Bricks and Materials

All special, or cut, bricks are based on the dimensions of the standard brick in accordance with BS 3921 (soon to be replaced by BS EN 771-1). The standard brick has a nominal size of: 225mm x 112mm x 75mm which includes a joint thickness of 10mm. The Stretcher Face is 225 x 75; the Header Face is 112 x 75 and the Bed is 225 x 112. (See Bonding)

When a brick is made with a frog this becomes its top.

Number of terms found = 38. Displaying page 1 out of 2.

Arris

The sharp edge between two adjacent surfaces of a brick.

Bevelled Closer

A brick cut, with a bevel, along its length reducing a header at one end to 56 mm. (See Bonding)

Brick Bat

Part of a brick when cut square across its width. Bats cut as a quarter, half, or three quarters of the brick length are used to achieve a variety of bonding arrangements. A cut brick is any other length, cut from the whole brick, which is used to fit required wall dimensions. (See Bonding)

Brick Slip

A face slip; thin slices of brick specially made, or cut, to match the stretchers or headers used in the walling. Used to cover columns, or beams, to give an illusion of continuous brickwork.

Brick Tile

Known as a Mathematical Tile; this special tile has the lower part of the face moulded as a standard stretcher ,or header. The tile is used to face an external wall by vertical hanging on tile battens fixed to a timber frame or solid brickwork. Sometimes pointed to give the appearance of a brick wall.

Bull Nose Brick

These may be Single or Double Bull Nose. Either one or two ends of the stretcher face are made with a 56 mm radius curve. The single B.N. is used, on edge, for sills or steps and flat to form a radius corner. The double B.N. is used on edge as a capping brick.

Burrs

Bricks that have been fused together into lumps due to excessive heat in certain parts of the kiln.

Calcium-Silicate Brick

Known as a Sand-Lime Brick. Made from sand, or crushed flint, mixed with a hydrated lime, approximately 1:8 with little water. The damp mixture is moulded, under great pressure, to form the required brick shape. The green bricks are loaded into an auto-clave and subjected to high steam pressure for 7 or 8 hours. Can be made as Engineering; Facing, and Common Bricks.

Cant Brick

As with the B.N. Brick these may be single or double with the corner, or corners, formed as a 45 deg. splay. Used in a similar way to the B.N. Brick.

Capping Brick

A special brick shaped so as to be laid on edge to finish the top of a wall but without projecting beyond the wall face. A Half-Round Capping has a semicircular top; a Saddleback Capping has sloping upper faces with a pointed apex.

Cavity Closer

Door and window openings in an external cavity wall require the cavity to be closed. The standard of thermal insulation that is now required will not allow the earlier method of closing with brick and a vertical d.p.c. as a cold bridge is formed. To overcome this an insulated plastic extrusion is fitted into the cavity, behind the frame, and is available in widths of 50mm; 75mm, and 100mm.

Cavity Insulation

For new build the standard of thermal insulation for external walls, set by Building Regulations, requires a suitable insulating material to be fixed in the cavity. There are a number of products available, rigid or flexible, and these either partially or completely fill the cavity; if using a partial fill it is necessary to maintain a 50 mm cavity behind the outer leaf of the wall.

Cement Mortar

A bedding mortar using Ordinary Portland Cement (O.P.C.) and soft sand mixed in a ratio of approx. 1:6. It produces a strong dense mortar that is weather resistant but requires the addition of an additive to create the required degree of workability. A dense C.M. is liable to shrink which can result in severe cracking.

Common Brick

A cheap plain brick that is intended for use where good appearance or great structural strength is not required.

Coping Brick

A special brick (like a capping brick) shaped so as to be laid on edge to finish, and protect, the top of an external wall but made to project beyond the faces of the wall with a drip (concave groove) to help throw water clear. There are Half-Round and Saddleback Coping Bricks.

Cownose Brick

A specially moulded brick that has a header semicircular on plan.

Creasing Tile

This Coping Tile is a 262 mm x 150 mm clay tile but unlike a roofing tile it is flat without nibs or holes. It is commonly used, laid as two courses, immediately below a coping brick and arranged to project beyond both wall faces; it is decorative and forms a damp-proof course.

Damp-Proof Course

A d.p.c. is mainly used at Ground Floor Level, at a minimum of 150 mm above ground level, to prevent moisture from rising. It is laid as a horizontal layer of impervious materials such as bituminous felt (various grades); asphalt, or two courses of slate. Two courses of Blue Engineering Bricks make an effective d.p.c. for walls subject to high compressive loads. It is also necessary to form an impervious barrier in cavity walls when it is bridged at, for example, door and window openings.

Dogleg Brick

Can be used when forming external, or internal, obtuse angles to maintain correct face bond without the need for cut bricks.

Efflorescence

A powdery white deposit that forms on the surface of new brickwork. This results from the drying out of salts present in the bricks or sand of the mortar; usually a temporary deposit, best removed by repeated dry brushing, but in severe cases can be permanent.