Article By: Reylord Ayop
A brick bond is a pattern where the bricks are lying. It is applicable for brick paving and brick walls, especially for paths and patios, including other types of masonry construction, such as concrete blocks. You can pick different brick bonds suitable for your buildings, just like choosing the most suitable general-purpose access doors and panels.
Photo By: Jordan Harris
How Can You Brick Bond Your Work
Brick bonds mostly need bricks or masonry units having the same size or at least the most compatible size. A uniform size will make a regular and repeatable pattern that you may apply to any size of the area. Several bond patterns have the interlocking method for each brick row and are very well known as a course.
The bond will add solidity to your building in this method, making any mortar wall much more robust than ever. If you use mortar between your bricks, consider that each brick size includes mortar thickness.
What are the common wall brick bonds?
Brick walls can be decorative, like the brick-veneer wall, or structural, like load-bearing walls. Structural barriers will need a specific type of structural bond. On the other hand, decorative walls can use any kind of bond. We have listed a few popular and common types of brick bonds you may use on your walls.
Running Bond: The bricks are staggered into ½ brick above and below its course, in the classical way one-over-two method. It is a simple structural bond that has been accessible long enough for the basic construction of walls. Every brick is lying lengthwise—the "stretchers," also known as the long sides facing outwards.
Common Bond: Running bonds style with an intermittent course of the header bricks is usually for double-thickness walls, which is why header bricks are flushing on the edges with two stretchers lying side by side.
English Bond: It is the same as the common bond. However, it is running alternatively with all header bricks and stretcher bricks.
Flemish Bond: Header and stretcher bricks alternate to every course in this type of bond.
Stack Bond: Every stretcher brick is lying in identical grid courses. The joints aren't staggered on each between systems. It is a non-structural bond that is for interior wall decoration.
Common Paving Brick Bonds
Underlying surfaces support brick paving, unlike the walls, which need to sustain themselves and load from the top. It means the paving brick bonds can be decorative and flexible. Such bonds are chosen by many due to their easy installation, not only by their style. Patterns that have lesser cutting parts are much easier to apply.
Paving may also include wood timbers or other materials you can integrate into your style. Brick pavers commonly lie flat, and one of their larger sides faces upwards.
Running Bond: The pattern for this bond is the same as the wall bricks. It can also be perpendicular, diagonal, or even parallel to the length of your building's patio or path.
Herringbone: With each brick placed perpendicular to its neighbor, these bonds will create a simple zigzag pattern. Although these are aesthetically pleasing, they can take too much time to install as it requires you to cut the brick at the edge of every course to form a straight line.
Basketweave: The brick pattern is squarely lying paired to each other and side-by-side, and every one of these is perpendicular to its neighbors. It is the best option for locations that are rectangular or square.
Jacked: It is also known as Jack-on-Jack paving, the even rows in square grids are pleasing, and you can't find any staggering between its courses.
Find the correct bond pattern for your building.
We know that it can sometimes be hard to find the right choices for your buildings, especially if you want them sturdy and lasting longer than usual. Don't be afraid to ask for professional help, especially regarding the safety of your buildings.