Brick Masonry Terms

Brick masonry has shaped human history.

Ancient ruins all over the world display evidence of brick masonry skills. Cathedrals, castles and the Great Wall of China are spectacular examples of this. Brick masonry uses clay, stone or cement bricks as the building blocks for everything from buildings to fireplaces; these bricks are connected with mortar. The quality of the materials used determines the ultimate strength of the structure. Anything that involves brickwork can be referred to as "brick masonry."

Mortar

Mortar is the glue that holds bricks together. It is made up of several ingredients including water, sand and a binding material; lime or cement is commonly used as a binding ingredient. Mortar is available at any large hardware or construction supply store and is sold as a dry powder in large bags. Once the bricks are ready to be laid, the mortar is mixed with water on-site. The type of mortar used depends on the job requirements.

Running Bond

"Running bond" refers to the way in which bricks are staggered when they are laid. Each new layer of brick is laid so that the headjoints --- brick-ends --- are at the half-way point of the brick below. A running bond is the most common way of laying bricks as it creates the strongest bond. A quick look at any brick wall shows exactly how these bricks are staggered in this fashion.

Brick Trowel

A brick trowel is a metal plate, usually triangular in shape, attached to a handle. It is the tool used to spread mortar when laying bricks. It allows for a consistent application of mortar and is also used to remove excess mortar that seeps from the joints as bricks are placed. Efficient use of a trowel increases the speed and quality of the brick-laying process and is essential to brick masonry.

Head and Bed Joints

There are two basic ways bricks are connected with mortar. A "head joint" refers to the vertical connection at the butt end of two bricks. Mortar connects the ends to create a proper bond between bricks. Every vertical line in a brick wall, for example, is a head joint. A "bed joint" conversely is the horizontal connection between two rows of bricks. Using the same example, all horizontal lines of mortar in a brick wall are bed joints.

References

• Construction Jargon: Masonry Bricks
• The Construction Civil: Brick Masonry