Wythe

Category: infrastructure

A continuous vertical section of a masonry wall that is exactly one unit thick.

A wall can be single-wythe (one block thick) or multi-wythe (such as an inner load-bearing CMU wythe paired with an outer decorative clay brick veneer wythe). Separating two wythes with an open air cavity forms a highly effective rain-shield layout.

Common Examples

• The architectural plan features a dual-wythe system, separating the exterior brick skin from the interior block backing core.
• A structural collar joint is formed when the vertical space between two adjacent wythes is completely filled with solid mortar.