Page 159 - Masonry and Concrete

Masonry Construction Techniques
158 CHAPTER FIVE

PULL WIRE
BEVELED BED JOINTS

LIFTING BOARD

FIGURE 5-20
Beveled bed joint. (from Technical Note 21C, Brick Industry Association, Reston, VA).

Since concrete blocks are hollow, they are mortared differently
than bricks. Concrete block walls are typically laid with what is called
face shell bedding, in which the mortar head and bed joints are the
same depth as the face shells and flanges
(Figure 5-22). Because of their weight and
difficulty in handling, masons often stand
several blocks on end and apply mortar to
the head flanges of three or four units at
one time. Each block is then individually
WRONG WRONG RIGHT placed in its final position, tapped down
FIGURE 5-21 into the mortar bed, and shoved against
the previously laid block, thus producing
Full head joints improve mortar bond and limit mois-
ture penetration. (from Technical Note 17C, Brick well-filled vertical head joints at both
Industry Association, Reston, VA). faces of the masonry. When installing the

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