Brick Masonry

Construction of brick units bonded together with mortar is termed as brick masonry. Two essential
components of brick masonry are

1. Bricks
2. Mortar

Bricks
Bricks are the products of the clay. It is defined as a small, solid building unit in the shape of a
rectangular block composed of inorganic, non metallic substances of mineral origin and hardened by
heat.

The main constituents of bricks are:

1. Silica-(50-60%)
2. Alumina (clay) – (20-30%)
3. Lime – (10%)
4. Iron oxide – (5-6%)
5. Magnesia- (<1%)

Types of Bricks
Bricks used in masonry are of two types:
1. Traditional Bricks
2. Modular Bricks
Traditional Bricks:
❖ These are those which are not standardized in size.
❖ The dimensions of traditional bricks vary from 20 to 25cm in length, 10 to 13cm in width and 5-
7.6cm in thickness (height).
❖ The commonly adopted size of traditional brick is 23cm X 11.4cm X 7.6cm.
❖ The average weight of a brick will be about 3 to 3.5kg.
Modular Bricks:
❖ If bricks are large, it is difficult to burn them properly and they become too heavy to be placed
with a single hand.
❖ On the other hand if bricks are small, more quantity of mortar is required.
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