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Workshop Practice
II. Masonry work
December,2018
(By Abdu N.)
 Presentation overview
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 Definition

 Types of mortar

 Terminologies and tools

 Stone and natural stone masonry construction

 Brick masonry and types of brick bonds

 HCB masonry construction

 Plastering work
 Masonry work
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 Masonry may be defined as the construction of

building units bonded together with mortar. The
building unit may be stone, bricks, or pre-caste
blocks of concrete.
 Masonry is used for construction of foundations,
walls, columns and other similar components of
buildings.
 Cont’d
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It performs functions such as:

 Supporting loads
 Subdividing spaces
 Providing thermal and acoustic insulations
 Affording fire and weather protections
 Cont’d
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Masonry may be constructed mainly with the

following units:
1. Dressed (natural) stones
2. Hollow Concrete Blocks
3. (Burnt) clay bricks
 Types of masonry
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 Stone masonry
 Brick masonry
 Hollow concrete block masonry
 Reinforced brick masonry
 Composite masonry
 Types of mortar
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 A mortar is a mixture of sand with a binding agent

(generally cement and/or lime), to which water is
added in previously determined proportions.

 Lime mortar: Lime-sand-water

 Cement mortar: cement-sand-water
 Compo mortar: cement-lime-sand-water
Mortar Functions
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 Cont’d
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 It bonds masonry elements together in all directions

(vertical and horizontal joints).
 It allows forces to be transmitted between the
elements and notably vertical forces (i.e. the weight
of the elements themselves, or applied forces).
 It enables these forces to be distributed across the
whole surface of the masonry elements.
 As a wall plaster and constituent of concrete.
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Tools for masonry work
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Stone Masonry
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 Types of Stone
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Natural stone
 Igneous - Hard and non-porous rock formed from the
slow or quick cooling of molten magma. The best
example is granite.
 Sedimentary - Soft and fairly porous rock formed from
deposits of eroded pre-existing rock that settled in layers
mostly on sea beds, and became compacted. The best
examples are sandstone and limestone.
 Metamorphic - Hard and non-porous rock formed
from pre-existing rock that has been altered by intense
heat or pressure. The best examples are marble and slate.
 There are huge variations within each of these rock
types, caused by specific 22 mineralogy and geology

conditions, and while any stone can be used for

building, they have constraints that make them more
or less suitable for different purposes.
 Granite, sandstone and limestone can all be used for
building walls, but slate is only suitable for roofs and
floors. Some types of granite can contain mineral
salts that cause spilling, where the outer face of stone
falls off; slate can contain harmful minerals that
break down on exposure to the atmosphere causing
stone damage; and sandstone can be too porous and
fragile for load-bearing structures
 REQUIREMENTS OF BUILDING STONE
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 The important requirements are:

(1) strength,
(2) hardness,
(3) workability,
(4) durability,
(5) color and grain,
(6) porosity and texture,
(7) ease of quarrying, and
(8) accessibility
 Cont’d
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 Stone which does, in general, satisfy the foregoing

requirements and which are commonly used for
construction in Ethiopia include: basalt, trachyte,
granite, limestone, marble, sandstone, ignimbrite,
pumice, and scoria.
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Natural Stone Masonry Construction
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 Artificial Masonry Units
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 Brick
 Hollow concrete block (HCB)
 Solid concrete block
 Definitions of terms used in masonry works
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 Course: is a horizontal layer of masonry unit

 Header: Brick, Stone or Hollow concrete block so
laid that the length of units is perpendicular to the
face of the wall
 Stretcher: Brick, Stone or Hollow concrete block so
laid that the length of units is parallel to the face of
the wall
 Header Course: Course of Brick, Stone or Hollow
concrete block work showing only header
 Cont’d
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 Stretcher Course: Course of Brick, Stone or Hollow

concrete block work showing only Stretcher
 Bed; Lower surface of Brick, Stone or Hollow
concrete block
 Bond: Overlapping of Brick, Stone or Hollow
concrete block in alternative course so that no
continuous vertical joints are formed and individual
units are fixed together.
 Quoins: Exterior angel/corner of wall
 Cont’d
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 Face: Surface of wall exposed to weather.

 Back: Inner surface of wall.
 Hearting: Inner portion of wall between facing and
backing
 Side: Surface of units in direction transverse to face
and bed.
 closer: Junction of brick cut in such manner that one
long face remains
 Cont’d
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 Joints: Junction of adjacent units(bed joints, vertical

joints etc)
 Queen closer: Portion of brick obtained by cutting
brick length wise in to two portions
 King closer: Brick cut in such a manner that the
triangular piece b/n the center of one end and the
center of another (long) side is taken out.
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 Brick Masonry Construction
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 Made of brick units bonded together with mortar,

use of bricks and mortars.
 Mortar may be lime mortar ,cement mortar or mud
mortar,
 Use of factory made brick
 Strength of brick work depends upon quality of
brick, quality of mortar and method of bonding
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 Classes of bricks
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First class bricks

 Strictly confirm to standard size of modular bricks
 Manufactured from good quality plastic earth
 Have good uniform color
 Well burnt, sound is estimated when two bricks are
struck together
 Cont’d
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 Have straight edges and even surface

 Free from cracks, chips, flaws, etc
 When immersed in water for one hour, they do not
absorb water more than 1/6 of their weight
 No sign of efflorescence
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Second class bricks

 Also confirm to standard size
 Slightly irregular in shape and color
 Also fully burnt , gives ringing sound
 When immersed in water for one hour, they do not
absorb water more than ¼ of their weight
 Cont’d
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Third class bricks

 Quite irregular in shape and size and finish
 Not fully burnt due to which they are reddish-yellow
in color
 Low crushing strength
 Not used in quality brick work
 Minimum Compressive Strength
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Class
Average of 5 bricks Individual bricks
(N/mm2) (N/mm2)

A 20 17.5

B 15 12.5

C 10 7.5

D 7.5 5.0
 Hollow Concrete Block Masonry (HCB)
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 Hollow Concrete Blocks (HBC) are blocks

manufactured from concrete and processed into
moulds, to achieve the required physical strength
and dimensions to requirements and standards.
HCB are produced, to construct:
 Load bearing walls (Class A & B)
 Non load bearing walls (Class C)
 Cont’d
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 Hollow blocks are the most common types of

concrete blocks,
 Hollow blocks have one or more holes that are open
at both sides.
 The total void area can amount to 50 % of the gross
cross-sectional area.
Minimum compressive strength of HCB
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 Cont’d
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The production of Hollow Concrete Blocks

 Aggregates, i.e. Sand, Gravel, Red Ash; should be
clean, stored separately close to the mixing plant
 Water: must be clean and free of impurities
 Cement: Portland cement shall be used as a binder
material for the mortar mix.
 Machinery & Equipment: Must be in perfect
condition and sufficient in numbers to suit the daily
production needs.
 Production: Before production can commence, all
materials have to be approved by an official
concrete lab.
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Operational Staff and Supervision

In order to achieve the best possible quality a specific
group of workers should be trained on:
 batching
 mixing
 pouring into the mould
 operating the block making machine
 transporting the blocks
 curing and stocking
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PLASTERING WORK
 Introduction

 Plastering is the method of covering various

components of a building with a plastic material to
form durable surface.
 The object of external plastering is to cover the
surface to enable it to resist the atmospheric
influence, particularly the penetration of rain.
 The object of internal plastering is to provide a
smooth surface in which dust and dirt cannot lodge.
 Functions of Plasters

 Protecting the building's walls against the direct

exposure of shocks and weather conditions as sun,
rain, humidity, storms and sands... etc.
 Increasing the value of the internal & external parts
of the building. They give the final aspect of the
building.
 Constituents/ Material for plastering

Plastering materials are mainly composed of

 Material for plastering

 Port land cement

 Lime (quicklime,
 Gypsum
 Hair
 Sand/aggregate
 Application of coat for Internal and
external wall plastering

The internal plaster consists of 3-coats which are

First layer: (Key Coat) or The Scratch coat
 This layer "Key Coat" is not less than 5 mm with (1:2)
cement: sand mortar.
Second layer: Base-Coat (Rendering)
 The base coat thickness shall not less than
10mm, with (1:3:0.25) cement: sand mortar: lime.
Third layer: Finishing Coat or The Set coat
 Finishing coat thickness is about 3-5mm with
(1:4:0.50) cement: sand mortar: lime.
 Types of wall plastering

Lime plaster
 Lime plaster is used in the restoration and
preservation of older buildings. Lime is mixed with
sand and water in the proportion of 1 of lime to 3
parts of sand by volume, with water for use as
undercoat, and by itself mixed with water as a
finish coat.
Cement plaster
 Cement is mixed with sand and water for use as an
undercoat for application to brick and block walls
and partitions. It is used on strong backgrounds as 1
part of cement to 3 or 4 parts of clean, washed sand
by volume.
Gypsum plaster
 The advantage of gypsum plasters is that they
expand very slightly on setting and drying and are
not, therefore, likely to cause cracking of surfaces.
Finish plaster
 Finish plaster is powdered, retarded hemihydrate
gypsum by itself for use as a thin finish coat for
both gypsum undercoats and to plasterboards.
Mixed with water the plaster is spread and finished
to a thickness of about 2 to 5mm and sets in about 1
to 2 hours.
 How to make a good plastering mortar?

Cement:
 Hydraulic cement or any other Portland cement can
be used for manufacturing of the plastering mortars.
Fine Aggregates: Sand
 The sand participates about 65% in the mass (46% of
volume) of the plastering mortar. The maximum
diameter (D) of the fine sand should be less than or
equal 4 mm.
Mixing Water:
 The water used in the plastering mixture should be
clean and free of harmful materials as, oils, grease,
acids, alkalis, salts, organic materials or any other
materials that may harm the mortar.
Properties of the mortar with a good quality:
 Consistency: The property of the mortar tendency
to resist the deformations.
 Plasticity: It is the indication of the mortar
capability to be deformed under mechanical action.
 Cohesion: It is the indication of segregation
resistance which leads to the capability of the
mortar to maintain its water on the walls.
 Tixotropia: The fluidity of the mortar and its ease
to be applied.
 Capability of Adhesion: Property of being mortar
applicable in vertical or any direction, without cease
or break.
 Retention of Water: The capability of keeping the
water of the paste after its application, in contrast
with evaporation from the supposed parts.
 Direction for better usage of plastering
mortars:

 Surfaces must be cleaned from dust, loose particles

and grease, which may isolate the plastering coat to
be stacked onto the surfaces.
 Smooth concrete surface and walls must be
roughened by firstly applying a tartasha coat or
applying a bonding liquid.
 In hot weather conditions, wet the surfaces by
cleaned water before application.
 Slowly add clean water to the dry plastering mixture,
until the texture is like thick cream and no lumps are
present.
 Do not mix more quantity than that can be used in
approx. 1 hour.
 Leave surface flat and slightly roughened, to be ready
for application of rendering material.
 Clean equipment and tools after each mix. Materials
from a previous mix must not be added to a new
mixture.
 Efflorescence if any shall be removed by brushing
and scraping.
 Dust and loose mortar shall be brushed out.
 NOTE

 For 20cm thick two coat plastering works, coarse

sand shall be used for the 12 mm thick undercoat
(first coat) and fine sand for the 8 mm thick
finishing coat (second coat) unless otherwise
specified.
 The surface of under coat shall be left rough and
2mm deep furrows shall be made with a scratching
tool to form key for the finishing coat.
 The finishing coat shall be applied after the
undercoat has sufficiently set but not dried and in
any case within 48 hours of laying the undercoat.
 Cont’d
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