Concrete masonry is a staple material of the construction industry; a silent workhorse that encompasses reinforced concrete block and concrete block veneer, along with concrete block paving and flagstone paving for pedestrian walkways.

Concrete masonry offers structural and architectural advantages in a single material and is recognised as a major contributor to a sustainable built environment.

The New Zealand Concrete Masonry Manual, which was created in the late 1970s as a guide to the design and construction of concrete masonry, has been updated and is available in sections for free download as required.

New Zealand Concrete Masonry Manual

• Complete Manual [30MB]

Cover

• Cover

1. General

• 1.1 What is Concrete Masonry?

• 1.2 Concrete Masonry Wall Units

• 1.3 Modular Wall Masonry

• 1.4 Mortar and Mortar Joints

• 1.5 Block Laying

• 1.6 Masonry Trades and Registration of Masons

• 1.7 Specifications for Concrete Masonry Wall Units

2. Properties of Concrete Masonry

• 2.1 Fire Resistance

• 2.2 Weather Resistance and Surface Coatings

• 2.3 Thermal Performance / Passive Solar Design

• 2.4 Acoustic Performance

3. Construction Details

• 3.1 Basic Masonry

• 3.2 Reinforcement of Masonry

• 3.3 Wall Construction

• 3.4 Compressive Strength of Masonry Prisms

4. Reinforced Masonry

• 4.1 Design of Reinforced Concrete Masonry Structures

• 4.2 Standard Specifications for Concrete Masonry Buildings Not Requiring Specific Engineering Design

• 4.3 Masonry Buildings Not Requiring Specific Design

• 4.4 Design Publications

5. Veneer Walls

• 5.1 Veneer Walls

• 5.2 Concrete Bricks and Walls Ties

• 5.3 Specification for Concrete Masonry Bricks

• 5.5 Veneer - Stack Bond

6. Specific Constructions

• 6.1 Masonry Retaining Walls

• 6.2 Garden Walls

• 6.3 Control Joints

 7. Pavers

• 7.1 Concrete Segmental and Flagstone Pavers - Guide to Specifying

• 7.2 Segmental Paving Design and Construction

• 7.3 Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavements