With technology advancing and manufacturing methods improving, many construction tools have been redesigned or revamped. But in masonry, one tool has remained constant, not because it hasn’t evolved, but because its purpose and performance have always wor

When the final school bell rings and students head out for summer break, the classrooms and masonry shops may go quiet, but the work of workforce development kicks into high gear. Last month, MCAA Regional Director Jason McCoy wrote about the undeniable p

When Everyone Says Quit, But Your Gut Says Push I have been in business long enough to know it humbles even the most confident entrepreneur. It can test your nerves and make you question every decision, especially when you’re surrounded by mentors and a

The Tate Modern’s industrial past is still visible from across the Thames. Long before the building became one of the world’s best-known museums, it operated as the Bankside Power Station, a coal-fired facility designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and con

In golf, players who artificially inflate their handicaps to gain an unfair advantage during competitions are known as "sandbaggers." The term comes from the concept of filling your golf bag with some sand so it’s heavier than normal, causing you to get t

Yes, summer is hot; that is just how it is. Summer heat can have effects on many things, and as I get older, I realize there is usually something I can do to tolerate the hot days. We all know the obvious, and I am sure every one of us has that person who

As masons, we spend our careers building walls. We build them with brick, block, stone, and mortar, and we take pride in making them straight, strong, and built to last. But over the years, I’ve learned there is another kind of wall we build—the walls we

This month, the MCAA had the pleasure of speaking with SkillsUSA First Place Winner Owen Heimbach, a young mason just starting out whose enthusiasm for bricklaying is truly contagious. His passion for the craft was evident throughout our interview.

I’ve been noticing an uptick in a very specific kind of application lately, and once you see the pattern, you can’t unsee it. The résumé usually reads like a family photo album. “Started helping my dad when I was 15.” “Worked summers, then full time.” “R

More often than not, you can walk up to a wall, observe its condition, and get an entire timeline story. How it was built, how footers were set, and where water is routed. After years in the field, I’ve come to understand that brick repair isn’t maintenan

Anyone who’s spending time around CMU jobs today can see the shift. Concrete masonry isn’t just the backup wall; it is the finish on more projects. Thanks in part to the CMU check-off program and a broader focus on design and education, architects and own

Brick and masonry remain among the most admired architectural materials in the world because of their natural beauty and authenticity. Masonry possesses depth, variation, texture, permanence, and character that synthetic cladding systems often struggle to

Bricklaying might not change simply because you cross a state line. It does change when you travel 24 hours to the other side of the world and lay bricks under lights, cameras, and a stopwatch. The fundamentals of the trade are universal. Brick, mortar,

The Masonry Foundation is dedicated to advancing the masonry industry and is accepting grant applications for 2026. Proposals should have national reach and aim to generate substantial progress within the masonry industry. To explore examples of past gra

Many compound words are self-explanatory "descriptive names." Sunglasses are glasses that block the sun. A fireplace is a place to build a fire. A cavity wall is exactly that: a wall assembly that contains a cavity. Previously, this concept was used prim

Before I was fortunate enough to lead Malta Dynamics, I spent a couple of years as a traveling salesman for the company. My territory covered the entire country (and some beyond), and in a typical year, I visited more than 100 jobsites across nearly every