Masonry Magazine February 1995 Page. 16
The Upscale Look of Concrete Masonry
Considered only a utilitarian material ten years ago, concrete masonry is increasingly being used in creating aesthetically pleasing structures with what owners perceive as an upscale look.
FOR ITS DURABILITY and load bearing properties, concrete masonry has always been a practical building material. But in times past, it wasn't considered a thing of beauty. Fifty years ago, concrete masonry had all the design characteristics of a big, gray box. It was usually found on warehouses and out-of-the-way office buildings. Today, with the wide variety of textures, shapes, sizes and colors, concrete masonry is seen on virtually any type of building, including homes. Architects are selecting it as an attractive and versatile, as well as dependable, building material. Several St. Louis, Missouri area architects offer their reasons for choosing concrete masonry on recent area projects.
"Ten years ago, concrete masonry was more of a utilitarian material," says Steve Coffey. Director of Architecture with Kennedy Associates. "Now, with the combination of ground face units and other block textures, you have more flexibility in creating a structure with an aesthetically pleasing appearance that owners perceive as an upscale look." Coffey says that 75% to 80% of their work is with some type of masonry, and 20% of that is concrete masonry. "We will use it as a feature element on both exterior and interior walls," he says. "By using concrete masonry units' palette of multiple colors and textural variety, it provides a strong accent."
"Almost all the interior surfaces on a number of schools we have worked on are of CMU because of their durability and appearance," says Coffey. Interior walls are often painted for added appeal. Several different types of expoxy coatings and acrylic paints can be used. "Acrylic gives a greater variety of colors," he says.
If paint is used, it's important to seal the pores adequately first. Coffey says that areas of heavy scuffing will need painting every two to three years, but low abuse areas will need new paint every seven to eight years. A ceramic coated CMU will need little maintenance. Glazed units come in a wealth of colors and provide an attractive design element. Kennedy Associates used ceramic coated CMU for the St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District's secondary Continued on Page 53
By ED GLOCK
Executive Director, Masonry Institute of St. Louis
16 MASONRY JANUARY/FEBRUARY, 1995