Work Processes

The general processes, and methods, used by the Bricklayer are applied to a wide range of work that includes: housing; commercial buildings; industrial buildings, and work of a civil engineering nature. More specialised tasks are included in the sections dealing with Decorative Work and Arch Construction.

A number of the craft processes described have become obsolete but have been retained for historical reference.

However, the Glossary does not include processes used in Refractory Work; Drainage, and Underpinning.

Number of terms found = 57. Displaying page 1 out of 3.

Attached Pier:

A pier projecting from a wall face, which thickens it for the width of the pier, and is bonded into the wall.

Battered Work:

A wall that is built with a backward slope on its face, e.g. a retaining wall or tall chimney.

Bevelled Closer:

The brick is bevelled, along its bed length, to reduce it to a 56mm closer on its face. Used in walls 1B. thick, and over, to avoid internal straight joints, e.g. when building reveals; stopped ends, or attached piers.

Block Bonding:

A method of preparing an existing wall so that a future wall can be tied in at a later date. The existing wall is toothed three courses at a time with the indents made to equal the lap; of limited value to be restricted to common work (see also Block Bonded Quoins in Decorative Work).

Block-Work:

Walls built of Blocks as opposed to Bricks; may be used externally, with a rendered finish, but more widely for internal walls. Normal 450mm x 225mm concrete blocks can vary in thickness from 50mm to 150mm (hollow blocks up to 225mm thick) but these have been mainly replaced by lightweight blocks to reduce weight; improve thermal insulation, and reduce costs. Lightweight Blocks may be made from fly-ash mixed with cement; a foamed aerated concrete or concrete expanded by added aluminium powder. Also, Hollow Terra-Cotta Blocks which may be smooth faced or keyed for plastering.

Bonding:

The skill of the craftsman is to bond the wall in accordance with the designer's specification and maintain it throughout the building. Bonding is the arranging of bricks so by lapping over one another, both longitudinally and transversally, all loads are evenly distributed over the foundations. There are many traditional bonds that may be chosen for strength; decorative appearance, or economic reasons; with all bonds it is essential to apply the rules of bonding to ensure correct construction. Walls are described by thickness and Bond; thickness is stated in multiples of half brick, e.g. 0.5B; 1B; 1.5B etc. Bonds are placed in one of two groups related to the length of 1B. Half B walls are laid to half bond while 1B walls, and thicker, are laid to a quarter bond. Main examples are given in this section: English; English Garden Wall; Flemish; Flemish Garden Wall; Header, and Stretcher. Further examples are given in Decorative Work.

Broken Bond:

This occurs when brick sizes will not fit the designed wall length. This is a common situation and requires careful planning for quality face work. In overcoming this the Rules of Bonding must be adhered to and any odd sized cuts so placed as to minimize the departure from true bond, e.g. irregular cuts, with care, can be placed under window openings and restricted to a minimum number of courses leaving the majority of the wall true to bond.

Cavity Fill:

It is sometimes necessary, especially in housing, to set the top of the concrete foundation well below ground level and continue with the ext. cavity wall. In this construction the cavity, below ground, is filled with fine concrete to resist any compressive forces exerted by the sub-soil; this concrete must be kept 150mm below the horizontal d.p.c. to allow the cavity to extend below it.

Cavity Tray:

Water can penetrate an external wall to run down the inner face and enter the building where door and window heads close the cavity. To prevent this horizontal trays, preferably in lead but may be bituminous felt, are placed over lintels or arches. These trays have a lip in the cavity which catches any water and discharges it through weep-holes formed in the cross joints.

Cavity Wall:

Widely used in domestic construction as an external wall to prevent moisture from entering the building; at any point where the cavity has to be closed an impervious membrane must be inserted. The outer leaf (112mm) is usually face-work in Stretcher Bond, but not exclusively, while the inner leaf (100mm to 125mm) is constructed of light weight blocks with a 50mm cavity. Built as two leaves and tied together (see Wall Ties) to form a single structural unit. To meet thermal insulation standards the cavity is filled with 50mm "insulation bats" or, alternatively, when the cavity is partially filled a 50mm cavity must be maintained.

Chasing:

The task of cutting a recess (usually vertically) in a completed internal wall, in brickwork or blockwork, so that cables or pipes can be covered with the plaster finish. The laborious work required to chase a wall with hammer and chisel has been reduced by the powered chasing tool that is adjustable for width of cut.

Common Work:

Brickwork that is built using common bricks (see Materials). The work is built using a cheap brick, excluding Facing or Engineering Bricks, and is restricted to walls to be internally plastered or externally rendered.

Corbelling:

Projecting courses along the length of the wall to increase its thickness, or part of it, or as a decorative feature. Corbels can be formed with a number of courses each with a max. projection of 56mm; care is required especially with Engineering Bricks and the line is positioned on the bottom of each projection rather than the top.

Corner Profile:

Set up during the initial setting out of work and before excavation of foundations. Two adjacent profiles, set square, are arranged for each external corner and positioned well clear of trench lines; each wooden profile is made up of a horizontal rail held by two stout pegs. The rail is used to mark out the face of wall and the trench lines. A ranging line is secured from corner to corner from which the trench lines are set and following excavation the work, below ground level, is set out by plumbing down from the line.

Damp Proof Course:

See Bricks and Materials.

Dead Man:

In some situations it becomes necessary to build a section of a wall ahead of the external corners. To overcome this a temporary pier is built (the Dead Man), in a convenient position, to align with the wall face and at the correct gauge. This pier is then used to hold one end of the line.

English Bond:

One of the Quarter Bonds (56mm lap) for walls 1B thick and over when maximum strength is required. The bond is created by alternative courses of Stretchers and Headers and the lap is obtained by a Queen Closer (56mm) that must be placed immediately after the Quoin Header; the face bond must be sectional through the thickness of the wall to avoid internal straight joints. The bond is used for all types of buildings but is costly in labour and materials.

English Garden Wall Bond:

A popular variation of E. B. that uses three, or sometimes five, courses of Stretchers (laid at half bond) between the Header courses which are laid at quarter bond. This alternative reduces labour costs and, sometimes, can save on the high cost of facing bricks by using commons for the rear face. It is one of the most widely used of all the brickwork bonds.

Face Side:

That face of the wall, most widely seen, which controls the quality of its appearance and accuracy. The face side is used for given dimensions and for setting out the building; the face is plumbed with courses laid to the face line. In organising work it is normal to work from the face side (there are occasions when over-hand working is necessary) and scaffolding is erected on the face side.

Flemish Bond:

As with E. B. this is one of the Quarter Bonds for walls 1B thick and over. Widely used for decorative face work it has a pleasing appearance with alternate Stretchers and Headers on the same course; the lap is obtained by placing a Queen Closer immediately after the Quoin Header. Rarely seen in Flanders.