LESSON TWO:FUNDAMENTALS OF BRICKLAYING
Let’s delve into the fundamentals of bricklaying, covering essential techniques for precise and
sturdy brickwork.
1. Start with a Strong Foundation:
o The key to successful bricklaying lies in ensuring a robust foundation. Before you begin, gather
the right tools and materials.
o Tools: Trowels, line pins, spirit levels, and hammers.
o Materials: Clean and debris-free bricks, and well-mixed mortar.
o Remember, a pile of bricks without proper preparation is just a messy obstacle course
2. Choose the Right Technique:
o The most common technique is the “stretcher bond”, where bricks are laid in a straight line.
o For added style, consider using the “Flemish bond” or other variations.
3. Ensure Proper Alignment:
o Use a spirit level to ensure your brickwork is perfectly aligned.
o Sloppy work will result in a poor finished product
4. Strive for Precision and Speed:
o Combine accuracy with speed and fluidity while laying bricks.
o Maintain a steady pace, ensuring each brick is placed correctly and firmly
5. Mortar Mixing:
o The use of sand and lime mortar has stood the test of time. A recommended mix is 4 parts sand
to 1 part lime for outstanding durability and strength.
o Ancient Greeks laid bricks flat on their sides, while Romans used arches to distribute weight in
their structures
6. Proper Preparation of Materials:
o Gather all necessary tools and equipment before starting.
o Ensure your bricks are clean and free from dirt.
o Arrange mortar ingredients to perfection.
o Set up everything conveniently close to your work area
Remember, the only thing worse than a crooked wall is a crooked bricklayer blaming their tools
for their mistakes.So, embrace precision, practice, and patience as you master the art of
bricklaying!
Flemish bond,
Let’s delve into the Flemish bond, a distinctive bricklaying pattern that adds visual appeal to
walls. Here are the key points:
1. Origins and Misnomer:
o Despite its name, Flemish bond is not native to Flanders or nearby regions in France and
Holland.
o It was seen on late medieval buildings in scattered parts of northern and central Europe,
particularly in Poland.
o The term “Flemish” is associated with buildings in the style of contemporary structures in the
Low Countries, even though its origin remains uncertain
2. Decorative Bond:
o Unlike functional bonds like English bond or garden wall bond, Flemish bond is primarily
decorative.
o It creates a visually pleasing pattern on the wall surface.
o The bond alternates between stretchers (brick sides) and headers (brick ends), requiring skill to
execute
3. Prominence in England:
o The Dutch House (Kew Palace) in London’s Kew Gardens is often cited as the first prominent
use of Flemish bond in England.
o Built around 1631, it exhibits Baroque-style curvilinear gables influenced by Dutch architecture.
o From the mid-17th century, Flemish bond became the preferred choice for architecturally
refined buildings, especially their façades
4. Early American Example:
o St. Luke’s Church in Virginia features one of the earliest surviving examples of Flemish bond.
o Although its brickwork isn’t highly refined, the church’s use of Flemish bond on all wall surfaces
(except the buttresses) is notable.
o Controversy surrounds its construction date, but the bond’s presence suggests a later period
when Flemish bond was more established
In summary, Flemish bond combines aesthetics with craftsmanship, creating an elegant and
timeless brickwork pattern.
STRETCHER BOND
Certainly! Let’s explore the stretcher bond, a fundamental and widely used bricklaying pattern.
Here are the key details:
1. Definition:
In stretcher bond, bricks are laid horizontally in successive rows.
Each row consists entirely of stretcher bricks, with their long sides (stretchers) facing outward.
The end joints of adjacent rows are staggered, creating a visually appealing and structurally sound
pattern
2. Characteristics:
Simple Repeating Pattern: Stretcher bond is the most economic and straightforward bond.
Sometimes, it’s also referred to as “running bond”.
Bricks are aligned in a continuous line, emphasizing the horizontal orientation
3. Advantages:
Load Dissemination: Stretcher bond ensures that loads are distributed uniformly throughout the
structure, enhancing overall strength.
Stability: It contributes to the stability of walls.
Aesthetics: While primarily used for its simplicity, stretcher bonds can also achieve a pleasing visual
effect.
Commonly employed in single-skin modern buildings and as the outer facing of cavity walls
4. Other Brick Bonds:
o Apart from stretcher bond, there are several other brick bonds, including:
Header bond
English bond
Flemish bond
And more, each with its unique arrangement and purpose
5. Running Bond:
Description: The running bond is the most prevalent brick design worldwide. It may
not be fancy, but it’s straightforward and effective.
Pattern: In a running bond, each row of bricks is displaced by one-third of the
brick’s width from the row below it.
Strength and Stability: From a structural standpoint, running bond provides the wall
with great strength. The courses follow a rotational pattern, with centers moving
from one course to the next. This arrangement reduces pressure and enhances
stability.
Visual Effect: The running bond creates an uneven effect due to the brick
displacement.
Application: Basic wall construction often employs running bond patterns in walls
and buildings of varying types
6. Stack Bond:
Description: Stack bond involves placing bricks or tiles precisely adjacent to and on
top of one another, with all joints aligned. This results in a consistent and
aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Strength and Durability: Stack bond strengthens masonry construction because
each joint reinforces the one that comes after it. The wall becomes monolithic and
extremely sturdy.
Uniform Strength: Strongness is maintained uniformly in either the horizontal or
vertical direction due to stack bonding.
Installation Efficiency: Since stack bonds can be positioned in any direction,
installations are quicker and require less effort.
Visual Effect: The stack bond aligns vertical joints within each brick, creating an
organized design.
Structural Stability: While both stack bond and running bond offer comparable
levels of dependability and longevity when installed correctly, running bond
provides more excellent structural stability due to its staggered design.
Pricing: Stack bond patterns do not significantly differ in price compared to running
bonds
In summary, choose the bricklaying pattern that best suits your project’s requirements,
whether you prefer the simplicity of running bond or the clean lines of stack bond!
