Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 257 C H A P T ER 13 Laying Block OBJECTIVES After studying this chapter, you will be able to: ■ ■■ Explain how planning and site preparation impact concrete masonry. ■■ Describe the various types of concrete masonry walls. ■ Perform basic operations such as spreading mortar, handling concrete blocks, applying head joints, cutting blocks, and using a mason’s line. ■ ■■ Lay various types of concrete block walls. ■ Remove mortar from concrete block walls using appropriate methods. TECH TERMS cavity wall collar joint composite wall control joints ears face shell bedding hollow masonry walls metal twig (trig) nonloadbearing walls parging reinforced concrete masonry walls solid masonry walls Mments ost concrete masonry units (CMUs) are used in the construction of base- and foundation walls, exterior above grade walls, interior partitions, or retaining walls. The design and construction of a wall depends on fac- tors such as desired appearance, fire resistance, economy, strength, insulation, and acoustics. The layout of a wall and use of specific masonry units takes into account modular planning, internal arrangement of components, provision for expansion and contraction, and weather resistance. All of these factors affect the success of a concrete masonry wall assembly. Figure 13-1 shows a variety of applications and designs of concrete masonry construction. 13.1 Planning and Site Preparation Similar to brick laying, block laying requires the planning, preparation, estimat- ing, and ordering of materials. Following these steps ahead of time will help you to be efficient during the construction of a project. Labor costs, material costs, and weather are three elements that can affect the success or failure of a construc- tion company. The processes of estimating quantities of material and developing a schedule are usually performed by the owner, superintendent, project manager, and the estimator of a company. This group is sometimes called the management team.