Technical Manual Whole

1.
1 Brick Properties
Bricks & Pavers Technical Manual
Section 1.1 Brick Properties 1.101

Section 1.1 relates to the properties of bricks made to meet the requirements of Australian Standard AS4455 Part
1 Masonry Units. This information is provided as a guide only to the properties of interest to a masonry designer
or builder.
Brick Dimensions
The work size of a standard brick is: 76 mm high x 230 mm long x 110 mm wide.
Some bricks are made with different work sizes. For example brick heights of 119 mm and 162 mm to match 1.5
and 2 standard size brick heights, including mortar joint, respectively. 50 mm and 90 mm high bricks, 90 mm wide
bricks and 290 mm long bricks are made for different structural and aesthetic effect. Larger bricks are often used
for more economical laying and as a design feature either on their own or combined with smaller bricks.
In cyclonic areas larger (140 mm wide x 90 mm high x 290 mm long) hollow bricks are used to allow for
reinforcement and grouting in the wall. Wider (150 mm wide) bricks can also be used in walls requiring lower
sound transmission, higher fire resistance levels and higher load bearing capacity depending on the specific brick
properties.
Clay brick sizes may vary after they are fired but size variation between units averages out when blended properly
during laying. Brick dimensions are measured by dry stacking 20 units, measuring the total length, width and
height and comparing that measurement to 20 times the work size.
Bricks are classified according to how much 20 bricks together deviate from 20 times the work size.
• For standard bricks, Dimensional Category DW1 means the height and width will differ by less than plus or
minus 50 mm from 20 times the work size, and the length will differ less than plus or minus 90 mm.
• For standard bricks, Dimensional Category DW2 means the height and width will differ by less than plus or
minus 40 mm from 20 times the work size, and the length will differ less than plus or minus 60 mm.
• Dimensional Category, DW0 means there are no requirements. This is usually reserved for non-standard
shaped bricks and bricks that have been rumbled or otherwise distorted during the manufacturing process
for aesthetic reasons. ■
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Brick Strength
Brick strength is defined as resistance to load per unit area and is expressed in mega Pascals (MPa).
Characteristic Unconfined Compressive Strength (f’uc)
The characteristic unconfined compressive strength is used by engineers in the design of masonry to calculate
the strength of a wall. Bricks in any one batch have a range of strengths that would usually follow a normal
distribution. In a wall the different strength bricks contribute to the strength of the whole and the weakest brick
does not determine the strength of the wall. For safety, engineering practice has been to use characteristic
unconfined compressive strength. This is the strength 95% of the bricks will exceed and is typically 0.86 times
the lowest unconfined compressive strength found when measuring the compressive strengths of 10 samples.
Boral bricks usually have characteristic unconfined compressive strengths in the range 15 to 35 MPa.
Unconfined Compressive Strength
The unconfined compressive strength is a calculated number based on the compressive strength. To measure the
compressive strength of a brick, steel platens are used above and below. This constrains the surface and where
all other factors are equal, a shorter brick will have a higher compressive strength than a taller brick. To remove
this test effect, the compressive strength is multiplied by a factor, which varies with the height of the brick. The
resulting number is called the unconfined compressive strength and reflects the performance of the brick in a
wall. Theoretically, bricks which are identical except for their height should produce the same unconfined
compressive strength. This figure is not now used in masonry design, but is used to calculate Characteristic
Unconfined Compressive Strength.
Compressive Strength of Bricks
Brick strength is measured according to AS4456.4 Determining Compressive Strength of Masonry Units.
Individually crushing 10 bricks gives the compressive strength of each brick and the mean compressive strength
of the lot. These figures are not used in masonry design, but are used to calculate Unconfined Compressive
Strength. ■
ADV03744

Water Absorption
Cold Water Absorption
The amount of water that a brick can absorb is measured by the cold water absorption test. There is no distinct
relationship between water absorption and the water-tightness of walls. The results of water absorption tests
are used by the brick manufacturer for quality assurance.
Initial Rate of Absorption
The initial rate of absorption (IRA) is the amount of water absorbed in one minute through the bed face of the
brick. It is a measure of the brick’s ‘suction’ and can be used as a factor in the design of mortars that will bond
strongly with units. As mortars other than the ‘deemed to comply’ mortars are rarely used, the impact of the IRA
is primarily on the bricklayer. Bricklayers, through practical experience, adjust the mortar, the height of a wall
built in a day and the length of time before ironing the joints, according to the suction.
The bond between the masonry unit and mortar is largely influenced by the capacity of the brick to absorb water
and the ability of the mortar to retain the water that is needed for the proper hydration of cement. If the brick
sucks the water too quickly from the mortar, the next course may not be properly bedded. If the mortar retains
too much water, the units tend to float on the mortar bed, making it difficult to lay plumb walls at a reasonable
rate. In either case there will be poor bond.
The optimum value of IRA is considered to be between 0.5 and 1.5 kg/m2/min. However, IRAs can exceed
these limits. The mortar’s water retentivity should be matched to the brick type where good bond strength is
critical. ■
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Durability
Salt attack is the most common durability problem affecting bricks. In the form of a solution, salt can be absorbed
into masonry. As the water evaporates, the salt is drawn towards the outside face. The evaporating water leaves
the solution super-saturated so salt crystals begin to form. The salt crystals grow in the pores just below the
surface and depending on the texture of the brick, the amount of salt, the rate of drying and the temperature, the
salt may fill the pores, exerting very high pressures on the matrix. The energy in the constrained salt crystal
increases and if sufficient ‘pops’ a piece of the outer surface off and salt attack has begun.
Bricks are assessed and classed into three grades according to AS/NZS4456.10 Resistance to Salt Attack. In
summary the three grades of brick that can be used are as follows:
• Protected Grade (PRO)
Suitable for use in elements above the damp-proof course in non-marine exterior environments. Elements
above the damp-proof course in all exterior environments, with a waterproof coating, properly flashed
junctions with other building elements and a top covering (roof or coping) protecting the masonry.
• General Purpose Grade (GP)
Suitable for use in an external wall, excluding walls in severe marine environments or in contact with
aggressive soils and environments (see AS3700 Appendix E). General purpose grade bricks can also be used
in PRO applications.
• Exposure Grade (EXP)
Suitable for use in external walls exposed to severe marine environments, i.e. up to one kilometre from a
surf coast or up to 100 metres from a non-surf coast or in contact with aggressive soils and environments.
The distances are specified from mean high water mark. Exposure grade bricks can also be used in PRO and
GP applications.
Boral bricks are classified as either EXP or GP. ■
ADV03746

Moisture Expansion
Clay products expand over time as they absorb water into their structure. This is well known and documented
and must be consider when designing brickwork. The expansion is not uniform (it is logarithmic) over time. In the
first six months one quarter of the expansion occurs, one half in the first two years and three quarters in the first
5 years. The Characteristic Expansion is estimated from an accelerated test and expressed as a coefficient of
expansion (em) that for Boral bricks is usually between 0.8 and 1.2 mm/m/15 years. ■
Efflorescence
Bricks may contain soluble salts that come to the surface when the brick dries. The source of these soluble salts
is the raw materials used in the brick production process.
Brick efflorescence should not be confused with the efflorescence that is seen on masonry walls after
construction. This form of efflorescence is caused mainly from the raw materials and water used in the wall
construction process (eg. Mortar).
Brick efflorescence is usually white but there is a special form of efflorescence (known as vanadium staining) that
is coloured yellow, green or reddish-brown and is therefore particularly visible on light coloured bricks.
All efflorescence is more or less visible depending on the colour and surface texture of the brick.
Boral bricks have a nil to slight efflorescence. ■
Pitting due to Lime
If brickmaking raw materials contain particles of calcium carbonate, these will be converted into quicklime in the
kiln. Water subsequently combines with the quicklime to form hydrated lime and in the process expands. If lime
particles are sufficiently large and sufficiently near the surface they ‘pop’ off a piece of the brick, leaving a
generally circular pit.
Boral Bricks rarely show lime pitting. ■
ADV03747
1.2 Brick Masonry Design
Section 1.2. Brick Masonry Design 1.201

The following design information is based on Australian Standard AS3700: 2001 Masonry Structures. Reference
to ‘Clauses’ and ‘Formulae’ are those used in AS3700. This information is provided as a guide only to the processes
involved in designing masonry. All masonry should be designed by a suitably qualified structural engineer.
Robustness
AS3700, Clause 4.6.1 requires walls to have an adequate degree of ‘Robustness’. Robustness is a minimum
design requirement, and may be overridden by fire, wind, snow, earthquake or live and dead load requirements.
In robustness calculations (AS3700 Clause 4.6.2), there are height, length, and panel action formulae. By reworking
the standard formulae and inserting known data, it is possible to determine whether a chosen design and Boral brick
will provide adequate robustness, as in the tables below and the charts on pages 1.202 to 1.204.
Table 1. Maximum Height of Isolated Piers
Pier Thickness (mm) Maximum Height (m)

230 x 230 3.105
350 x 350 4.725
Table 2. Maximum Height of Walls with Free Ends
Maximum Wall Height (m)

Wall Thickness (mm) No Lateral Support at Top Lateral Support at Top Concrete Slab on Top
90 0.54 2.43 3.24
110 0.66 2.97 3.96
150 0.90 4.05 5.40
230 1.38 6.21 8.28
Table 3. Maximum Wall Length where One or Both Ends are Laterally Restrained
Maximum Wall Length (m)

Wall Thickness (mm) Lateral Support One End Lateral Support Both Ends
90 1.08 3.24
110 1.32 3.96
150 1.80 5.40
230 2.76 8.28
In the situation depicted in Table 3 above, height is not limited although length is. This typically applies to lift
shafts and stairwells. Control joints and openings greater than one fifth of the wall height are treated as free
ends unless specific measures are taken to provide adequate lateral support.
Where wall lengths exceed those in Table 3 above, AS 3700 Equation 4.6.2 (4) must be used to determine the maximum
height for a wall of the required length. Should the initial choice of product not provide a suitable solution, then a thicker
Boral brick or increased masonry width or extra restraints should be evaluated. t
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Robustness (continued)
How to Use the Boral Robustness Graphs
These charts determine the minimum brick thickness for a known wall height, length and restraint criteria.
S
1. Select the graph for the chosen wall restraint
Laterally supported one end
and top laterally supported R F (support) criteria. In this example there is
by other than concrete slab
R support on one side and the top is supported by
8
other than a concrete slab. Typically this would

7
230mm
6
be a wall supporting roof frames, joined into
(m)
5 another wall at one end and with a door at the

HEIGHT
150mm
4 110x110mm other end.
90x90mm
110mm
WALL
3
90mm 2. Plot the intersection of the design Wall Height
2
and the Wall Length on the graph. (For this
1
example 3 m height x 5 m length).
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
WAL L L ENGTH (m)
3. The lines ABOVE the intersection point indicate
wall thickness that are acceptable. In this
example, the intersection point is just below the
line for 110 mm bricks. Therefore a single leaf of
110 mm bricks would be suitable and the most
economical.
ADV03750

Robustness Limits
R S
Laterally supported both ends Laterally supported both ends
and top laterally supported R R and top laterally supported R R
by a concrete slab by other than concrete slab

R R
8 8
150mm
7 110x110mm 7
150mm
6 6
110x110mm
(m)
(m)
90x90mm
5 110mm 5
H E IGH T
H E IGH T
90x90mm
4 90mm 4 110mm
90mm
WALL
WALL
3 3
2 2
1 1
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
WAL L L ENGTH (m) WALL LENGTH (m)
Laterally supported F Laterally supported F
both ends and R R one end and R F
top unsupported top unsupported

R R
8 8
7 7
6 6
(m)
(m)
5 5
H E IGH T
H E IGH T
4 4
150mm
WAL L
WAL L
3 3
110x110mm
90x90mm 230mm
2 2 150mm
110mm
90mm 110x110mm
1 1 90x90mm
110mm
90mm
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
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Robustness Limits
S R
Laterally supported one end Laterally supported one end
and top laterally supported R F and top laterally supported R F
by other than a concrete slab by a concrete slab

R R
8 8
7 7
230mm
6 6 150mm
(m)
(m)
110x110mm
5 5
H E IGH T
H E IGH T
150mm 90x90mm
110x110mm 110mm
4 4
90x90mm
90mm
110mm
WALL
WALL
3 3
90mm
2 2
1 1
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
ADV03752

Masonry Strength
Masonry Strength is defined as resistance to load per unit area. It must be remembered that thicker masonry will
support more load than thinner masonry of the same strength.
Characteristic Compressive Strength of Masonry – f’m
f’m = km kh √f‘uc
km is a mortar strength factor and kh is a factor for the amount of mortar joints.
km is 1.4 for M3 mortar and 1.5 for the stronger M4 mortar (see AS 3700 Table 3.1 for a full list of factors).
kh is 1 for 76 mm high units with 10 mm mortar beds and is 1.24 for 162 mm high bricks with 10 mm mortar
beds (see AS 3700 Table 3.2 to derive factors for other unit and joint heights). In other words, a wall of
double height bricks is more than 20% stronger than a wall of 76 mm high bricks of the same f‘uc.
f’uc is the characteristic unconfined compressive strength of bricks.
Characteristic Flexural Tensile Strength of Masonry – f’mt
In flexing, the top of the arc is in tension and the bottom of the arc is in compression. Masonry is good in
compression but poor in tension. Flexural strength depends on the mortar/brick bond and for design purposes is
generally taken to be zero. Using up to 0.2 MPa is permitted when designing for transient loads such as wind,
earthquake, etc. Higher bending forces may be used for design but these require site testing to verify
construction meets the stated values.
Characteristic Shear Strength of Masonry – f‘ms
Shear strength, like flexural strength, is related to the mortar/brick bond. For design purposes, at the damp
course, it is taken to be zero unless testing shows another value. Elsewhere, mortar joints have f’ms values of
between 0.15 and 0.35 MPa. ■
ADV03753

Durability of Masonry
AS3700 requires masonry to be designed to continue functioning satisfactorily throughout its design life without
undue maintenance. That is, all masonry materials, including bricks, mortar and all built-in components, must be
sufficiently durable for the exposure classification of the site (see AS3700 Appendix E). Masonry designed to
meet the requirements of AS3700 Section 5, is deemed to comply with the durability requirements and Table 5.1
defines the durability requirements for bricks, built-in components and mortar in different environments.
Salt attack is the most common durability problem. In the form of a solution, salt can be absorbed into masonry.
As the water evaporates, the salt is drawn towards the outside face. The evaporating water leaves the solution
super-saturated so salt crystals begin to form. The salt crystals grow in the pores just below the surface and
depending on the texture of the brick, the amount of salt, the rate of drying and the temperature, the salt may
fill the pores, exerting very high pressures on the matrix. The energy in the constrained salt crystal increases and
if sufficient ‘pops’ a piece of the outer surface off and salt attack has begun.
Boral bricks graded ‘General Purpose’ (GP) are suitable for use in all walls, excluding external walls in severe
marine environments or in all walls in contact with aggressive soils and environments.
Boral bricks graded ‘Exposure Grade’ (EXP) are suitable for use in all walls including external walls exposed to
severe marine environments, i.e. up to 1 km from a surf coast or up to 100 m from a non surf coast or walls in
contact with aggressive soils and environments. The distances are specified from mean high water mark.
Walls below damp proof course often require greater durability, even if they are well away from the coast, as
they may be subjected to saline, acidic or alkaline soils. If unsure of the corrosive nature of the site, an
inexpensive total soluble salt content test for soil is available in most areas. Remember it is the designer’s
responsibility to specify the appropriate durability grade of bricks, mortar and built-in components and it is the
builder’s responsibility to order bricks, etc. of appropriate durability grade specified by the designer. Brick
manufacturers cannot take any responsibility in this decision as they are not aware of the design requirements
of each site. t
ADV03754

Durability of Masonry (continued)
Refer to Section 1.4 Property Tables for tabulated properties of individual brick types for their salt attack
resistance category.
Mortar mix requirements for durability are referred in Table 11, page 1.301 of this manual and are detailed in
AS3700 Table 10.1.
M4 mortars are required and mortar joints must be tooled in all situations requiring exposure grade materials.
Concrete floors, paths and steps are a source of sulfate salts that if dissolved in water may enter the brickwork and
cause salt attack. Exposed slabs supported on external brickwork should clear the brickwork by 50 mm and
incorporate a drip groove to prevent the run-off from the slab running down the brickwork. A damp proof course
(usually a double layer) is also used under the slab on top of the bricks to prevent water passing through the slab
into the bricks and as a slip joint to prevent a build up of forces as the concrete shrinks and the bricks expand
over time.
Landscaping and gardening practices are also possible sources of salt attack. Care must be taken to not bridge
the damp proof course when landscaping at the base of walls. Watering gardens and lawns, against walls, may
cause salts (fertilisers) to splash up on to the wall where they are absorbed and may cause salt attack. ■
ADV03755

Brick Ties
In brick veneer construction, ties are used to pass all the lateral out-of-plane loads and forces (such as from wind)
to the structural backing. In cavity brick construction ties either pass the lateral out-of-plane loads and forces to
the stronger leaf or share them between the leaves.
The design of ties in masonry for structural purposes must comply with AS3700 Clause 7.7 for veneer or Clause
7.8 for cavity construction. For small buildings the tie requirements are covered in AS3700 Clause 12.3.4 for brick
veneer construction and Clause 12.3.3.2 for cavity brick construction.
Type A ties are those that have no specific seismic design characteristics. It is difficult to find brick ties other
than Type A in Australia. Ties are available in heavy, medium and light duty in galvanised steel, stainless steel
and plastic. Plastic ties are usually reserved for acoustic applications. Stainless steel ties are used in situations
requiring exposure grade materials or very long life. Galvanised steel ties are those most commonly used.
The Newcastle (NSW) earthquake which occurred in 1989 showed masonry survived well except where the ties
were deficient. Problems found included:
• galvanised ties rusted through;
• ties only built into one leaf during construction;
• loose ties;
• absent ties; and,
• incorrect duty ties used.
Ties are required to meet the durability requirement of the site for the design life of the building. Should the
design life of the building be exceeded and the ties begin to fail, they can be replaced with remedial ties but this
is a very expensive process and as ties are hidden it is unlikely they will be seen until a catastrophic failure
occurs. As sustainability considerations become more important, the life of buildings is likely to be extended.
Properly maintained, brick buildings may last for centuries. It should be remembered that stainless steel brick
ties offer a longer service life and, although more expensive as a proportion of the overall building cost, the
difference is trivial. ■
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Movement in Masonry Walls
To allow for movements in masonry (expansion and contraction and footing movement) control joints are
required. These can usually be constructed so that the expansion joint and the articulation joint are one and
the same.
Expansion Joints
Expansion and contraction must be allowed for in masonry design by inserting control joints at spacings designed
to suit the magnitude of the movement.
Clay products expand permanently over time. This is the opposite of cement-based products, which permanently
shrink. For this reason it is unwise to use clay and concrete units in the same band in a wall. If clay bricks are
used in concrete framed buildings, control joint spacing and workmanship are critical, as the bricks will expand
as the concrete frame shrinks.
The magnitude of thermal changes varies from brick to brick depending on the many factors, however, allowing
0.008 mm/m/°C is usually recommended. Expansion and contraction from wetting and drying of clay bricks is less
than for concrete and calcium silicate products and usually can be ignored in brick masonry design.
AS3700, Clause 4.8 requires expansion joints to be spaced to limit panel movement so that movement from both
sides closes joints by less than 15 mm and joints are at least 5 mm wide when closed. This means the gap, when
constructed, should be 20-25 mm. However, in most buildings articulation joints are used and these are closer
than required for expansion making separate expansion joints unnecessary.
Articulation Joints
Articulation joints are vertical gaps that allow for minor footing movements, to prevent distress or significant
wall cracking. Articulation joints provide the flexibility needed when building on reactive clay soils and usually
are not required for masonry on stable sites (classified according to AS2870). Spacing of articulation joints
depends on the site classification and the slab or footing design, but where used must be placed no closer than
0.5 metres and no further than 3 metres from all corners. The width of articulation joints depends on the height
of the masonry: 10 mm for masonry up to 3 metres and 15 mm for masonry up to 6 metres high. t
ADV03757

Movement in Masonry Walls (continued)
Control Joints (General)
Control joints should be used beside large openings, where wall thickness changes (except where this is for
support eg. engaged piers), where wall height changes by more than 20%, at changes of level in footings and at
other points of potential cracking. Control joints must not continue through bond beams.
Ideally, control joints are located near a corner and concealed behind a down pipe. The bricklayer and renderer
must keep the control joint clean, otherwise, bridging mortar or render will induce cracks as the masonry moves.
External control joints should be finished with a soft flexible sealant to prevent moisture penetration.
The design and construction of control gaps in the external leaf of a full brick wall is identical to that in brick
veneer. In internal masonry, control gaps are not usually required, except at re-entrant angles in long walls.
However, where an internal control joint is required the design is as for external leaves but the thermal
component may be ignored in calculations. Internal control joints can usually be located at a full-height opening
such as a door or window.
Ties are required on both sides of a control joint, but where it is not possible to use them masonry flexible
anchors (MFAs) must be used across the joint. Where MFAs are used in walls over 3 metres or in walls exposed
to high winds, MFAs must be built in at half height and every seventh course (600 mm) above. MFAs are ties that
are of a type that only allows movement in one plane. Unless ties are used, control joints create a ‘free end’ in
terms of Robustness and Fire Resistance Level calculations for structural adequacy, so their positioning is critical
to the overall design of the structure.
In portal frame construction, the control

Articulation joints with
joint is positioned at a column so that compressible backing
and mastic sealant
both ends can be tied to the column’s
flanges.
The principles of control joint
construction are illustrated in the Articulation

Dividing wall with joint
articulation joint and
adjacent figure. MFA's at intersection
with cavity wall
Brick ties on each side

of articulation joint
ADV03758

Thermal Properties
As at 2004, the Building Code of Australia (BCA) requires energy efficiency performance for housing (BCA Vol 2).
Australia is divided into 8 climatic zones. (Sydney and Perth are in Zone 5, Adelaide and Melbourne are in Zone
6, Brisbane is in Zone 2 and Canberra is in Zone 7). The zones and Local Government boundaries are detailed on
a map, which is available from the Australian Building Codes Board (www.abcb.gov.au) but the Local Council
should be able to provide the information where there is any doubt.
The BCA set the minimum energy efficiency requirement of 3.5 stars for Zones 1-3 and 4 stars for Zones 4-8. While
the BCA sets these minimum requirements, State governments may adopt these minimums or may opt for different
requirements. Local authorities may adopt higher star ratings but may not opt for lower ratings than the State adopts.
The ABCB has indicated they are considering requiring 5 stars in line with Victoria and ACT.
Victoria requires a 5 star rating on the building fabric from July 2005 using ‘FirstRate’ or ‘NatHERS’ software.
Pre-July 2004, the requirement was 4 stars on the building fabric. Post July 2004, the requirement is either 5 stars
on the building fabric; or 4 stars on the building fabric plus water saving measures and a solar hot water system;
or 4 stars on the building fabric plus water saving measures and a rain water tank.
ACT requires 5 stars from ‘ACTHERS’ software.
South Australia requires 4 stars from ‘NatHERS’ or ‘FirstRate’ software.
The NSW situation is complex. From 1 July 2004 in the Sydney Metropolitan area and 1 July 2005 eleswhere in the
State all new housing, dual occupancies and small (under 300 m2) hostel type accommodation will be required to
have a BASIX rating. From 1 February 2005 in the Sydney Metropolitan area and 1 October 2005 elsewhere in the
state this will apply to all new residential developments. From 1 July 2005 these measures apply to alterations to
residences in Sydney and from 1 October 2005 elsewhere in the State. BASIX is a comprehensive sustainability
rating software, incorporating energy and water efficiency initially with the intention of including stormwater,
transport, site ecology, waste and recycling and materials at a later date. It is a web-based system in which you
enter data about the development in boxes and the whole has to meet targets to get Development Application
approval. BASIX is aimed at achieving energy reductions of 25% (going up to 40% in July 2006) and potable water
savings of 40%.
Different star rating software can produce different ratings. To overcome this, the Australian Building Codes Board
has developed a protocol to ensure all star rating software, as nearly as practical, produces the same rating for the
same design. t
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Thermal Properties (continued)
The requirements to meet a star rating are complex because the rating is based on the total building design for a
given site. It is important to remember that roof insulation, shading, orientation and window size and placement
have a much greater impact on energy efficiency than the walls. Heat enters and leaves buildings more readily
through the windows and roof and greater insulation in the roof space is usually the most cost-effective measure
to increase star ratings. Although there is not an exact relationship, to meet the star ratings walls generally have
to meet the following requirements:
Table 4. Wall Insulation Requirements
Zones Wall insulation value

1, 2, 3 & 5 R1.4
Qld Zones 1, 2 & 3 R1.0
4&6 R1.7
7 R1.9
8 R2.8
The BCA states that brick veneer construction made with a single leaf of 110 mm wide bricks has an ‘R’ value of
0.54 and must incorporate insulation to produce the values above.
Cavity clay masonry is treated differently and is deemed to satisfy wall insulation requirements if it achieves a
mass of 220 kg per square metre of wall in Zones 5 and 6 and in the ACT. In Zone 6 the masonry must be
constructed on a concrete slab in contact with the ground. In the ACT the masonry must be constructed on a
concrete slab in contact with the ground or having an insulated timber floor.
Cavity clay masonry is deemed to satisfy because heavy mass walling has a high thermal inertia (thermal lag).
Heat is slowly absorbed during the day and slowly lost during the cool night. Most thermal requirements focus
on thermal insulation, denoted as ‘R’ value. When dealing with heavy mass walling and typical non-tropical
diurnal temperature cycles, ‘R’ value is misleading as it assumes a steady state (constant temperature difference
across the wall) which is not the case because of the day-night temperature cycle. Cavity brick houses are well
known to have a lower temperature fluctuation than lighter weight construction and the deemed-to-satisfy
provision is in recognition of this fact.
In February 2004 the ABCB released a proposal to impose energy efficiency requirements in the BCA Volume 1
for Class 2, 3 & 4 buildings, (residential buildings other than houses). ACT currently has requirements on these
classes of building and Victoria has requirements on these classes and on Class 9c buildings. The requirements
are essentially the same as for Class 1 buildings. ■
ADV03760

Masonry Design for Fire Resistance
Fire Resistance Levels (FRL)
FRLs come from the Building Code of Australia’s (BCA) Volume 1 tables for Type A, B or C construction. The Type of
construction depends on the Class of building and the number of stories or floors. FRLs for housing come from BCA
Volume 2.
There are three figures in the Fire Resistance Level.
Eg: FRL 120/60/90 means that the wall must achieve Structural Adequacy for 120 minutes / Integrity for 60 minutes /
Insulation for 90 minutes.
Structural Adequacy
This governs the wall’s height, length, thickness and restraints. Brick suppliers do not control the wall height,
length or restraints so therefore do not control Structural Adequacy.
Integrity
This is the resistance to the passage of flame or gas. To provide ‘integrity’, walls must be structurally adequate
and they must maintain insulation. Extensive fire testing of masonry has shown integrity to be closely related to
structural adequacy or insulation. AS 3700 therefore allows Integrity to be equal to the lesser of the Structural
Adequacy or the Insulation periods.
Insulation
This is resistance to the passage of heat through the wall. Insulation is a function of the thickness of the brick
as shown in Table 5, page 1.222 of this manual. ■
ADV03761

Masonry Design for Structural Adequacy FRL
Structural Adequacy is a minimum provision and may be overridden by design for robustness, wind, live or
earthquake loads.
A fire on one side of a wall will heat that side, making it expand and lean towards the fire. When the lean or bow
reaches half the thickness of the original wall, the wall becomes structurally inadequate. The formulae in
AS3700, Clause 6.3.2.2 limits the panel size, depending on its restraints and thickness.
The Slenderness ratio (Srf) of a proposed wall is calculated according to AS 3700 Clause 6.3.2.2. If this value is
less than the maximum Srf in Table 6.1 of the Standard [or the Srf calculated from Fire Tests and AS 3700 Clause
6.3.3(b)(ii)], then the wall complies. If the Srf of the wall is greater than the maximum permissible, it must be
recalculated for an increased thickness and/or extra restraints.
There are 3 formulae for calculating Srf.
AS 3700 Formula 6.3.2.2 (1) and (2) are the formulae for vertically spanning walls (with no support along either
vertical edge).
Formula (1) and (2) always govern where there is no end restraint, and often govern where walls are long, relative
to their height. Projects with multiple wall lengths (eg: home units) can use this formula as a ‘one size fits all’
method of calculating the wall thickness.
AS 3700 Formula 6.3.2.2 (3) allows a wall to exceed the height given by formula (1) and (2) provided the top and
at least one end is supported.
AS 3700 Formula 6.3.2.2 (4) allows a wall to exceed the height given in formula (3) where walls are short, relative
to their height (eg: a lift well or vent shaft). Short walls with no top restraint often occur in situations like portal
frame factories.
For cavity walls where both leaves are equally loaded (within 10 per cent of each other, including where there is
no load on either leaf) the thickness is equal to two-thirds of the sum of the thicknesses of both leaves and the
edge restraint condition is that for the leaf not exposed to the fire. Where one leaf is more heavily loaded than
the other, the thickness and edge restraint condition is that of the more heavily loaded leaf. Where cavity walls
are constructed with leaves of different masonry unit types, the structural adequacy is based on the less fire
resistant material. t
ADV03762

Masonry Design for Structural Adequacy FRL (continued)
Refer to the Structural Adequacy Graphs on the following pages for maximum height and length values for walls
of different thicknesses and restraint conditions.
An appropriately qualified engineer should check all calculations. Other loads may supersede Structural
Adequacy requirements.
How to Use the Boral Structural Adequacy FRL Graphs
S
1. Select the graph with Structural Adequacy for
Laterally supported
on all sides S S
the required minutes. (240 minutes for this
S example).
15
14 2. Select the graph for the chosen wall restraint
13
(support) criteria. (Support on both vertical
(m)
12
SUPPORTS
11
edges, top and bottom for this example).
10
9 3. Plot the intersection of the design Wall Height
8
and the Wall Length on the graph. (For this
BETWEEN
7
6 example 3 m height x 5 m length).
5 230mm
4. The line ABOVE the intersection indicates the
HEIGHT
4
150mm
3
110mm minimum brick thickness required for the wall.
2 90mm
1 In this example, 150 mm bricks would be

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
LENGTH BETWEEN SUPPORTS (m)
suitable and the most economical.
ADV03763

Structural Adequacy for 60 Minutes FRL
S S
Laterally supported Laterally supported
on all sides S S on three sides, S F
one end unsupported

S S
15 15
14 14
13 13
(m)
(m)
12 12
SUPPORT S
SUPPORT S
11 11
10 10
9 9
8 8
BE T WE E N
BE T WE E N
7 230mm 7 230mm
6 6
5 5
150mm 150mm
HEIGHT
HEIGHT
4 4
110mm 110mm
3 90mm 3 90mm
2 2
1 1
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
LENGTH BETWEEN SUPPORTS (m) LENGTH BETWEEN SUPPORTS (m)
on three sides, S S one end and bottom, S F
top unsupported one end and top unsupported

S S
15 15
14 14
13 13
( m )
( m )
12 12
S UP P ORT S
S UP P ORT S
11 11
10 10
9 9
8 8
B ET W EE N
B ET W EE N
7 7
6 6
5 5
H EI GH T
H EI GH T
4 4
3 3
230mm 230mm
2 150mm 2 150mm
110mm 110mm
1 90mm 1 90mm
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
ADV03764

S S
one end unsupported

S S
15 15
14 14
13 13
(m)
(m)
12 12
SUPPORT S
11 11
S U POPR T S
10 10
9 9
8 8
BE T WE E N
BE T WE E N
7 7
230mm 230mm
6 6
5 HEIGH T 5
150mm 150m m
HEIGHT
4 4
3 110mm 3 110m m
90mm 90mm
2 2
1 1
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

S S
15 15
14 14
13 13
( m )
( m )
12 12
S UP P ORT S
S UP P ORT S
11 11
10 10
9 9
8 8
B ET W EE N
B ET W EE N
7 7
6 6
5 5
H EI GH T
H EI GH T
4 4
3 3
230mm 230mm
2 150mm 2 150mm
1 110mm 1 110mm
90mm 90mm
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
ADV03765

S S
one end unsupported

S S
15 15
14 14
13 13
(m)
(m)
12 12
SUPPORT S
SUPPORT S
11 11
10 10
9 9
8 8
BE T WE E N
BE T WE E N
7 7
6 230mm 6 230mm
5 5
HEIGHT
HEIGHT
4 150mm 4 150mm
3 110mm 3 110mm
90mm 90mm
2 2
1 1
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

S S
15 15
14 14
13 13
( m )
( m )
12 12
S UP P ORT S
S UP P ORT S
11 11
10 10
9 9
8 8
B ET W EE N
B ET W EE N
7 7
6 6
5 5
H EI GH T
H EI GH T
4 4
3 3
230mm 230mm
2 2
150mm 150mm
1 110mm 1 110mm
90mm 90mm
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
ADV03766

S S
one end unsupported

S S
15 15
14 14
13 13
(m)
(m)
12 12
SUPPORT S
SUPPORT S
11 11
10 10
9 9
8 8
BE T WE E N
BE T WE E N
7 7
6 6
230mm 230mm
5 5
HEIGHT
HEIGHT
4 4
150mm 150mm
3 3
110mm 110mm
2 90mm 2 90mm
1 1
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

S S
15 15
14 14
13 13
( m )
( m )
12 12
S UP P ORT S
S UP P ORT S
11 11
10 10
9 9
8 8
B ET W EE N
B ET W EE N
7 7
6 6
5 5
H EI GH T
H EI GH T
4 4
3 3
2 230mm 2 230mm
150mm 150mm
1 110mm 1 110mm
90mm 90mm
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
ADV03767

S S
one end unsupported

S S
15 15
14 14
13 13
(m)
(m)
12 12
SUPPORT S
SUPPORT S
11 11
10 10
9 9
8 8
BE T WE E N
BE T WE E N
7 7
6 6
5 230mm 5 230mm
HEIGHT
HEIGHT
4 4
150mm 150mm
3 3
110mm 110mm
2 90mm 2 90mm
1 1
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

S S
15 15
14 14
13 13
( m )
( m )
12 12
S UP P ORT S
S UP P ORT S
11 11
10 10
9 9
8 8
B ET W EE N
B ET W EE N
7 7
6 6
5 5
H EI GH T
H EI GH T
4 4
3 3
2 230mm 2 230mm
150mm 150mm
1 110mm 1 110mm
90mm 90mm
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
ADV03768

Structural Adequacy for Panels with Unsupported Ends
This figure shows the situation where there is support top and bottom but none on the sides. This applies
where there are control joints, large openings, long walls, etc. To use this graph select the desired FRL in
minutes and the height of the wall. The line above the intersection shows the brick thickness required.
Maximum Wall Heights for Structural Adequacy for any Wall Length
S
Top and bottom supported,
ends not supported. F F
6
(m)
230mm
HEIGHT
4
WALL
150mm
3
MAXIMUM
110mm
2 90mm
0
60 90 120 180 240
FRL F OR STRUC TURAL ADEQUAC Y
(minut e s)
ADV03769

Masonry Design for Integrity FRL
It is impractical to provide test results for all possible wall designs, and therefore ‘Integrity’ must be proved in
some other way. The most practical way to prove ‘Integrity’ is to prove ‘Structural Adequacy’ and ‘Insulation’
equal to or better than the ‘Integrity’ requirement. Logically, if the wall is designed to minimise ‘bowing’ it will
not crack and therefore resist the passage of flame and gas for the specified time.
This method is also the best way to prove ‘Integrity’ even when a wall may not be required to comply with a
‘Structural Adequacy’ FRL value, such as is the case with non-load bearing walls. Eg. If the BCA requires an FRL
of -/90/90, the wall has no actual ‘Structural Adequacy’ requirement, but to prove Integrity of 90 minutes, the
wall must be structurally adequate for at least 90 minutes. ■
Masonry Design for Insulation FRL
Insulation is the one FRL component that a brick manufacturer does control. It is governed by the ‘type of
material’ and ‘material thickness’.
‘Material thickness’ (t) is defined in AS3700, Clause 6.5.2 as the overall thickness for bricks with cores not more
than 30% of the brick’s overall volume.
For cavity walls, t = the sum of material thicknesses in both leaves.
Table 5. Insulation periods for standard bricks (minutes)
160 (150 plus 10 mm 180 220

Wall thickness (mm) 90 110 140 or 150 230
render on both sides) (90/90 cavity) (110/110 cavity)
Insulation period (minutes) 60 90 120 180 240 240 240
Note: Wall thickness excludes render on side of wall exposed to fire. ■
Effect of Recesses for Services on FRLs
Recesses that are less than half of the masonry thickness and are less than 10,000 mm2 (0.01 m2) for both sides
within any 5 m2 of the wall area do not have an effect on fire ratings.
If these limits are exceeded, the masonry design thickness must be reduced by the depth of the recess. ■
ADV03770

Effect of Chases on Fire Rated Masonry
Structural Adequacy FRL
To assess the effect of chases on Structural Adequacy FRLs, the direction in which the wall spans must be taken
into account.
• Walls spanning vertically may be chased vertically to full height but horizontal chases are limited in length
to 4 times the wall’s thickness.
• Walls spanning vertically and horizontally may be chased either horizontally up to half the wall’s length or
vertically up to half the wall’s height.
If these limits are exceeded, the masonry design thickness must be reduced by the depth of the chase or, in the
case of vertical chases, designed as 2 walls with unsupported ends at the chase. Horizontal chases in all walls
should be kept to a bare minimum.
Note: Chases affect the sound reduction capacity of walls. See ‘Acoustic Design’ page 1.225 of this manual.
Integrity and Insulation FRLs
AS3700 limits the maximum depth of chase to 30 mm and the maximum area of chase to 1,000 mm2. The
maximum total area of chases on both sides of any 5 m2 of wall is limited to 100,000 mm2 (0.1 m2). If these limits
are exceeded, the masonry design thickness must be reduced by the depth of the chase. ■
ADV03771

Options for Increasing FRLs
Structural Adequacy FRLs can be increased by adding wall stiffeners, by increasing the overall thickness, by
adding reinforcement or by protecting the wall, e.g. with Boral Plasterboard’s ‘FireStop’ board, fixed to furring
channels (on both sides of the wall if a fire rating is required from both sides). Note: Be careful of the effect of
plasterboard on sound reduction in party walls. See ‘Acoustic Design’ page 1.225 of this manual.
Integrity FRLs are increased by increasing the other two FRL values to the required Integrity FRL.
Insulation FRLs can be increased by adding another leaf of masonry, by rendering both sides of the wall if the fire
can come from either side. Note: Only ONE thickness of render is added to the material thickness and that must
be on the ‘cold’ side because the render on the exposed face will drop off early in a fire. ■
ADV03772

ACOUSTIC DESIGN
Acoustic Performance Rating
The BCA requirements for Class 1, 2, 3 and 9c buildings changed in May 2004 with the issue of Amendment 14.
Amendment 14 has been adopted by all jurisdictions other than Queensland, Northern Territory and Western
Australia where Amendment 13 continues in force. It must be remembered that the BCA requirements are the
minimum requirements and some Local Authorities may require better performance. Check with Local Councils
for specific requirements above the BCA minimums. Note: Incremental improvements in sound insulation come
at an ever-increasing cost.
The BCA Amendment 14 requirements are met by:
1. Testing a sample of constructed walls to verify that they meet the Weighted Standardised Level Difference
(Dnt,w – explained further in ‘Acoustic Performance On-Site’ on page 1.231 of this manual) requirements; or
2. Constructing walls using the same materials and techniques as walls that have been constructed and tested in a
laboratory and shown to meet the Weighted Sound Reduction Index (Rw) requirements; or,
3. Constructing walls using the materials and techniques in the ‘Acceptable Construction Practice’ section of
the BCA; and,
4. Where impact sound reduction is required, it is to be achieved by discontinuous construction; and,
5. Except where the requirements are verified by on-site testing, chasing of services into masonry walls is not
allowed and electrical outlets on either side of the wall must be offset by no less than 100 mm. t
ADV03773

Acoustic Performance Rating (continued)
Table 6. BCA Volume 2 Amendment 14 Requirements for walls separating two or more Class 1 Buildings
Wall Separating Wall Rating

Sole occupancy unit Sole occupancy unit
Rw+Ctr≥50
– all areas – all areas except those below
Sole occupancy unit – bathroom, sanitary Sole occupancy unit Rw+Ctr≥50
compartment, laundry or kitchen – habitable room except a kitchen and
discontinuous construction
Table 7. BCA Volume 1 Amendment 14 Requirements for walls separating sole occupancy units from other
parts of the building in Class 2&3 Buildings.
Sole occupancy unit Sole occupancy unit
Rw+Ctr≥50
– all areas except those below – all areas except those below
Sole occupancy unit – bathroom, Sole occupancy unit Rw+Ctr≥50
sanitary compartment, laundry or kitchen – habitable room except a kitchen and
Sole occupancy unit – all areas Plant room or lift shaft Rw+Ctr≥50
and
Sole occupancy unit – all areas Stairway, public corridor, public lobby
Rw≥50
or areas of different classification
Table 8. BCA Volume 1 Amendment 14 Requirements for walls separating sole occupancy units from other
parts of the building in Class 9c Buildings (aged care facilities).
Sole occupancy unit – all areas Sole occupancy unit
Rw≥45
– all areas except those below
Sole occupancy unit – all areas Laundry, kitchen Rw≥45
and
or
No less resistant to impact
noise than a deemed-to-
satisfy wall
Sole occupancy unit – all areas Bathroom, sanitary compartment (but not an
Rw≥45
associated ensuite), plant room, utilities room
Table 9. BCA Amendment 14 Service separation* in Class 1, 2, 3 & 9c buildings.
Building service Adjacent room Barrier rating

Sole occupancy unit habitable room
A duct, soil, waste, water supply Rw ≥40
other than a kitchen
or stormwater pipe passing
through a separating wall Sole occupancy unit kitchen or
Rw ≥25
non habitable room
* In Class 1 buildings the requirements apply to those services that pass through more than one building. In Class 2, 3 & 9c requirements apply
to all stormwater pipes and other services that pass through more than one sole occupancy unit. ■
ADV03774

Weighted Sound Reduction Index (Rw)
Rw is a single-number rating of the sound reduction through a wall or other building element. Since the sound
reduction may be different at different frequencies, test measurements are subjected to a standard procedure
that yields a single number that is about equal to the average sound reduction in the middle of the human hearing
range. Two spectral corrections can be applied to Rw: “C” and “Ctr”. C compensates for medium to high
frequency noise and Ctr compensates for low frequency noise. “C” and “Ctr” are both negative numbers. ■
Impact Sound Resistance
The BCA Amendment 14 says there is no appropriate test for impact sound reduction in walls. However, in the
case of Class 9c buildings the BCA allows impact sound reduction to be demonstrated by showing a wall
performs no worse than a deemed-to-satisfy wall. To achieve impact sound resistance, the BCA requires walls
consist of two leaves with at least a 20 mm cavity between them and if ties are needed in masonry walls they
must be of the resilient type. Except for the resilient ties in masonry walls there are to be no mechanical linkages
between the walls, except at the periphery (i.e. through walls, floors and ceilings). ■
BCA Deemed-to-Satisfy Walls
BCA Volume 1 Amendment 14 Specification F5.2 Table 2 gives deemed-to-satisfy walls for sound insulation for
walls separating sole occupancy units.
BCA Volume 2 Amendment 14 Table 3.8.6.2 gives deemed-to-satisfy walls for sound insulation for walls
separating two or more Class 1 Buildings. These walls are the same as those in Volume 1 except only walls
achieving Rw+Ctr ≥50 are allowed.
Deemed-to-satisfy clay brick walls are detailed on the following pages. t
ADV03775

BCA Deemed-to-Satisfy Walls (continued)
Table 10. BCA Volume 1 Amendment 14 Deemed-to-Satisfy Brick Walls
Construction Rating
Two leaves of 110 mm clay brick masonry with:

(a) A cavity not less than 50 mm between leaves; and
Rw+Ctr≥50
(b) 50 mm thick glass wool insulation with a density of 11
kg/m3 or 50 mm thick polyester insulation with a density
of 20 kg/m3 in the cavity.
Two leaves of 110 mm clay brick masonry with:

(a) A cavity not less than 50 mm between leaves; Rw+Ctr≥50
and
(b) 13 mm cement render on each outside face.
Single leaf of 110 mm clay brick masonry with:

(a) A row of 70 mm x 35 mm timber studs or 64 mm steel studs
at 600 mm centres, spaced 20 mm from the masonry wall;
and
Rw+Ctr≥50
(b) 50 mm thick mineral insulation or glass wool insulation with
a density of 11 kg/m3 positioned between studs; and,
(c) one layer of 13 mm plasterboard fixed to outside face of
studs and outside face of masonry.
Single leaf of 90 mm clay brick masonry with:

(a) A row of 70 mm x 35 mm timber studs or 64 mm steels studs
at 600 mm centres, spaced 20 mm from each face of the
masonry wall; and
(b) 50 mm thick mineral insulation or glass wool insulation with Rw+Ctr≥50
a density of 11 kg/m3 positioned between studs in each row;
and
(c) one layer of 13 mm plasterboard fixed to studs on each
outside face.
ADV03776

BCA Deemed-to-Satisfy Walls (continued)
Table 10. BCA Volume 1 Amendment 14 Deemed-to-Satisfy Brick Walls (continued)
Construction Rating
Single leaf of 150 mm brick masonry with Rw≥50

13 mm cement render on each face.


ADV03777

Solid v. Cavity Walls
Acoustic performance with single leaf masonry follows the ‘Mass Law’. The acoustic performance of these walls
depends on their mass. More mass gives better performance, however, the relationship is logarithmic: If a 110
mm wall gives Rw = 45, a 230 mm wall of the same brick may give Rw = 57.
Cavity walls behave differently because sound waves can resonate in cavities. The narrower the cavity becomes,
the more resonance occurs. Insulation in the cavity helps absorb resonating sound and narrow cavities should
have bond breaker board, to prevent mortar from providing a bridge for sound to travel between the leaves. ■
Brick Walls with Render
Render on one side of a brick wall adds 2 or 3 to the wall’s Rw but adding render to the second side only adds
1 to the wall’s Rw. The render appears to fill defects in the wall surface reducing the sound transmission, but this
is a one-off benefit. ■
Brick Walls with Plasterboard
Cornice cement daubs, used to fix plasterboard directly to brick walls, create a small cavity in which resonance
occurs. Brick walls with daub fixed plasterboard on both sides stop less noise than the same walls, bare. Adding
extra daubs (halving spacing) gives lower performances, presumably due to extra ‘bridges’ through the daubs.
Plasterboard on furring channel is marginally better than daub fixed. A bigger cavity between the wall and the
plasterboard makes it harder for resonating energy to build up pressure on the board. When standard furring
channel clips are used, this system transfers vibrations to the plasterboard via the channels and clips. Boral
Impact Clips (BICs) have a rubber shank on their masonry anchor that isolates the vibrations from the masonry.
The use of BIC mounts can add 3 or 4 dB to the wall’s Rw. Polyester and glass wool in the cavity helps prevent
resonance and further decreases the sound transmission. Denser grades of plasterboard and additional layers of
plasterboard (fixed with grab screws and leaving no cavities) also decrease sound transmission. ■
ADV03778

Points to Consider When Designing Walls
for Acoustic Performance
The BCA specifies minimum levels for sound isolation but experience shows that achieving the minimum
standards is not always sufficient to satisfy occupants. In view of this it is recommended that architects,
developers, builders, etc., consider a higher level of sound insulation, commensurate with the expectations of
the end user. End user expectations are frequently related to the cost of occupying the unit.
Wall design is a balance between acoustical performance, thickness, weight and cost. Frequently it is not
possible to optimise one factor without seriously compromising the others. ■
Acoustic Performance On-Site
The Rw ratings on walling systems are obtained from tests carried out in accredited laboratories, under
controlled conditions. When identical partitions in buildings are tested in-situ, it is often found that the actual
result obtained, called the Weighted Standardised Level Difference (Dnt,w), is lower than the laboratory Rw. This
reduction in performance can be due to rooms being too small, varying size of the element being tested, flanking
paths (noise passing through other parts of the building) or background noise. The allowance in the BCA for a
difference of 5 between the laboratory test and the field test is not to allow for poor construction practice. To
repeat the performance in the field, attention to detail in the design and construction of the partition and its
adjoining floor/ceiling and associated structure is of prime importance. Even the most basic elements, if ignored,
can seriously downgrade the sound insulation performance.
The most common field faults include bricklayers not completely filling all mortar joints, poor sealing between
walls and other building elements, electrical power outlets being placed back to back, chasing masonry and
concrete walls, leaving gaps in insulation, screwing into insulation and winding it around the screw when
attaching sheet materials, not staggering joints in sheet materials and poor sealing of penetrations.
Boral Bricks cannot guarantee that field performance ratings will match laboratory performance. However, with
careful attention during construction of the wall, correct installation to specification and proper caulking/sealing,
the assembly should produce a field performance close to and comparable with tested values. The following
items can also affect the acoustic performance on site. ■
ADV03779

Perimeter Acoustical Sealing
As the Rw of a wall increases, the control of flanking paths becomes more critical. Consequently, the perimeter
sealing requirements for a low sound rating wall, such as Rw = 45, are much less than for a high sound rating
wall, such as Rw = 60. Note: it is neither necessary, nor is it cost effective, to provide very high perimeter
acoustic sealing for a low Rw wall.
Effective sealants have the following properties:
• Good flexibility, (elastic set);
• Low hardness;
• Excellent adhesion, usually to concrete, timber, plaster and galvanised steel;
• Minimal shrinkage (less than 5%);
• Moderate density (greater than 800 kg/m3); and are,

• Fire rated where required (All walls required by the BCA to be sound rated also have fire ratings).
All of the above properties must be maintained over the useful life of the building, that is, greater than 20 years.
Note: Use of expanding foam sealants is not acceptable.
Refer to the manufacturer to ensure the particular type or grade of sealant is suitable for the purpose. ■
Doors
Hollow, cored and even solid doors generally provide unsatisfactory sound insulation. Doors can provide direct
air leaks between rooms lowering the overall Rw of the wall in which they are inserted. Where sound insulation
is important, specialised heavyweight doors or, preferably, two doors separated by an absorbent lined airspace
or lobby should be used. ■
ADV03780

Lightweight Panels Above Doors
Panels are often incorporated for aesthetic reasons, however, they should not be used unless they have an Rw
equal to or better than the wall’s requirement. ■
Air Paths Through Gaps, Cracks or Holes
Seal all gaps, cracks or openings, however small, with an acoustic sealant. Holes readily conduct airborne
sounds and can considerably reduce the Rw of a wall. ■
Appliances
Noise producing fixtures or appliances such as water closets, cisterns, water storage tanks, sluices,
dishwashers, washing machines and pumps should be isolated from the structure with resilient mountings and
flexible service leads and connections. ■
Electrical Outlets & Service Pipes
Penetrations of all sorts should be avoided but if unavoidable, seal around them effectively. If possible introduce
a discontinuity in pipe work between fittings, such as a flexible connection within or on the line of a partition.
Use acoustically rated boxes for all general power outlets, light switches, telephone connections, television
outlets, etc. Seal the sides of electrical boxes and the perimeter of all penetrations with acoustic sealant. Offset
all power outlets on either side of a wall by at least 100 mm. ■
ADV03781
1.3 Brick Masonry Construction
Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction 1.301

The following information relates to the construction of brick walls to meet AS3700, the design and aesthetic
requirements.
Mortar
AS3700: 2001, Table 10.1 gives the options for mortar mixes classified as M1 to M4. M1 mortars are for
restoration applications. M2 mortars are for use in interior walls above dampcourse or in exterior walls above
dampcourse if more than one km from a body of salt water and 10 km from a surf coast and the wall has
protection from water ingress above. M3 and M4 mortars are those most commonly used in construction. Table
11 gives the proportions of the most commonly used mortars. Other deemed-to-satisfy compositions are given in
AS3700. Special mortars that are tested and shown to meet requirements are allowed with verification on site.
Note: Proportions are by volume and should be measured with a bucket or gauge box, NOT A SHOVEL.
Table 11. Typical Mortar Mixes

Mix proportions by volume
Mortar Durability
Type Class Portland or Hydrated Water
Blended Cement Lime Sand Thickener*
M1 PRO 0 1 3 No
M2 PRO 1 2 9 No
M3 GP 1 1 6 No
M3 GP 1 0 5 Yes
M4 EXP 1 1
⁄2 41⁄2 No
M4 EXP 1 0 4 Yes
Refer to page 1.104 for description of Durability Class. *Methylcellulose type, not air entrainers such as detergent.
Where masonry strength is crucial, trial walls should be constructed with the bricks and mortar to be used on
the job, then tested before construction commences. Masonry bond strength is related to the suction of the
bricks, the particle size distribution of the sand, cement content, additive contents, etc. For many jobs these
panels can also be used as physical samples of the required quality of the bricklaying and cleaning.
Note: AS 3700 allows the use of:
• Cements complying with AS 3972 or AS 1316
• Lime complying with AS 1672.1
• Sand that is free of any deleterious materials
• Water that is free from deleterious materials and
• Admixtures including plasticisers, air entraining agents and set retarders complying with AS1478.1,
cellulose-type water thickeners, colouring pigments complying with BS EN 12878 and bonding polymers. t
ADV03783

Mortar (continued)
No other material may be used until tests on masonry constructed with the mortar, made with the material or
admixture shows the masonry complies with the standard’s requirements for compressive strength, flexural
strength and durability.
Deleterious materials are those reducing the strength or durability of the masonry and including anything that
attacks the built-in components. This means the use of fire clay, detergent, sugar, soft drink, etc., are banned.
Most of these materials severely reduce mortar strength and durability. Water thickener must be used only
according to the manufacturer’s directions because overuse severely reduces mortar strength.
Mortar Estimator
Table 12. Estimated Material Requirements to Lay 1,000 Standard Bricks

Mix Composition 40 kg bags 25 kg bags Cubic metres Tonnes of
(C:L:S) of cement of lime of sand damp sand
M3 1:1:6 4 2.4 0.64 1.2
M3 1:0:5 4 0 0.64 1.2
M4 1:0:4 6.5 0 0.64 1.2
M4 1 : 1⁄2 : 41⁄2 5.3 1.6 0.64 1.2
This table assumes partial filling of cores and typical site wastage.
Only make sufficient mortar for immediate use. If mortar starts to set, it may be re-tempered once only.
Where bricklaying is interrupted, the mortar should be covered to prevent evaporation and mixed with the trowel
before continuing. t
ADV03784

Mortar (continued)
Mortar Colour
The mortar colour can dramatically affect the overall look. The colour of mortar is influenced by the colour of the
cement and the aggregates (sand). Many pigments are also available ranging in colour through red, yellow,
brown, green, blue and black (mainly oxides but carbon black can be used to give black mortar). The cheapest
way of colouring mortar is to use coloured sand. White and yellow sands are commonly available but red and
brown sands are also available. Sands are normally natural materials which vary considerably even in the one
deposit. To ensure colour consistency, sufficient sand from the one batch should be set aside for the whole job.
Where colour is crucial to the look of the masonry, before accepting the sand, a trial wall should be built (4 bricks
x 10 courses). After the mortar dries assess the colour. Where oxides or carbon black are used as colours never
use more than 10% by weight of the cement content.
Colours are additive in their effect and it is possible to get different shades and tones of mortar using different
combinations of cement, sands and oxides.
Table 13: Typical Coloured Mortar Components

Mortar Colour Cement Sand Oxide
Red Grey White or Yellow or Red Red
Yellow Off-white or Grey Yellow Yellow & Brown
Cream Off-white Yellow None
Tan Grey White or Yellow Brown
Black Grey Yellow Black
Note: The colour of mortar can be severely degraded by incorrect or poor brick cleaning. ■
ADV03785

Joint Types
The type of joint can dramatically affect the overall look of brick masonry. Joints can be used to create a casual,
rustic or formal look to brickwork. There are many different joints; the most common ones used in Australia are
shown below.
Flush Joint Raked Joint Ironed Joint Struck Joint Weathered Joint
Terminology and joint preference differs in different countries and within Australia. Where there is any
confusion, always use a drawing or physical sample to avoid misunderstandings.
Shallow ironed joints are recommended in areas requiring exposure grade bricks and mortar. Tooling the joint to
produce ironed and struck joints is equivalent to steel trowelling concrete and produces a dense smooth surface
which sheds water and dirt better than other types of joint. Ironed and struck joints should always be used for
bricks with straight sharp edges such as Smooth Face and Velour bricks.
Raked joints may be used with any type of brick but they tend to retain dirt and may lead to streaks down the
masonry in dirty environments. Raking must not come closer than 5 mm to any core. This usually limits raking to
less than 10 mm, however it is best to check the bricks that are being used before raking. AS3700 specifies that
joints in walls in marine, severe marine or aggressive environments or on aggressive soils must be tooled to a
dense smooth surface. This precludes raking and in practice ironed joints are the only ones that consistently
meet the requirement.
Flush joints may be used with any type of brick. However, flush joints are particularly effective with rumbled
bricks as flush joints make the joints look to be of variable thickness that gives a pleasing rustic look. ■
ADV03786

Joint Sizes
Mortar bed joints are required to be less than 10 mm unless the design specifies another thickness. A different
thickness may only be specified after the designer considers the effect on compressive and flexural strength of
the masonry. During construction mortar bed joints are allowed to deviate by ± 3mm. Because of poor practice
or lack of proper direction some slabs and footings are finished at the wrong height. Mortar joints up to 50 mm
thick have been used to get the correct coursing, however, this is not allowed under AS3700.
Perpends are to have a minimum design thickness of 5 mm. In structural brickwork perpends may be up to 10 mm
thicker than the specified thickness but no thinner. In face brickwork perpends may deviate by ± 5 mm from the
average width but in any one wall the maximum difference allowable between any two perpends is 8 mm.
The preceding tolerances do not apply in the case of thin bed mortars and perpend tolerances do not apply where
perpends are not filled with mortar. ■
Weepholes
Weepholes are to allow moisture that collects in the cavity to escape. Weepholes should be spaced at less than
1200 mm centres wherever flashing is built into the masonry to shed water from the cavity. Weepholes are
usually empty perpends (10 mm wide) but proprietary products are available to prevent the entry of insects. In
high wind areas it has been known for water to be blown up the cavity onto the inner wall and as this is very
undesirable, more, narrower weepholes are usually built into the wall. It is essential that weepholes remain open
and render and other applied coatings, where used, must be raked out of the joint. ■
ADV03787

Brick Estimator
Brickwork is based on the 600 mm unit, (seven courses high and two and a half bricks long). This unit fits in with
doors, windows and other building materials. The number of bricks required for a wall can be determined from
the Brick Coursing Height and Brick Gauge tables on pages 1.310-1.312 of this manual. Select the height of the
wall and from the following page for the brick height chosen determine the number of courses. From the next
page for 230 mm long bricks or the one after for 290 mm bricks, determine the number of bricks for the length of
your wall. A half brick should be calculated as 1 whole brick, due to site wastage. Multiply the number of bricks
by the number of courses to give the number of bricks for the wall. Saw cutting bricks may mean getting two
halves from a brick but this is not usual practice because of the cost of cutting. ■
ADV03788

Brick bonds and other decorative effects
A bond is the pattern in which bricks are laid. The most common bond is Stretcher Bond which consists of courses
of full bricks where every course is offset half a brick from the course below. When following the mortar joint,
stretcher bond has the longest vertical pathway and therefore the best bend strength.
Stretcher bond is used in walls one brick wide. Where walls are two or more bricks wide then stretcher bond
needs ties to hold the leaves together to give it a monolithic action. To avoid the use of ties traditional practice
has been to lay some of the bricks sideways. This has usually been either full courses of headers with full
courses of stretcher (English) or courses of alternating header and stretcher (Flemish). A variation of Flemish
Bond is Garden Wall Bond where courses are made of a header and three stretchers alternating.
Corner treatment can be different in these bonds. English corners end in full stretchers or full headers, and any
part brick required to make up the course is set inside the corner. Dutch corners end in the part bricks.
Variations on these bonds are common in particular a header course every three or six courses with stretcher
courses between.
Although these bonds have traditionally been developed for thick walls, they can be used in single leaf walls as
a decorative effect using cut bricks for the headers. Such walls are usually non-load bearing. Cutting costs are
high but not excessive as the headers have the cut side turned in and the bricks can be bolstered.
Other decorative bonds may be used in non-load bearing applications, particularly in the form of panels. The
limitations are strengths lower than Stretcher Bond and the cost of cutting and slower brick laying. The
decorative effect of bonds is highlighted by using a mortar in a contrasting colour to the brick.
Other bonds include:
• Stack Bond – Bricks laid horizontally in vertical columns so all vertical joints align.
• Soldier Stack Bond – Bricks laid vertically in vertical columns so all vertical joints align.
• 1/3 Bond – Every course is offset by 1/3 of a brick.
• Zigzag Bond, Vertical Zigzag Bond, 45˚ Stretcher Bond, Chevron Bond, Basket Weave Bond, 45˚ Basket
Weave Bond and virtually any pattern that tessellates. t
ADV03789

Brick bonds and other decorative effects (continued)
Other decorative effects are available such as:
• Laying bands of bricks of the same colour with different textures eg smooth faced and rock faced;
• Laying bands of bricks with different (contrasting or complimentary) colours;
• Corbelling (bricks set out from the wall);
• Racking (bricks set back into the wall);
• Quoining (corner bricks in different colours or set out from the wall);
• Soldiers above openings or as a single course;
• Copings on piers and parapet walls;
• Sills in different colours or textures, using sill bricks, etc.; or,
In the late 1800’s bricks of contrasting colours were laid in patterns such as diamonds or crosses. A more subtle
effect can be made by laying bricks with different textures or corbelling the bricks in these patterns.
Combinations of the above effects can be used. Eg. An American Architect specified a corbelled course with the
course below to be laid in the darkest bricks selected from the packs delivered. The darker band accentuated the
shadowing effect from the corbelled course. t
ADV03790

Brick bonds and other decorative effects (continued)
Stretcher Bond Common Bond (Full Headers every 6th Course)
Flemish Bond Common Bond (Flemish every 6th Course)
English Cross or Dutch Bond Garden Wall Bond
Stack Bond Soldier Course (With Stretcher Bond)
ADV03791

Brick Coursing Height
36
3000 24 3000mm
50
35 18 30
49
34 23 48
29
17 47
33
22 46 28
2700 32 2700mm
45
27
31 21 16 44
43
30 26
20 42
29 15 41 25
2400 2400mm
40
28 19 24
39
27 14 38
18 23
37
26
36 22
2100 25 17 13 2100mm
35
21
24 34
16 33
23 12 20
32
22 15 31 19
1800 1800mm
30
21 11 18
14 29
20 28
17
19 13 10 27
26 16
1500 18 1500mm
25
12 15
17 9 24
23
16 11 14
22
15 8 21 13
1200 10 1200mm
20
14 12
19
13 9 7 18
11
12 17
8 16 10
900 11 6 900mm
15
9
10 7 14
13
9 5 8
6 12
8 11 7
600 600mm
10
7 5 4 6
9
6 8
4 5
5 3 7
6 4
300 4 3 300mm
5
3
3 2 4
2 3
2 2
2
1 1 1 1 1
76mm 119mm 162mm 50mm 90mm ADV03792

Brick Gauge
230 mm Long Bricks
No. of Length Opening No. of Length Opening No. of Length Opening No. of Length
Bricks (mm) (mm) Bricks (mm) (mm) Bricks (mm) (mm) Bricks (mm)
1 230 250 131⁄2 3230 3250 26 6230 6250 381⁄2 9230

11⁄2 350 370 14 3350 3370 261⁄2 6350 6370 39 9350
2 470 490 14 ⁄2
1
3470 3490 27 6470 6490 39 ⁄2
1
9470
2 ⁄2
1
590 610 15 3590 3610 27 ⁄2
1
6590 6610 40 9590
3 710 730 151⁄2 3710 3730 28 6710 6730 401⁄2 9710
31⁄2 830 850 16 3830 3850 281⁄2 6830 6850 41 9830
4 950 970 16 ⁄2
1
3950 3970 29 6950 6970 41 ⁄2
1
9950
4 ⁄2
1
1070 1090 17 4070 4090 29 ⁄2
1
7070 7090 42 10070
5 1190 1210 171⁄2 4190 4210 30 7190 7210 421⁄2 10190
51⁄2 1310 1330 18 4310 4330 301⁄2 7310 7330 43 10310
6 1430 1450 18 ⁄2
1
4430 4450 31 7430 7450 43 ⁄2
1
10430
6 ⁄2
1
1550 1570 19 4550 4570 31 ⁄2
1
7550 7570 44 10550
7 1670 1690 191⁄2 4670 4690 32 7670 7690 441⁄2 10670
71⁄2 1790 1810 20 4790 4810 321⁄2 7790 7810 45 10790
8 1910 1930 20 ⁄2
1
4910 4930 33 7910 7930 45 ⁄2
1
10910
8 ⁄2
1
2030 2050 21 5030 5050 33 ⁄2
1
8030 8050 46 11030
9 2150 2170 211⁄2 5150 5170 34 8150 8170 461⁄2 11150
9 ⁄2
1
2270 2290 22 5270 5290 34 ⁄2
1
8270 8290 47 11270
10 2390 2410 22 ⁄2
1
5390 5410 35 8390 8410 47 ⁄2
1
11390
10 ⁄2 1
2510 2530 23 5510 5530 35 ⁄2
1
8510 8530 48 11510
11 2630 2650 231⁄2 5630 5650 36 8630 8650 481⁄2 11630
11 ⁄2 1
2750 2770 24 5750 5770 36 ⁄2
1
8750 8770 49 11750
12 2870 2890 24 ⁄2
1
5870 5890 37 8870 8890 49 ⁄2
1
11870
12 ⁄2 1
2990 3010 25 5990 6010 37 ⁄2
1
8990 9010 50 11990
13 3110 3130 251⁄2 6110 6130 38 9110 9130 100 23990
ADV03793

Brick Gauge
290 mm Long Bricks
No. of Length Opening No. of Length Opening No. of Length No. of Length
Bricks (mm) (mm) Bricks (mm) (mm) Bricks (mm) Bricks (mm)
1 290 310 132⁄3 4090 4110 261⁄3 7890 39 11690

11⁄3 390 410 14 4190 4210 262⁄3 7990 391⁄3 11790
1 ⁄3
2
490 510 14 ⁄3
1
4290 4310 27 8090 39 ⁄3
2
11890
2 590 610 14 ⁄3
2
4390 4410 27 ⁄3
1
8190 40 11990
21⁄3 690 710 15 4490 4510 272⁄3 8290 401⁄3 12090
22⁄3 790 810 151⁄3 4590 4610 28 8390 402⁄3 12190
3 890 910 15 ⁄3
2
4690 4710 28 ⁄3
1
8490 41 12290
3 ⁄3
1
990 1010 16 4790 4810 28 ⁄3
2
8590 41 ⁄3
1
12390
32⁄3 1090 1110 161⁄3 4890 4910 29 8690 412⁄3 12490
4 1190 1210 162⁄3 4990 5010 291⁄3 8790 42 12590
4 ⁄3
1
1290 1310 17 5090 5110 29 ⁄3
2
8890 42 ⁄3
1
12690
4 ⁄3
2
1390 1410 17 ⁄3
1
5190 5210 30 8990 42 ⁄3
2
12790
5 1490 1510 172⁄3 5290 5310 301⁄3 9090 43 12890
51⁄3 1590 1610 18 5390 5410 302⁄3 9190 431⁄3 12990
5 ⁄3
2
1690 1710 18 ⁄3
1
5490 5510 31 9290 43 ⁄3
2
13090
6 1790 1810 18 ⁄3
2
5590 5610 31 ⁄3
1
9390 44 13190
61⁄3 1890 1910 19 5690 5710 312⁄3 9490 441⁄3 13290
62⁄3 1990 2010 191⁄3 5790 5810 32 9590 442⁄3 13390
7 2090 2110 19 ⁄3
2
5890 5910 32 ⁄3
1
9690 45 13490
7 ⁄3
1
2190 2210 20 5990 6010 32 ⁄3
2
9790 45 ⁄3
1
13590
72⁄3 2290 2310 201⁄3 6090 6110 33 9890 452⁄3 13690
8 2390 2410 202⁄3 6190 6210 331⁄3 9990 46 13790
8 ⁄3
1
2490 2510 21 6290 6310 33 ⁄3
2
10090 46 ⁄3
1
13890
8 ⁄3
2
2590 2610 21 ⁄3
1
6390 6410 34 10190 46 ⁄3
2
13990
9 2690 2710 212⁄3 6490 6510 341⁄3 10290 47 14090
91⁄3 2790 2810 22 6590 6610 342⁄3 10390 471⁄3 14190
9 ⁄3
2
2890 2910 22 ⁄3
1
6690 6710 35 10490 47 ⁄3
2
14290
10 2990 3010 22 ⁄3
2
6790 6810 35 ⁄3
1
10590 48 14390
101⁄3 3090 3110 23 6890 6910 352⁄3 10690 481⁄3 14490
102⁄3 3190 3210 231⁄3 6990 7010 36 10790 482⁄3 14590
11 3290 3310 23 ⁄3
2
7090 7110 36 ⁄3
1
10890 49 14690
11 ⁄3
1
3390 3410 24 7190 7210 36 ⁄3
2
10990 49 ⁄3
1
14790
112⁄3 3490 3510 241⁄3 7290 7310 37 11090 492⁄3 14890
12 3590 3610 242⁄3 7390 7410 371⁄3 11190 50 14990
12 ⁄3
1
3690 3710 25 7490 7510 37 ⁄3
2
11290 100 29990
12 ⁄3
2
3790 3810 25 ⁄3
1
7590 7610 38 11390
13 3890 3910 252⁄3 7690 7710 381⁄3 11490
131⁄3 3990 4010 26 7790 7810 382⁄3 11590
ADV03794

Blending
Raw materials for brick making are from natural sources and these vary in colour within any one deposit. Brick
makers blend materials to moderate the colour variation but it still occurs. Colour variation may be caused by
different conditions across the kiln. No matter how well made, bricks delivered to site will have some degree of
colour variation.
Poorly blended bricks may show unwanted patches, streaks and bands of colour in the finished masonry.
To avoid this:
• All bricks required for the project, or as many packs as will fit, should be delivered at one time and stored
on site; and,
• Bricks should be drawn from at least four packs simultaneously, working down from the corners of each
pack. ■
Brick Storage
Bricks stored on site should be covered and kept off the ground. Bricks may absorb ground water containing salts
or coloured minerals creating subsequent problems with staining. Bricks when laid saturated usually produce
excessive efflorescence as the masonry dries. Saturated bricks may also adversely affect the mortar bond
strength.
Moving bricks around the site may cause chipping and excessive movement of packs should be avoided. ■
ADV03795

Laying Practices
The following practices are recommended:
• Mortar, extruded from tapping the brick down to the string line, should be cut off with an upward stroke of
the trowel. In this manner, a clean cut is made, without smearing the face of the brick.
• Joints should be tooled progressively as the bricks are laid, when the mortar is firm to thumb pressure. High
suction bricks require joints to be tooled more frequently than low suction bricks. Tooling too late produces
a ‘burned’ joint, where the surface may not be smooth and dense.
• After allowing the mortar to undergo initial set, within a day, dry brush mortar smears, to remove any dags,
and then wet brush any remaining mortar stains. Mortar that is allowed to set on the masonry face may
require high-pressure water jet cleaning or more costly, risky methods of cleaning.
• Cavities should be kept as clear as possible from mortar droppings. Flushing out the cavity removes
inadvertently dropped mortar and ensures ties are clean and flashing and damp proof courses are not
bridged. It is poor practice and usually ineffective to flush large quantities of dropped mortar from cavities.
Usual practice is for the bricklayer to leave out one or more bricks at the base of the wall above a flashing
or the damp proof course for the washings to come out. Washings can cause serious staining where they
run down over lower brickwork and should be rinsed off thoroughly each day.
• Scaffolding should be kept at least 150 mm from the face of the brickwork to prevent a build up of mortar
droppings against the masonry.
• When bricklaying is interrupted by rain or rain is expected overnight, masonry should be protected by
covering it. Saturated masonry will produce excessive efflorescence and may lead to staining with some
bricks.
• Face bricks are supplied with one face and one header suitable for exposing (i.e. to be seen after laying).
Face bricks with unwanted marks, chips or cracks on a header should be laid with that header inside a
mortared joint. Face bricks with unwanted marks, chips or cracks on the face should be set aside by the
bricklayer (or labourer) for use as commons. Boral will not be responsible for replacing bricks with unwanted
marks, chips or cracks that have been laid. ■
ADV03796

Control Joints
Control joints must not be bridged by mortar or render. After laying the bricks or rendering, the joint must be
cleaned. Lumps of mortar or render can transfer forces across the closing joint and will cause the bricks to crack
(or spall). Control joints are usually constructed with a highly compressible material (in the form of a sheet or
rod) inserted to keep dirt and moisture from penetrating to the cavity. For aesthetic reasons a compressible
caulking material, matched to the mortar colour, is usually applied on the outside. As the joint closes,
compressible caulking compounds may be extruded from the joint but incompressible ones may damage the
bricks. If extruded caulking compound is considered unsightly, it can be cut out and replaced or the compound
can be recessed during construction. Care must be taken when choosing a caulking compound to ensure it is a
highly compressible type that will survive for the design life of the building and not discolour significantly. There
are numerous suitable materials available and manufacturer’s recommendations should be sought.
Where a control joint has flexible masonry ties built in, a piece of the compressible material must be removed to
accommodate the tie. ■
Damp Courses and Flashing
Membrane type damp proof courses (DPC) must be laid across the full width of the wall or leaf and must project
through the mortar on either side and be completely visible after laying and cleaning is complete. Recessing DPC
below the edge of the brickwork so that the mortar bridges the DPC invalidates its use and is therefore entirely
unacceptable. Bridged DPC may lead to rising damp, salt attack and or accelerated corrosion of the built-in
components that may lead to structural failure. Recessing flashing below the mortar although common is not
good practice as it allows the water that should be shed to soak into the wall below the flashing.
DPC and flashing at the base of a wall may be combined. Lengths should be as long as possible but where not
continuous, two adjacent pieces should overlap by at least 150 mm and if possible be sealed together. If a
termite shield is used in the same joint as the DPC, the DPC material must be compatible with the termite shield
or corrosion may destroy the DPC.
General practice has been to recommend that flashings and DPCs be sandwiched between the mortar. There is
some evidence that the common practice of laying flashings and DPC directly on the lower course of bricks and
placing the mortar on top may be superior in some instances. ■
ADV03797

Cleaning of Clay Masonry
The Basics of Brick Cleaning
The cleaner the bricklayer leaves the wall, the easier will be the cleaning task. The majority of the mortar
residues and smears should be cleaned before they set hard. However, in most cases some additional cleaning
will be required to completely remove the mortar residue.
Cleaning techniques may involve high-pressure water jet equipment or hand methods. Whatever technique is
used, the following requirements must be observed to ensure additional staining problems are avoided.
Test Areas
Testing in one or more small areas is the safest way to determine the correct technique and chemical solution to
remove mortar residues. This must occur well before final cleaning, as it will usually not be possible to assess
the effectiveness of the test clean until the masonry dries.
Clean Soluble Salt Deposits First
Efflorescence, a white ‘fluffy’ deposit, cannot be removed by water or acid. Dry brushing to remove the
efflorescence before washing is recommended. If efflorescence is wetted, the salts go into solution and are
drawn back into the brickwork and will reappear as the masonry dries. Efflorescence will eventually disappear
through natural weathering.
Vanadium salts produce a green or yellow efflorescence or stain (mainly seen on cream and light coloured clay
bricks). Hydrochloric acid will make these stains much worse and may make them impossible to clean. Mild
vanadium stains may be treated with sodium hypochlorite (household bleach). Spray or brush on dry brickwork
and leave until the stain disappears, then rinse off. Proprietary mould cleaners containing sodium hypochlorite
and sodium hydroxide can be used as above and have been found very effective. Proprietary brick cleaners may
also be effective and should be used only according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Proprietary cleaners
usually contain acids that must be neutralised after use with a solution of 15 grams of washing soda
per litre of water.
More than one chemical application may be required and the walls should be rinsed thoroughly after each
treatment. t
ADV03798

Cleaning of Clay Masonry (continued)
High Pressure Cleaning
High-pressure water washing is now common for cleaning brickwork. If used the pressure must be kept below
1000 psi (7000 kPa), the nozzle must be kept 500 mm from the brick face and the nozzle must be a wide fan jet
type with an angle of 15 degrees.
The following practices must be observed:
• Cleaning should not start until the mortar has hardened.
• Hard lumps or persistent smears should be removed by hand.
• Mask adjacent materials.
• Do not apply the acid with the high-pressure sprayer. Use a low-pressure spray or broom it on.
• Clean from top to bottom in small sections.
• Work in the shade, ahead of the sun, if possible.
• DO NOT USE EXCESSIVE PRESSURE OR GET TOO CLOSE, as this will damage the face of the brick and the
mortar joint. Mortar joints that are no longer smooth with sharp edges is a clear sign of excessive pressure.
Excessive pressure is used to make cleaning faster; it does not do a better job of cleaning. t
ADV03799

Saturate the Wall Surface
Failure to completely saturate the surface of the wall is in itself a major cause of cleaning stains. Cleaning
solutions containing dissolved mortar particles and acids will be drawn into a dry masonry wall, causing staining.
Furthermore, saturating the surface of the wall keeps the acid solution on the face of the masonry where the
mortar smears are present. It is not true that face saturation weakens the acid and slows the cleaning.
Water should be trained on the wall until the brick suction is exhausted. The area to be cleaned must be
saturated as well as all brickwork areas below. If the wall appears to be drying on the surface, reapply water
until ready to apply the cleaning solution.
Recommended acid strengths are based on application to a surface saturated wall.
Note: This point must be strictly adhered to for bricks manufactured in Queensland. Their raw materials contain
large amounts of iron oxide and failure to saturate the surface of the wall allows acid solutions to react
with the iron oxide and create severe iron oxide staining. Failure to saturate the surface of the bricks
manufactured in other parts of Australia can also lead to the acid reacting with iron oxide but to a much
lesser degree. This form of staining is known as acid burn and is particularly visible on light coloured
bricks. Acid absorption into bricks can also lead to vanadium and manganese staining. t
ADV03800

Acids – The Basics
The traditional masonry-cleaning chemical is hydrochloric acid, (also known as muriatic acid or spirits of salts).
Its main function is to dissolve the cement in the mortar mix. It has few other uses and in many stain situations
should not be used.
Hydrochloric acid is a corrosive S6 poison and care must be taken when using it. If acid is splashed onto the skin
it should be immediately swabbed with clean water, or more effectively, with a solution of bicarbonate of soda
in water, which will neutralise the acid.
The recommended acid strength for light coloured clay bricks is 1 part acid to 20 parts water and for other bricks
is 1 part acid to 10 parts water. Acid takes time to dissolve the cement and should be left on for 4-6 minutes (or
longer if needed) before washing off. After washing a solution of 15 g per litre of washing soda or 24 g per litre
of sodium bicarbonate should be sprayed on to neutralise any remaining acid. Excess hydrochloric acid will
eventually evaporate from the brickwork, however, it is likely to cause staining of the bricks and damage to
built-in components. Other acids such as sulfuric acid or nitric acid will not evaporate and are not used in
brick cleaning.
Note: The recommended strength must be strictly adhered to. Bricks manufactured in Queensland may contain
large amounts of iron oxide and the use of acid solutions stronger than 1 part acid to 20 parts water can
dissolve these particles and create iron oxide staining. For light coloured bricks manufactured elsewhere
the use of solutions stronger than 1 part acid to 20 parts water can lead to acid burn.
Proprietary masonry cleaning solutions containing a mixture of acids are available. If used, the manufacturer’s
recommendations must be strictly adhered to. Excessive and incorrect use of some proprietary cleaning solutions
has in the past, produced very bad staining. t
ADV03801

Safety Precautions
All masonry-cleaning acids are dangerous. Acids that do not dissolve cement as quickly as hydrochloric acid are
not necessarily safer and can be very much more dangerous to human health. To avoid personal injury:
• Wear goggles, gloves and protective clothing.
• Always pour acids into water – this avoids splashes of highly concentrated acid onto the operator.
• If splashed onto the body, wash with clean water and if possible, neutralise with a mixture of bicarbonate
of soda and water.
• The manufacturer’s instructions and safety precautions must be strictly adhered to if proprietary cleaning
products are used. ■
ADV03802
1.4 Property Tables
Escura® – Flame Melbourne Nevada Pearl Salmon Victorian
Brown Cream Frost Red Taupe Terracotta Choc Tan Cinnamon Jute
Smooth Face Red Red Cream Grey Pink Pink
Work size (mm) 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76
Dimensional Category DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1
Perforation (%) <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30
Ave unit weight (kg) 2.9 2.9 3.0 2.9 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.9 2.9 3.0 3.4 2.9 2.9 2.9 3.4
2
Approx number per m 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49
Wall surface density (kg/m2) 190 190 190 190 190 190 190 190 190 190 210 190 190 190 210
Characteristics unconfined compressive
strength of the unit (f’uc) MPa >22 >22 >22 >22 >22 >22 >15 >15 >15 >15 >22 >15 >15 >15 >22
Strength of masonry (MPa)
- Characteristic compressive
strength (f’m) M3* mortar (GP) >6.6 >6.6 >6.6 >6.6 >6.6 >6.6 >5.4 >5.4 >5.4 >5.4 >8.5 >5.4 >5.4 >5.4 >8.5
strength (f’m) M3* mortar (EXP) >7.0 >7.0 >7.0 >7.0 >7.0 >7.0 >5.8 >5.8 >5.8 >5.8 >9.0 >5.8 >5.8 >5.8 >9.0
Co-efficient of growth ‘em’ (mm/m/15yrs) <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.4 <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.4
Salt attack resistence category EXP GP GP EXP GP GP EXP GP EXP GP EXP GP GP GP EXP
Liability to effloresce Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight
Lime pitting Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil
Weighted Sound Reduction Index
- Unrendered 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45
Fire rating (FRL) minutes

- Insulated unrendered 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90
No per pack 400 400 400 400 400 400 340 340 340 340 272 340 340 340 272
Pack weight (kg) 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 925 925 925 1020 950 925 925 925 950
Pack dimensions (mm) 1150x920x775 1150x920x775 1150x920x775 1150x920x775 1150x920x775 1150x920x775 1150x770x684 1150x770x684 1150x770x684 1150x770x684 865x710x935 1150x770x684 1150x770x684 1150x770x684 865x710x935
• Physical testing is carried out to Australian Standard 4456:2003 requirements.

# Properties can change. Contact your Boral Bricks representative for confirmation or call 13 30 35.
This technical information is subject to change without notice.
Escura® – Cream Frost Red Brown
Smooth Face 50mm
Work size (mm) 230x110x50 230x110x50 230x110x50 230x110x50
Dimensional Category DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1
Perforation (%) 30 30 30 30
Ave unit weight (kg) 2 2 2 2
Approx number per m2 70 70 70 70
Wall surface density (kg/m2) 200 200 200 200
Characteristics unconfined compressive
strength of the unit (f’uc) MPa >22 >22 >22 >22
Strength of masonry (MPa)
strength (f’m) M3* mortar (GP) >6.6 >6.6 >6.6 >6.6
strength (f’m) M3* mortar (EXP) >7.0 >7.0 >7.0 >7.0
Co-efficient of growth ‘em’ (mm/m/15yrs) <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.1

Salt attack resistence category GP GP EXP EXP
Liability to effloresce Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight
Lime pitting Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight
Weighted Sound Reduction Index
- Unrendered 45 45 45 45

- Insulated unrendered 90 90 90 90
No per pack 510 510 510 510
Pack weight (kg) 1100 1100 1100 1100
Pack dimensions (mm) 1150x920x690 1150x920x690 1150x920x690 1150x920x690

Escura® – Cream Terracotta Red Oyster Brown Blue Rio Nevada Salmon Pearl Flame Victorian
Velour Grey Cream Pink Grey Red Blue
Work size (mm) 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76
Dimensional category DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1
Perforation (%) <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30
Ave unit weight (kg) 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.7 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 3.4
2
Approx number per m 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49
Brickwork load/m2 (kg/m2) 190 190 190 190 190 185 190 190 190 190 210
Characteristic unconfined compressive
strength of the unit (f’uc) MPa >22 >22 >22 >22 >22 >10 >15 >15 >15 >15 >22
Section 1.4 Clay Brick Property Tables
Strengths of masonry (MPa)

– Characteristic compressive
strength (f’m) M3* mortar (GP) >6.6 >6.6 >6.6 >6.6 >6.6 >4.4 >5.4 >5.4 >5.4 >5.4 >6.6
strength (f’m) M4* mortar (EXP) >7.0 >7.0 >7.0 >7.0 >7.0 >4.7 >5.8 >5.8 >5.8 >5.8 >7.0
Co-efficient of growth ‘em’ (mm/m/15yrs) <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.0 <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.1 <1.4
Salt attack resistance category GP GP GP GP GP EXP GP GP GP GP EXP
Liability to effloresce Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight
Lime pitting Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil
STC rating
– Unrendered 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45
– Insulation unrendered 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90
No per pack 400 400 400 400 400 380 340 340 340 340 272
Pack weight (kg) 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1080 925 925 925 925 950
Pack dimensions (mm) 1150x920x775 1150x920x775 1150x920x775 1150x920x775 1150x920x775 1000x860x930 1150x770x684 1150x770x684 1150x770x684 1150x770x684 865x710x935
1.402
ADV03804
Typical data for all other Boral face bricks can be found using the
Escura® – Red Cream Reference Guides on the following pages. Look up your required product
Pressed
by Brick Name (page 1.404) or Range Name (page 1.405), and match the
Work size (mm) 230x110x76 230x110x76
code to the corresponding Property Table Legend on page 1.406.
Dimensional category DW1 DW1
Perforation (%) Frog Frog
For typical data relating to Boral clay pavers, refer to Section 2.4 –
Ave unit weight (kg) 4.1 4.1
Paver Property Tables, Pages 2.401 – 2.402.
Approx number per m2 49 49
Brickwork load/m2 (kg/m2) 240 240
Characteristic unconfined compressive
strength of the unit (f’uc) MPa >22 >22

strength (f’m) M3* mortar (GP) >6.6 >6.6
strength (f’m) M4* mortar (EXP) >7.0 >7.0
Co-efficient of growth ‘em’ (mm/m/15yrs) <1.4 <1.4
Salt attack resistance category EXP EXP
Liability to effloresce Nil to slight Nil to slight
Lime pitting Nil Nil
STC rating
– Unrendered 45 45
– Insulation unrendered 90 90
No per pack 272 272
Pack weight (kg) 1200 1200
Pack dimensions (mm) 890x725x940 890x725x940
# Properties can change. Contact your Boral Bricks representative for confirmation
or call 13 30 35.
1.403
ADV03805
LEGEND - Products Listed Alphabeticaly by Brick Name
Range Name Brick Name Code Range Name Brick Name Code Range Name Brick Name Code Range Name Brick Name Code
HORIZON NSW Alabaster J HORIZON NSW Delta Sands M WOODSTOCK Lexington Gold K NUVO Riverclay K
NUVO Albion M NUVO Desert Sage J WOODSTOCK Lexington Gold Double Height L NUVO Rose Bay J
NUVO Alpine K WOODSTOCK Drysdale M NUVO Limestone Hue J WOODSTOCK Rose Gold K
ELAN Amber Blaze C ELAN Duchess B HORIZON NSW Lindeman J WOODSTOCK Rose Gold Double Height L
ELAN Amber Blaze 50mm E HORIZON VIC Ember Glow C NUVO Linden M ELAN Rouge A
HORIZON NSW Antique Cream J WOODSTOCK Eureka F HORIZON QLD Longreach K HORIZON VIC Sandalwood B
HORIZON NSW Antique Grey J WOODSTOCK Flintstone M ELAN Madeira B WOODSTOCK Sandhurst M
HORIZON NSW Antique Natural J ELAN Florentine Limestone N HORIZON VIC Mocha C WOODSTOCK Sandstone Gold K
HORIZON NSW Antique Pink J WOODSTOCK Fresco M WOODSTOCK Mowbray K WOODSTOCK Sandstone Gold Double Height L
HORIZON NSW Arnhem Sands M HORIZON QLD Girraween K WOODSTOCK Mowbray Double Height L HORIZON NSW Sandy Bay H
NUVO Ascot K WOODSTOCK Golden Harvest M HORIZON NSW Murray River H WOODSTOCK Scarborough M
NUVO Bantry Bay J ELAN Grey Nuance B NUVO Nelson Bay J ELAN Scarlet B
HORIZON VIC Beaumonde B HORIZON VIC Gypsy Rose C HORIZON VIC Old Golden C WOODSTOCK Settler F
WOODSTOCK Bentley K NUVO Hendra K HORIZON VIC Old Maple C ELAN Soft Gold B
Section 1.4 Clay Brick Property Tables – Reference Guide
WOODSTOCK Bentley Double Height L WOODSTOCK Heritage F HORIZON VIC Old Russet C WOODSTOCK Sorbet M
HORIZON VIC Berwick Rustic C WOODSTOCK Hillview M HORIZON VIC Old Woodville C NUVO Sorrell K
NUVO Bianca K WOODSTOCK Hobart F ELAN Peachy Isle B HORIZON QLD St George K
NUVO Cameo J HORIZON VIC Ironbark A HORIZON NSW Pewter Sands M HORIZON NSW Summer Gold J
WOODSTOCK Canyon M HORIZON VIC Jarrah A HORIZON NSW Phillip J NUVO Sunset Haze J
NUVO Classic Limestone Hue J ELAN Kimberley C WOODSTOCK Port Phillip F WOODSTOCK Sydney Town F
ELAN Cleveland C WOODSTOCK Kingsley K WOODSTOCK Potters Gold K ELAN Tanami C
ELAN Cleveland 50mm E WOODSTOCK Kingsley Double Height L WOODSTOCK Potters Gold Double Height L NUVO Tuscana O
WOODSTOCK Colonial F ELAN La Mesa B ELAN Raheen C HORIZON QLD Windorah K
NUVO Coral Mist J ELAN Labassa C ELAN Rattan B HORIZON VIC Windsor A
HORIZON NSW Coral Sands M ELAN Labassa 50mm E HORIZON NSW Red Cove H WOODSTOCK Winter Gold K
REVIVE Cream Rockface F WOODSTOCK Latrobe K REVIVE Red Texture – No Arris M WOODSTOCK Winter Gold Double Height L
REVIVE Cream Texture F WOODSTOCK Latrobe Double Height L REVIVE Red Texture – Smooth Arris M
WOODSTOCK Crestwood M HORIZON NSW Leura I ELAN Ripponlea C
1.404
ADV03806
LEGEND - Products Listed Alphabeticaly by Range Name
Range Name Brick Name Code Range Name Brick Name Code Range Name Brick Name Code Range Name Brick Name Code
ELAN Amber Blaze C HORIZON NSW Leura I NUVO Bantry Bay J WOODSTOCK Golden Harvest M
ELAN Amber Blaze 50mm E HORIZON NSW Lindeman J NUVO Bianca K WOODSTOCK Heritage F
ELAN Cleveland C HORIZON NSW Murray River H NUVO Cameo J WOODSTOCK Hillview M
ELAN Cleveland 50mm E HORIZON NSW Pewter Sands M NUVO Classic Limestone Hue J WOODSTOCK Hobart F
ELAN Duchess B HORIZON NSW Phillip J NUVO Coral Mist J WOODSTOCK Kingsley K
ELAN Florentine Limestone N HORIZON NSW Red Cove H NUVO Desert Sage J WOODSTOCK Kingsley Double Height L
ELAN Grey Nuance B HORIZON NSW Sandy Bay H NUVO Hendra K WOODSTOCK Latrobe K
ELAN Kimberley C HORIZON NSW Summer Gold J NUVO Limestone Hue J WOODSTOCK Latrobe Double Height L
ELAN La Mesa B HORIZON QLD Girraween K NUVO Linden M WOODSTOCK Lexington Gold K
ELAN Labassa C HORIZON QLD Longreach K NUVO Nelson Bay J WOODSTOCK Lexington Gold Double Height L
ELAN Labassa 50mm E HORIZON QLD St George K NUVO Riverclay K WOODSTOCK Mowbray K
ELAN Madeira B HORIZON QLD Windorah K NUVO Rose Bay J WOODSTOCK Mowbray Double Height L
ELAN Peachy Isle B HORIZON VIC Beaumonde B NUVO Sorrell K WOODSTOCK Port Phillip F
ELAN Raheen C HORIZON VIC Berwick Rustic C NUVO Sunset Haze J WOODSTOCK Potters Gold K
Section 1.4 Clay Brick Property Tables – Reference Guide
ELAN Rattan B HORIZON VIC Ember Glow C NUVO Tuscana O WOODSTOCK Potters Gold Double Height L
ELAN Ripponlea C HORIZON VIC Gypsy Rose C REVIVE Cream Rockface F WOODSTOCK Rose Gold K
ELAN Rouge A HORIZON VIC Ironbark A REVIVE Cream Texture F WOODSTOCK Rose Gold Double Height L
ELAN Scarlet B HORIZON VIC Jarrah A REVIVE Red Texture – No Arris M WOODSTOCK Sandhurst M
ELAN Soft Gold B HORIZON VIC Mocha C REVIVE Red Texture – Smooth Arris M WOODSTOCK Sandstone Gold K
ELAN Tanami C HORIZON VIC Old Golden C WOODSTOCK Bentley K WOODSTOCK Sandstone Gold Double Height L
HORIZON NSW Alabaster J HORIZON VIC Old Maple C WOODSTOCK Bentley Double Height L WOODSTOCK Scarborough M
HORIZON NSW Antique Cream J HORIZON VIC Old Russet C WOODSTOCK Canyon M WOODSTOCK Settler F
HORIZON NSW Antique Grey J HORIZON VIC Old Woodville C WOODSTOCK Colonial F WOODSTOCK Sorbet M
HORIZON NSW Antique Natural J HORIZON VIC Sandalwood B WOODSTOCK Crestwood M WOODSTOCK Sydney Town F
HORIZON NSW Antique Pink J HORIZON VIC Windsor A WOODSTOCK Drysdale M WOODSTOCK Winter Gold K
HORIZON NSW Arnhem Sands M NUVO Albion M WOODSTOCK Eureka F WOODSTOCK Winter Gold Double Height L
HORIZON NSW Coral Sands M NUVO Alpine K WOODSTOCK Flintstone M
HORIZON NSW Delta Sands M NUVO Ascot K WOODSTOCK Fresco M
1.405
ADV03807
For the product and range name properties on the preceding pages, refer to the following legend.
Legend A B C D E F G H
Work size (mm) 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x50 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76
Dimensional category DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1
Perforation (%) <30 <30 <30 Frog <30 <30 <30 <30
Ave unit weight (kg) 3.3 3.2 3.4 4.1 2.3 2.9 2.9 2.9
Approx number per m2 49 49 49 49 70 49 49 49
Brickwork load/m2 (kg/m2) 205 200 210 240 210 190 190 190
Characteristic unconfined compressive strength of the unit (f’uc) MPa >22 >22 >22 >22 >22 >15 >15 >22
– Characteristic compressive strength (f’m) M3* mortar (GP) >6.6 >6.6 >8.5 >8.5 >5.1 >5.4 >5.4 >6.6
– Characteristic compressive strength (f’m) M4* mortar (EXP) >7.0 >7.0 >9.0 >9.0 >5.4 >5.8 >5.8 >7.0
Co-efficient of growth ‘em’ (mm/m/15yrs) <1.4 <1.4 <1.4 <1.4 <1.4 <1.1 <1.1 <1.1
Salt attack resistance category EXP GP EXP EXP EXP GP EXP GP

Liability to effloresce Nil Nil Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight
Lime pitting Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil to slight
No per pack 460 460 272 272 424 340 340 400
Pack weight (kg) 1518 1472 950 1200 1000 925 925 1200
Pack dimensions (mm) 1150x912x880 1150x912x880 865x710x935 890x725x940 865x730x935 1150x770x684 1150x770x684 1150x920x775
I J K L M N O
Work size (mm) 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x76 230x110x162 230x110x76 290x90x162 230x110x76
Dimensional category DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1 DW1
Perforation (%) <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <30 <32
Ave unit weight (kg) 2.9 2.9 2.7 5.8 2.9 5.4 2.8
Approx number per m2 49 49 49 24.5 49 19.5 49
Brickwork load/m2 (kg/m2) 190 190 185 190 190 160 190
Characteristic unconfined compressive strength of the unit (f’uc) MPa >22 >22 >10 >10 >22 >10 >12
– Characteristic compressive strength (f’m) M3* mortar (GP) >6.6 >6.6 >4.4 >5.5 >7.5 >5.4 >4.8
– Characteristic compressive strength (f’m) M4* mortar (EXP) >7.0 >7.0 >4.7 >5.9 >8.0 >5.8 >5.1
Co-efficient of growth ‘em’ (mm/m/15yrs) <1.1 <1.1 <1.0 <1.0 <1.0 <0.8 <0.8
Salt attack resistance category EXP GP EXP EXP EXP GP GP
Liability to effloresce Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Slight Slight
Lime pitting Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil Nil
No per pack 400 288 380 172 400 132 264
Pack weight (kg) 1200 836 1080 1050 1200 713 739
Pack dimensions (mm) 1150x770x685 920x920x880 1000x860x930 1000x820x930 1150x912x770 980x770x870 940x880x700
1.406
ADV03808
Section 1.4 Clay Brick Property Tables 1.407

Brick Blends
Brand Blend Name Blend Mix Ratio
Elan Brighton 1Amber Blaze/1Cleveland 50% / 50%
Elan Camelot 2Madeira/2Peachy Isle/1Grey Nuance 40% / 40% / 20%
Elan Cashmere 3La Mesa/2Peachy Isle 60% / 40%
Elan Rhapsody 2Madeira/2Peachy Isle/1Rattan 40% / 40% / 20%
Elan Sussex 3Madeira/2Peachy Isle 60% / 40%
Elan Toorak 50mm 2Amber Blaze 50mm /2Cleveland 50mm /1Labassa 50mm 40% / 40% / 20%
Horizon Brighton Sands 1Coral Sands/1Delta Sands 50% / 50%
Horizon Capes Lagoon 2Sandy Bay/1Murray River 66% / 33%
Horizon Carrington 2Pink/1Cream/1Natural 50% / 25% / 25%
Horizon Castlemaine 1Pink/1Cream/1Natural/1Grey 25% / 25% 25% / 25%
Horizon Copeland 2Cream/1Grey 66% / 33%
Horizon Echo Point 1Sandy Bay/1Red Cove/1Murray River 33% / 33% / 33%
Horizon Georges Basin 1Sandy Bay/1Red Cove 50% / 50%
Horizon Hawkesbury 1Pink/1Cream 50% / 50%
Horizon Hunter 2Pink/1Cream/1Grey 50% / 25% / 25%
Horizon Manning 3Pink/1Natural 75% / 25%
Horizon Outback 5Windorah/1St George 83% / 17%
Horizon Patterson 3Cream/1Natural 75% / 25%
Horizon Reef 1Coral Sands/1Pewter Sands/1Delta 33% / 33% / 33%
Nuvo Barclay 1Sorrell/1Alpine/1Riverclay 33% / 33% / 33%
Nuvo Bendemeer 1Linden/1Albion 50% / 50%
Nuvo Double Bay 3Bantry Bay/1Nelson Bay 75% / 25%
Nuvo Grange 1Hendra/1Ascot 50% / 50%
Nuvo Raffia 5Sorrell/1Alpine 85% / 15%
Nuvo Sandstone Blush 5Cameo/2Limestone Hue 70% / 30%
Nuvo Tambo 5Alpine/1Sorrell 85% / 15%
Nuvo Taylors Bay 3Nelson Bay/1Bantry Bay 75% / 25%
Nuvo Watsons Bay 2Bantry Bay/1Rose Bay 66% / 33%
Nuvo Yowie Bay 7Nelson Bay/2Bantry Bay/1Rose Bay 70% / 20% / 10%
Woodstock Aspley 1Sandhurst/1Drysdale/1Hillview/1Crestwood 25% / 25% 25% / 25%
Woodstock Bakehouse Gold 1Lexington Gold/1Potters Gold/1Sandstone Gold 33% / 33% / 33%
Woodstock Barweave 1 Lexington /2 Mowbray 33% / 66%
Woodstock Brindle 2Sorbet/2Canyon/1Golden Harvest 40% / 40% / 20%
Woodstock Brunswick 5Mowbray/1Kingsley 85% / 15%
Woodstock Carbrook 4Bentley/1Kingsley 80% / 20%
Woodstock Daintree 1Sandhurst/1Crestwood 50% / 50%
Woodstock Denison 1Sandhurst/1Drysdale/1Flintstone 33% / 33% / 33%
Woodstock Diggers Gold 1Potters Gold/1Sandstone Gold/1Winter Gold 33% / 33% / 33%
Woodstock Dustwood 5 Lexington Gold /1Potters Gold 85% / 15%
Woodstock Glenayr 1Sandhurst/1Drysdale 50% / 50%
Woodstock Highland 5 Sandstone Gold/1 Winter Gold 85% / 15%
Woodstock Homestead Gold 1Potters Gold/1Sandstone Gold 50% / 50%
Woodstock Marigold 2Sorbet/1Golden Harvest 66% / 33%
Woodstock Mountview 1Sandhurst/1Drysdale/1Bellara 33% / 33% / 33%
Woodstock Mt Cotton 2Bentley/2Mowbray/1Kingsley 40% / 40% / 20%
Woodstock Rywood 5 Winter Gold /1 Sandstone Gold 85% / 15%
Woodstock Stockmans 1Sandhurst/1Crestwood/2Hillview 25% / 25% / 50%
Woodstock Wickham 1Bentley/1Mowbray 50% / 50%
Woodstock Woodland 1Sandhurst/1Drysdale/1Crestwood 33% / 33% / 33%
ADV03809
2.4 Property Tables
PAVESCAPE® SUMMERSET®
Clay Pavers Morocco Coffee Merino Tan Autumn Cream Zircon Garnet Onyx Opal
Work size (mm) 228x113x40 228x113x40 228x113x40 228x113x40 228x113x40 228x113x40 228x113x40 228x113x40 228x113x40
Dimensional category DPA1 DPA1 DPA1 DPA1 DPA1 DPA1 DPA1 DPA1 DPA1
Ave unit weight (kg) 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0
Approx number per m2 38 38 38 38 38 38 38 38 38
Co-efficient of growth ‘em’ (mm/m/15yrs) <0.9 <0.9 <0.9 <0.9 <0.9 <0.9 <0.9 <0.9 <0.9
Minimum breaking load (kN) >5.5 >5.0 >4.5 >5.0 >3.5 >3.5 >6.5 >5.0 >4.0
Mean Abrasion Index (cm3) <4.5 <6.0 <6.0 <5.0 <4.5 <6.0 <7.0 <6.0 <8.0
Slip resistance classification W W W W W W W W W
Freeze thaw resistance No No No No No No No No No

Section 2.4 Clay Paver Property Tables
Salt attack resistance category EXP EXP EXP EXP EXP EXP EXP EXP EXP
Salt safe Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Liability to effloresce Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight
Lime pitting Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil
No per pack# 608 608 608 608 608 608 608 608 608
Pack weight (kg)# 1216 1216 1216 1216 1216 1216 1216 1216 1216
Pack dimensions (mm)# 920x920x791 920x920x791 920x920x791 920x920x791 920x920x791 920x920x791 920x920x791 920x920x791 920x920x791
Notes:
Physical property testing is carried out in accordance with AS/NZS 4456:1997, AS/NZS 4586:1999, ASTM C67.
#Properties can change. Contact your Boral Bricks representative for confirmation or call 13 30 35.
2.401
ADV03810
BRINGELLY® Standard BRINGELLY® Salt Safe
Clay Pavers Cream Terracotta Brown Resort Cream Resort Terracotta Resort Ironstone Almond Ash Ochre
Work size (mm) 230x113x50 230x113x50 230x113x50 230x113x50 230x113x50 230x113x50 230x113x50 230x113x50 230x113x50
Dimensional category DPA2 DPA2 DPA2 DPA2 DPA2 DPA2 DPA2 DPA2 DPA2
Ave unit weight (kg) 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8
Approx number per m2 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37
Co-efficient of growth ‘em’ (mm/m/15yrs) <1.0 <1.0 <1.0 <1.0 <1.0 <1.0 <1.0 <1.0 <1.0
Minimum breaking load (kN) >6.5 >9.0 >7.0 >6.5 >7.0 >7.5 >10 >10 >10
Mean Abrasion Index (cm3) <2.5 <2.0 <2.5 <2.0 <2.0 <2.0 <2.0 <2.0 <2.0
Slip resistance classification V V V V V V V V V
Freeze thaw resistance No No No No Yes Yes Yes No No

Section 2.4 Clay Paver Property Tables
Salt attack resistance category GP GP GP GP EXP EXP EXP EXP EXP

Salt safe No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Liability to effloresce Slight Slight Slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Nil to slight Slight Slight Slight
Lime pitting Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil
No per pack # 510 510 510 510 510 510 510 510 510
Pack weight (kg) # 1428 1428 1428 1428 1428 1428 1428 1428 1428
Pack dimensions (mm) # 1150x904x600 1150x904x600 1150x904x600 1150x900x678 1150x900x678 1150x900x678 1150x904x600 1150x904x600 1150x904x600
Notes:
Physical property testing is carried out in accordance with AS/NZS 4456:1997, AS/NZS 4586:1999, ASTM C67.
#Properties can change. Contact your Boral Bricks representative for confirmation or call 13 30 35.
2.402
ADV03811
Section 4. Product Data Sheet
Standard
Commercial
Common
TYPICAL PROPERTIES
Dimensions – Work Size (LxWxH – mm) 230x110x76
Dimensional Category DW1
Perforations (%) <30
Average Unit Weight (kg) 3.0
Approximate number per m2 49
Lime Pitting Nil to Slight
No. per pack # 288 400
Pack Weight (kg) # 900 1200
Pack Dimensions (LxWxH – mm) # 920x920x880 1150x770x912
Wall Surface Density (kg/m2) 182
Characteristic Unconfined Compressive Strength (f’uc MPa) >22
Transverse Strength (MPa) >2.5
Coefficient of Expansion (mm/m/15 years) <1.1
Salt Attack Resistance Category GP
Liability to Effloresce Nil to slight
Weighted Sound Reduction Index – Rw (C,Ctr)
Unrendered 46 (-2, -5)
Rendered (one side) 48 (-2, -5)
Rendered (both sides) 50 (-2, -5)
Fire Resistance Level Insulation (minutes)
Unrendered 90
Rendered 120
Unrendered (Structural Adequacy/Integrity/Insulation)^ 90/90/90
Pack size of 288 cannot be handled by a forklift with tines, however will be placed on pallets on request.
^ Assumes FRL for fully supported single skin wall up to 3.0m height.
Standard Commercial Common

FIRE RESISTANCE & SOUND TRANSMISSION FOR TYPICAL WALL APPLICATIONS
The Building Code (BCA) Section C defines the type and class of buildings and designates three fire resistance levels.
These levels are structural adequacy, integrity and insulation, and are written in the form 60/60/60. Information on how to
calculate these is provided in the Clay Brick and Paver Institute (CBPI) publication, “Manual 5: Fire Resistance Levels for
Clay Brick Walls” available at www.brickbydesign.com The figures below provide typical wall examples.
The Rw has two reduction figures to account for high range noise (C) and low range noise (Ctr).
The reduction figures are added to the Rw and are written Rw (C,Ctr).
Note: S = Supported. Indicating moment is passed to a transverse structure such as a concrete slab,
braced roofing trusses, a perpendicular wall, etc.
110mm
S
FRL for Insulation 90 minutes
S FRL for wall height up to 3.0 metres 90/90/90

FRL for Integrity is the lower of the FRLs
for Insulation or Structural Adequacy
110mm
For both leaves equally loaded (±10%)
S
110mm FRL for Structural Adequacy
– wall height up to 3.3 metres 240 minutes
For both leaves unequally loaded (i.e. >10% variance)
S FRL for Structural Adequacy
S
Sound reduction of a wall consisting of
two leaves 110mm brick with a 50mm cavity
– Rendered both sides Rw + Ctr ≥ 50 & impact attenuation
– Unrendered with 50mm
S
glass wool insulation with
a density of 11 kg/m3 Rw + Ctr ≥ 50 & impact attenuation
polyester insulation with
All masonry walls should be designed by a qualified structural engineer. Variation in colour, texture and size is a natural characteristic of clay products.
© Copyright Boral Bricks Pty Ltd – all rights reserved 2004. Boral Bricks Pty Ltd ABN 66 082 448 342.
Boral Clay Bricks and Pavers

Phone 13 30 35
Fax 1300 363 035
Email bricks@boral.com.au
www.boral.com.au
ADV03813
Jumbo
Common
TYPICAL PROPERTIES
Approximate number per m2 32.5
Lime Pitting Nil to slight
No. per pack # 245
Pack Weight (kg) # 1152
Pack Dimensions (LxWxH – mm) # 1150x770x833
Unrendered 90
Rendered 120
Jumbo Common
110mm
S

110mm For both leaves equally loaded (±10%)
S
S
S glass wool insulation with

Phone 13 30 35
Fax 1300 363 035
www.boral.com.au
ADV03815
Double
Height
Common
TYPICAL PROPERTIES
No. per pack # 172
Unrendered 90
Rendered 120
Double Height Common

110mm
S

S 110mm FRL for Structural Adequacy
S
S

Phone 13 30 35
Fax 1300 363 035
www.boral.com.au
ADV03817
PartyWall
Brick
TYPICAL PROPERTIES PW76 PW119

Dimensions – Work Size (LxWxH – mm) 230x150x76 230x150x119
Dimensional Category DW2 DW2
Perforations (%) <30 <30
Average Unit Weight (kg) 4.0 6.0
Approximate number per m 2
49 32.5
Lime Pitting Nil to slight Nil to slight
No. per pack # 280 180
Pack Weight (kg) # 1120 1080
Pack Dimensions (LxWxH – mm) # 1450x1080x810 1150x750x952
Wall Surface Density (kg/m2) 240 240
Characteristic Unconfined Compressive Strength (f’uc MPa) >22 >22
Transverse Strength (MPa) >3.0 >3.0
Coefficient of Expansion (mm/m/15 years) <1.1 <1.1
Salt Attack Resistance Category GP GP
Liability to Effloresce Nil to slight Nil to slight
Unrendered 49 (-1, -5) 49 (-1, -5)
Rendered (one side) 53 (-1, -5) 53 (-1, -5)
Rendered (both sides) 57 (-1, -5) 57 (-1, -5)
Unrendered 120 120
Rendered 180 180
Unrendered (Structural Adequacy/Integrity/Insulation)^ 120/120/120 120/120/120
PartyWall Brick
PartyWall PW76
150mm
S FRL for Insulation 120 minutes

FRL for wall height up to 3.0 metres 120/120/120
S
PartyWall PW119
150mm
S FRL for Insulation 120 minutes

FRL for wall height up to 3.0 metres 120/120/120
S

Phone 13 30 35
Fax 1300 363 035
www.boral.com.au
ADV03819
Special
Paint Grade
Brick
TYPICAL PROPERTIES
No. per pack # 400
Unrendered 90
Rendered 120
Special Paint Grade Brick

110mm
S

110mm
S
S
S

Phone 13 30 35
Fax 1300 363 035
www.boral.com.au
ADV03821
Coastal
Common
TYPICAL PROPERTIES
No. per pack # 400
Salt Attack Resistance Category EXP
Unrendered 90
Rendered 120
Coastal Common
110mm
S

110mm
S
S
S

Phone 13 30 35
Fax 1300 363 035
www.boral.com.au
ADV03823
Coastal
Jumbo
Common
TYPICAL PROPERTIES
No. per pack # 235
Unrendered 90
Rendered 120
Coastal Jumbo Common

110mm
S

S
S

Phone 13 30 35
Fax 1300 363 035
www.boral.com.au
ADV03825
Coastal
Double Height
Common
TYPICAL PROPERTIES
No. per pack # 172
Unrendered 90
Rendered 120
Coastal Double Height Common

110mm
S

S 110mm FRL for Structural Adequacy
S
S

Phone 13 30 35
Fax 1300 363 035
www.boral.com.au
ADV03827
Standard
Commercial
Common
TYPICAL PROPERTIES
Lime Pitting Nil to Slight
No. per pack # 272 / 340 / 460
Unrendered 90
Rendered 120
Standard Commercial Common

110mm
S

110mm
S
S
S

Phone 13 30 35
Fax 1300 363 035
www.boral.com.au
ADV03812VIC
Jumbo
Common
TYPICAL PROPERTIES
No. per pack # 230 / 305
Unrendered 90
Rendered 120
Jumbo Common
110mm
S

S
S

Phone 13 30 35
Fax 1300 363 035
www.boral.com.au
ADV03814VIC

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1.

Section 1.1 Brick Properties 1.101

height and comparing that measurement to 20 times the work size.

for aesthetic reasons. ■

Section 1.1 Brick Properties 1.102

Characteristic Unconfined Compressive Strength (f’uc)

Unconfined Compressive Strength

Unconfined Compressive Strength.

Compressive Strength of Bricks

Section 1.1 Brick Properties 1.103

Cold Water Absorption

are used by the brick manufacturer for quality assurance.

Initial Rate of Absorption

rate. In either case there will be poor bond.

Section 1.1 Brick Properties 1.104

• Protected Grade (PRO)

• General Purpose Grade (GP)

• Exposure Grade (EXP)

Boral bricks are classified as either EXP or GP. ■

Section 1.1 Brick Properties 1.105

is the raw materials used in the brick production process.

construction process (eg. Mortar).

Boral bricks have a nil to slight efflorescence. ■

Pitting due to Lime

generally circular pit.

Boral Bricks rarely show lime pitting. ■

Section 1.2. Brick Masonry Design 1.201

Table 1. Maximum Height of Isolated Piers

Pier Thickness (mm) Maximum Height (m)

Table 2. Maximum Height of Walls with Free Ends

Maximum Wall Height (m)

Maximum Wall Length (m)

Boral brick or increased masonry width or extra restraints should be evaluated. t

Section 1.2. Brick Masonry Design 1.202

How to Use the Boral Robustness Graphs

other than a concrete slab. Typically this would

5 another wall at one end and with a door at the

3. The lines ABOVE the intersection point indicate

wall thickness that are acceptable. In this

example, the intersection point is just below the

line for 110 mm bricks. Therefore a single leaf of

110 mm bricks would be suitable and the most

Section 1.2. Brick Masonry Design 1.203

by a concrete slab by other than concrete slab

Laterally supported F Laterally supported F

both ends and R R one end and R F

top unsupported top unsupported

Section 1.2. Brick Masonry Design 1.204

by other than a concrete slab by a concrete slab

Section 1.2. Brick Masonry Design 1.205

support more load than thinner masonry of the same strength.

Characteristic Compressive Strength of Masonry – f’m

f’uc is the characteristic unconfined compressive strength of bricks.

Characteristic Flexural Tensile Strength of Masonry – f’mt

construction meets the stated values.

Characteristic Shear Strength of Masonry – f‘ms

Section 1.2. Brick Masonry Design 1.206

Section 1.2. Brick Masonry Design 1.207

AS3700 Table 10.1.