Important Brick Masonry Lessons You Never Learnt in School

Red Brick Theatre, Wada’s iconic brick masonry house; Do you know what do they share? You guessed it, brick masonry work!  But building with bricks can feel like rocket science, right? Huh, wrong! 

This blog is your shortcut to brick masonry brilliance, even if your DIY skills peak at assembling a spice rack without tears :D!

We’ll show you how to stack bricks like a pro, lay bricks like a legend, and finally, survey them. Think sturdy structures, clean lines, and Pinterest-worthy results. Ditch the fear, grab your trowel, and dive in! (P.S. We’ll be gentle on your first brick-venture.)

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What is Brick Masonry? 

Brick masonry is a hand-crafted construction technique wherein workers lay clay, flyash or engineering bricks in a specific pattern using lime and mortar. So, the result is insanely strong, disaster-resistant yet aesthetic (yes you can flaunt bare walls too!)

But that’s not all! Today, architects and designers preach brick masonry types for an array of benefits including their fire & heat resistance, energy efficacy, sound insulation, low maintenance and thermal mass.

Plus, red or clay brick masonry work is quite sustainable; you can recycle, reuse or crush it for rock gardens, retaining wall filings, walkways and mulch (they’ll offer the best drainage for free!)

What Size of Brick Should I Use? 

If you’re in India, just use the standard 190mm X 90mm X 90mm modular bricks recommended by the Bureau of Indian standards. They weigh around 3-3.5 kg each, so you can easily build nice walls without wasting material and construction budgets.

However, if you’re in the United States of America, grab a regular brick that’s 7 5/8″ x 3 5/8″ x 2 ¼” with a 0.38″ mortar joint as per the Building Codes TMS 602. Make sure it’s dense enough, around 1,600–2,000kg/m3, for good strength.

What Are the Most Prominent Characteristics of Good Red Brick Construction? 

Do you know that all brickwork types don’t have the same quality? Yes, you heard it right! That’s why it’s really important for you to study the most important brick masonry characteristics we’ve mentioned below: 

1. A good brick by brick masonry must be sharp, straight, evenly colored (deep red or cherry) and well burnt.
2. All the surfaces of the brick wall must be free from fissures, holes and lumps
3. Make sure the bricks can handle at least 3.5N/mmm2 when they’re squished with a constant load of 14N/mm2 until they break.
4. Ensure that the brick doesn’t get any scratches or cracks when scratched thoroughly with a finger nail.
5. Strike two bricks together to check if they make a metallic sound (that’s a good sign). If they sound damp, they might not be the best quality.
6. The brick shouldn’t break if you drop it from like 1 to 1.2 meters on the ground.
7. Make sure the brick doesn’t soak up more than 20% of its weight after being in water for 24 hours.
8. To check if a brick is good quality, just soak it in water for a day and then dry it in the sun. If you see any white or crystallized patches on it, note that it contains sodium, magnesium, calcium, or potassium, and isn’t fit for construction.
9. Check if each brick weighs about 6 lbs. and the total weight is less than 125 lbs. per cubic ft.
10. Check if your brick wall has a frog, i.e a small depression or indention on top that helps the mortar stick better.

4 Main Types of Brick Masonry & How to Identify Them? 

Now, let’s check some clues to identify four good-quality brick masonry types based on the quality & thickness of the mortar, brick composition and joint flexibility:

1. Clay Brick Masonry

This brick work is all about using mud, clay and sand to fill in the joints. So, the joints are wide, up to 12mm thick, with rough and uneven edges. Plus, it’s only suitable for buildings up to 4 meters high, so no two-level apartments with this one!

2. I-Class Brick Construction

In this type of reinforced brick masonry work, workers use cement or lime mortar with first class bricks, i.e. the kiln-burnt, table-molded bricks with sharp square or straight edges. Note that these mortar joints are very precise and don’t exceed more than 10mm in width. 

3. II-Class Brick Masonry Work

This brick construction deals with rough, blunt and irregular ground-molded bricks of a second grade. It’s only for areas that will be plastered, painted or water-proofed later. Also, this one’s a bit uneven, with a rough thickness of around 12mm.

4. III-Class Brick by Brick Masonry Solutions

The third class brick work is used with really unimportant or temporary structures that can go well with leftover, underburnt or overburnt bricks. While, these don’t have a fixed thickness, they need a 12mm plaster coat to save them from rain. 

What is the Permissible Load on Handcrafted Brick Masonry Construction?

The permissible load on hand-crafted brick masonry usually depends upon the age, condition, application, compressive strength and basic quality of the bricks. 

High-quality, first class brick work typically bears a high permissible load from 440 – 880kN/m2. But if the bricks are damaged, or like second-grade, they usually go down to 440 – 650kN/m2 of effective uniform loads.

However, if the joints are filled with loose mud or sand, then the maximum effective permissible load decreases to 140kN/m2. Just note that these values change from region to region, depending on the soil, manufacturer and additives.

How Should Contractors or Laborers Stack Bricks on Site? 

Let’s talk about stacking bricks on site – it’s not just about dumping them from a truck into a big pile. We need to do it right to avoid wasting materials. So, let’s learn the proper steps together!

1. Find a good, flat, and dry spot to pile up the bricks. Also ensure that the area doesn’t have any obstacles, pins or dry grass that might scratch your brick surface. 
2. Avoid dumping bricks on your site; pick and place them rightly to avoid damage.
3. Follow the “running bond” pattern, i.e. stagger your bricks in a one-over-two pattern with the top brick centered over two bottom-level bricks on their stretcher. 
4. Keep all the brick stacks under 5 to 7 feet tall for extra safety and stability.
5. Cover the brick stacks with tarpaulins if it’s going to rain or snow to save them from moisture.
6. Make sure you wear the right gear like gloves, safety glasses, and tough shoes when handling your brick by brick masonry solutions.

How to Prevent Cracks in Brick Masonry Walls?

What do you do when your favorite toy cracks? Apply glue, right? Well, it’s the same with brick masonry repair; But, it’s just that these glues have to centered properly to avoid extra deflection, shrinkage and efflorescence in brick masonry. Let’s see how: 

• Use 5-6mm of natural or cellular rubber, bitumen, expanded plastics or coconut pith sealants at all the expansion joints to reduce sliding.
• Try to use low shrinkage concrete to reduce expansion cracks along your roof and floor slabs.
• Limit your wall cracking to 3-4M to avoid excessive weight and displacement cracks
• Allow the concrete and mortar to cure for at least 24 hours before applying any external stress on your wall
• Identify the cause of any existing cracks before attempting repairs. Possible causes include settlement, foundation movement, or excessive water seepage.
• Make sure to shield the new brick masonry work from drying too quickly, especially during hot days, to prevent any uneven shrinkage or cracking.

The ULTIMATE Brick Masonry Checklist to Superior & Defect-Free Brick Work

Not sure if your brick masonry work meets the required quality, finishing, or standards? No worries! Use this handy brick masonry checklist to assess and rate your brick work (P.S. Remember to print it for future reference).

But if you like reading instructions on the screen, just scroll down to continue:

Top 3 Brick Masonry Supervision Tips That You MUST Know

• The brick masonry work must be raised uniformly whenever possible. If not, make sure to add cross walls, steps, toothings or recesses for proper balance.
• Limit the use of brickbats to closers; Also, the brickbats of size less than half-brick should be rejected and not allowed to be used in the construction.
• If you’re using cement mortar, make sure to water the brickwork for at least one to two weeks. But if you’re using lime mortar, give it a good watering for about two to three weeks.

What is the Cost of Brick Masonry Work?

Brick masonry costs about ₹110 – 150 per square foot in India, and around $5-15 per square foot in the US. But yes, this cost obviously depends on the type & quality of brick, wall thickness and labor cost. Let’s check them out in the following table:

Brick Masonry Cost Per Square Foot in India:

4” Brick Masonry Wall Cost	Labor Cost (per. Sq. feet)	₹25 – 30	Total Cost: ₹110 – 130
	Material Cost (Bricks, Sand & Cement) (per. Sq. feet)	₹85 – 100
6” Brick Masonry Wall Cost	Labor Cost (per. Sq. feet)	₹30 – 40	Total Cost: ₹150 – 190
	Material Cost (Bricks, Sand & Cement) (per. Sq. feet)	₹120 – 150

FAQs

Conclusion

Feeling bricked by brickwork? Don’t despair! This guide has you covered, from picking the perfect brick and supervising your brick masonry to ensuring your project stays up, not out. Now, go forth and build something awesome (and hopefully not crooked)!

Also, don’t forget to share your bricktastic creations (or hilarious mishaps) in the comments!

But if you need expert advice on that bare brickwork farmhouse you’d been craving for long, don’t be shy to contact our designers by clicking here! And once you build it, join in for more ‘two-color combos’ or ‘wall decoration ideas’ to decorate your brick masonry! 

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