INTRODUCTION
Walls built of blocks and bricks consists of individual units, for such walls to fulfill the
functions expected of them, that is strong and durable, the units (bricks or blocks )
must be arranged in a pre-determined pattern which must present a pleasant surface
appearance and at the same time eliminate as far as possible straight joints. The
patterns of laying bricks or blocks are what we call bond. This project is going to focus
on ten patterns namely, stretcher bond, English bond, English garden wall bond, Flemish
bond, Flemish garden wall bond, Dutch bond, header bond, Quetta bond, water bond and
rat-trap bond. Each bond is going to be defined, give illustrations of plans and
elevations and give the rules which govern each particular bond. Principles of bonding
are also stated once since they govern all bond that exists. These patterns are done for
the reasons that:
v To share the load of walls evenly to the ground.
v Give a pleasing appearance
v For the walls to be strong and durable.
v Give balance to the walls
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STRETCHER BOND
v This a bond which consists of all bricks laid as stretchers on every course with
the courses laid half-bond top each other, this is affected in effected in a plain
wall with stopped ends by introducing a half-bat as the starting brick to alternate
courses. Usually only used in walls of a half-brick in thickness but sometimes
used on one-brick thick.
v This can also be defined as the bond which consists of only stretchers on the
face elevation except at corner ends. The lap of bricks in one course is half the
length of the brick of the proceeding course.
ILLUSTRATION OF THE PLANS AND ELEVATION OF STRETCHER BOND
ELEVATION stopped ends
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Plan of course 2
Plan of course 1
RULES FOR STRETCHER BOND
v Maintain a half lap.
v A half lap is formed by the introduction of half bat at the stopped ends.
PRINCIPLES OF BONDING
v The bond is set out along the face of the wall, working from each end towards
the centre.
v No cut less than a queen closer must appear on the face of the wall.
v Tie-bricks at wall junction which can either be headers or stretchers are always
in the wall that runs through to the face of the wall.
v A ‘broken bond’ results when the bond pattern cannot be maintained in given
length of walling. it is the insertion of a cut brick or bricks in the middle of the
wall when the wall is not bond size or brick size. Broken bond may be avoided
by reversing the end bricks and is termed ‘reverse bond’.
v The perpends or cross joints in alternate courses should be kept vertical.
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v There should be no straight joints in a wall, that is, no vertical joints coincide in
consecutive courses.
v To achieve the maximum strength in a wall, all the joints in the interior of the
wall should be kept filled or flushed. This can be achieved by grouting.
v Correct lap should be set and maintained by introduction; a half at the stopped
end, a closer next to quoin header and a three quarter next to coin header.
v To adhere to a specified bond.
ENGLISH BOND
v This bond consists of alternate courses of headers and stretchers, with a closer
placed next to a quoin header to form the lap. There is, however, a variation
where a closer is not used in the header course, and the lap is formed by starting
each stretcher course with a three-quarter bat. Such variations are not very
common but occasionally instructions are given on a site that no closer are to be
are used on the face work.
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Front elevation
Plan of course 2
Plan of course 1
RULES
v A queen closer to be placed next to a quoin header to form the lap. There is,
however, a variation where a closer is not used in the header course, and the lap
is formed by starting each stretcher course with a three quarter bat and this
occasionally when given instructions on the site that no queen closer to be used
on the face work.
v When wall changes direction, bond also changes.
v No cut brick more than a closer should appear on the face of the wall.
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HEADER BOND
v Is a bond which consists of all headers, with the bond being formed by
three-quarter bats at the quoin, and is generally used in footing courses or
walling curved on plan. Header bond is satisfactory for walls one brick thick.
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/4 /4
3 3
/4 /4
Front elevation
3 3
/4 /4
3 3
/4 /4
Plan of course 2
Plan of course 1
RULES
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v Place a three quarter-brick at the quoin to form the bond, which is quarter
lapping.
v All bricks on elevation should show header faces except three-quarters at quoins
at alternate courses.
v Only quarter lapping is accepted
FLEMISH BOND
v This bond consists of alternate headers and stretchers in the same course with
the headers in one course being placed centrally over the stretcher in the course
below. A closer is placed next to the quoin header to form the lap.
Stretcher brick A header positioned centrally to the stretcher above and
below
Front elevation
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Plan of course 2
Plan course 1
RULES
v A queen closer should be placed next to a quoin header to form a lap.
v A header should be placed centrally to a stretcher brick laid below or above it.
v Every header should be followed by a stretcher except on quoins where a closer
follow the header in the same course.
DUTCH BOND
v This bond consists of alternate header and stretcher courses, but there are no
closers in the header course, the bond is formed by starting each stretcher
course with a three-quarter bat. In addition, the stretcher courses are laid
half-bond to each other, this is effected by placing a header on alternate
stretcher courses next to the three-quarter bat. The perpends in this bond follow
each other diagonally across the wall in an unbroken wall.
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Header placed next /4 bat on alternate stretcher courses.
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/4
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¾
RULES
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v No closers next quoin header but a three-quarter is placed on quoins.
v Three quarter to be put at quoins.
v No cut brick less than a three-quarter should appear on the face of the wall.
v A header is placed next to the quoin three-quarter in the fourth course forming
the perpends to pass diagonally across the wall in a continuous line (steps-like)
ENGLISH GARDEN WALL BOND
v Sometimes called the Sussex bond, consists of three or five courses of
stretchers to one course of headers, the stretcher course being laid half-bond to
each other.
The elevation
Plan of course 4
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Plan of course 3
Plan of course 2
Plan of course 1
RULES
v Place queen closer next to a quoin header in the header course.
v Half lap in stretcher courses is formed by the introduction of the header in the
third course.
v Maintain an odd number of courses of stretchers to one course of headers.
FLEMISH GARDEN-WALL BOND
This bond consists of three or sometimes five stretchers to one header in each course.
The header in one course is laid centrally over the middle stretcher in the course
immediately below. Can be occasionally used as face bonds but their main use is in one
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brick thick where a face side of neat brickwork is required on both sides of the wall. The
varying brick length make it difficult to keep a fair face on both sides of the wall unless
the number of headers is greatly reduced.
Front elevation
Plan of course 2
Plan of course 1
RULES
v Place queen closer next to a quoin header.
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v Put three or five stretchers to one header in the same course.
v A header should be placed centrally to the stretcher above and below it.
RAT-TRAP BOND
This is a brick-on-edge bond with middle of the wall being left hollow. There are two
variations, that is, where the stretchers and headers are laid alternatively or with three
stretchers to one header. The bond is formed at a stopped end or reveal by laying two
headers together. This is used where strength is of less importance, usually for garden
walls.
RULES
v Two headers are laid together at the corner to form the bond and lap.
v Bricks to be laid on edge.
v To leave a hollow on the middle of the wall.
WATER BOND
This is bond that is built using stretchers only, which is one brick thick or more, without
cross joints that runs from outer to the inner leaf, because cut bricks are placed in one
leaf of the wall ignoring the other running parallel leaf. This bond is mainly used for the
construction of water tanks, dams or septic tanks because it does not directly leakage
of water through interlocking cross joints that does not run across the wall. On
elevation it looks like stretcher bond but differs on the plans.
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1 1
/2 /2
Front elevation
1 1
/2 /2
Plan of course 2
1 1
/2 /2
Plan of course 1
RULES
v No cross joint should pass through from the outer leaf of the wall to the inner
leaf.
v A cut brick is placed on one leaf of the wall to give separation to the cross joint.
QUETTA BOND
v The front and the back elevation of the walls is similar to Flemish bond but, from
the plan, it will be seen that it is not built in a sectional way, the transverse joints
do not cross the full thickness of the wall.
v Recessed are formed along the length of the wall and continue through its full
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height. In the recessed, steel rods are placed and packed round with concrete or
mortar as the work proceeds.
v This forms a series of slender vertical columns in and round the length of the
wall and produced a reinforced brick wall without the use of special bricks.
v This bond is common in countries which experience earth tremors.
Front elevation
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Plan of course 2
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Plan
of course 1 hollows for concrete and reinforcements
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