Brick Bonding

Brickwork is masonry produced by a bricklayer, using bricks and mortar to build up brick structures as walls. A Bond is the pattern how bricks are laid. Where the bricks are to remain fully exposed, as opposed to being covered up by plaster, this is known as face-work or facing brickwork. As a Quantity surveyor, we have to recognize and understand the pattern in order to calculate the the quantity accurately.

( Click on the Pictures below to get a clearer view ! )

Brickwork Bond

English Bond
1. A traditional bond.
2.  Very strong bond and usually used in factories, stations & retaining walls or is always likely to be found in the wall of bridges.
3. Easy to recognize because it consists of a course of headers followed by a course of of stretchers.
4. One header is placed centrally above each stretcher.

Flemish Bond
1. Also known as dutch bond.
2. Consists of alternate headers & stretchers in every single course.
3. Not as strong as the English bond but is more decorative pattern than English bond especially if the header use a differently coloured brick.
4. Requires fewer than English bond.

English Garden Wall Bond

1. An alternative version of English bond with header courses being inserted at every fourth or sixth courses.

2. There is also a Scottish bond or American bond featuring 5 courses of stretchers between courses of headers.

3. Not as strong as true English bond but was quicker and cheaper to lay because stretchers are easier to lay than headers.

Flemish Garden Wall Bond
1. The number of stretchers is increased.
2. The header bricks are separated by 3 stretchers.
3. The headers of even numbered courses are set to the centre on the middle stretchers of the underlying odd numbered courses.

Header Bond
1. Using only the header (end) of the brick as the facing wall.
2. Not used as often as Stretcher bond, but is equally simple.
3. It is popular for diaper work. When bricks of different colours are used to make a regukar pattern, it is called Diapering.
4. Sometimes used to make a building looks bigger.
5. Not preferable to use for load bearing wall.

Stretcher Bond
1. Easiest bond to lay, minimizes the amount of cutting required.
2. Most common.
3. Consists of all stretchers in every course.
4. Used in half-brick walls.
5. Only possible in case of walls with less thickness.