Diane Travis Technical Director Rocky Mountain （黛安·特拉维斯技术总监落基山）.pdf

Diane Travis Technical Director Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute 686 Mariposa Street Denver, CO 80204 303-893-3838 dianet@ SINGLE WYTHE WALLS In an ever-escalating effort to save money without sacrificing quality, some owners and architects are asking for buildings constructed with single wythe masonry. These structures can indeed be a very cost effective solution when the owner wants the permanence and low maintenance of a masonry building but has a very limited budget. Since a single line of oversized brick or block serves as the structural system, the outside finish and the inside finish, you gather economy by eliminating some systems and by simplifying others. Everyone should be aware that single wythe walls do not have the redundancy of a traditional cavity wall. To obtain the weather-resisting quality of a cavity wall, the single wythe wall must be very carefully detailed and very carefully built. Pay attention to the following items: FLASHING Water which penetrates the skin of the masonry will travel down the open cores of the brick or block. Since a single wythe wall is not as efficient in expelling water as a cavity wall would be, you need to work hard to keep the water OUT of the wall. Thru-wall flashing at the parapet cap and under window sills is your first line of defense. Flash/weep systems are also recommended above bond beams where the solid line of grout stops the downward flow of water. BASE CONDITION If water does get into the wall (and a wise architect will assume that some water will get in), flashing and weepholes will direct this moisture back to the outside face of the building. Several companies have designed single wythe weep systems that work well. Cavity Vent by Masonry Technologies and Blok-Flash by Mortar Net are two of the most common weep systems for single wythe walls. Both are easy to install and both provide a weep hole at each ungrouted masonry cor