Bonds in Brickwork

• Bonds is the method of arranging the bricks in courses and

vertical joints of successive courses are not in same line.

Rules for bonding

• Bricks should be of uniform size
• Amount of lap should be minimum ¼ brick along the length of the wall
and ½ brick along thickness of wall.
• Use of brick bats should be discouraged except in special locations
• Vertical joints in alternate courses should be along same perpend.
 TYPES OF BONDS

• Stretcher bond
• Header bond
• English bond
• Flemish bond
• Zig Zag bond
 Stretcher bond
• Bricks are laid as stretchers on the faces of wall, length of
bricks is along the face
• Use for walls which have thickness of half brick i.e. 9 cm
• Used as Partition walls, chimney stacks
• This bond is not possible if thickness is more
 Header bond

• Bricks are laid down as headers, width is along the direction

of wall.
• Used only when thickness of wall is equal to one brick
• This bond is not suitable for transmitting pressure in the
direction of wall, hence not used for load bearing walls.
• Used for curved brick work
 English bond
• Most commonly used bond for all wall thickness
• Strongest bond; Alternate course of headers and stretchers;
Vertical joints of header courses come over each other; same
with stretcher.
• In order to break the vertical joints in the successive courses,
it is essential to place queen closer after the first quoin
header in each heading course.
• In a stretcher course, the lap must be minimum ¼ of their
length.
 Flemish Bond
• Each course is comprised of alternate headers and stretchers.
Every alternate course starts with a header at the corner
(quoin header).
• Queen closer are placed next to quoin header in alternate
course to develop the face lap.
• Two types: Double flemish bond; Single flemish bond
• In double; each course presents the same appearance both in
front and back face; presents better appearance than English
bond
• In walls having thickness equal to odd multiple of half bricks,
half bats and three quarter bats are used.
• In single flemish; uses English bond backing and double
flemish bond facing
• Can be used for walls having thickness at least equal to 1 ½
 Comparison of English and Flemish bond

• English bond is stronger than Flemish bond for

walls thicker than 1 ½ brick
• Flemish bond gives more pleasing appearance
and requires greater skill than English bond
• Broken bricks in the form of bats can be used
in Flemish bond
Used for making ornamental panels in the brick flooring
 Comparison of Brick and Stone masonry
• Brick masonry can be constructed with less
skilled masons in comparison to stone work.
Hence brickwork is cheaper.
• No special lifting arrangement is required for
bricks
• Brick masonry can be used in any type of
mortar; mud mortar can be used in low rise
houses
• Better fire resistant than stones
• Stone masonry is stronger than brick masonry
of same wall thickness
• Life of stone masonry longer than bricks
• Stone masonry doesn’t require external
plaster.
• Stone masonry more water tight than bricks.
 Defects in Brick masonry
• Sulphate attack: sulphate salts
present in brick react with
hydraulic lime in case of lime
mortar and with alumina
present in cement mortar,
volume of mortar increases;
chipping and spalling of bricks
• Crystallization of salts: If bricks
containing soluble salts get
dissolved with water, appear in
the form of fine white crystals
on the surface; Efflorescence
• Corrosion of iron or steel
fixture
• Drying shrinkage leading to
cracks