Manufactured Stones

 Artificial masonry units are regulated within a strict dimensional co-ordination system in order to always fit into regular masonry bonds without needing to be cut to size. They can be made form different mineral materials which have properties ranging from high compressive strength to high thermal-insulation capacity. Both characteristics are, however, mutually exclusive and are only available in form of highly specialised industrial products. Inorder to execute masonry bonds as well as in order to protect the exposed masonry from weathering by adequate renderings, different mortars need to be used. In modern masonry construction, the latter are also specialised for particular functions, e.g. for being processed in thin layers for an enhanced thermal insulation or for being applied upon a thermal-insulation layer like in external thermal-insulation composite systems.