Back By Popular Demand

Words: Bronzella Cleveland

Back By Popular Demand

Bronzella Cleveland, Editor - bcleveland@staging1.masonrymagazine.com

When I first started working with Dan on MASONRY, I developed a slight obsession with watching HGTV, and now I have to say I’m guilty of binge watching it on the weekends. Paying close attention to any renovation shows where the materials are chosen. I’m just so curious to see what the choice is, while silently hoping it’s masonry or natural stone. Now everywhere I go, I’m starting to see more trendy outdoor kitchens with some sort of paving, brick ovens, granite countertops, and the whole nine. It seems like the trend of using natural stone and hardscaping, in general, aren’t slowing down, which is great for the industry! We always want to provide you, the readers with the beneficial information, and after such a great response to last year’s Mason’s Guide To Natural Stone. We decided to do an encore magazine on natural stone and hardscaping. There are lots of topics in this year’s mini magazine, from quarrying to outdoor kitchens, and hardscaping to name a few. Following my note you’ll find the Marble Institute’s article on quarrying, Where Does All That Beautiful Stone Come From? Provides the fundamentals on the variety of stones and the quarrying process, it’s a must-read for sure. There are two more quarrying pieces that you won’t want to miss, The Quarry Story gives a breakdown of how to get started in the business of stone quarrying. While Crushing Rock Or Crushing Rocks provides a deeper look at how quarrying is down from start to finish. Landscape Architecture is another hot topic we wanted to cover this month. The Trends In Residential Landscape Masonry will give you insight into the newest trends in outdoor living and more. We hope the information you’ll find in MASONRY: Hardscapes and Natural Stone to be just as beneficial as the natural stone guide. As always, feel free to email Dan or I with any comments or ideas you’d like to see in the magazine, and enjoy!  
The Behind-the-Wall Secrets Every Mason Already Knows (But Some Ignore)
March 2026

You’ve been around long enough to know this already: stone doesn’t fail on the face; it fails behind the wall. You can lay the prettiest veneer in the county, but if the prep is junk, that wall’s gonna start telling on you after a couple of winters. Manu

Rob McKay
Technical Talks
Read More
From the Mound to the Mortar: Jon Rauch’s Tall Order in the Masonry Industry
March 2026

In the record books of Major League Baseball, Jon Rauch is a literal giant. At 6 feet, 11 inches, he remains the tallest player to ever step onto a Big League mound. But today, the Olympic Gold Medalist and 11-season MLB veteran isn’t looking for a strike

Robert Melgaard
Industry News
Read More
Case Study: The Scoop
March 2026

Leading UK architecture firm, Corstorphine & Wright, has announced the completion of ‘The Scoop’, a unique concave office building in Southwark, London. The innovative design reuses an existing building and integrates a conical cut-out façade in white gla

Case Study
Read More
Executing Color-Driven Designs Without Compromising Craftsmanship
March 2026

On today’s jobsites, masonry contractors are being asked to do more than install manufactured stone veneer (MSV). They’re being asked to interpret design trends and execute them with precision. Homeowners arrive with curated Pinterest boards. Designers r

Jeff Tew
Technical Talks
Read More