On this episode of the MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Justin got to talk with Bob Thomas about his vision with CMHA, how he sees it growing, and where he thinks this industry is heading in the future.

It’s a little after 6 a.m., still dark enough that the site lights paint everything in construction-orange halos, and the superintendent, call him Mike, scrolls through emails hoping to find the updated budget. Not

If you own a construction company, you probably relate to trying to handle everything yourself. Many business owners have fallen into the trap of becoming the hub for every major task, including estimating, bidding, signing contracts, scheduling crews, su

Folks have been calling me lucky for as long as I can remember. Whenever a job turns the corner, or we finally catch a break after a rough patch, someone’s quick to say, “Boy, you sure are lucky

When I was a kid, winter was the time you went hunting and maintained your equipment so that when spring came, we were ready to work. I thought masonry offered me a career where I would have seasonal time

There is a distinct shift in the air when March arrives. You can feel it on the job sites, and you can certainly feel it in the classrooms. As the winter chill begins to lift and the days are a little longer, the construction industry naturally wakes up f

As we head into a new year, I’m excited and, honestly, grateful to step into the role of Chairman of the Mason Contractors Association of America. This industry has been good to my family, and I see this role as a chance to give back and help move things

After another successful year of the Skills Challenge, the MCAA had the opportunity to speak with the three 1st Place winners of each skill level. Get to know their journeys, motivations, and the mindsets they have in order to compete in a national compet

The 2026 World of Concrete Convention marked another successful year for masonry. From the world-renowned Skills Challenge and Fastest Trowel on the Block competitions to the new innovative GEORGE AI class, we gained a lot of ground in pushing this indust

The construction industry tends to chase certainty. We want walls that never leak, materials that never move, and systems that behave the same in the field as they do on paper. Every generation pushes for a tighter envelope, a thinner assembly, or a smart

Have you ever stopped and really thought about how that stone on the wall got there? I don’t mean the install...not the mortar, the scratch coat, or the clean-up. I mean the whole journey. From the first cut in the earth to the

In the world of masonry restoration and retrofit, the goal is always the same: preserve the character and craftsmanship of historic structures while ensuring their long-term stability. But anyone who has worked on century-old brick or stone buildings know

THE MYTH: Masonry Lasts Forever It’s strong, yes, but movement, moisture, and time still take their toll. Common Causes Why Masonry Fails: - Differential movement - Thermal expansion & contraction - Moisture intrusion & freeze–thaw - Corrosion of steel

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

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 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