TM
October 2000
Section 2.12.4
When architects and contractors want Drainage Cavity also likely to be installed in the cavity,
to build the most durable, watertight depending on project design criteria.
The drainage cavity should be a nominal
building possible, they rely on masonry Insulation should not inhibit the free
2" clear to allow for proper construction
cavity walls. The top performing of all flow of water draining through the
of the wall and to minimize mortar fins,
masonry wall types, cavity walls provide cavity. It also needs to allow for room
droppings and bridging. The purpose of
a balance of beauty, design versatility, to place the units - masons need to have
the cavity is to drain any water before it
durability and economy. As with any a finger hold on the back of the unit for
can penetrate to the interior. A cavity
masonry wall, the skills of the bricklay- proper installation. The vapor retarder
can do this when it is clean, but it does
ers and masonry contractors are not have to be pristine. Some mortar is frequently, but not always, placed on
paramount to the long life and success droppings and protrusions are to be the cavity side of the backup wall. It also
of the wall. expected, but the key point is the can serve as a dampproofing barrier - a
Cavity wall systems are composed of performance of the cavity: Is it draining kind of secondary level of defense for
two wythes of masonry, usually brick water to the flashing? any moisture that does bridge the
and concrete block, secured together by Cavities can be any width greater than cavity. The architect specifies the type
metal ties with an open space, or the 2-inch nominal (1 5/8" actual) dimen- and location of the vapor retarder based
cavity, between the two wythes for sion. However, beyond 4 1/2" in width, on a condensation analysis.
drainage. Flashing and weep holes, to a wall tie analysis must be done to make Cavity drainage inserts have been
collect moisture and drain the space, are sure the ties can transfer the loads to introduced into cavity wall construction
also part of a cavity wall system. the interior wythe over the longer to assist with keeping the flashing and
A cavity wall addresses moisture cavity span. weeps relatively clear of mortar drop-
Insulation and vapor retarders are pings. There are many types of cavity
penetration by realizing that, during the
life of a building, it is likely that water
will penetrate the exterior wythe of the
wall. It can enter through top caps,
copings, sills, at windows, doors and
many other locations. Wind-driven rain
may find its way through hairline fissures
between the mortar and the masonry
units, and larger cracks may occur over
time, allowing moisture to penetrate.
The cavity wall system recognizes that
water will get through the exterior wythe
at some time in the building’s life, so it
is designed to drain that water through
the cavity and direct it to the exterior
through the flashing and weep system.
Four essential components for proper
cavity wall performance, in addition to
the masonry wythes, are:
Workmanship
The skills of the bricklayers are
essential to the overall performance of
any masonry wall, especially cavity
walls. Union contractors and bricklay-
ers have the training and experience to
provide expert installation of flashings,
weeps and other components of the
cavity wall system.
Keeping the cavity relatively free and
clear of mortar droppings is an impor-
tant consideration. The purpose of the This cavity insert will assure that the weep holes will
cavity is to drain any water penetrating be unobstructed by mortar falling into the cavity.
the exterior. If the cavity is clean enough
to do this, it is an acceptable cavity.
Generally, mortar droppings and projec-
tions should be kept to a minimum, but joint profiles can be used, especially in Other Design Considerations
some should be expected. dry or moderate climates where water
The metal wall tie system that con-
Techniques to keep the cavity clean infiltration and freeze/thaw concerns are nects the two wythes of masonry should
vary. Beveling the mortar bed back not as severe as in the northern regions. be an adjustable system, allowing the
slightly from the cavity side of the unit Full head joints and bed joints, when two wythes to expand and contract
works well, as does parging excess fins using solid units, are also important independently. It also must transfer
with the tip of the trowel. Inserting a workmanship issues, again to keep the loads from the exterior wythe to the
board into the cavity to catch mortar water from entering the cavity. The term interior backup wall. The tie system
droppings and then drawing it up as wall “full,” however, is hard to quantify. The must have the ability to adjust and move,
construction progresses is a practice that entire masonry wall is laid one unit at a while being rigid enough to transfer the
does not work well in the field. The time by hand, in all weather, under all loads structurally.
board can impact the newly constructed jobsite conditions. It is not possible, or The exterior masonry experiences a
masonry, breaking the bond, and it is necessary, to have every single head and wider variation of temperature and
difficult to raise the board while keep- bed joint on the building 100% full, front thermal stresses than the interior
ing it level. In cases, this has resulted in to back. It is possible to make sure that masonry wythe because the interior wall
the mortar droppings on the board every attempt is made to try to reach is only exposed to the conditioned space
falling back into the cavity. The mason that goal. The industry is attempting to on one side and isolated from some of
contractor should be instructed simply quantify what is an acceptable level of the impact of the outside temperatures
to keep the cavity clean so it drains, with by the cavity insulation on the other side.
“full,” but to date, no consensus has
the specific technique worked out on Frequently, cavity walls are built of
been reached. The job site sample panel
the job site sample panel to the different types of masonry units - clay
can be used as a communication tool to
satisfaction of the designer and the brick on the exterior and concrete
reach an agreement between the
contractor. masonry units (CMU) on the interior,
designer and the mason contractor as for example. Since brick expands and
Proper tooling of the mortar joints on
the exterior wythe plays a major role in to what is acceptable on this job. The concrete block shrinks, differential
reducing the water penetration into the goal of a cavity wall is to minimize water movement between the two wythes
cavity. Concave or V-shaped joints that that penetrates the exterior wythe; a results. If the two wythes are tied
are tooled when thumbprint-hard and drainage system is in place to collect together too tightly by the tie system,
compressed slightly into the units form and direct any moisture that does enter this movement cannot be accommo-
a better weathering surface. Other back to the outside. dated and cracks result.
Masonry Cavity Walls - page 4
Summary
The purpose of this article is to
outline the function and major compo-
nents of the cavity wall system. It is not
all-inclusive, but gives an outline of the
major components of the system and the
way they function. A cavity wall is
forgiving by nature, with several layers
of built-in insurance to minimize Beveling the bed joint minimizes mortar droppings into the cavity, a technique often used
interior moisture penetration, character- by trained, union bricklayers.
istics not found in most other wall
systems. Cavity walls are considered the
best performing masonry wall system
because they offer this excellent resis-
tance to interior moisture penetration
when properly designed, specified and
constructed by union mason contractors
and bricklayers.
This document is intended for the use of industry professionals who are competent to evaluate the significance and
limitations of the information provided herein. This publication should not be used as the sole guide for masonry design and
construction, and IMI disclaims any and all legal responsibility for the consequences of applying the information.