From Soup To Nuts, Or From Design Through Build

Words: Dan Kamys

Dan Kamys, Editorial Director - dkamys@masonrymagazine.com

This special edition issue of MASONRY is called MASONRY x DESIGN. You could probably tell by the unique masthead, but I thought I’d remind you this is really a showcase issue. In this publication, you will see content that spans the entire design through the construction process. This content will not only circulate to the mason contracting community who usually receives MASONRY. But it will also be distributed to the architectural and design subscribers of our sister publication, MASONRY DESIGN.    When we acquired MASONRY DESIGN magazine at the start of last year, it was always our intention to do something special that unites both of our magazines’ respective content focuses. Consider this issue the first step at doing that. By highlighting the entire design and construction process, we hope to start to create a bridge between those creating the concept for structures and the ones responsible for the successful and safe execution.    In this issue, you will find a variety of interesting articles that will span all sides of a project. David Biggs is back with his Technical Talk. If you’re a MASONRY reader, you may know him from his Marvelous Masonry series. If you’re a MASONRY DESIGN reader, you’d probably recognize him from his technical talks. Here he is with the latest Technical Talk.      Additionally, we have a landscape architecture article. Outdoor living is such a hot area of construction right now, and this piece will provide five tips that every mason should know. To complement this, Dean Marsico of the famous Dean and Derek who write for MASONRY magazine takes us through landscape architecture through a contractor’s eyes.      BIM-M is also getting an update in this issue, with a piece from Jamie Davis about why mason contractors should care about the design software. Additionally, the NCMA provides us with an article on the latest version of their Direct Design software.    Whatever your profession related to the construction industry, the entire team and I hope that you find the information contained in this special edition useful and beneficial. Please let us know if you have any suggestions or feedback on our content!    dsig
Helical Beaming: Your Top 6 Questions on Installation, Cost, and Limitations
March 2026

Although helical masonry beaming is still an underutilized and relatively unknown method in masonry repair and restoration, the number of questions and requests I get on this topic increases every week, which I view as promising. Helical masonry beaming i

Technical Talks
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Wired for Safety: Electrical Maintenance for Fire Prevention
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Could your company survive if an electrical failure sparked a fire at your business? Electrical malfunctions cause thousands of non-residential building fires annually.1 Proactive maintenance and action are essential to help safeguard your operations.

Patrick Cunningham
MAP Partner
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The Behind-the-Wall Secrets Every Mason Already Knows (But Some Ignore)
March 2026

You’ve been around long enough to know this already: stone doesn’t fail on the face; it fails behind the wall. You can lay the prettiest veneer in the county, but if the prep is junk, that wall’s gonna start telling on you after a couple of winters. Manu

Rob McKay
Technical Talks
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From the Mound to the Mortar: Jon Rauch’s Tall Order in the Masonry Industry
March 2026

In the record books of Major League Baseball, Jon Rauch is a literal giant. At 6 feet, 11 inches, he remains the tallest player to ever step onto a Big League mound. But today, the Olympic Gold Medalist and 11-season MLB veteran isn’t looking for a strike

Robert Melgaard
Industry News
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