Masonry Magazine February 2012 Page. 29

Words: Charles Clark,
Masonry Magazine February 2012 Page. 29

Masonry Magazine February 2012 Page. 29


Soapstone Brick

THEY HOLD HEAT!
• INCREASED EFFICIENCY
• STANDARD ASTM SIZES
• GREAT FOR FIREPLACES & MASONRY HEATERS!

It's No Secret! Soapstone is by far the most natural & energy efficient way to go! It's inherent heat holding capabilities make it the "Green" choice for more energy efficient fireplaces, wood stoves, masonry heaters, and radiant heat flooring.

• Slabs • Sinks • Veneer
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Ph: 866-SOAPSTONE
Fax: 802-419-8233
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READER SERVICE #180

CMU TO THE RESCUE

Constructing a building meant to endure these brutal exposures-over and over, throughout the life of the building-required an extraordinarily strong, durable construction material. For this reason, concrete masonry units (CMU) were used for all exterior, as well as interior walls. The masonry was left exposed, since facing materials could not stand up to the rigors of the exposure. This made construction fast and easy, and helped to keep costs down.

An integral water repellent additive was used in the concrete masonry mix during manufacture, to reduce water absorption by capillary action, and also to reduce the possibility of efflorescence deposits. This was particularly important as the walls are frequently inundated with water at high pressures during the training exercises. Equally important is the use of a compatible integral water repellent in mortar that not only provides the same water repellen cy to the mortar, but also includes a bond-enhancing admixture to ensure a strong, water-tight bond with the masonry units.

The Fremont Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Fremont Fire Explorers also will train at the site. The final cost for constructing the training center was just more than $4 million. Fogel says it was completed under budget. The center replaces a 47-year-old training tower and is expected to last well into the future.

The FTTC project's structural engineer was R.M. Byrd and Associates Inc., Ontario, Can.; the general contractor was Diede Construction Inc., Woodbridge, Calif.; the mason contractor was Gentry Masonry Corp., Santa Rosa, Calif.; and the masonry producer was Basalite, Tracy, Calif. IMAS
This article is courtesy of the National Concrete Masonry Association.
www.masonrymagazine.com

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READER SERVICE #239
February 2012 MASONRY 19


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