Hot & Cold Weather Masonry Construction

Performance of Units

General. When considering the influence of masonry units on construction during hot weather, one should recognize that the absorption (suction) of units may vary dependent upon their exposure at the project. Units that have been heated and dried by the sun will absorb more water from the mortar than units kept shaded.

High absorption units can contribute to rapid dry-out of mortars in hot weather. Wetting of high absorption fired clay units prior to use will reduce this tendency to dry out the mortar. Concrete masonry units should not be wetted before use, but concrete masonry can be covered with wet burlap or water sprayed after walls are constructed to assure adequate curing moisture.

Summary. Unit temperatures and absorption characteristics affect the properties of masonry constructed during hot weather. Shading units during storage, wetting high IRA fired clay units, and water spraying or covering clay or concrete masonry walls with wet burlap after construction are methods of compensating for the effects of hot weather on unit properties and masonry performance.

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