SPONSORED: Innovative solution is the only complete flashing system specifically for 6-inch, single-wythe CMU walls.

Words: Dan Kamys Mortar Net Solutions introduced a new 6-inch size of its BlockFlash™ flashing solution for single-wythe exterior concrete masonry unit walls. BlockFlash is a complete, embeddable flashing solution for managing moisture in CMU walls. It uses patented flashing pans to collect moisture in the wall and channel it to the exterior through integrated weep spouts. The spouts are gray in color to blend in with standard mortar, and factory-installed insect guards prevent insects from entering the block cells through the spouts. Drainage mesh placed in every block cell in the course immediately above the pans provides hundreds of clear pathways for water to flow around mortar droppings inside the cells, where it is collected by the pans. Mortar Net’s BlockFlash cuts installation time associated with using membrane flashing by approximately 50 percent and eliminates the need for multiple architectural CMU sizes that are typical with through-wall flashing. BlockFlash for 6-inch CMU works the same as the 8-, 10- and 12-inch versions, and was designed to meet the growing popularity of utilizing 6-inch CMUs in building construction to help meet building energy codes and for its space-saving benefits in larger buildings. For more information, please click here to visit Mortar Net Solutions.
PPE That Workers Actually Wear: Building Buy-In Through Education and Smart Selection
August 2026

In masonry construction, personal protective equipment (PPE) is often the last line of defense between a worker and an injury. Yet despite its importance, PPE compliance remains one of the most common challenges on jobsites across the country. The realit

Greg Brown
Safety Library
Read More
Zero Laydown: Navigating the Logistics of Tight Urban Job Sites
August 2026

In modern commercial construction, spatial real estate has become just as valuable as the materials themselves. The industry shift toward high-density, urban projects means that the sprawling job sites of the past have been replaced by tight footprints wh

Shayne Sanders
MAP Partner
Read More
Why "The Software Can't Track That" Is Finally Going Away
August 2026

For as long as specialty contractors have used field software, most of them have kept a workaround somewhere: a spreadsheet on a foreman's laptop, a whiteboard in the trailer, or a text thread where crew leads send block counts at the end of the day becau

Erin Koets
Build Smart
MAP Partner
Read More
Monadnock Building
August 2026

Chicago’s Monadnock Building doesn’t dominate the skyline the way it once did. Surrounded by steel-and-glass towers, the dark brick structure can seem almost understated. But for anyone in the masonry industry, it remains one of the most important buildin

Cass Stern
American Treasure
Brick Clay Brick
Read More