Brick masonry uses bricks as the building blocks and involves building walls from individual bricks laid in mortar. The basic building block of brick masonry is the wythe, a vertical layer of bricks with a thickness of one brick. Within a wythe, bricks can be laid in various courses or patterns, with the most common being the stretcher course, where bricks are laid with their long edge horizontal and face parallel to the wall.
For thicker walls, multiple wythes are bonded together using headers—bricks laid perpendicular to the wall—to enhance stability. Metal ties or reinforcements can also interconnect wythes, further stabilizing the structure.
Bonding patterns in brickwork not only enhance structural integrity but also add aesthetic value. The common bond, for instance, includes a header course every five or six stretcher courses. The English bond alternates between header and stretcher courses, and the Flemish bond alternates headers and stretchers within each course. When used creatively, these patterns can transform a simple brick wall into a work of art.
Bricklaying is a skilled craft that requires precision and experience, especially in achieving uniform work in large-scale projects. Modern masonry often employs the running bond due to its economical and aesthetic appeal, with metal reinforcements replacing traditional bonding techniques for enhanced structural integrity.
