Flemish Bond: Definition, characteristics, and uses

The two most popular brick masonry patterns utilised in wall building are the English bond and the Flemish bond. An English bond is a brick building pattern created by alternating courses of brick being laid as stretchers and headers. A Flemish bond is a type of brick building where the stretchers and headers are alternated for each course.

A quoin header at the corner marks the beginning of each alternate course. In order to promote the face lap, the quoin closer is positioned to the right of the quoin header. Every header is supported centrally over the stretcher below it, thanks to the patterns’ arrangement. 

Flemish bond: Varieties

Flemish bonds come in two varieties:

• Double Flemish bond
• Single Flemish bond

Source: Pinterest

Double Flemish bond

The double flemish bond’s distinguishing characteristic is that it appears the same on both the front and rear faces. Thus, for all wall thicknesses, this characteristic provides a superior look to the English bond.

Basic characteristics of the Double Flemish bond

• Headers and stretchers are alternately positioned in each course.
• The wall’s backing and face are identical in appearance.
• Quoin closers are positioned adjacent to quoin headers in alternate courses.
• Half bats and three-quarter bats are used on walls with an odd number of half bricks.
• Walls made of even many half-bricks don’t need bats.

Single Flemish bond

An English bond serves as the backing, and a double flemish bond is the face of a single flemish bond, with hearting in each course. As a result, the bond leverages the power of both the English and Flemish bonds. Walls with a minimum brick thickness of one and a half can be built using this bond. When using high-quality, pricey bricks, the face with two Flemish bonds is used. Cheap bricks can be utilised for heating and backing.

Basic characteristics of the Single Flemish bond

• The front and back elevations of each course in Double Flemish bond have the exact identical appearance. 
• Headers and stretchers are arranged alternately along each course. From the standpoints of economics and appearance, this kind of bond is ideal. 
• It permits a single brick wall to have flat, even faces on both sides. 
• Compared to an English bond, this kind of bonding is weaker.

Source: Pinterest

Flemish bond: Pros

• The Flemish bond is particularly resilient and robust under strain.
• It creates a striking brick bond pattern that is highly appealing.
• The mortar joints strengthen and stabilise the wall.
• There is less likelihood that two bricks will wind up being exactly the same size, which may normally cause issues while placing bricks because the bricks are of various sizes.
• The Flemish bond method of laying bricks results in a wall that is incredibly solid and less prone to collapse.
• Flemish bond is also quite beautiful and adds a sophisticated touch to any structure.

Flemish bond: Cons

• The unattractive mortar joints must be kept clean and in good shape in order to avoid deterioration and an even worse appearance.
• It may be challenging to obtain new bricks if one is destroyed because the bricks are of various sizes.
• Flemish bond brickwork is less common than other forms of brick bonding, therefore finding a builder who is familiar with it may be more challenging.

What is the difference between the English and Flemish bond?

• In comparison with the Flemish bond, the English bond holds up better for walls thicker than 112 bricks. 
• Masonry work with Flemish bond looks more attractive and pleasing. 
• As broken brickbats are used, the Flemish bond is an economical option, although additional joints require additional mortar. 
• It is a bit more difficult to use Flemish bonds than English bonds. They require more supervision and skilled labour.

See Also: Rat Trap Bond – All you need to know

Flemish Bond: A classic brickwork pattern

Flemish bond is a decorative bond compared to other types of brick bond such as English bond or garden wall bond. Since the middle of the 17th century, Flemish bond became the preferred brick bond for architecturally refined buildings across England, especially for their facades.

Designing with Flemish Bond Brickwork

The Flemish bond is known to be strong and widely used for walls which are two-bricks thick. This type of bond is created by setting headers and stretchers alternately in each course. The headers of each course are centred on the stretchers of the course below.

A variant of the Flemish bond is the Flemish garden wall bond, also known as the Sussex bond, and uses one header to three stretchers in each course. The header is centred along the stretcher in the middle of a group of three in the course below.

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