Photography by Richard Om

Sharp Wall Technologies takes a unique twist to the traditional brick-and-mortar model of building and utilizes a technology that simplifies the process without compromising structural integrity.

It was 2010 and Lazaro Martinez was preparing for his family to come from Cuba to his home in Miami. “I was responsible to provide food, guidance, and shelter for them until they could find their path in their new country,” says Martinez. During that time, space was limited in his home. To compensate, Martinez decided to convert the existing garage into a new bedroom to accommodate the family members who would eventually travel from the island over the next three years thanks to the Cuban Family Reunification Program. Although Martinez had experience in building custom homes in Miami, the process was very revealing. It helped him better understand the complexities involved with building a brick wall, and keeping the quality and look of the original brick facade of his home. “It was then when I realized how skillful a master mason must be to build a great-looking, perfectly aligned brick wall.” This would become the initial spark to his future business endeavor.

In 2011, Martinez moved to Lakeland to continue his career as a public servant by working for the City of Lakeland. “It was a great experience. I was given a lot of opportunities,” says Martinez. While working full-time, Martinez began to dedicate his nights and weekends to furthering his education and creating new cloud-based software products for the private sector. It was also during this time when he began the initial engineering for a dry-stack technology that would allow both professionals and novices alike to build real brick structures. On April 20, 2018, Sharp Wall Technologies was officially created.

“Simplify. This is the word we had in mind when we designed and patented a unique, symmetrical interlocking technology that replaces the need to use mortar to assemble a brick wall or any other brick structure,” says Martinez.

Sharp Wall Technologies uses real concrete or glass bricks and engineered joints in order to simply and effectively create an array of structures, including interior and exterior walls, columns, fences, tables, stools, and benches. Through improved precision, stronger joints, affordability, and an efficient system, Sharp Wall Technologies makes it possible for anyone to conceptualize any structure and make it a reality.

The technology makes it possible for users to install approximately 300 bricks per hour, and the joints are designed to withstand about 5,000 pounds per square inch (with joints also available to support 7,000 pounds per square inch). In addition, recent lab tests have shown that the supportive function of the joints increases the overall strength of the bricks by 20 percent in comparison to the traditional brick-and-mortar construction.

Simplify. This is the word we had in mind when we designed and patented a unique, symmetrical interlocking technology that replaces the need to use mortar to assemble a brick wall or any other brick structure.

With Lakeland being home to a successful concrete block production plant, Martinez continues to work to make everything about this technology Lakeland made. Overall, these blocks create a simplified way to assemble brick walls without compromising the integrity of structures and the quality of its product. “Our goal is to continuously develop new technologies to further enable professionals, DIYs (Do it Yourself), organizations, communities, and nations as they plan and execute construction projects,” says Martinez.

As Sharp Wall Technologies continues to grow and improve its products, they still look to that initial word that became the foundation to their design today: simplify. Looking to the future of Sharp Wall Technologies, Martinez says they aim to continue “working to make this construction technology accessible and affordable to all.”

Sharp Wall Technologies

sharpwall.com

info@sharpwall.com