Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference

Alabama Masonry Contractor

Alabama  ·  PSI Services Contractor

Verified, not estimated. Every figure below is drawn from the official exam structure we maintain — question counts, passing standard and topic weighting. Practice questions are grounded in the source law with statute citations. We omit any figure we can't verify rather than guess at it.
Total questions
60
Passing score
70%
Exam time
180 min
Administered by
PSI Services Contractor
Format
Reference materials allowed

Alabama State Portion 60 questions

Estimating and Plan Reading 4 Q · 7%
Reading and interpreting construction drawings (floor plans, elevations, sections, details)Drawing scales and converting scaled dimensions to actual measurementsAlphabet of Lines and standard drawing symbols for masonry materialsEstimating brick quantities using area and volume calculationsBasic math operations applied to masonry estimating (fractions, decimals, percentages)Masonry terminology and definitions as used in codes and contract documentsConstruction document requirements (project drawings, specifications, contract documents)Metric and US customary unit conversions for masonry dimensions
Unit Masonry 19 Q · 32%
Masonry materials: brick, concrete masonry units (CMU), and clay tile types and classificationsMortar types, proportions, and joint construction requirementsMasonry wall systems: solid, hollow, cavity, composite, and veneer wallsReinforced and unreinforced masonry design methods (allowable stress, strength, and empirical design)Laying brick and block: spreading mortar, bed and head joints, bond patterns, and mason's lineMasonry wall components: ties, flashing, weep holes, lintels, sills, and expansion/control jointsMasonry fireplaces and chimneys: construction requirements, firebox dimensions, and seismic reinforcingSpecial inspections, quality assurance, and testing requirements for masonry construction
Mortar and Grout 16 Q · 27%
Mortar types and their applications (Types M, S, N, O, K)Mortar material ingredients and ASTM standards (Portland cement, hydrated lime, masonry cement, sand, water)Mortar proportions by volume and property specifications per ASTM C270Grout types, materials, and proportions per ASTM C476Plastic and hardened mortar properties (workability, water retentivity, compressive strength, bond strength, durability)Mortar mixing procedures, retempering, and time limitsCold and hot weather mortar and grout construction proceduresGrout placement methods, pour heights, lift heights, and cleanout requirements
Accessories 7 Q · 12%
Metal wall tie types and applications (rectangular, Z-tie, corrugated)Anchors and anchor bolts for masonry connectionsJoint reinforcement types, sizes, and placement (ladder, truss, tab)Corrosion protection and coating requirements for metal accessoriesMovement joints (contraction, expansion) and joint filler materialsMasonry veneer tie spacing, sizing, and anchorage requirementsAdjustable tie systems and re-anchoring systemsReinforcing bar sizes, placement, and identification markings
Stone 2 Q · 3%
Classification of stone by formation type (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic)Types and characteristics of common building stones (granite, limestone, sandstone, marble, slate)Grades and colors of Indiana limestoneStone surface finishes (gang sawed, shot sawed, plucked, honed, polished, etc.)Stone wall patterns (rubble, roughly squared, ashlar/dimensioned)Applications of stone (veneer, sills, copings, quoins, paving)Manufactured stone installation and mortar requirementsHandling, storage, and safety practices for stone materials
Tools 4 Q · 7%
Trowel types and patterns (Philadelphia, London, Wide London) and their usesSpecial-purpose trowels (margin, pointing, tuck pointer, gauging, duck bill)Jointers and joint rakers for finishing and removing mortar jointsMeasuring and marking tools (folding rules, retractable tapes, chalk box, steel square)Levels (mason's level, electronic levels, rotary laser level) and level casesChisels and brick hammers for cutting and shaping masonry unitsMortar tools (mortar box, mortar hoe, mortar board, mortar stand, mortar bag, mortar mixer)Concrete flatwork finishing tools (screeds, darbies, bull floats, edgers, groovers, hand floats, concrete broom, vibrators, trowels)
Restoration and Cleaning 4 Q · 7%
Cleaning new brick masonry: procedures and precautionsAcid cleaning methods for dark and light colored brickNon-acid cleaning methods: pressurized water washingAbrasive blasting for masonry cleaningCleaning failures: causes and preventionCleaning concrete block masonry: permitted methods and restrictionsGeneral cleaning precautions during masonry constructionACI 530.1 requirements for cleaning exposed masonry surfaces
Safety 4 Q · 7%
Scaffold safety requirements and load capacity (Subpart L)Fall protection systems for masonry operations (Subpart M)Personal protective equipment selection and useLadder and stairway safety requirements (Subpart X)Hazardous substances and silica exposure controls (Subpart Z)Materials handling, storage, and disposal (Subpart H)Concrete and masonry construction safety requirements (Subpart Q)Hand and power tool safety for masonry work (Subpart I)

Key Distinctions

Foundation wall extension above grade with masonry veneervsFoundation wall extension above grade, all other conditions

Concrete and masonry foundation walls must extend not less than 4 inches above finished grade where masonry veneer is used, but not less than 6 inches elsewhere.

IRC 2021 Section R404.1.6
Grade SW building brickvsGrade MW / Grade NW building brick

Grade SW (Severe Weathering) is highly frost resistant for freezing exposure such as foundation courses and retaining walls, while MW is for moderate exposure and NW is for interior backup masonry.

Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Page 116
Common (American) bondvsFlemish, English, and stack bond

Common bond is a running-bond variation with full-length header courses every fifth to seventh course for structural bonding, while Flemish alternates headers and stretchers in every course, English alternates full header and stretcher courses, and stack bond is purely a pattern bond with no overlapping.

Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Pages 129-130
At-rest soil pressurevsActive soil pressure

Walls whose horizontal movement is restricted at the top must be designed for at-rest pressure, while retaining walls free to move and rotate at the top are permitted to be designed for active pressure; exception — foundation walls extending not more than 8 feet below grade and laterally supported at the top by flexible diaphragms are permitted to be designed for active pressure.

IBC 2021 Section 1610.1
Hollow masonry unitvsSolid masonry unit

A hollow unit has a net cross-sectional area less than 75 percent of its gross area measured in any plane parallel to the surface containing voids; a solid unit has 75 percent or more.

ACI 530/530.1-11, TMS 402 Code Chapter 1, Section 1.6 Definitions, Page C-16
Type S mortarvsType N mortar

Type S (medium-high strength, high bond and lateral strength) is required for cavity walls where wind velocities may exceed 80 mph and is recommended for reinforced masonry and maximum flexural strength, while Type N is permitted only for cavity wall locations with lesser winds.

Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Chapter 10 — Mortar and Grout, Section 10.5.8 — Cavity Walls
Masonry chimney inside the building or within the exterior wallvsMasonry chimney entirely outside the exterior walls

Interior chimneys (or those within the exterior wall) require a minimum 2-inch airspace clearance to combustibles, while chimneys located entirely outside the exterior walls require only 1 inch.

IBC 2021 Section 2113.19
Uninhabitable attic with storagevsUninhabitable attic without storage

Storage classification applies where the maximum clear height between joist and rafter is 42 inches or greater (or two or more adjacent trusses accommodate a 42-in. by 24-in. rectangle); attics with clear height less than 42 inches and no storage need support only 10 psf live load.

IBC 2021 Section 1607.22.2
Live load: sleeping areas and habitable attics (one- and two-family)vsLive load: all other areas (one- and two-family)

Sleeping areas and habitable attics require a minimum 30 psf uniform live load, while all other residential areas require 40 psf (uninhabitable attics without storage 10 psf, canopies 20 psf).

IBC 2021 Table 1607.1
Fireplace hearth minimum thicknessvsHearth extension minimum thickness

Concrete or masonry fireplace hearths must be not less than 4 inches thick, while hearth extensions have a lesser minimum of 2 inches.

IBC 2021 Section 2111.10.1
Corbeled masonry smoke chamber wallsvsPrefabricated or rolled/sloped smoke chamber linings

Corbeled masonry forming the inside of a smoke chamber may not be inclined more than 30 degrees from vertical, while prefabricated linings or rolled/sloped walls are permitted up to 45 degrees.

IBC 2021 Section 2111.9.1
Crawl space ventilation without ground covervsCrawl space ventilation with Class I vapor retarder over exposed earth

Standard net ventilation opening area is 1 sq ft per 150 sq ft of under-floor area, but with an approved Class I vapor retarder over the ground the area may be reduced to 1/1,500 of the under-floor area.

IRC 2021 Section R408.2
Veneer tie fastener in Seismic Design Categories D₀, D₁, D₂vsVeneer tie fastener in lower seismic design categories

In SDC D₀–D₂ the minimum tie fastener is an 8d ring-shank nail (2½ in. × 0.131 in.), an upgrade from the standard 8d common nail allowed in lower categories.

IRC 2021 Table R703.8.4(1), footnote c; IRC 2018 Table R703.8.4(1)
Vinyl siding fastener spacing, horizontal panelsvsVinyl siding fastener spacing, vertical panels

Fastener spacing must not exceed 16 inches for horizontal siding and 12 inches for vertical siding.

IBC 2021 Section 1404.14.1.3

Key Terms

Competent person (OSHA) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, Page 31
One who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.
Fire wall IBC 2021 Section 202 (Definitions - Fire Wall)
A fire-resistance-rated wall having protected openings that restricts the spread of fire and extends continuously from the foundation to or through the roof, with sufficient structural stability under fire conditions to allow collapse of construction on either side without collapse of the wall.
Building area IBC 2021 Section 202 (Definitions - Area, Building)
The area within surrounding exterior walls (or exterior walls and fire walls), excluding vent shafts and courts, and including unwalled areas that fall within the horizontal projection of the roof or floor above.
Occupant load IBC 2021 202
The number of persons for which the means of egress of a building or portion thereof is designed, not the actual number of people present.
Story above grade plane IBC 2021 Section 202 (Definitions - Story Above Grade Plane)
Any story whose finished floor surface is entirely above grade plane, or in which the finished floor next above is more than 6 feet above grade plane (or more than 12 feet above finished ground level at any point).
Ceiling height IRC 2021 Section R202 Definitions (Ceiling Height); IRC 2018 Section R202
The clear vertical distance from the finished floor to the finished ceiling, measured to finished surfaces rather than framing.
Emergency escape and rescue opening IRC 2021 Section R202 Definitions (Emergency Escape and Rescue Opening); IRC 2018 Section R202
An operable exterior window, door, or similar device that provides a means of escape and access for rescue in the event of an emergency.
Cavity wall ACI 530/530.1-11, TMS 402 Code Chapter 1, Section 1.6 Definitions, Page C-14
A masonry wall of two or more wythes, at least two of which are separated by a continuous air space, with the separated wythes connected by wall ties.
Hollow masonry unit ACI 530/530.1-11, TMS 402 Code Chapter 1, Section 1.6 Definitions, Page C-16
A masonry unit whose net cross-sectional area is less than 75 percent of its gross cross-sectional area measured in any plane parallel to the surface containing voids.
Glass block Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Chapter 8 — Concrete Masonry Units, Section 8.2.5
A hollow, partially evacuated masonry unit made in two sections and sealed to provide a dead airspace that serves as insulation (not a solid pressed unit).
Adobe masonry (unstabilized) IBC 2021 Section 2109.2.3
Earthen masonry units that must average 300 psi compressive strength per ASTM C67 (no individual unit below 250 psi), must not exceed 4 percent moisture content by weight, and whose allowable compressive stress on gross area may not exceed 30 psi.
Surface-bonding mortar IBC 2021 Section 2103.2.2
Mortar used in masonry construction that must comply with ASTM C887 (ASTM C946 governs the surface bonding of concrete masonry units).
Joint raker Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Chapter 3, Section 3.1.3 Joint Rakers
A masonry tool used to remove a portion of the mortar from a joint just before the mortar hardens, required to form raked joints.
Brick set Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Chapter 3, Section 3.1.9 Chisels
A chisel type used to cut brick to exact dimensions.
Plucked finish Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Chapter 9 — Stone, Section 9.3
A stone surface obtained by rough planing and then texturing by plucking out small particles, used mainly for limestone.
Rustic grade Indiana limestone Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Chapter 9 — Stone, Section 9.2.1
One of the four ILI grades (Select, Standard, Rustic, Variegated): fine to very coarse grained stone permitting an above-average amount of natural characteristics such as fossils, pit holes, and honeycomb formations; Variegated is an unselected mixture of Select, Standard, and Rustic in both buff and gray.
Job hazard analysis (JHA) walk-through Modern Masonry - Brick, Block, Stone, Chapter 4 — Job Hazard Analysis section
A safety inspection of the changing jobsite that may be performed multiple times per day on large jobs, typically once in the morning and again directly after lunch.
Danger sign OSHA 1926 CFR 29, Page 201
A construction sign having red as the predominating color for the upper panel, black outline on the borders, and a white lower panel for additional sign wording.

Formulas to Know

Rain load on an undeflected roofR = 5.2(ds + dh), where ds = static head (depth of water up to the secondary drainage inlet with the primary system blocked) and dh = hydraulic head (additional depth above the inlet at design flow); design rainfall based on the 100-year, 15-minute event.
Minimum lap splice length, masonry allowable stress designld = 0.002 × db × fs, but not less than 12 inches and not less than 40 bar diameters.
Net masonry wall area to be laidNet area = (wall length × wall height) − sum of opening areas. Example: 40 × 12 = 480 sf − 45 sf openings = 435 sf.
Brick quantity (with waste)Bricks = net sq ft × 6.75 (675 per 100 sq ft); then order = bricks × 1.05 for 5% waste, rounded up. Example: 435 × 6.75 = 2,936; 2,936 × 1.05 = 3,084.
Mortar and sand for brick masonry (1/2-in. joints)Mortar = (net sq ft ÷ 100) × 7.0 cu ft; add 10% waste (× 1.10); damp loose sand needed = 1 cu ft per 1 cu ft of mortar. Example: 4.35 × 7.0 = 30.4 cu ft; × 1.10 = 33.5 cu ft mortar and 33.5 cu ft sand.
Concrete block quantity (and blocks saved by openings)Blocks = net sq ft ÷ 8 × 9, rounded up; order = × 1.05 for 5% waste. Example: 315 ÷ 8 × 9 = 354.4 → 355 blocks; 354.4 × 1.05 = 372.1 → 373. Openings of 45 sf ÷ 8 × 9 = 50.6 → 51 blocks deducted.
Mortar for concrete block wallMortar = (net sq ft ÷ 100) × 3.25 cu ft. Example: 3.15 × 3.25 = 10.2 cu ft.
Concrete or fill volume in cubic yardsVolume (cy) = area (sf) × depth (ft) ÷ 27; convert inch thickness to feet (e.g., 5 in. = 5/12 = 0.4167 ft). Examples: 540 sf × 0.4167 = 225 cf ÷ 27 = 8.33 cy; 6,000 sf × 1.00 ft = 6,000 cf ÷ 27 = 222.2 cy (fill depth = target elevation − average existing elevation).
Formwork contact area and marked-up labor priceContact area = length × form height × number of faces (200 × 1.0 × 2 = 400 sf). Labor = area × unit rate, then × 1.25 for 25% burden, then × 1.15 for 15% O&P: 400 × $1.25 = $500 → $625 → $718.75.
Maximum height of straight freestanding garden wall (10 psf wind)Max height above grade (in.) = 3/4 × (wall thickness in inches)². Example: 3/4 × 8² = 48 inches for an 8-in. wall.
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