What Is Brick Masonry?

Brick masonry is the process of constructing a building from individual bricks laid in a specific pattern and bound together, usually by mortar. Occasionally, the term is also used to refer to the brick units themselves. Masonry is considered a durable construction method, and brick is one of the most common types of masonry used in industrialized nations. The strength of a brick masonry structure depends on the type and uniformity of the individual bricks selected, as well as the style of masonry used.

Bricks are made in a range of varieties, each intended for a specific purpose, but all are created from some combination of sand, water, clay, and heat. Building brick, or common brick, is used in construction and is often "cored" with two rows of holes to save material and reduce weight. Face brick is chosen for visible surfaces or exposed walls and comes in different colors, sizes, and shapes. Firebrick is made with special clay to offer additional heat resistance in fireplaces or boiler rooms. Glazed brick is coated on one surface with a ceramic finish that is sanitary and easy to clean, making it popular in hospitals and laboratories.

Brick masonry can support substantial weight, but does not respond well to shaking, twisting, or stretching. For this reason, some kind of structural reinforcement, like steel beams, is usually included, along with rigid insulation boards or fiberglass batts. The most popular type of brick masonry is the veneer wall, in which bricks are used to line the surface of a wall made from another material to create the appearance of a brick wall. Solid brickwork is also popular and features two or more layers of bricks that are bound together in a specific pattern to form a masonry bond that may be secured with mortar. Other types include the crinkle-crankle wall, shaped like a serpentine to resist toppling, and the brick masonry arch, prized for its compressive strength.

Many attributes make brick a practical and popular construction choice. In addition to the inherent beauty of brickwork, it is also thought to create the impression of solidity and permanence, so brick homes often sell for higher prices. Brick is almost maintenance-free, never needs to be painted or stained, and resists damage from wind, fire, and water. It also offers both noise and thermal insulation, so structures created from brick masonry generally stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

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Types of Bricks

There are three types of bricks,

1. First Class Bricks
2. Second Class Bricks
3. Third Class Bricks

Specification of First Class Bricks

• Made of good earth which is free from saline deposits and are sand molded.
• Burnt thoroughly without being vitrified and have deep red, cherry and copper color.
• Regular and uniform in shape and size with sharp and square edges and parallel faces. 
• Must be homogeneous in texture and emit a clear ringing sound on being struck together. 
• Free from flaws, cracks, chops, stones and lime.
• Should not absorb water more than 20% of its own dry weight after 24 hours, immersion in cold water.
• Have a minimum crushing strength of 105 kg per sq. cm when tested according to the test.
• Should not show appreciable sign of efflorescence either in dry state or subsequent to soaking in water.

NOTE: As per guidelines of all wings of the Government, semi-Government departments and other construction departments, First Class Brick tiles should be used for construction works.

Specification of Second Class Bricks

• They shall be well burnt or slightly over burnt.
• They must give clear ringing sound when struck.
• The may have slight irregularities in size, shape and color.
• They may have slight chips, flaws or surface crack but must be free from lime or kankar.
• The minimum crushing strength of second class brick should be 70 kg per sq cm.

Specification of Third Class Bricks

• These bricks are slightly under burnt or over burnt.
• They are not uniform in shape, size and edges.
• They shall not observe water more than 25% of their own dry weight after 24 hours, immersion in cold water.
• They have some signs of efflorescence.

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Types of Bricks

Some of the different types of bricks is as follows.

Clay Bricks - It is like an artificial stone obtained by moulding clay in rectangular blocks of uniform size (19 cm x 9 cm x 9 cm) and then by drying and burning these blocks.

Heavy Duty Bricks - These bricks are made by either pressing process or by extrusion process. these bricks are used in heavy construction engineering works such as bridge structure, industrialfoundations, machine foundations, multi-storeyed buildings, etc.,

Common Burnt Clay Bricks - These bricks shall be hand or machine oulded, allowance being made for shrinkage in drying and burning. These bricks shall be used for common building purposes and should be free from cracks , flaws and nodules of free lime.

Hollow Bricks - These are light weight bricks with cavities, made from special homogenous clay. such bricks have wall thickness of about 20 to 25 mm and are used for partition walls. They also provide good insulation against heat, sound and dampness.

Perforated Bricks - These bricks are light in weight and contain perforations, may be circular, square, elliptical, rectangular in shape throughout their thickness. These bricks are economical and ofer adequate insulation against heat. These bricks are used for the construction of brick panels for light-weight structures, multistoreyed framed structures, decorative partition walls, grill work, etc.,

Fire or Refractory Bricks - These are made from fire clay like ordinary clay bricks. These bricks can resist high temperatures and are used for lining of furnaces and construction of boilers, chambers, chimneys, etc.,

Soda-Lime Bricks - These bricks are prepared by mixing, moulding and treating the four raw materials, i.e., sand, lime, water and pigment. They are either used as ordinary clay bricks in building industry or for ornamental work, being better in appearance.

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Types of Brick Bonds

Different Types of Brick Bonds are,

Stretcher Bond

Stretcher bond is the commonest bond used today and the least interesting in appearance. It can be made more interesting by laying a course of different colored bricks or to lay such bricks to form a pattern on a wall.

Flemish Bond

Flemish bond consists of alternating headers and stretchers along each course with the headers centered on the stretchers above and below.

















English Bond

English bond consists of alternating courses of headers and stretchers, with the alternative headers centered over and under the vertical joints of the stretchers.

American Common Bond

American common bond is similar to the English Bond but the courses of headers are separated by approximately five courses of stretchers.
















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