-- Includes instructions for building popular masonry projects, such as barbecues, patios and retaining walls. -- Step-by-step instructions accompanied by color photos.

Here is the revised edition of this popular, practical manual with updated information on everything from on-site preplanning and layout through the construction of footings, foundations, walls, fireplaces, and chimneys. Plus, the book covers improved estimating techniques to help readers win more construction bids and pocket a healthy profit every time. The ideal reference for busy masonry contractors.

Masonry Heaters is a complete guide to designing and living with one of the oldest, and yet one of the newest, heating devices. A masonry heater’s design, placement in the home, and luxurious radiant heat redefine the hearth for the modern era, turning it into a piece of the sun right inside the home. Like the feeling one gets from the sun on a spring day, the environment around a masonry heater feels fresh. The radiant heat feels better on the skin. It warms the home both gently and efficiently. In fact, the value of a masonry heater lies in its durability, quality, serviceability, dependability, and health-supporting features. And it is an investment in self-sufficiency and freedom from fossil fuels. The book discusses different masonry heater designs, including variations extant in Europe, and explains the growth of their popularity in the United States beginning in the late 1970s. For the reader who may be familiar only with open fireplaces and metal woodstoves, Masonry Heaters will bring a new understanding and appreciation of massive heat storage and gentle-but-persistent radiant heat. Masonry heaters offer a unique comfort that is superior to that from convection heat from forced-air systems, and more personal than that offered by “radiant” floors. As Matesz demonstrates, the heat from the sun or from a masonry heater is genuine heat instead of just insulation against the loss of heat. Those who are looking to build, add onto, or remodel a house will find comprehensive and practical advice for designing and installing a masonry heater, including detailed discussion of materials, code considerations, and many photos and illustrations. While this is not a do-it-yourself guide for building a masonry heater, it provides facts every heater builder should know. Professional contractors will find this a useful tool to consult, and homeowners considering a new method of home heating will find all they need to know about masonry heaters within these pages.

The only all-inclusive, accessible reference for all aspects of building with masonry and concrete for residential purposes - ideal for residential builders, contractors, remodelers, and other professionalsPart of the Complete Construction Series, this design-it, specify-it, and build-it source aids decision-making and construction performance by illustrating and explaining the function and behavior of each materialProvides problem-avoiding insights into installation, construction, storage, and cleaning techniques - filled with tables, graphs, and over 100 illustrations

Combining the techniques of the author's previous two classic books, CORDWOOD MASONRY HOMES and EARTHWOOD, plus a decade of new information, new lessons to avoid pitfalls, and new ideas, this book offers a complete update on this dynamic housebuilding method.

A lifelong Catholic, John Salza was initiated into a Wisconsin's Masonic Lodge, lured by the group's camaraderie and philanthropies. Yet, as he rose through the ranks, he became increasingly troubled by its dangerous teachings, mysterious rituals, and complete incompatibility with the Catholic Faith. Now, former Freemason, Shriner, and Lodge Officer John Salza reveals the astounding truths about what's really going on behind the lodge door. For the first time, get a surprising, inside look at the group's controversial rituals, practices, and philosophies from one of their own ? secrets sworn to be upheld under the threat of death! Essential for anyone affiliated with or considering the Lodge, their families, and their friends, this eye-opening book presents evidence on: ? The deception in recruitment, initiation, and covenant oaths ? The problematic ideology of Freemasonry and relativism ? How their spiritual beliefs contradict Catholicism ? and Christianity at large

This is a new release of the original 1947 edition.