Brick masonry is construction in which uniform units (“bricks”), small enough to be placed with one hand, are laid in courses with mortar joints to form walls.
We are going to present here different terms and definitions associated with Brick Masonry:
Course: A row of bricks, when laid in a wall, is called acourse. It is a continuous level range or row of brick or masonry throughout the face or faces of a building. Each horizontal layer of brick in a masonry structure is called a course.
Bed: The bed is the mortar upon which a brick is laid.
Back: The interior surface of a brick wall which is not exposed is named the back. The material forming the back is called the backing. The material that is used to develop the back is called backing.
Face: The exterior side of wall uncovered to weather is called the face.
Hearting: Is the part of a wall between the facing and backing.
Side: Is the surface that builds up the boundary of bricks or stones in a transverse direction to the face and bed.
Joint: A joint is the mortar bond placed between individual masonry units such as brick, block or stone. Alternatively, it is a horizontal layer of mortar on which masonry units are arranged.
The joints which are set perpendicular to the bed joints are called vertical joints or side joints or just joints.
