Brick Bonds

By: P.D. Bhangaonkar Lecturer, Dept. of Civil Engineering, S.P.S.U.

Bonds in bricks
Brick Bonds The manner of overlapping bricks for construction of wall is called brick bond. Many types of bonds are used in different ways for construction of brick walls or brick pillars.

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Good brick bonds can ensure the strength of a building and aesthetic beauty of brick walls, brick pillars and entire brick works depends on the quality of bonds. For example English bond is widely used in construction work and is considered to be the strongest bond. This article gives details of brick bonds in brick works.

Some Equations
Stretcher = brick in lengthwise Header = brick in widthwise

English Bond
English Bond This bond is widely used and is considered as the strongest bond in brick work. The following are some features of English bond. Alternate courses/layers consist of stretcher and header. Queen closer is put next to quoin header to develop face lap. Each alternate course/layer of header is centrally supported over stretcher.

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The number of mortar joints in header course is nearly double than that made in stretcher course. The joints are not continuous and vertical except at the end of wall in some cases. The bricks in alternate courses have straight joints.

Stretcher Bond
Stretcher Bond All bricks are arranged in stretcher course in this bond. The following are some features of Stretcher bond. All bricks laid in stretcher course create stretcher bond. This bond is useful for half brick wall/partition walls. There is no header in such walls. This bond does not develop proper internal bond or joint. It should not be used for walls having thickness greater than half brick wall.

Header Bond
Header Bond All bricks are arranged in header courses. The following are some features of header bond. This brick bond is used for curved surface in brick work because if stretcher is used for curved surface, it would project beyond the face of wall. All bricks are arranged in header courses.

Flemish Bond
Flemish Bond This brick bond consists of alternate header and stretcher in each course. The following are some features of Flemish bond. This bond creates better appearance than English Bond. The queen closer is put next to quoin header in alternate course to develop face lap.

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Every header is centrally supported over a stretcher below it. Half bats and three quarter bats are used for walls having thickness equal to odd number of half bricks.

This bond is not as strong as English bond and is not used generally.

Rap-trap Bond
Rat-Trap Bond Rat-trap bond is laid by placing bricks on their sides having a cavity of 4 (100 mm), with alternate course of stretchers and headers. The following are some features of R trap bond. The headers and stretchers are staggered in subsequent layers to give more strength to the walls.

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The strength of R trap bond is equal to the standard 9" (229mm) brick wall but consumes 20% less bricks, 24% less cement and 25% lesser weight than English bond. This bond helps in maintaining a good thermal comfort inside the building.

Rat-Trap Bond