What do you use to give a block wall a finished look?

• A. Bond block
• B. Channel block
• C. Pilasters
• D. Cap block

Answer: (D)

Finishing masonry walls with a cap piece is what gives the top a clean, finished look and helps protect the wall from weather. A cap block is designed to sit on top of the wall, providing a neat edge and a protective surface that sheds water away from the masonry below. It ties the top together visually and can help prevent moisture from absorbing into the masonry or causing spalling at the top.

The other options aren’t for finishing the top. Bond blocks are used to achieve the bond pattern between courses, channel blocks have vertical voids for weight reduction or drainage, and pilasters are decorative or structural projections resembling columns. Cap blocks are specifically used to cap and finish the wall, making the top look complete and weather-resistant.