CHAPTER II.

BRICK BOND AND ITS APPLICATIONS.

Brickwork defined — Bond in Brickwork — Structures of Brickwork — Different Kinds of
Bond — Application of the Various Bonds.
Brickwork strictly speaking is understood by the trade to mean work
executed with standard-sized bricks, /.^., 9 inches long, 45 inches wide,
and from 2| to 3I inches high, and any larger-sized materials used are
considered out of the province of the bricklayer.
Bond in Brickwork. — The principal point which the bricklayer must
always have in view in his work, beyond good workmanship, with the good
materials given to him, is to have one pervading bond throughout each
separate piece of work, so that the many bricks used will form one con-
tinuous unbroken mass from every point of view. By this word bond
—which is the very essence of sound work —
meant the arrangement of
is

the bricks in such positions beside and above each other, that no single
vertical joint between any two bricks is immediately in line and above that
between two others; that is to say, the bricks must always break joint on the
solid surface of a brick beneath.
A straight vertical joint between two bricks exactly over a similar joint
of the course below is exceedingly bad construction, and an unsound, weak
piece of work, which should never be overlooked. Moreover, in good bond
the bricks should break joint vertically both in the length and thickness of
the wall, so as to bind the several bricks forming the mass into one solid
piece of work, and fairly to distribute the superincumbent weight.
Fig. 30 illustrates this principle of breaking joint, and also its object
and effect in distributing the load, as the dotted lines show how it is

carried from one brick on to the centres of the bricks below.

^^S
W^ riq.30.
 BRICK BOND AND ITS APPLICATIONS. 13

1 shows a piece of walling with no bond, or breaking joint, and

Fig. 3
fig.32 the effect a heavy load would have on an unsound foundation ;
the bricks immediately underneath the weight would sink down, and leave
those adjacent to them, on each side, in their original position. The same
applies to the thickness of the wall as well as to its length, as shown in

m
figs. 33, 34, and 35, on the same principle.

r1^.3 1. Fi(^.32.

Having shown the necessity for such a principle, to break joints and
effect a bond both lengthwise and crosswise, it will be convenient, before
proceeding, to explain the modes of carrying out that principle first, to :

note that all longitudinal joints, or the beds of the bricks, must be perfectly
horizontal, so that the vertical joints can be made perfectly perpendicular
without unnecessary trouble, inasmuch as all bricks are, or should be, made
rectangular in form on all sides.

<- 9- »
 BUILDING CO] rCTION.

bricks in different directions —one course transversely with two others

.longitudinally side by side, and so on.
A brick which measures, when laid, 9 inches long and 3 inches high
on the face or back of a wall, is called a stretcher; and one which shows
41 inches long and 3 inches high is called a header; and consequently
a whole horizontal course of stretchers only is called a stretching course^
^nd one of headers alone a heading: course.

1
 BRICK BOND AND ITS APPLICATIONS. 15

King closers are cut to shape, as fig. 43, showing 2|-inch face, and,

with 4|-inch at back, 9 inches inwards.

Bats may be either J, i, or | bats, according to the proportion they
bear to the size of a whole brick.

Heading course

^11 II II II III
Stretchina course

h^lL
Closers or
i r I

ir.
I m I I I

"
FiaAO.
f.
Bats.

Having got all our materials, and their several sizes, positions, and
duties assigned, it will be as well to emphasise a few points and rules which
must be adhered to in all kinds of bond before giving a description of the
varieties of bond.
Structure of Brickwork. —The cardinal points of brickwork, to be
attended to under all circumstances, are :

I. To place a closer next to the first header in each alternate course

where there is a plumbing — />., after the header, at each and every
angle where a bricklayer has to use his plumb-rule to mark the upright
 i6 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

the last-mentioned being the result of inattention to this rule ; vide the
comparison of lengths of figs. 46 and 47, representing the plans of the
heading course, with closer for a wall 18 inches thick.

o IZ3
I ! I.I I .I I

'1'
I I
'1'
II
'1

II
'

'1'
I I
V 9=?-i
II II II r
r)

F/5f44.

4. To tie internal angles, where possible, ivith headers; 2\ inches

showing in elevation, and the other 2\ inches being within the angle of
the wall.
^ Pairs -^ Pairs

l
f ,
l I > ri. I 1. 1

II .1 I. M
'

1'
'
1' '1' '1' '1' '?^
Pairs
Fi^. 45.

5. To start every heading course at both ends, as in fig. 48^, filling

in according to the bond specified ; and the stretching course must

n(^4G. FigA7.

begin at doth ends, as shown in fig. 48^* the filling in being according to
bond specified.

n
7:^
Anv Bond
\^*'^'->\ K--9-->i
E Any Bond
i|<--9

'
F/g.48* Fi^4.8

Different Kinds of Bond. —There are a considerable number of

different bonds, including the following :

Heading bond, which consists entirely of headers, is very seldom used

 BRICK BOND AND ITS APPLICATIONS. 17

because of the difficulty there is in making a finish and bond as well, it

being necessary to use a stretcher at the commencement of each alternate

course, as shown in fig. 48. It can only be used for walls of the thickness

of or exceeding 9 inches.

II 1 1 Mill
i8 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

of 14 inches and over in thickness, and that it entails the use of false
or half-headers, a 14-inch wall being formed of two skins, not bonded
together in the one course, and only slightly bonded by alternate headers
in the others. It is a very inferior bond, and only used to save expensive

I I I 1 1

I I
1

o:
n
 BRICK BOND AND ITS APPLICATIONS. 19

Footings should always be bonded, or break-joint; and this can be

effected without closers by making the offsets 2\ inches, instead of using
a closer. For this purpose English bond (if it may be called so) is the
best, most suitable, and most used ; as all bricks in footings should show

riQ57. Fi^. 58

as headers, and whatever stretchers are absolutely necessary must be used

m the midd/e, because an offset taking place over a stretcher allows of
only 2^ inches bearing for the top brick, as shown by fig. 57. All offsets

II
Mill
II I I I I

I
> 1 1
End Elev&Uon
Fi^.59. Fig.60

should be 2 1 inches, and the bottom course of footings generally double

the width of the wall built thereon ; the or 6
steps rising either 3
inches per offset. Figs. 58, 59, and 60 represent the footings of a 9-inch
20 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

enumerated ; it being remembered that the first course of the wall above
the footings should be a stretching course i.e.^ start with a stretcher.
 BRICK BOND AND ITS APPLICATIONS. 21

course, and the other way in the next course, alternately (as shown by the
arrows), and always with a header, if possible.

Fi^.70 FiaJI.

Figs. 63, 64, and 65 represent, in plan and section, two alternating
courses at a corner or angle, with a blank eftd of 9-inch wall, English

1 I
.
I *' I I

I i^ I I

_ I

bond; and figs. 66, 67, and 68, 69, 70, and 71, and 72, 73, and 74, the
same for a 14-inch, an 18-inch, and a 22-inch wall respectively.

I I

F 1(^.7^ FiqJ5.

^jgs. 75, 76, and 77 illustrate, similarly, a 9-inch wall in Flemish bond;
22 BUlLDirfG CONSTRUCTION.

figs. 78, 79, 80, and 81, the same for a 14-inch wall in single Flemish

Fi(j.7e.
Fig 7 7.

I
p-i -
I I I
'
I
—
. I t
O a

X X', :

Fig. 78 F1O.79

Sec(ionb6. Section. AA.

^ig.80. Fig.81. Fig 84

Fi^ 82. Fia.83.

bond, showing false headers, marked thus X X; double Flemish bond for
the same being shown in figs. 82, 83, and 84 ; while, for an 18-inch wall,
 BRICK BOND AND ITS APPLICATIONS. 23

double Flemish bond is shown in figs. 85, 86, and 87 ; and single Flemish

F\qQ5.

riQ.87

riq.88
24 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

wall in Flemish bond, from which it will be seen that Flemish becomes
very troublesome and weak in thicker walls, as compared with English ;

the angles having to be tied in with stretchers internally, which is against

the rule previously laid down.

Fiq.92 Fig. S3

The modes and construction for irregular angles are

of treatment
dealt with in figs. and 97, which represent 14-inch bay-window
94, 95, 96.
angles, in English and Flemish bond respectively. The external angles

of these are called squints^ and the internal birds7nouths ; the bricks
measuring 6| and 2^ inches on the two faces, which are placed alternately
each course with a closer always coming next the 2|-face in the work,
this being equivalent to a header.
BRICK BOND AND ITS APPLICATIONS. 2S

V Fiq.$6.
26 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

It will be noticed that the Flemish bond (as figs. 96 and 97) is very

inferior and irregular ; in fact, there is no regular system about it

no two bricklayers working such angles alike in Flemish bond, the
difficulty being in the internal work. The only rule that can be laid down

F\a.QQ.

with regard to them is that they must be bonded in alternate courses

by pairs of headers cut and tied in by the stretchers within the angle
one course, and without the next, as shown in the figures ; the same
rule, of course, applying to English bond as well ; the internal header
being placed at the back of the 6| face of the squint brick.

In the same way, figs. 98 and 99 represent the methods of treatment

and construction for two courses of an acute angle in an 18-inch wall.
Intersections of internal and external walls are done very simply, the
internal wall toothing into the external wall 25 inches in each alternate
course, as in figs. 100, loi, 102, and 103 ; the joints being broken alter-
 BRICK BOND AND ITS APPLICATIONS. 27

nately on the respective courses, as shown by the arrows, and care being
taken that where possible each should tie in with a header.

ri(j.lOO. Fi^.lOl.

Brick piers are subjected to the same treatment with regard to the
necessary closer at the plumbing angles to break the joint ; though it

n^. 102 Flci.103.

cannot be applied to anything smaller than piers with sides of 18 inches

wide or more, in which case they are treated as shown in figs. 104, 105,

Fi^.l04 Fi^.105 n^ 106. Fi^.107

106, 107, 108, and 109 ; from which it will be seen that English alone
the bond necessarily used.
28 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

Sleeper walls supporting ground floor joists are built 4J inches thick,
and about 8 feet apart, to reduce the spans of the joists in big room%; and
they are either built with openings here and there to allow of ventilation,
or as fig. no, which is called honeycomb work.

F/gf /08. Fi^.109 Fij. HO.

Fender walls are those built round fireplaces to carry the hearthstones
and take the ends of the which would otherwise have to be trimmed.
joists,

Brick cores are the irregular-shaped brick surfaces between the tops of
flat lintels and the soffits of relieving or discharging arches, as in fig. m.
 CHAPTER III.

BRICK REVEALS, ARCHES, AND POINTING.

Reveals and their Construction — Forms of Arches — Construction of Arches —Bond of
Arches — Pointing — Fireplaces— Flues — Hoop-iron Bond—Wood Bricks and Pads
Brick Corbelling.

Reveals. —A reveal is that part of an opening which returns at right

angles from the front of the wall i.e.^ that part which shows vertically
between the necessary angle from the face line and the front of the door

i '-2
Reveal

^'9 112. Fi^.llJ. Fi^.ll4.

orwindow frame, as in fig. 112, fig. 113 being an illustration of a splayed

reveal^and fig. 114 a splayed jamb explaining the difference between that
^

and a splayed reveal the former applying to the internal and the latter
;

to the external finish.

r/^. //5.

Whether a reveal be square or splayed, the student must always bear in

mind that a closer must be used on each side of the opening in the same
horizontal line in the same course as that in which the closer is placed at
the main angles. For instance, fig. 115 represents a square reveal in a