Q: I’m considering options for the interior on our new project. What Concrete Masonry aesthetic options are available?
-Concrete Aesthetics Masonry Interiors
A: Dear CAMI: Concrete Masonry Units have come a long way since the term “cinder block” was coined and there’s a variety of aggregate colors available to us here in the Northeast. Deep blacks, grey speckled granites, stones that range from peachy to brown and others that range from pink to...Read More
Q: How are concrete masonry units made?
-Curious About Manufacturing
A: Dear CAM: At our facility we manufacture both structural grey and architectural units. Most architectural finishes expose the beauty of local aggregates and we have a variety of aggregate colors available to us. Deep blacks, grey speckled granites, stones that range from peachy to brown, and others that range from...Read More
Q: Is using a RILEM tube test the best way to determine the water repellency of a concrete masonry structure?
-Water And Leakage Test
A: Dear WALT: No. The short explanation is that a RILEM tube test measures the water repellency of a surface, making it suitable to evaluate the efficacy of non-water permeable coatings. While today it is generally used by the coatings industry, it originated as a way to provide the initial absorptive...Read More
Q: We are using COMcheck™ to have a bit more flexibility passing the energy code. What’s the best way to enter insulated CMU?
-Capacity of Heat Using Comcheck™
A: Dear CHUC: I’m so glad you asked! The default option for concrete block in COMcheckTM does not take into account alternative web configurations, so it’s generally not the best way to go when entering insulated CMU systems such as Hi-R® or Hi-R-H®. These systems have reduced webs which minimize thermal bridging...Read More
Q: Is continuous insulation required to meet the energy code?
-Continuous Insulation Myth Busted Again
A: Dear CIMBA: It is not. There are several options to pass the energy code; prescriptive, trade off (COMcheck™) and whole building analysis. Within the prescriptive method there are 2 tables which can be used to pass the code, the R-value and the U-factor table. Only the R-value table has the CI...Read More
Q: We are designing a building using 4x8x16 polished CMU anchored veneer. In addition to the anchors, do we need to include joint reinforcement?
-Joint reinforcement In Masonry
A: Dear JIM: YES! Concrete Masonry anchored veneers follow similar recommendations for crack control that structural CMU walls do. Movement caused by temperature changes, moisture-volume changes, de lection and/or shrinkage needs to be accommodated. Shrinkage cracks in concrete masonry aren’t a structural concern but an aesthetic one, though they could potentially...Read More
Q: For pre-insulated single wythe concrete masonry wall systems, where would the vapor barrier go?
-Vapors Impacting Concrete
A: Dear VIC: For special circumstances, such as an indoor pool or museum quality storage, a vapor barrier could be needed and the variables for each scenario would need to be considered. For general use, pre-insulated CMU mass walls don’t require a vapor barrier. Mass walls behave differently from other structural...Read More
Q: After having Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) done for each one of your Concrete Masonry Unit mix designs, is there anything in particular that you learned?
-Environmentally Lowering Impacts
A: Dear ELI: Having EPDs for each of our mix designs has really helped us see what factors affect the environmental impacts of our products. One interesting thing we uncovered was that previously valued sustainable attributes, such as recycled content and regional materials, didn’t matter as much as we thought for environmental...Read More
