Bricklayer’s Glossary of Terms

Here’s a basic glossary of terms used by Bricklayers. As a Builder you will find that being familiar with this jargon can make life easier when being involved with brickwork. We’ve used the word ‘brick’ to describe the different terms. In reality it could be stones that you – or the workers on your site – are building with.

Back: This is the inner surface of a wall that is not exposed.

Bat: No, it’s not something that flies around at night and munches of fruit. A Bat is a portion of a brick cut across its width. Therefore you could have a “half bat” (half of a brick) or  “quarter bat” (quarter of a brick).

Bed: The Bed is the surface of the brick perpendicular to the line of pressure. It indicates the lower surface of bricks in each course. (see ‘Course’)

Bond: This is an interlacing of bricks that is used to increase strength. It is also used for decoration.

Closer: A “part” brick. A Closer is a brick that has been cut along its length and is used near an end or corner to even up the bond. “Ordinary Closers” are cut from the stretcher face. “Queen Closers” are cut along the length. “King Closers” are portions of brick created by cutting off the triangular piece between the centre of one end and the centre of one side. A “Bevelled Closer” has half width at one end and full width at the other end of the brick.

Course: This is a layer of bricks.

Face: This is the exterior of wall that is exposed to the weather (as opposed to the ‘Back’).

Frog: Ribbit! The frog is the recess/indentation/depression in the bedding face of a brick. It serves two purposes: it forms a key for the mortar, and reduces the weight of the brick.

Header: A Header is a brick that is laid with its ends parallel to the wall-face. So its greatest length is at right angles to the Face.

Hearting: The Hearting is the interior part of a wall between the facing (material used in the Face of the wall) and the backing (material used in the Back of the wall). Think ‘heart’ – internal.

Joint: This is the mortar layer between the bricks.

Lintel: This is a horizontal collection of bricks used to support the masonry or load above an opening.

Pier: A Pier is a bonded-in support for a beam or strengthening for a wall.

Plinth: The Plinth is the horizontal course of brick at the base of a wall (above ground level).

Quoin: A Quoin is a corner of a brick structure.

Racking Back: This is a step pattern used in building corners.

Sill: A horizontal collection of bricks that shed rain water from the face of the wall immediately below a window opening. The other purpose of the Sill is to support the vertical components of a wooden window frame.

Stretcher: A Stretcher is a brick that is laid with its long sides parallel to the wall face.

Stopped End: The end of the wall, where the courses end flush.

Toothing: Think ‘teeth’ sticking out – Toothing is any projecting alternate bricks left for bonding-in when bricklaying is to be continued.

As mentioned above, this list of bricklaying terms is basic. We’ll get into more terms and brick styles in a future article.