Arkansas Masonry - Commercial Exam

Arkansas Masonry - Commercial Exam Prep Checklist

Everything for the Arkansas Masonry - Commercial exam in one place: the bulletin's key facts, the topics and how many questions each carries, the reference books, sample questions with answers, and a prep checklist. PSI gives the exam.

Arkansas Masonry - Commercial Exam Facts

From the official bulletin:

On exam day

• Candidates must bring their own approved references, may rely on later editions except for Code books, and may bring an Internet-downloaded reference only if it is bound.
• References may be highlighted, underlined, annotated and indexed prior to the exam but not written in during it, and only permanent tabs are permitted.
• Candidates have access to an online calculator and may not bring their own calculator.
• No additional loose or attached papers may be brought in with the approved references.

References you may bring

• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA) (with latest available amendments)
• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 Selections by PSI (with latest available amendments)
• International Building Code (2015)
• Modern Masonry - Brick, Block, Stone (8th Edition)

Source: Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board - Masonry Commercial, 2/6/2020. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.

Arkansas Masonry - Commercial Exam Topics

The official content outline has 8 topics:

Arkansas Masonry - Commercial Exam Prep Checklist

• Get the reference books the bulletin lists, in the editions it names.
• Learn each book's table of contents and index first.
• Highlight the sections you use most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
• Start with the biggest topics: Unit Masonry and Mortar and Grout (57% of the exam).
• Take our timed practice exams until you pass several in a row.
• After each attempt, look up every question you missed in your book.
• Practice at the real exam's pace: about 2 minutes 30 seconds per question.

Arkansas Masonry - Commercial Exam Reference Books

The bulletin lists the OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 regulations (or PSI's selections of them), the 2015 International Building Code, and Modern Masonry - Brick, Block, Stone, 8th Edition by Clois E. Kicklighter as reference material allowed in the examination center.

Where to get them:

• OSHA 29 CFR 1926
• IBC 2015
• Modern Masonry

Test Day Checklist

• First pass: answer every question you know. Bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you return to bookmarked questions.
• Second pass: work through your bookmarks.
• Pace: 75 minutes for 30 questions, which is about 2 minutes 30 seconds per question.
• Last step: answer anything still blank. A blank can't earn a point.

Study Tips

On an open-book exam, the winners aren't the smartest people in the room — they're the fastest at finding answers. Buy the required book, practice with it open, and tab and highlight each section the first time a question sends you there. Learn the index and table of contents until you can land on any topic in seconds. That speed is what separates a pass from a fail.

Know your way around each book's index and table of contents. Open-book exams reward speed: you need to find specific items quickly.

On an open-book exam, work through every question once: answer the ones you know and skip the ones you don't. Then go back to the ones you flagged. You can bookmark questions for later review, just like on our exams — and don't sink too much time into any single question. The clock is still running.

Give yourself at least three to six weeks. Use your exam's candidate bulletin as your roadmap for what's tested, and spend your time on finding-it-fast skills over rote memorization. In practice, aim for three clean passes at 80% or higher — setting your practice bar above the real cut score gives you a comfortable margin on test day.

Practicing against a ticking clock is the best way to beat exam-clock anxiety. Use these timed tests to build your pacing, so you learn to move steadily and never burn too long on a single question. By test day, the format feels routine.

Arkansas Masonry - Commercial Sample Questions

From our practice question bank, with answers and references:

Sample 1 — Estimating and Plan Reading

Question: An independent person, firm or corporation, approved by the building official, who is competent and experienced in the application of engineering principles to materials, methods or systems analyses, meets the definition of which term?

• A. Approved source
• B. Approved agency
• C. Approved fabricator
• D. Registered design professional

Correct Answer: A

Chapter 2 defines 'approved source' as an independent person, firm or corporation, approved by the building official, who is competent and experienced in the application of engineering principles to materials, methods or systems analyses. An 'approved agency' is regularly engaged in conducting tests or furnishing inspection services, and an 'approved fabricator' is approved pursuant to Chapter 17.

Reference: IBC 2015 Chapter 2 — Definitions of 'Approved Source' and 'Approved Agency'

Sample 2 — Tools

Question: When finishing long horizontal mortar joints, which specific type of jointer is designed for this purpose?

• A. Acrylic jointer
• B. Sled runner
• C. Cross-sectional jointer
• D. Joint raker

Correct Answer: B

Long horizontal joints are easily finished with a sled runner (also called a joint runner). This tool has a handle for better control. Acrylic jointers are specifically for glass block or white mortar to prevent discoloring stains.

Reference: Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Chapter 3, Section 3.1.2 Jointers

Sample 3 — Restoration and Cleaning

Question: You are a residential builder overseeing the construction of a brick cavity wall on a new home. Your mason notices mortar being squeezed into the cavity from the bed joints. What technique should the mason use to handle excess mortar fins protruding from joints on the interior cavity side?

• A. Cut the fins off with the trowel edge and drop them into the cavity
• B. Flatten the excess mortar over the backs of the masonry units rather than cutting it off
• C. Leave the fins in place to help bond insulation to the wall
• D. Remove the fins and return them to the mortar board for reuse

Correct Answer: B

The process of flattening excess mortar (mortar fins) against the back side of the masonry units is referred to as 'plaster back.' This procedure prevents mortar from falling into the cavity and forms a smooth surface that does not interfere with insulation installation.

Reference: Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Page 243

Sample 4 — OSHA Safety

Question: You are overseeing a masonry remodeling project. A new employee asks when a job hazard analysis (JHA) walk-through should be performed on a large job site. What is the recommended practice?

• A. Multiple times during the day, usually one in the morning and another directly after lunch
• B. Once per week at a regularly scheduled safety meeting
• C. Only once at the start of the project before construction begins
• D. Only after an accident has occurred to determine root causes

Correct Answer: A

According to the Modern Masonry textbook (Chapter 4 — Safety), because the construction jobsite is constantly changing and the size of jobs or projects differ, multiple JHAs may be performed during the day, usually one in the morning and another directly after lunch.

Reference: Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Chapter 4 — Job Hazard Analysis section

Online Practice vs. a PDF

• Timed: you practice finding answers under time pressure, not just reading them.
• Bookmarks: flag questions and come back, the way you will on test day.
• New sets: each attempt draws new questions from our bank.
• Scored by topic: your results show which outline topics need more study.

Next Step

• Take the free Arkansas Masonry - Commercial practice exam.
• Study the topics where you scored lowest.
• Read the exam bulletin for the official rules, and see the licensing board's website.