BricksSizes, Positions, Terminologies, Bats and Closers

Ar. Sahil Pahal

Brick Sizes:• The bricks are prepared in various sizes. The

custom in the locality is the governing factor for deciding the dimensions or size of bricks. Such bricks which are not standardized are known as the traditional bricks.

• If bricks are large, it is difficult to burn them properly and they become too heavy to be placed with a single hand. On the other hand, if bricks are small. more quantity of mortar is required.

Brick Positions:• Stretcher: a brick laid horizontally, flat with the long

side of the brick exposed on the outer face of a wall.• Header: a brick laid flat with the short end of the brick

exposed. • Shiner: a brick laid on the long narrow side with the

broad side exposed.• Rowlock or Bull Header: a brick laid on the long,

narrow side with the small or "header" side exposed.• Sailor: a brick laid vertically with the broad side

exposed.• Soldier: a brick laid vertically with the narrow

("stretcher") side exposed.

Some terminologies:• Lap: It is the horizontal distance between the

vertical joints of successive brick courses.• Perpend: It is an imaginary vertical line which

includes the vertical joint separating two adjoining bricks.• Bed: It is the lower surface of the brick when

laid flat.• Racking Back: It is the termination of a wall in

stepped fashion as shown in fig.• Toothing: It is the termination of the wall in

such a fashion that each alternate course at the end projects, in order to provide adequate bond if the wall is continued horizontally at a later stage.

Elevation of a Brick Wall

Some terminologies:• Arris: It is the edge of a brick.• Quoin: It is a corner or the external angle on

the face side of a wall. Generally, quoins are at right angles. But in some cases, they in be at angles greater than 90° also.• Frog or Kick: A frog is an indentation in the

face of a brick to form a key for holding the mortar. When frog is only on one face, that brick is laid with that face on the top. Sometimes, frogs are provided on both the faces.

Bats:It is the portion of the brick cut across the width. Thus, a bat is smaller in length than the full brick. • If the length of the bat is equal to half the length of the original brick, it is known as half

bat.• A three-quarter-bat is the one having its length equal to three-quarters of the length of a

full brick. • If a bat has its width bevelled, it is known is bevelled bat

Closers:It is a portion of a brick with the cut made longitudinally, and is used to close up bond at the end of the course. A closer helps in preventing the joints of successive sources (higher or lower) to come in a vertical line. Closers may be of various types, defined below.• Queen Closer: It is the portion of a brick obtained

by cutting a brick lengthwise into two portions. Thus, a queen- closer is a brick which is half as wide as the full brick. This is also known as queen-closer-half. • When a queen-closer is broken into two pieces, it is

known as queen-closer-quarter. Such a closer is thus a brick piece which is one-quarter of the brick size

• King closer: It is the portion of a brick which is so cut that the width of one its end is half that of a full brick, while the width at the other end is equal to the full width. It is thus obtained by cutting the triangular piece between the centre of one end and the centre of the other (lay) side. It has half-header and half-stretcher face.

• Bevelled closer: It is a special form of a king closer in which the whole length of the brick (i.e. stretcher face) is bevelled in such a way that half width is maintained at one end and full width is maintained at the other end.

• Mitred closer: It is a portion of a brick whose one end is cut splayed or mitred for full width. The angle of splay may vary from 45° to 60°. Thus, one longer face of the mitred closer is of full length of the brick while the other longer face is smaller in length.

Specially shaped Bricks:• Bull nose: It is a special moulded brick with one edge rounded (single bull nose) or with

two edges rounded (double bull nose). These are used in copings or in such positions where rounded corners are preferred to sharp arises.

Single Bull Nose Double Bull Nose Use of double bull nose bricks

• Splays: These are special moulded bricks which are often used to form plinth. Its different types are Splay stretcher (plinth stretcher) and splay header (plinth header).

Splay stretcher Splay header Use of Splay header

• Dogleg or angle: It is also special form of moulded bricks which are used to ensure a satisfactory bond at quoins which are at an angle other than right angle. The angle and lengths of the faces forming the dogleg vary according to requirements. These are preferred to mitred closer.