Brick masonry is a unified mass obtained by systematic
arrangement of laying bricks and bonding together with mortar. Brick is a building unit of hard inorganic clay material of size which can be conviently handled. The brick masonry is used in foundations, walls, columns, buttresses, retaining structures window sells, jambs, corbels, copings ornamental brickwork, circular brickwork, fire places, flumes,
tall chimneys, cavity walls, thresholds, culverts, steps, floors, arches etc.
The strength of brick masonry works depends upon the quality of bricks
and type of mortar used.
Generally mortars are following types used for brick masonry
(i) Mud mortar
(ii) Cement mortar
(iii) Cement lime mortar
(iv) Lime surkhe
General principles in brick masonry construction:
1. A good brick masonry should utilize bricks, which are sound,
hard, well burnt and tough with uniform colour, shape and size.
2. The bricks should be compact, homogenious, free form holes,
cracks, flaws, air-bubbles and stone lumps and soaked in water for atleast two hours before use.
3. In the brickwork, the bricks should be laid on their beds with the
frogs pointing upwards.
4. The brick courses should be laid truly horizontal and should have
truly vertical joints.
5. As far as possible the use of brick – bats should be discouraged.
6. As far as possible the brick wall should be raised uniformly less
than 1.5m in day with proper bond.
7. When the mortar is green the face joints should be racked to a
depth of 12 to 19mm in order to have a proper key for plastering
or pointing.
8. In order to ensure continuous bond between the old and the new,
the wall should be stopped with a toothed end.
9. Finished brickwork should be cured for a period of 2 to 3 weeks
for lime mortar and 1 to 2 weeks for cement mortar.
10. In order to carryout the brickwork at higher level, a single
scaffolding is used.