Bond Patterns, Positions & Layout
Brick positions including header, stretcher, soldier, and rowlock. Bond patterns, cut brick types, leads, and layout tools including story poles and mason's lines.
- Identify header, stretcher, soldier, and rowlock brick positions
- Describe running bond and common bond patterns
- Define queen closer, king closer, and bat
- Explain the function of leads, story poles, and mason's lines
Lección 1
Header, Stretcher, Soldier & Rowlock Positions
Brick Orientation Names
Every brick has six faces, and the way a brick is oriented in the wall determines its name. These position names are fundamental vocabulary that every bricklayer must know for layout, estimating, and communicating on the job.
Stretcher
A stretcher brick is a brick laid with length parallel to wall face. The stretcher is the most common brick position - it is what you see in a standard running bond wall. The long face (bed face) is exposed, and the brick runs horizontally along the course.
Header
A header brick is a brick laid with end exposed to tie wythes together. The short end face of the brick is visible on the wall surface. Headers serve a structural purpose in multi-wythe construction by physically connecting the inner and outer wythes of the wall.
Stretcher
Length parallel to wall face
Long face exposed
Most common position
Header
End exposed to wall face
Short face visible
Ties wythes together
Soldier
Standing on end, narrow face out
Vertical orientation
Decorative courses, window sills
Rowlock
On edge, end face exposed
Tilted orientation
Sills, copings, caps
Soldier Course
A soldier course consists of bricks standing on end with narrow face exposed. Soldiers are oriented vertically with their stretcher face showing. They are commonly used as decorative accent courses above windows, at sills, and at belt courses.
Rowlock Course
A rowlock course consists of bricks laid on edge with end face exposed. The brick is turned on its side so the header face is visible. Rowlock courses are frequently used for window sills, wall caps, and copings because the orientation provides good water-shedding angles.
Exam Tip
Remember: Stretcher = length parallel to wall. Header = end face exposed, ties wythes. Soldier = standing on end. Rowlock = on edge with end face out.
A stretcher is laid with its length parallel to the wall face. A header exposes its end face to tie wythes together. A soldier stands on end with narrow face exposed. A rowlock is laid on edge with end face exposed.