Masonry facts for kids

A mason laying mortar on top of a finished course of blocks, prior to placing the next course.

Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar. The term "masonry" can also refer to the units themselves.

The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone such as marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, and tile. Masonry is generally a highly durable form of construction.

Applications

A brick wall built using Flemish Bond

Masonry is commonly used for the walls of buildings, retaining walls and monuments. Brick is the most common type of masonry. Concrete block masonry is rapidly gaining in popularity as a comparable material.

Related pages

• Castle
• Defensive wall
• Stonemasonry
• Freemasonry

Images for kids

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  Dry set masonry supports a rustic log bridge, where it provides a well-drained support for the log (which will increase its service life).

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  Brick Work

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  Masonry repair work done to a brick wall.

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  Concrete masonry units (CMUs) or blocks in a basement wall before burial.

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  Stone Masonry

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  Gabion Wall

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  A comparison (using transmission photoelasticity) between the stress diffusion in an elastic body (on the left) and a model of masonry (on the right). A highly localized stress percolation is visible on the right.

See also

In Spanish: Mampostería para niños