Common Terms and Phrases by Masonry Repair Contractors
Our experienced Wisconsin masonry and concrete contractors want to be your best resource not only for high quality repair services, but also advice and common phrases used in the restoration industry. Cornerstone Restoration provides these important term definitions so you have a better understanding of the services we provide and what we work on. It is best to have an understanding of the restoration industry’s common terms and phrases, so you can rest assured knowing where your money is going.
| Barrier System | Comprehensive protection against water infiltration. Barriers can be made of membranes, glass or metal. |
| Brickwork | Masonry comprised of brick and mortar |
| Caulk | A waterproof material used to seal joints or cracks in buildings |
| CMU | Concrete Masonry Unit. These are large concrete bricks used for construction. Also known as cinder block, besser block or concrete block |
| Flashing | A waterproof, thin piece of material placed through air spaces and mortar joints in masonry to prevent water infiltration into the building envelope or the bricks themselves. Usually steel, aluminum, copper or another metal |
| Flue | A heat resistant, enclosed passage which carries off smoke produced by a fire in the fireplace |
| Footing | Concrete used to support walls, columns, piers or chimneys |
| Grout | A mortar used to fill holes between masonry walls or in building units |
| Hairline Cracks | Very fine cracks in concrete which have no pattern and often do not completely penetrate an exposed layer of concrete |
| Joint | The edge where two masonry units meet |
| Keystone | The center brick or stone in an archway |
| Lintel | A beam or horizontal structural unit which hangs over an opening like a door or window |
| Masonry | The craft of laying masonry units like brick, concrete, stone, structural tile or glass blocks |
| Mortar | A plastic mixture of sand, water and a binder which is used as a bed for keeping masonry units in place |
| Pointing | Filling the joints with mortar after the masonry units are laid |
| Precast Concrete | A piece of finished concrete which is transported directly to the construction site and is ready for immediate placement |
| Quicklime | A caustic substance made out of calcium oxide created by heating limestone. It is a required component of cement |
| Rise | Vertical direction |
| Run | Horizontal direction |
| Sealant | A waterproof material like caulk used for filling cracks or joints |
| Sealer | A material applied directly to the surface to protect against water or chloride infiltration |
| Spall | A fragment of stone, rock or concrete which has fallen from the masonry surface due to rusting or harsh weather conditions |
| Span | The distance between two supports |
| Terracotta | Clay molded into the desired shape and treated in a kiln at high temperatures; typically used for ornamental work |
| Tooling | Shaping, finishing or compressing mortar joints with a specific finishing tool |
| Trim | Designed sills made of stone which line the edges of buildings and windows |
| Tuckpointing | Refilling old joints with mortar after raking them out and cleaning them |
Contact Wisconsin masonry repair specialists at Cornerstone Restoration for more information or to receive a quote today.