subject: Brick Bonding Styles [print this page] The strength of the brickwork depends on good brick bond. A wall without bond or unbonded wall have little strength and stability even if constructed with good quality bricks and mortar. In building construction the strength and aesthetic beauty of brick walls, brick pillars depend on the quality of bonds.
What is brick bond?
The way of overlapping bricks in different patterns is called brick bond. The bonding between the bricks is done by interlocking or joining of with adhesion of mortar.
Or
The way of bricks and mortar lay by the mason in the layer and the manner of overlapping bricks for construction of wall is called brick bond. Good brick bonding styles can ensure the strength.
The most important rule is that the vertical cross joints in any course/ layer should be staggered by half of the brick length. Bonds help in distributing the load over a large area.
Before understanding the types of bonds, we should know what are stretcher and header.
If the long side of the brick is exposed, the outer face of the wall is called stretcher, while if the short side of the brick is exposed to the outer face of the wall is called header.
In short,
Stretcher = brick in lengthwise
Header = brick in widthwise
There are a number of configurations of brick bonds, but basic arrangements are - English bond, Flemish bond, Header, Rat-trap and stretcher bond.
English Bond: When the brick work, have alternate courses of headers and stretchers. When headers are centered on the stretchers in the course below. The joints between stretchers in all stretcher courses should align vertically and the joints between headers courses should align vertically.
Stretcher Bond: It is only suitable for a wall half a brick thick, and it is the thinnest possible wall. Stretcher bond is very simple where repeating pattern of stretchers. However, this wall is not strong enough to stand-alone so it requires some supporting structure. You will find it in modern buildings, particularly as the outer face of a cavity wall, or as the facing to a timber framed structure. All bricks laid in stretcher course this is why this bond is called stretcher bond.
Header Bond: Stretcher bond is very simple where repeating pattern of Headers. In this type of bond all, the bricks are laid in header courses. The following are some features of header bond.
Flemish Bond: When there is alternate arrangement of headers and stretchers in a single course. The next course should be laid in such a way that a header lies in the center of the stretcher in the course below.
Rat-Trap Bond: Rat-trap bond is a another type of garden wall bond. Rat-trap bond is constructed by laying bricks on their sides having a cavity of 4 (100 mm), with alternate course of stretchers and headers. It is laid in such a way so that header should come in the center of the stretcher given in the course below and above it. The following are some features of Rat trap bond.
