The Enduring Power of Structural Masonry

Words: Shayne Sanders

Masonry has been holding its ground for millennia — literally. And thanks to the simple brilliance of arching action, it continues to do so with strength, style, and surprising efficiency.

In an era of advanced modeling and fast-moving schedules, one timeless structural truth remains: the strength of concrete masonry units (CMU) is unmatched. When properly detailed, structural masonry lintels can span significant openings with confidence, eliminating the need for time-consuming and costly outdated systems.

Arching Action: The Science Behind the Strength
At the core of CMU construction is a powerful principle: arching action. Rather than transferring loads vertically through a masonry lintel, arching action distributes those forces laterally. The load flows through the masonry assembly and into adjacent piers, transforming a matrix of blocks into a unified, load-bearing system.

It’s the quiet force behind resilient walls and sweeping spans — and the reason structural masonry continues to earn its place as the backbone of modern construction.

In practical terms, this means less reliance on steel, fewer costly materials, and a more integrated structural solution that moves with the wall — not apart from it. This isn’t new science. It’s an option that has simply been under leveraged. But that’s changing.

Engineering Education is Catching Up
Across the country, masonry training centers are placing renewed emphasis on the benefits of masonry lintels and modern masonry design. Educators aren’t just teaching future masons how to build better; they’re spreading the word about why the embedded principle of arching action is critical to delivering strong, efficient structures without over-engineering.

Enhanced wall designs and superior masonry materials — like higher-strength grout and block — are contributing factors to the growing benefits of structural masonry.

The simple truth is: masonry lintels work better. They’re easier to build, easier to integrate into building designs, and far more cost-effective when designed properly. When masons and engineers understand how to unlock these benefits, buildings are no longer over-engineered and overpriced — they’re optimized. And that contributes to lower costs, more competitive bids, and better buildings overall.

Real-World Results
Case study: Spanish Fork High School, Utah

At this 1.1 million block high school project, Duane Hale and Sons Masonry constructed an impressive array of masonry lintel openings in all sizes. One opening in particular stood out: a 116-foot-long curtain wall span composed entirely of structural masonry lintels. The opening, divided into four segments of 36, 45, 18, and 17 feet between stationary pier walls, remains one of the most ambitious examples of arching action in masonry construction today.

Projects like this prove that we don’t always need to “over engineer” to build well — we just need to build smarter, using the natural forces in our favor.

So Why Aren’t Masonry Lintels the Standard?
Old habits die hard. Building codes often lag behind innovation. And it takes time for education to reach the field.

Despite masonry’s proven performance — fire resistance, cost efficiency, low maintenance, and structural integrity — it remains underutilized in some markets. But that’s changing too, thanks to forward-thinking contractors, engineers, and toolmakers driving the next evolution of jobsite efficiency.

Enter the Quick Header: Modern Tool for a Timeless Method
Quick Headers are helping to push the industry forward. This patented, removable, reusable steel form system makes it even easier to harness arching action in the construction of masonry lintels. Quick Headers install and remove in minutes, eliminating the need for one-use wood bucks or costly precast or steel lintels that permanently stay in the building — and eventually crack and fail.

By simplifying the construction of masonry lintels, Quick Headers help crews save time, achieve clean and accurate openings, and dramatically increase jobsite efficiency and cost savings.

Masonry lintels aren’t just a better option — they’re a smarter way to build.

Masonry, Reinvented — Still Rooted in Strength
Structural masonry has only gotten stronger, and it continues to evolve. With better tools, informed training, and renewed confidence in the science behind the method, the industry is rediscovering what masonry has always offered: resilience, economy, and reliability. Masonry doesn’t just withstand the test of time — it defines it.

In a world racing toward newer and faster efficiencies, structural masonry endures because it performs. Whether supporting school walls in Utah or streamlining workflows across the country’s jobsites, its value lies not only in its strength, but in its simplicity. When done right, masonry isn’t just a building material — it’s a complete structural system.

So the next time someone questions whether masonry can carry the load, show them the span at Spanish Fork. Then hand them a Quick Header and say, “Our job just got easier, safer — and it saved us money.”

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