Terminology

Some of the terms which are used in brick masonry are defined below.

1. Header

A brick laid with its breadth or width parallel to the face or direction of a wall.

2. Stretcher

A brick laid with its length parallel to the face or direction of the wall.

3. Bed

The lower surface of a brick when laid flat.

4. Bat

A portion of a brick cut across the width.

5. Closer

A part of brick that is used to close up the bond at the end of brick course. The different closers are: (i) king closer, (ii) queen closer and (iii) bevelled closer.

6. Quoin

A corner of the external angle on the face side of a wall.

7. Squint

A brick cut to a special shape and used at oblique quoins.

Figure 16.1 shows courses of brickwork and Fig. 16.2 shows types of special bricks.

Figure 16.1 Courses of brickwork

Figure 16.2 Types of bricks