what is soldier course of brick

SoldierA soldier courseis one in which brick are laid standing on end with the narrow edge facing out. This type of courseis sometimes used for decorative effects over door and window openings and in fireplace facings (vertical, long, narrow). The height of a masonry structure can be measured by coursesand joints.

Full Answer

What is a soldier course brick used for?

The orientation of the bricks are installed to expose the long narrow side of the brick to make them stand in a row, similar to soldiers. In many cases the soldier course is used as an accent band within a masonry facade, or as a decorative head detail for a window or door.

What is soldier course in masonry?

SOLDIER COURSE Bricks that are set with the narrow side exposed are called soldiers. Bricks laid vertically with its long narrow sides presented (Soldiers) in a row is called a soldier course. Usually used to add visual interest to a masonry structure.

What is the meaning of a brick course?

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. Brick laid flat and perpendicular to the face of the wall are called headers. A header course consists entirely of headers (horizontal, short, narrow side laid on wide edge).

What is a soldier course in architecture?

The soldier course will fall into coursing by matching with three courses of a running bond or commonly laid brick. In many instances the soldier course is doubled or tripled to create a wider band of dissimilar laid brick in the facade. Architects may chose to change the coloration of this band.

Why is it called a soldier course?

The idea behind the name is that when one looks at the long narrow side of a brick, it is supposed to resemble a soldier standing at attention. A soldier course can be laid horizontally or perpendicularly in relation to another course of bricks, with soldier courses commonly being used for edging.

What is a wall soldier course?

Soldier Course: Word of the Week A “course” here refers to a single row of bricks within a brickwork structure, such as a wall. Each course is classified based upon how it's laid, and how the exposed face is oriented relative to the face of the finished wall.

What is a sailor course of bricks?

Sailor A sailor course is similar to the soldier course but with the wide edge facing out. It is used for decorative effects (vertical, long, wide). The width of a masonry structure can be measured by stretchers and joints.

What does course brick mean?

A course is a layer of the same unit running horizontally in a wall. It can also be defined as a continuous row of any masonry unit such as bricks, concrete masonry units (CMU), stone, shingles, tiles, etc.

What is a soldier course in pavers?

A soldier course is when you lay a row of pavers side to side, perpendicular to the rest of the field. In other words, you lay the long sides next to each other, and the short sides are touching the fieldstones.

What is a brick string course?

stringcourse, in architecture, decorative horizontal band on the exterior wall of a building. Such a band, either plain or molded, is usually formed of brick or stone. The stringcourse occurs in virtually every style of Western architecture, from Classical Roman through Anglo-Saxon and Renaissance to modern.

How are Soldier course bricks calculated?

The total number of soldier brick required for any given soldier course is calculated by dividing the length of the course in inches by the face width of the soldier brick plus 3/8-inch for the mortar joint.

What is the top row of brick called?

coursesTypically, rows of bricks called courses are laid on top of one another to build up a structure such as a brick wall.

How do you count brick courses?

Divide the length in inches by the length of a brick plus mortar joint. For example, a wall 36 feet, 8 inches long is 440 inches long (36 X 12 = 432 + 8 = 440). Each course (single layer) of bricks will need 440 / 8 = 55 bricks.

How tall is a brick course?

86mmA single standard brick course is 86mm (76mm of brick and 10mm of mortar).

How high is a course of block?

The most common dimensions for a cinder block are approximately 8-by-8-by-16 inches. The actual measurements, however, are 7 5/8-by-7 5/8-by-15 5/8.

How much is the thickness of course?

The thickness of clay/earth mortar is 12 mm and the maximum height of building constructed with clay is restricted to 2.5 m. stones and cement blocks are also used in brick work.

What is a brick course called?

SOLDIER COURSE. Bricks that are set with the narrow side exposed are called soldiers. Bricks laid vertically with its long narrow sides presented (Soldiers) in a row is called a soldier course. Usually used to add visual interest to a masonry structure.

What is mortar on a brick?

The act of placing mortar on one face of a masonry unit with a trowel before is laid. You will want to put as much mortar as possible on the end of the brick.

What is a bed joint?

The junction of two or more masonry pieces leaving a space between the bricks or concrete masonry units that are filled with mortar or grout. If the joint is parallel to the bed of masonry pieces in a course, it is termed as bed joint. If the joint is perpendicular, then the bed joints are termed vertical joints, side joints, head joints, ...

What is a stretcher course?

STRETCHER COURSE. A course of bricks or stones that lie with its longest side parallel to the face of the work. The course of brickwork in which all the bricks are laid as stretchers is known as stretcher course. In the example below it is a course of bricks four stretchers long.

What is a tie in masonry?

A masonry tie is a wire or sheet metal device used to connect two or more masonry single section brick walls. They are also used to connect masonry veneers to a structural backing system.

What is masonry made of?

Masonry that is composed of variable size rectangular units that have sawed, dressed, or squared bed surfaces, properly bonded and laid in mortar. These masonry units are precisely cut on all faces that are next to other masonry units and normally have very thin joints.

What is masonry construction?

The masonry definition The construction of building materials bonded together with mortar. That which is constructed by a mason; anything constructed of the materials used by masons, such as stone, brick, tiles, etc.

What is a course in brick?

Course Setting a course means to arrange in a row. A row of bricks, when laid in a wall, is called a course. 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.

What is a soldier course?

Soldier A soldier course is one in which brick are laid standing on end with the narrow edge facing out. This type of course is sometimes used for decorative effects over door and window openings and in fireplace facings (vertical, long, narrow).

What is a stretcher brick?

Stretcher Brick laid flat with the long face parallel to the wall are called a stretchers. When all the brick in the course are laid in this manner, it is called a stretcher course. (horizontal, long, narrow) Header A brick laid flat with its width at the face of the wall, or parallel to the face of the wall.

What are the parts of brickwork?

Parts of brickwork include bricks , beds and perpends . The bed is the mortar upon which a brick is laid. A perpend is a vertical joint between any two bricks and is usually – but not always – filled with mortar. The dimensions of these parts are, in general, co-ordinated so that two bricks laid side by side separated only by the width of a perpend have a total width identical to the length of a single brick laid transversely on top of them.

What is bonding in brick?

Bond A bond is the patterned arrangement of brick or stone in a wall. The brick must be lapped upon one another, to prevent vertical joints from falling over each other.

What is the horizontal layer of brick called?

Each horizontal layer of brick in a masonry structure is called a course . Brick laid flat and perpendicular to the face of the wall are called headers. A header course consists entirely of headers (horizontal, short, narrow side laid on wide edge).

What are the ways bricks are cut and laid?

The ways in which brick are cut and laid to create decorative patterns are ancient and infinitely varied. They are as intricate and demanding as the patterns found in weaving and embroidery or bead work or inlaid designs in wood. Sometimes these bonds bear similar names and designs.

Understanding Brick Size Nomenclature

There are three different ways of discussing sizes when it comes to brick and it is important to understand the different sizes so there isn't any confusion - we will start by discussing the different dimensions: specified, actual, and nominal.

Brick Selection for Architects

Architects are mostly interested in the aesthetic appearance of the brick wall, but when it comes to detailing it is important to understand the sizes of bricks. That said, most architects will select bricks based on their color and bond pattern. The size of the brick is tied to the bond pattern and manufacturer specifics.

A Word About Mortar Joint Sizes

The predominant mortar joint width used in construction is 3/8". In fact, the International Building Codes reference TMS 602 Specification for Masonry Structures, which defaults to a 3/8" mortar joint so this should be the main starting point for architects and engineers, but always confirm the specified size of your selected brick.

Calculating Brick Openings

When calculating brick openings, you count the courses (vertical) or brick lengths (horizontal) to get the Masonry Opening (M.O.). However, to get the actual opening you have to factor in the additional mortar joint that is missing from the standard nominal dimensions.

Brick Orientation

The diagrams below represent the orientations for bricks as they are laid in walls. The red face is the face that is exposed. Different orientations are combined to create brick bonds.

Brick Types and Specification Based on Application

Architects generally select bricks based on the type of application. Many factors go into the selection, including durability ( see Grades below ), load capacity, and appearance. The following table covers the major types of brick, their ASTM specification criteria, and the general usage applications.

Brick Grades

Brick grades indicate the durability of a brick when it is exposed to moisture and freezing. There are three factors that help determine brick durability: compressive strength, water absorption, and the saturation coefficient.