Brickwork

Brickwork masonry is produced when a bricklayer uses bricks and mortar to build up structures such as walls, bridges and chimneys. (Brickwork is also used to finish openings such as doors or windows in buildings made of other materials.)

Bricks are laid to expose their ends (Header bricks), or sides (Stretcher bricks). As the work progresses, the bricks are laid in rows called courses. The manner in which the bricks overlap as they are laid up is called the bond. Types of bond include English, Flemish, and Herringbone, but the most common type of brickwork seen these days is the simple stretcher bond, showing only the long side-surface of the brick.

Because only the outside of finished brickwork is visible, cheaper grades of brick are commonly used for the hidden parts of a wall. In an old red-brick house, behind the front of red, the rest of the walls are often made of softer yellow bricks. The colour situation may be reversed if the house was built when red bricks were out of fashion. So with certain types of bond (e.g. garden wall bond) it is possible to use a higher ratio of cheaper bricks to more expensive bricks, making for a cheaper wall of the same dimensions. On the same house, sometimes a more economical "garden wall" bond has been used at the side and rear compared to the front.

The thickness of brickwork is measured in units of brick. If bricks are put down end-to-end with the long side facing you (stretchers) and then another row on top, the wall thickness is half a brick.

There are rules of bonding, which have some exceptions. These specify the overlap between courses that is visible outside the wall, and also the overlap which must be made within the wall, for walls which are more than half a brick thick.

Brickwork, like unreinforced concrete, has little tensile strength, and works by everything being kept in compression.

Brickwork arches can span great distances, and carry considerable loads.

Bricklaying Apprenticeships

Bricklayers use a variety of specialist tools to carry out precise and accurate results from architect's plans. Apprenticeships offer a common route into the job, and a fully qualified bricklayer will be able to progress into technical, supervisory and management roles with training.

Types of bond

Stretcher bond

Stretcher bond is the most common bond used today in the world and the least interesting in appearance. It can be made more interesting by laying a course of different coloured bricks or to lay such bricks to form a pattern on a wall. This bond is suitable for constructing a cavity wall.

Flemish bond

Flemish bond consists of alternating headers and stretchers along each course with the headers centred on the stretchers above and below. This bond is weaker than the English bond, but often considered more decorative.

English bond

English bond consists of alternating courses of headers and stretchers, with the alternative headers centred over and under the vertical joints of the stretchers. This is considered the best type of bonds and the strongest to be used in construction. It is very common in the Middle East.

American bond

American common bond is made by laying the courses of headers where they are separated by approximately five courses of stretchers.

Chinese bond

As in flemish bond, but all the bricks are laid on edge. Unusual, but used to make a light weight structure or economise on bricks. Creates a semi-cavity wall.

Terminology

Brick on edge

The brick is laid as a header, but on its side. Commomly used on the top course as a coping for garden walls.

Soldier

Brick laid on its end with the narrow side visible. Decorative use only.

A Standing soldier is just the soldier laid on end that is flush with the wall A walking soldier is just the soldier laid on end that has brick with its bottom edge sticking out to about an inch, they usually alternate at a 1:1 ratio but other kinds have been seen

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