and bond beam over openings
in Scott Hall at DSLCC in Clifton Forge, VA

5. Structural Masonry:
These structures are built primarily of load-bearing masonry.
Split-face block (CMU) utility building at CSX rail
yard in Clifton Forge, VA. The CMU walls are the
structure and carry the weight of the roof.
James Burke House Eatery (circa
1820), Covington, VA. The brickwork
is multi-wythe and load-bearing.
The 2nd-story floors are supported
by the 1st-floor brick walls.
Limestone tunnel in
Caldwell, WV. The stones
are fit together in an arch
to resist the massive
weigh of the soil above

6. Masonry Veneer/ Siding:
Masonry provides sound, weather/pest-resistant protection as a durable, sustainable siding.
Quarried and chopped limestone
White Sulphur Springs, WV
Brick and reclaimed sandstone
Enon Valley, PA
Masonry stucco and Dryvit system
White Sulphur Springs, WV

7. Combining Masonry Elements:
Masonry materials are quite compatible and blending different elements adds beauty and character to a
building. However, care must be taken to provide isolation membranes and/or control joints to allow for
differential movement between materials due to thermal expansion and contraction and moisture sponging.
These private homes at the Greenbrier in WV demonstrate the asthetic value of masonry material blending.
On the left, we see reclaimed brick, natural fieldstone inlays, and a heavy bluestone lintel over the fireplace
opening. The house on the right combines chopped ashlar stone work with cut limestone and stucco.

8. Combining Masonry Elements:
Blended masonry softens the appeal
and adds texture to the exteriors of
commercial buildings, as well.
Quality Inn, Covington, VA:
Manufactured, thin veneer stone and stucco (Dryvit)
First Citizens Bank, Clifton Forge, VA: brick, precast concrete, stucco
Dollar General, Clifton Forge, VA:
Brick, split-face block, and precast concrete

9. Patterns, Shapes,
Arches, & Corbels:
Main Street Baptist Church, Clifton Forge, VA Private residence, Greenbrier
Lewisburg Baptist Church
Lewisburg, WV Northwest TrueValue Hardware
Clifton Forge, VA
Private residence, Greenbrier Sporting Club

10. Patterns, Shapes, Arches, & Corbels:
Various stone projects on private residences at the Greenbrier in WV

11. Patterns, Shapes, Arches, & Corbels:
Early in my apprenticeship, I
had the privilege of design-ing
and laying this unique
wall of many brick patterns.
The owner wanted some-thing
creative, and I wanted
the experience!
This project in Enon
Valley, PA includes
Flemish bond, Herring-bone,
Basket weave,
Soldier course, Sailors,
Stacked bond, Rowlock,
corbels, octogons,
stone keys, stone
quoins, and a circle.
I was 18 and unsuper-vised
– it was a blast!

12. Masonry Paving:
Greenbrier
residence:
Brick pavers
(basketweave)

13. Masonry Fireplaces:
Masonry fireplaces sustain tremendous temperatures and protect the structure from fire.
This outdoor fireplace in Sharron, VA
on the Cowpasture River was desig-ned
to receive a grill in the firebox.
Masonry affords flexibility of design.
Here is a large firebox for a fireplace I
built in Salem, VA a few years ago. The
refractory brick are made with a high
silica and aluminum content to
withstand intense heat with minimal
expansion. The mortar is Portland
cement, silica sand, and dry milled
fireclay. There is no lime in refractory
mortar because it spalls and degrades
quickly under heat.
The geometry of these round flu liners
allowed us to accommodate 3 48” wide
fireplaces in a single chimney on this
project in Bent Mountain, VA. The clay
liners are wrapped with fire-resistant
mineral wool insulation to isolate the
liners from the masonry rough-in and
protect them from damage resulting
from thermal expansion.

14. Masonry Fireplaces:
Smith Mountain Lake, VA
48” Herringbone firebox
Daniels, WV
48” Running bond firebox
Masonry fire-place
under
construction at
Glade Springs
Resort near
Beckley, WV. The
rough-in is
reinforced CMU
and the “guts”
are refractory
masonry. The
smoke chamber
is cast-in-place
and the
refractory
components are
isolated from
the rough-in
from the firebox
to the roof.
This Isokern fireplace at the
Greenbrier in WV is assembled
on-site from prefabricated
lightweight, refractory parts. The
throat units are shown at the top
of the image above the firebox.

15. We use the fireplace in our home as a
primary heat source. This is an
authentic Victorian coal burning unit
that is almost 100 years old. I replaced
the firebrick a couple of years ago, but
the rest of the masonry is still sound.
The intensity of this coal fire is evident
Greenbrier residence:
Stone fireplace
Greenbrier residence: brick sur-round
Stone fireplace in a home at Smith in this image. Masonry withstands heat.
Mountain Lake in Wirtz, VA
and wrap-around mantle

16. Other Masonry Projects:
This is a stone compass rose I cut
and inlayed into a brick patio for a
client in Fincastle, VA. The
materials were remnants of
granite, marble, and sandstone.
Polished brass rods were installed
to accent 3-dimensional depth.

17. Other Masonry Projects:
I am a stone mason…. And my wife
wanted an herb garden.
This is what she got. We call it “The
Folly.”
This structure serves as a retaining wall,
raised bed, and trellis. The limestone
walls are set in lime-mortar to replicate
historic masonry. The window is an
original Victorian piece from the house.
The intent was to make it look like a
dilapidated building, and the effect
worked! Visitors and passers-by are
always curious about its history – it’s a
good conversation piece.