What is Bond in Brick Masonry?
A bond is a connection between two objects. In the context of masonry, it is an arrangement of building blocks that provides strength and stability to a structure. It helps distribute loads evenly over a large area. These bonds are patterns in which bricks are laid. They can be used for brick walls, paving, concrete blocks, and masonry construction. According to the ‘IS 2212:1991’ (Indian Standard- Brick Works -Code of Practice), various types of brick bonds are available in masonry.
Purpose of Brick Bonds
- The main goal is to create a bond between the vertical joints in the serial courses of a masonry framework, which will act as a bounded mass and transfer its weight uniformly to the foundations by breaking the flow of the joints in both length and thickness.
- In addition, it can ensure the structure’s strength in all directions.
- Create a more welcoming appearance by laying bricks in a regular pattern.
- Speed up the project by entrusting more masons to work on the same project.
Rules for Good Bonding
- The size of each brick should be the same. So that the bricks fit together evenly, their length should be twice their width plus one joint. You can’t make a good bond if the laps are different.
- The overlap should be 1/4 of the brick along the wall’s length and 1/2 across the width.
- Don’t use brick bats unless you must.
- On alternate courses, the center line of the header should match the center line of the stretcher on the course below or above it.
- The vertical joints in each course should be on the same vertical axis.
- It is better to have a header course on both sides of the wall in every sixth layer.
- Avoid using raked joints and other joints that create horizontal water tables. Joints should be concave and worn down.
11 Different Types of Brick Bonds Used in Brick Masonry
There are 11 different types of brick bonds used in brick masonry. They are:
1. Stretcher bond
2. English bond
3. Header bond
4. Flemish bond
i. Single Flemish Bond
ii. Double Flemish Bond
iii. Monk Bond
5. Garden wall bond
i. Flemish Garden Wall Bond
ii. English Garden Wall Bond
6. Scottish and American bond
7. Stack Bond
8. Facing Bond
9. Raking bond
i. Herring-bone Bond
ii. Diagonal Bond
10. Zing Zag Bond
11. Rat-trap bond
Let’s dive into the different brick wall bond types:
01. Stretcher Bond
A stretcher bond is also known as a running bond. Here, the arrangement of brick is such that only the stretchers are visible. In brickwork, the simplest repeating pattern is the stretcher bond. However, on the other hand, stretcher bond also has the drawback of being unable to effectively bond adjacent bricks of full-width in thick brick walls. Only one-half-brick thick walls, such as a half-brick-thick partition wall, are suitable for their use.
In cases of greater span and height, stretcher-bonded walls aren’t stable enough to stand independently. As a result, they require periodic support in the form of brick masonry columns. Stretcher bonds are best suited for the outer facing of steel or reinforced concrete framed structures. Cavity walls can also be covered in this way. Boundary walls, gardens, and other outdoor spaces benefit from using these types of brick bond patterns.
02. English Bond
The English bond is a pattern created by alternately laying stretchers and headers in brick masonry work. On the stretchers below, the headers are laid out in alternate rows, vertically aligned. The queen closer is used after the first header in each heading course to break the continuity of vertical joints at the beginning and end of a wall. Useful at corners in walls made of brick, queen closers are a type of half-brick.
03. Header Bond
It is a 9cm x 9cm square face of the brick that serves as the “header”. All the bricks in a wall are used as headers in these type of bonds that are also called heading bonds. Walls with half-brick thickness are constructed using the Stretcher Bond, while, white walls with a full brick thickness are constructed using this bond. The overlap in these bonds is half the brick’s width. Alternate courses of three-quarter brickbats are used as quoins.
04. Flemish Bond
The Flemish Bond, also known as the Dutch bond involves alternating headers and stretchers in a single course. The next course of bricks laid the header in the center of the stretcher in the course below, i.e., alternate headers centered in the stretcher below. The bond begins with a header in the corner on each of the alternate routes.
The construction of this bond is extremely difficult and requires a high degree of skill, as all vertical mortar joints need vertical alignment for the best and most impressive results. Closers install alternate courses next to the quoin header to break vertical joints during subsequent courses. Bats are used for walls with an odd number of half bricks in thickness.
Even though Flemish bonds have a more attractive appearance, they are weaker than English bonds when it comes to supporting the weight of a wall. The Flemish bond can be used for brick walls, but for plastered walls, the English bond is more appropriate.
There are three types of Flemish bonds:
i. Single Flemish Bond
A single Flemish bond is a mix of the two types of brick bond patterns named Flemish and English bonds. During construction, a Flemish bond goes in front of the wall and an English Bond goes on the back. Single Flemish bonds require at least one and a half bricks of thickness. For the most part, using a single Flemish bond enhances the appearance of the wall’s front side while maintaining the brickwork’s structural integrity.
ii. Double Flemish Bond
The Double Flemish Bond has a similar appearance from both sides of the face in the front and back elevations, i.e., it consists of an alternating stretcher and header in each course. This type of brick bond is less strong than the English bond.
iii. Monk Bond
Between the headers in each course, there are two stretchers. The link between the two stretchers in the course below is in the centre of the headers.
05. Garden Wall Bond
This is one of the ideal brick bond types for one-brick-thick walls. It is quicker and cheaper to build a wall with a garden wall bond. This type of brick bond, which isn’t quite as strong as the English Bond is best suited to build dwarf walls and other structures that do not face too much stress.
Classification of Garden wall bonds:
i. Flemish Garden Wall Bond
Stretcher, header, and Stretcher models are used in the Flemish bond, which is also known as “Sussex Bond.” Instead of having one stretcher and one header, this type of bond has three stretchers and one header in the same course. It also called “balanced bonding.” That’s clear from the picture. There are two Flemish bonds in the Flemish garden wall bond: one has three stretchers for every header, and the other has two stretchers for every header.
ii. English Garden Wall Bond
The arrangement of the bricks in this type of bonding is similar to those in English bonds. The only difference is that the heading courses are inserted every four or six courses. Three courses of stretchers typically accompany one course of headers. On the heading course, a queen provides the necessary lap closer placed next to the quoin header.
06. Scottish Bond & American Bo
In the Scottish Bond, the stretchers are used five times under the header course. There are seven brick masonry repetitions in the course in American Bond.
07. Stack Bond
In this type of brick bond construction, bricks are placed one on top of the other, with joints running vertically down the length of the wall. Bricks can be stacked vertically or horizontally. This bond is weak and very often structurally unsound because of the minimal bonding caused by the joint alignment. However, this issue can be tackled by installing wire bed-joint reinforcement in every horizontal course. In case where loading is moderate, it must be installed in every alternate course.
08. Facing Bond
In a facing bond, header course comes only after several courses of stretcher courses. It is commonly used to build thick walls. Bonding the two different thicknesses of the facing wall and the backing wall can be extremely beneficial.
However, the number of joints in the facing and backing faces is not equal due to the uneven load distribution caused by the wide range of thicknesses. The uneven settlement of the masonry walls may also result from this non-uniformity.
09. Raking Bond
Raking Bond is a brick bond in which the bonding bricks are laid at an angle other than zero or ninety degrees. English bond walls built this way are more stable in the long run because of this arrangement. In this method of bonding the two halves, a wall’s external stretchers are filled with bricks tilted towards the wall’s face. A wall’s height is divided into sections where this bond is inserted.
There are two brick bond types included in the racking bonds:
i. Herring-bone Bond
This is one of the best-suited brick wall bond types for walls with a minimum thickness of four bricks or greater. Bricks are arranged at a 45-degree angle from the center in two directions in this arrangement of brickwork. Bonds of this type can also be found on brick pavements.
ii. Diagonal Bond
A wall with a thickness of two to four bricks is best suited for this bond. In most walls, this bond is introduced in every fifth or seventh course or so of the height. The corners of the series remain in contact with the stretchers in this bond.
10. Zig Zag Brick Bond
In a zigzag bond, the bricks are laid in a zigzag pattern throughout the joint. The Herring-bone and zigzag bonds are examples of the same type of bond. Due to its attractive appearance, it is best-suited for paving works in residential construction, such as floors and footpaths. However, due to its inability to take loads, it cannot be used to build the main walls of a masonry structure.
11. Rat Trap Bond
Bricks, in this bond are either laid on edge or positioned vertically, but not horizontally. As a result, a cavity (hollow space) forms in the wall. This feature contributes to better thermal comfort by keeping indoor temperatures lower than outside temperatures and vice versa. This type of wall utilises less material compared to other bonds. The Rat Trap Bond closely resembles the Flemish Bond in appearance. It can be a vertical version of Flemish bond.
This kind of bond requires special supervision and skilled labour, which will add to the cost.
Conclusion
A bond is the arrangement of bricks or stones in each course to prevent vertical joints in two successive courses, on the face or in the body of a wall, and to achieve maximum interlocking. Brick bonds are common in masonry work and resemble the patterns used in the placement of bricks. They can be used for both brick walls and paving, as well as for concrete blocks and other types of masonry construction.
The bricks must bond properly to provide strength and beauty to brick walls and structures. The quality and the brick bond types determine the entire brickworks’ operation.
I hope you found this blog about the different types of brick bonds helpful. With this information, you can choose the most suitable bond for your home’s construction, considering both durability and aesthetic appeal.
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Author Bio
Sikandar Choudhury – Sikandar Monwar Huda Choudhury is a freelance article writer who is passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience with others through writing. With several years of experience in the engineering field and having written 100+ articles related to construction, Sikandar is a skilled writer with a talent for breaking down complex concepts and making them accessible to a wider audience. Sikandar is always looking for new opportunities to share his knowledge and experience with others through writing and is available for hire as a freelance civil engineering article writer. He is easily reachable on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/sikandar-monwar-huda-choudhury-2b3a1a20a/.
