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Brick Lingo 101 -- The Orientation of a Brick

11/1/2013

4 Comments

 
PictureBrick Orientation Terminology
With the year heading down the back stretch and starting to gear up for the run to the finish, it provides a good opportunity to look back at some of the projects we’ve done so far this year.  
 
The year’s projects thus far have been a diverse assortment of flagstone work, paver stone work, decks, fences, and natural stone work, in a wide range of shapes and sizes.  And one material that has presented itself in a number of projects is good old-fashioned kiln-fired brick.

I’ve always viewed brick as kind of the forgotten stepchild of the hardscaping family.  It seems like when people mention their ideas to me they’re always talking about flagstone or manmade pavers, sometimes concrete, but rarely brick.

But to be honest, brick is perhaps one of my favorite materials to use for any hardscaping project.  Or at least one that deserves fair consideration.

And if you decide to go with brick, you should probably be at least familiar with some of the basic terms. 

PictureCircular Concrete Wall Capped with "Rowlock" Bricks
A basic brick measures roughly 4” x 8” x 2.5”.  Yes, there are some minor dimensional differences depending on the type of bricks you choose, but for the purpose of this discussion we’ll go with the rounded-off dimensions.

Most people don’t give bricks much thought when they see them in use.  But take a look more closely and you’ll notice there are a number of ways of setting the bricks.  Are the bricks placed horizontally or vertically?  Is the 4” side exposed?  The 2.5” side?  The 8” side? Believe it or not there are distinct terms for how the bricks are set.

And when discussing a hardscaping project, it can be useful to know the terms. Perhaps you want the field of the surface to be set one way, with the borders set another?  Perhaps you want a certain look for the bedding edging, but another for the raised planter beds and another for the walkway borders and yet another for the main field of the walkway.

PictureConcrete Walkway with "Shiner" Edging.
So to avoid confusion, here’s a basic primer on how to refer to the bricks once they’re set.  The above chart also shows the terms as they relate to each way the brick can be set.

Stretcher:  A brick laid with its long narrow side exposed

Header:  A brick laid flat with its width at the face of the wall, or parallel to the face of the wall

Soldier:  A brick laid vertically with the long narrow side of the brick exposed

Sailor:  A brick laid vertically with the broad face of the brick exposed

Rowlock:  A brick laid on the long narrow side with the short end of the brick exposed.

Shiner:  A brick laid on the long narrow side with the broad face of the brick exposed.

So the next time you’re talking with a hardscaping contractor or brick mason, drop a term or two.  You’re likely to impress, and show that you know a thing or two about what you may be paying for.

Next week I’ll talk about a few of the basic brick patterns as they apply to hardscaping applications.

4 Comments
Matt link
11/2/2013 09:28:13 pm

The brick in your diagram has a frog in it. ;)

Reply
Clark link
11/3/2013 09:44:48 pm

Just seeing if you were paying attention Matt. Indeed it does. Ribbit. ;)

Reply
Matt link
11/4/2013 01:13:36 am

Most of the time,Clark. Definitely a no no using frogged or hollowed bricks for paving.

Reply
Clark link
11/4/2013 02:41:04 am

Absolutely agreed Matt. I thought the chart was good in showing the various positions, but you're right, the frogs are not desirable for flatwork.

Ideally I like the paver bricks for flatwork, but you can get by with the modular or standards, esp w/ a running bond pattern. I'll have more on patterns next week.

Reply



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    Clark Kent Creations, LLC is a full-service landscape construction company servicing the Pennsylvania communities of Delaware County, Chester County, The Main Line, and the University City, Art Museum, and Manayunk/Roxborough neighborhoods of Philadelphia.  In addition to this blog page, additional information regarding the company and our services can be found on the subsequent pages of the site.
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    Clark Linderman is the president of Clark Kent Creations, LLC, a landscape construction company based in Swarthmore, PA.  He is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan.  In addition to his passion for all things outdoors, he counts Michigan football, Phillies baseball, Superman memorabilia, Memphis R&B music, and good craft brews among his many interests.  He currently resides in Swarthmore with his wife, Sheila, two sons, his dog Krypto, and a really, really messy garage full of work supplies and toys.

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    Swarthmore, PA
    Design and Construction to Maximize Your Outdoor Experience

    707-290-9410
    clark@clarkkentcreations.com
    Serving Delaware County, PA

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