Chapter 9 Masonry, Glass, and Plastic

Objectives After reading the chapter and reviewing the materials presented the students will be able to: Outline the basic steps in laying masonry units Describe the types of safety glass Identify types of plastic used in plumbing

Masonry Masonry is a process of building with stone, brick, concrete masonry units, and other similar material. Stone is one of the oldest building materials. Most stonework today is installed as non load bearing decorative surfaces on interior and exterior walls. Granite is hard and durable. Sandstone varies in hardness and durability. Limestone is a light grey stone (buildings and monuments in Washington, D.C.). Marble is less resistant to weathering and more prone to staining than granite. Slate is used for floor tile and roofing. Manufactured stone is made from lightweight concrete and resembles natural stone. Stone is used for fireplace surrounds, accent walls, and floor surfaces.

Brick Bricks: A carefully prepared mixture of clay, shale, and a limited amount of water is fed into an extruder. The extruded ribbon is cut with a large wire cutter. Once the bricks have dried sufficiently, they are placed in a kiln for firing. Building brick, also called common brick is strong and durable. Facing brick is used on exposed surfaces where appearance is important. Ceramic glazed brick is a facing brick with ceramic glaze applied to the exposed surface. Hollow brick is used in installations that require rebar reinforcement. Paving brick is a hard and wear resistant brick used as a roadway surface. Sewer and manhole brick are highly water resistant. Bricks are used for interior and exterior walls, fireplaces, walkway patios, driveways, fences, and floors.

Concrete Masonry Units Concrete masonry units are made from Portland cement, aggregate (sand and small gravel), and water. The blocks are ejected from the molds automatically. They are moved to a room with controlled temperature and humidity for curing. Hollow and solid concrete blocks are manufactured in many shapes and sizes. Concrete brick is similar in size to masonry brick. Applications for concrete masonry units include foundation walls, exterior and interior walls, firewalls, solar screens, chimneys, fireplaces, paving, and veneer walls.

Other Masonry Units Gypsum Block: Gypsum blocks are made from gypsum and a binder of vegetable fiber, mineral fiber, or wood chips. They are suitable for non load bearing, fire resistant interior partitions. They are usually finished with a plaster coating. Clay Building Tile: Clay building tiles are made from fired clay. The hollow units are produced in load bearing and non load bearing forms. Filling the hollow cores with insulation improves the performance as an insulator against heat and sound. It is most often used as an exterior finish.

Mortar Mortar is a binding agent that binds masonry units together. It must be durable and water resistant. Mortar is made from Portland cement, masonry cement, hydrated lime, sand, and water. Ties are wire or sheet metal pieces used to join different wall material. Leads are corners of a masonry wall. They are laid first as a guide for laying the remainder of the masonry units between two leads. Mason’s line is a light strong cord that is stretched between leads as a guide for laying blocks between corners.

Glass The primary ingredients of glass are sand (silica), soda (sodium oxide), and lime (calcium oxide). Window Glass: is the least expensive type of glass and is produced in single strength (1/16”) or double strength (1/8”). Safety Glass: Tempered glass is made by heating glass to near its melting point and then cooling it rapidly. It is 3 to 5 times stronger than non-tempered glass. It breaks into pebble like particles instead of sharp slivers. Laminated glass is produced by sandwiching one layer of clear plastic sheet between two layers glass. The plastic sheet increases resistance to breakage. Wired glass was developed as a fire resistant material. The wire mesh in the center of the glass holds the glass together even if it cracks from the heat of a fire. Insulating Glass: is two or more sheets of glass separated by an air space. Moisture is removed from the air space to prevent condensation from forming during cold weather. To increase resistance to heat transfer the air space can be filled with argon gas. Coated Glass: Mirror glass is made by applying a thin coat of silver to the back of a piece of glass. The coating provides the reflective surface. One way glass is made by applying a very thin metallic coating to one surface of the glass. The glass acts as mirror from one side but is translucent or clear from the other side. Glass Uses: Most glass used in construction is for windows or doors. Storm doors, shower doors, shower enclosures, and skylights are made with tempered or laminated safety glass. The exterior walls of some buildings are enclosed with reflective glass.

Plastic Acrylic and Polycarbonate Plastics: are used primarily as a replacement for glass. They have much greater impact strength than window glass. A disadvantage is that they can easily be scratched. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): is used for cold water supply and drain waste and vent piping. PVC piping and fittings are white in color. PVC adhesive is used to bond joints. Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC): is suitable for hot water supply. CPVC pipe and fittings are tan in color and joined using CPVC adhesive. Cross linked polyethylene (PEX): can be used for both hot and cold water supply. PEX cannot be joined with adhesives. PRX fittings are used to join separate pieces. Polyethylene (PE): is used most frequently to pipe natural gas. PE pipe is now manufactured in yellow to distinguish it from orange communication wiring. Styrene Rubber (SR): piping is used to move water from downspouts, septic tank drain fields, and foundation drains. Vinyl: is used for siding, soffit, fascia, gutters, and floor coverings. It is available in a variety of colors and is easy to work with and requires little maintenance.

Summary Masonry is a process of building with stone, brick, concrete masonry units, and other similar material. Stone is one of the oldest building materials. Bricks are used for interior and exterior walls, fireplaces, walkway patios, driveways, fences, and floors. Mortar is a binding agent that binds masonry units together. The primary ingredients of glass are sand (silica), soda (sodium oxide), and lime (calcium oxide). Tempered glass is made by heating glass to near its melting point and then cooling it rapidly. It is 3 to 5 times stronger than non- tempered glass. It breaks into pebble like particles instead of sharp slivers. Laminated glass is produced by sandwiching one layer of clear plastic sheet between two layers glass. The plastic sheet increases resistance to breakage. Wired glass was developed as a fire resistant material. The wire mesh in the center of the Insulating Glass: is two or more sheets of glass separated by an air space. Moisture is removed from the air space to prevent condensation from forming during cold weather. To increase resistance to heat transfer the air space can be filled with argon gas. Acrylic and Polycarbonate Plastics: are used primarily as a replacement for glass. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): is used for cold water supply and drain waste and vent piping. PVC piping and fittings are white in color. Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC): is suitable for hot water supply. CPVC pipe and fittings are tan in color and joined using CPVC adhesive. Cross linked polyethylene (PEX): can be used for both hot and cold water supply. PEX cannot be joined with adhesives. PRX fittings are used to join separate pieces. Polyethylene (PE): is used most frequently to pipe natural gas. PE pipe is now manufactured in yellow to distinguish it from orange communication wiring. Styrene Rubber (SR): piping is used to move water from downspouts, septic tank drain fields, and foundation drains. Vinyl: is used for siding, soffit, fascia, gutters, and floor coverings. It is available in a variety of colors and is easy to work with and requires little maintenance.

Home Work 1. What is tempered glass and what is its advantage? 2. What is insulating glass and what can be done to increase resistance to heat transfer?