CalStar Adds Oversized Brick to Offerings

Words: Dan Kamys CalStar Adds Oversized Brick to Offerings

CalStar Adds Oversized Brick to Offerings

CalStar Products has introduced an oversized facing unit to complement its line of sustainably manufactured masonry. The facing unit can be used as a design element for base courses at grade and for contrast bands. The units contribute to multiple LEED credits on applicable projects.

CalStar says it uses proprietary technology to produce bricks that offer unique environmental benefits. The process incorporates 40 percent post-industrial recycled material as the binder, and avoids the energy-intensive kiln firing required for clay bricks. The manufacturing process uses 85 percent less energy and generates 85 percent less CO2, compared to traditional fired brick.

The oversized facing unit is 4 X 8 X 24 inches in size, and is equivalent to a nine-brick soldier course, resulting in time-saving, simple installation. For more information, visit www.calstarproducts.com.

CMU Partitions: How Much Reinforcement Is Actually Required?
February 2026

Walk onto almost any job site and you’ll find masons laying out interior partitions much the same way they did decades ago. The work looks straightforward: stack the units, strike clean joints, and keep the wall plumb. And the function of these partitions

MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Episode 37 Recap: Starling Johnson, VP of Sales at STALITE Lightweight Aggregate
February 2026

On this episode of the MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Starling Johnson joins the set in Indianapolis to talk about her path within masonry, sales in this industry, and life outside of work.

Masonry Restoration: Why Walls Fail and How We Fix Them
February 2026

Masonry doesn’t crack. Old brick never has issues. Every masonry wall lasts 100 years or more… right? If only that were true. Masonry is one of the most durable building materials ever used, but like all construction, it responds to time, movement, mo

MCAA President Jeff Buczkiewicz Testifies To Congress On AI In Masonry
February 2026

On February 11, 2026, Jeff Buczkiewicz, President and CEO of the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA), testified before the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections. He spoke during a hearing titled “Building an AI-Ready America: Safer Workp