Masonry & Brickwork

Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together
by mortar. Brickwork is masonry produced by a bricklayer, using bricks and mortar to
build up brick structures such as walls. Where the bricks are to remain fully visible, as
opposed to being covered up by plaster or render, this is known as face-work or facing
brickwork.

Brick is laid in any one of the three stances above to create a bonding pattern
(arrangement of the bricks).
Stretcher Bond.

Bricks laid with only their long narrow sides (their stretchers) showing.
simplest repeating pattern
Suitable only for 1 brick thickness (weak so must be tied to supporting
structure)
Common in modern buildings, particularly as the outer face of a cavity wall

Flemish Bond (also known as Dutch Bond). (Stretchers & Headers)

Most decorative bond

Alternate laying of headers and stretchers in a single course
The next course is laid so that a header lies in the middle of the stretcher in the
course below.

English bond

Two alternating courses of stretchers and headers

The headers centered on the stretchers, and each alternate row vertically
aligned.

Three main types of Brickwork

Facing brickwork is the visible decorative work.

Engineering brickwork, often seen in bridges and large industrial
construction but may also be hidden in ground works where maximum
durability is required e.g. manhole construction.
Common brickwork is not usually seen and is used where engineering
qualities are not required; below ground in domestic buildings and internal
walls for instance.

Advantages

The use of materials such as brick and stone can increase the thermal mass of a building.
Brick typically will not require painting and so can provide a structure with reduced life-cycle costs.
Masonry is very heat resistant and thus provides good fire protection.
Masonry walls are more resistant to projectiles, such as debris from hurricanes tornadoes.
Masonry structures built in compression preferably with lime mortar can have a useful life of more than
500 years as compared to 30 to 100 for structures of steel or reinforced concrete.

Disadvantages

Extreme weather causes degradation of masonry wall surfaces due to frost damage.
This type of damage is common with certain types of brick, though rare with concrete blocks.
Masonry tends to be heavy and must be built upon a strong foundation usually reinforced concrete to
avoid settling and cracking

Different Types of Masonary Units.

Concrete Blocks

Gabions (rectangular wire baskets filled with stone)