a masonry unit of clay, formed into a rectangular prism

while plastic and hardened by drying in the sun or firing in a kiln. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.

 "Bricks" for building may be made from clay, shale, soft

slate, calcium silicate, concrete, or shaped from quarried stone. However, true bricks are ceramic, and therefore created by the action of heat and cooling. Clay is the most common material, with modern clay bricks formed in one of three processes - soft mud, dry press, or extruded. Normally, brick contains the following ingredients: Silica (sand) - 50% to 60% by weight Alumina (clay) - 20% to 30% by weight Lime - 2 to 5% by weight Iron oxide - 5 to 6% (not greater than 7%) by weight Magnesia - less than 1% by weight

 Soft-mud process the process of forming brick by

molding relatively wet clay having a moisture content of 20% to 30%. Stiff-mud process the process of forming brick and structural tile by extruding stiff but plastic clay having a moisture content of 12% to 15% through a de and cutting the extrusion to length with wires before firing. Dry-press process the process of forming brick by molding relatively dry clay having a moisture content of 5% to 7% under high pressure, rsulting in sharpedge, smooth-surfaced bricks.

 Sandstruck brick brick formed in the soft-mud

process with a mold lined with sand to prevent sticking, producing a matte-textured surface. Waterstruck brick brick formed in the soft-mud process with a mold lubricated with water to prevent sticking, producing a smooth, dense surface.

 Firebrick a brick made of fire clay and used for lining

furnaces and fireplaces. Fire clay a refractory clay used in the making of firebricks, crucibles, and other objects exposed to high temperatures. Refractory a material having the ability to retain its physical shape and chemical identity when subjected to high temperature. Clinker a dense, hard-burned brick used esp. for paving.

 brick made for general building purposes and not

specially treated for color and texture. Also called building brick.

brick made of special clays for facing a wall. Often

treated to produce the desired color and surface texture. Also called face brick.

 FBX facing brick suitable for use where a minimum

variation in size, narrow color range, and high degree of mechanical perfection are required. FBS facing brick suitable for use where a wider color range and greater variation in size are permitted than for type FBX. FBA facing brick suitable for use where particular effects are desired resulting from nonuniformity in size, color, and texture of the individual units.

 a designation indicating the durability of a brick unit when

exposed to weathering. Three Types: a) MW- a brick grade suitable for exposure to moderate weathering, as when used above grade on surfaces unlikely to be permeated with water in subfreezing temperatures. b) SW- a brick grade suitable for exposure to severe weathering, as when in contact with the ground or used on surfaces likely to be permeated with water in subfreezing temperatures. c) NW a brick grade suitable for exposure to negligible weathering as when used as a backup or in interior masonry.

 Nominal dimension a brick dimension larger than

the actual dimension to account for the thickness of a mortar joint. Jumbo brick any of various oversized bricks having nominal dimensions established by the manufacturer. Soap a brick or tile having normal face dimensions but a normal thickness of 2 in. (51 mm).

 Modular brick a brick having nominal dimensions of 4 x

2 2/3 x 8 in. (102 x 68 x 203 mm). Norman brick a brick having nonimal dimensions of 4 x 2 2/3 x 12 in. (102 x 68 x 305 mm). SCR brick brick having nominal dimensions of 6 x 2 2/3 x 12 in. (153 x 68 x 305 mm). Engineered brick a brick having a nominal dimension of 4 x 3 1/5 x 8 in. (102 x x81 x 203 mm). Norwegian brick a brick having nominal dimensions of 4 x 3 1/5 x 12 in. (102 x 81 x 305 mm). Roman brick brick having nominal dimension of 4 x 2 x 12 in. (102 x 51 x 305 mm). Economy brick a modular brick having no minal dimensions of 4 x 4 x 8 in. (102 x 102 x 203 mm).

Dimensions of Bricks

 Stretcher a brick or other masonry unit laid horizontally

in a wall with the longer edge exposed or parallel to the surface. Header - a brick or other masonry unit laid horizontally in a wall with the shorter end exposed or parallel to the surface. Soldier a brick laid vertically with the longer face edge exposed. Sailor a brick laid vertically with the broad face exposed. Shiner - a brick laid horizontally on the longer edge with the broad face exposed. Also called Bull stretcher.

 Rowlock a brick laid horizontally on the longer edge

with the shorter end exposed. Also called rotlock. Bull header - a rowlock brick laid with its bed perpendicular to the face of the wall. Bull stretcher - a rowlock brick laid with its bed parallel to the face of the wall. Wythe - each continuous, vertical section of a wall, one masonry unit thick. Sometimes called a tier.

 any of various arrangements of masonry units having a

regular, recognizable, usually overlapping pattern to increase the strenght and enhance the appearance of the construction.

 Running bond a brickwork or masonry bond composed

of overlapping stretchers. Also called stretcher bond. Common bond a brickwork bond having a course of headers betweeen every five or six courses of stretcher. Also called american bond. English bond a brickwork bond havng alternate courses of headers and stretchers in which the headers are centered on stretchers and the joints between stretchers line up vertically in all courses. English cross bond a modified english bond in which the head joints in the stretching courses are offet by half the length of the stretcher. Also called dutch bond.

 Stack bond is purely a pattern bond, with no overlapping

units and all vertical joints aligning. You must use dimensionally accurate or carefully rematched units to achieve good vertical joint alignment. Flemish bond a brickwork bond having alternating headers and stretchers in each course, each header being centered above and below 2 stretchers. Flemish diagonal bond a form of flemish cross bong in which the courses are offset to form a diamond pattern. Flemish diagonal bond a form of flemish cross bong in which the courses are offset to form a diamond pattern. Garden-wall bond a brickwork bond for lightly loaded boundary walls, having a sequrnce of a header and three stretchers in each course, with each header being centered over a header in alternate courses.

 is a concrete masonry unit, which is sometimes

referred to as foundation block, cement block or concrete block. One of the widely used and highly important materials in the construction industry, this brick is often described as rectangular and large. Because of its ability to control different kinds of moisture issues, it is the preferred choice when making different kinds of structures like dining areas, shower stalls and car washes.

 Face shell one of the two sidewalls of a hollow

concrete masonry unit. Web one of the cross walls connecting the face shells of a hollow masonry unit. Core the molded open space in a concrete masonry unit. Also called Cell.

 Concrete block a

hollow or solid concrete masonry unit, often incorrectly referred to as cement block. Stretcher block a concrete masonry unit having nominal dimensions of 8 x 8 x 16 in. (203 x 203 x 406 mm).

 Partition block a concrete

masonry unit used in constructing non-loadbearing walls, usually having a nominal thickness of 4 or 6 in. (102 or 152 mm). Bullnose block a concrete masonry unit having one or more rounded exterior corners. Corner block a concrete masonry unit having a solid end face and used in constructing the end or corner of a wall.

 Return-corner block a

concrete masonry unit used at the corners of walls to maintain horizontal coursing with the appearance of full- and half-length units. Double-corner block a concrete masonry unit having solid faces at both ends and used in constructing a masonry pier Pilaster block any of various concrete masonry units used in constructing a plain or reinforced masonry pilaster.

 Coping block a solid

concrete masonry unit used in constructing the top or finishing course of a masonry wall. Sash block a concrete masonry unit having an end slot or rabbet to receive the jamb of a door or window frame. Also called jamb block. Cap block a concrete masonry unit having a solid top for use as a bearing surface in the finishing course of a foundation wall. Also called solid-top block.

 Control- joint block any of

various concrete masonry units used in constructing a vertical control joint. Bond-beam block a concrete masonry unit used in constructing a bond beam, having a depressed section in which reinforcing steel can be placed or embedment in grout. Bond beam a masonry course grouted and reinforced to serve as a beam, a horizontal tile, or a bearing course for structural members

 Open-end block a concrete

masonry unit having one end open in which vertical steel reinforcement can be placed for embedment in grout. Lintel block a concrete masonry unit used in constructing a lintel or bond beam, having a U-shaped section in which reinforcing seel can be placed for embedment in grout. Header block - a concrete masonry unit having a portion of one face shell removed to receive headers in a bonded masonry wall.

 Sound-absorbing masonry

unit a concrete masonry unit having a solid top and a slotted face shell, and sometimes a fibrous filler, for increased sound absorption. Slump block - a concrete masonry unit having an irregular face and surface texture caused by the settlement of a wet mix during curing. Split-faced block a concrete masonry unit, split lengthwise by a machine after curing to produce a rough, fractured face texture.

 Faced block a concrete

masonry unit having a special ceramic, glazed, or polished face. Scored block any of various concrete masonry units having one or more vertical grooves which stimulate raked joints. Shadow block any of various concrete masonry units having a face shell with a pattern of beveled recesses. Screen block a concrete masonry unit used esp. In tropical architecture, having a decorative pattern of transverse openings for admitting air and excluding sunlight.