Masonry Magazine May 1970 Page. 27
The Monowall Construction System utilized in the new 480-unit Martin Luther King Homes, currently under construction, utilizes Threadline brand adhesive mortar. Blocks are laid in a vertical configuration.
Thin-Bed Mortar Systems
A number of recent building projects are demonstrating that thin-bed mortar systems can produce high quality masonry walls and make substantial reductions in costs at the same time.
The outstanding compressive and tensile strength of Threadline mortar joints was the most significant factor in making this change possible. This material, a product of The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., has exceptional high early bond strength and, when fully set, the joint it creates is stronger than the block.
Threadline adhesive mortar consists of an epoxy resin, a resin hardener, latex, and portland cement. For convenience in handling and mixing, the four components are precisely measured, individually packaged, and packed in kits weighing less than 10 pounds. After mixing, the mortar is applied on beaded strips with an ordinary caulking gun. One bead near each edge of the bed is sufficient for a superior mortar joint.
For increased efficiency and economics, an air-powered caulking gun can be utilized. This unit can be connected to an air compressor, or the mason can carry a lightweight air tank on his back. By using a double nozzle on the end of the gun, both beads can be applied simultaneously.
From a level starting surface, a wall can be laid up about as fast as a man can lift and place the blocks into position. If the starting surface is not level, an initial leveling course can be laid and leveled with conventional mortar. No further leveling of courses is required, because the blocks have been ground smooth and parallel on their horizontal surfaces.
The thin-bed joints do not require tooling, and there are no mortar drippings to clean up after the wall is finished. Disposal of the small empty mortar packages is relatively simple.
Prefabricated wall sections of ground block and Threadline adhesive mortar are now expediting construction on the Village West Project, a low-income housing development in Louisville, Ky. (Architect-Design Environment Group: general contractor-Cox & Crawley; mason contractor Southern Masonry, Incorporated). In this case, the ground block panels are conveniently prefabricated at the block plant to reduce handling and breakage, then trucked to the job site for installation on the building.
The advantages of this thin-bed adhesive are most apparent in the curtain walls being constructed of a 6 profile, ground unit. Elimination of the normally thick joint enhances the appearance of this vertically ribbed block, and the high strength and durability of the mortar permits its use for the full 32 stories of the Penthouse Towers in (Continued on next page)
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