PRINCIPLES OF MASONRY

Course Description

facts-at-a-glance

Masons work with brick, concrete and glass block, tiles, terra cotta and stone.  Work can be simple, as in the laying of a wall, or complex, such as installing an ornate exterior or high-rise building.  Like most skilled craft workers, the masonry occupation is active and strenuous; they usually work outside in a variety of working conditions, on the ground, and on scaffolding.  The work is very physical, involving the use of hand tools, power tools and material moving equipment.  Brick and block are laid by hand, requiring the skill of a craftsman, a true artist.  Masons must also be able to read blueprints, understand building codes and be knowledgeable of industry safety requirements and guidelines for handling hazardous materials. 

The Masonry Program at the Career & Technology Center provides an overview of masonry, which is part of the construction industry.  The learning units provide step-by-step program of tools, materials, procedures and technology of the trade.  Students are given classroom instructions and laboratory demonstrations that help them to develop basic skills.  Ample time is allowed for individual differences in skills and abilities. 

Student’s projects will vary in complexity, from laying a simple wall to laying a chimney, arches or fireplaces.  Students will also build a house while earning high school, college and apprenticeship credits!  Masonry skills are refined through the extraordinary experience of the student-built house project, in which students construct a single-family home.  The Masonry course, only offered at the Career & Technology Center, introduces students to the exciting and diverse opportunities in the construction industry.  The Masonry Program is a 2-year program open to 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students throughout the county who are interested in learning the entry-level skills required in the field of masonry. 

The essential curriculum objectives for the Masonry Program are available at http://www.fcpsteach.org/docs/masonry.pdf

 

 

 

Masonry students working on the 2006-07 Student Built House

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roman Arch constructed
by a student