Bricks 01

BRICKS
A brick is a type of construction material used to build
walls, pavements and other elements in masonry
construction.

These are obtained by

moulding clay in
rectangular blocks of
uniform size and then by
drying and burning these
blocks.

Standard Brick Sizes

Brick Sizes by country in D x H x L

Country D H L

USA 3 1/8" 2 1/2" 8 1/2"

UK 4" 2 1/2" 8 1/2"

Australia 3" 4 1/3" 9"

India 4 1/2" 2 1/2" 9"

Bricks 02

Brick Terminology
Stretcher - The longer face of a brick showing in the
surface of a wall.

Header - The shorter face of a standard brick.

Arris - Any straight edge of a brick formed by the

junction of its faces.

Frog - An indentation in the top bed face of a

moulded or pressed brick.

Frog

Arris

Header

Stretcher
Bricks 05

Brick Orientations
Stretcher: The long side of the brick
faces toward you, with the brick laid
flat.

Header: The short side of the brick

faces toward you with the brick laid
flat, as though you were looking end-
on at a wide.

Soldier: The brick “standing at

attention” on its end, with the
narrow side facing toward you.
Bricks 05

Brick Orientations
Rowlock Stretcher: The same as a
stretcher, but with the brick taller
because it’s resting on its narrower
edge.

Sailor: The brick standing on its end

again, but with the wider side facing
toward you.

Rowlock: The short side of the brick

faces toward you, but with the brick
turned on its side so it’s taller.
Bricks 03

Modular Brick
Any brick which is of the same uniform size as laid down
by the Bureau of Indian Standard Institution BIS is
known as the modular brick.
Bricks 04

Non-Modular Brick
Non-modular bricks are a type of brick that offer
specified and actual dimensions, and they do not
include the nominal dimensions of their modular
counterparts.
Bricks 06

Closer
A closer is a cut brick that is used to close up a brick
course. It is used to maintain the bond in brickwork,
ensuring that all vertical joints do not align.

Closers contribute to the overall strength and stability of

the structure.

Types of Closer
Closers are broadly divided int the following categories:

1) King Closer
This piece of brick is
obtained by cutting a
triangular portion of the
brick along the middle
points of the length and
width of the brick. It is
mostly used near the
door and window
opening to get a proper
arrangement of the
mortar joints.

There are two

modifiactions of king
closer;
Bricks 07

Bevelled Closer
It is prepared by cutting a triangular
portion of the brick in such a way
that the cutting portion is started
from a corner of the brick and ended
at the middle portion of the other
header face.

Mitered Closer
It is obtained by cutting a triangular
part of the brick in such a way that
the cutting face is inclined at 45 to 60
degrees with a longer stretcher face
of the brick.

2) Queen Closer
These cut bricks are obtained
by cutting a full brick
longitudinally in two equal
parts.

When the queen closer or half

queen closer is further divided
into two equal parts along its
wide is called quarter closers.
Bricks 08

3) Bat
It is a piece of a brick and is
designed according to its length
or we can say it is part of a brick
named according to its length.

Generally, bats are classified into

three categories:

Half Bat
If the length of the bat is equal to half a length of the
original brick, then it is known as half bat.

Three-Quarter Bat
If the bat is three-quarters of the brick length (i.e.
3/4), then it is called a three-quarter bat.

Quarter Bat
If the bat is quarter of the brick length (i.e. 1/4), then
it is called a quarter bat.
Bricks 09

Brick Bonds
Bonds in brick masonary is an interlacement of bricks or
the method of arranging the bricks in courses.

They are developed by filling the mortar between the

layers of bricks and in grooves where the bricks are laid
adjacently.

Objective of Bonds
To hold the building units together.
To resist all the imposed loads and external loads.
To ensure the strength and stability of the masonry
structure.
To increase the aesthetic appearance of the
masonry structure.

Rules for Bricklaying

The brick to be used should be of uniform size.
The length of the brick should be twice its width
plus one joint, so that uniform lap is obtained.
The amount of lap should be minimum one brick
along the length of the wall and half brick across the
thickness of the wall.
Use of should be discouraged except in special
occassions.
The vertical joints in the alternate courses should be
vertically above each other.
The stretcher should be used only in facing.
Bricks 08

Rules for Bricklaying

Hearting should be done in headers only.
Centre line of header should coincide with centre
line of stretcher.
It is preferable to provide every sixth course as a
header course on both sides of the wall.

Types of Bonds
1) Stretcher Bond
In this type of bond all the bricks are laid as stretcher
on the faces of the wall. The length of the bricks are
along the direction of the wall.

Stretcher bond is most commonly used as a facade

for the main masonry structure and the construction
of garden walls, boundary walls, division walls,
chimney stacks etc.

Elevation
Bricks 08

Types of Bonds
2) Header Bond
In this type of bond all the bricks are laid as headers on
the faces of the walls.

Elevation

3) English Bond
English bond essentially consists of alternate header
courses and stretcher courses of bricks. It is more
strong and durable as compared to header and
stretcher bond.
Bricks 08

Types of Bonds
4) Flemish Bond
Flemish bond is brick bond in which each course
essentially consists of alternately placed headers and
stretchers.

It can be further divided into the following types:

Single Flemish Bond
Double Flemish Bond

5) Zig-Zag Bond
The brick are laid in zig-zag finished. It is commonly
used for making ornamental panels in flooring.
Bricks 08

Types of Bonds
6) Raking Bond
This is a bond in which the bricks are laid at any angle
other than zero or ninety degrees.

There are two common categories of raking bond:

Diagonal Bond
Herringbone Bond

Diagonal Bond

Herringbone Bond
Bricks 08

Types of Bonds
7) Dutch Bond
This is a modification of English bond. The alternate
courses in this bond are headers and stretchers.

8) English Cross Bond

This is a modification of English bond. The alternate
courses in this bond are headers and stretchers.
Bricks 08

Types of Bonds