Brick Bond Patterns — UK Masonry Reference
Common UK brick bond patterns explained: stretcher, Flemish, English, English garden wall, and stack bond. Corner details, structural implications and brick quantities.
Bond Pattern Comparison
| Bond | Wall Thickness | Pattern | Bricks/m² | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stretcher | Half brick (102.5mm) | All stretchers, half-bond offset | ~60 | Standard |
| Flemish | One brick (225mm) | Alternating header/stretcher each course | ~120 | Good |
| English | One brick (225mm) | Alternating courses of headers and stretchers | ~120 | Very good |
| English Garden Wall | One brick (225mm) | 3 stretcher courses to 1 header course | ~102 | Good |
| Flemish Garden Wall | One brick (225mm) | 3 stretchers + 1 header per course | ~105 | Good |
| Stack Bond | Half brick (102.5mm) | No offset — joints align vertically | ~60 | Non-structural (decorative only) |
Bond Pattern Descriptions
Stretcher Bond
Each course shows only stretcher faces. Courses are offset by half a brick (half-bond). The simplest and most economical bond. Used for: cavity wall outer/inner leaf, garden walls with piers, partition walls. At corners, a header is used to turn the corner, creating quarter-bond on the return face.
Flemish Bond
Each course has alternating headers and stretchers. In the next course, headers are centred over the stretchers below. Creates an attractive appearance with a uniform pattern. Corner requires a queen closer (brick cut lengthways) next to the corner header to maintain the pattern. Historically the most common bond for Georgian and Victorian house fronts.
English Bond
Alternating courses of all headers and all stretchers. The header courses are offset by half a header width. Creates a very strong bond with maximum cross-bonding. Used for: retaining walls, engineering bricks below DPC, heavily loaded walls. Queen closers are placed next to the corner header on header courses.
English Garden Wall Bond
Three courses of stretchers followed by one course of headers. More economical than full English bond (fewer header bricks) while still providing adequate bonding. Commonly used for: garden walls, boundary walls, non-structural walls where a one-brick thickness is needed.
Stack Bond
All joints align vertically — no offset between courses. Has no structural bonding value and requires bed joint reinforcement or wall ties to a backing structure. Used only for decorative effect on feature panels or rain screen cladding. Not permitted for structural walls per BS EN 1996 without special justification.
Special Bricks for Bonding
| Brick Type | Description | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Queen closer | Brick cut in half lengthways | Maintaining bond at corners and jambs |
| King closer | Brick with corner cut off diagonally | Special corners in Flemish bond |
| Half bat | Brick cut in half across its width | Completing courses at openings |
| Three-quarter bat | Brick cut to 3/4 length | Maintaining bond at returns |
Related Pages
See the UK Brick Dimensions reference, the Mortar Mix Ratios, the Mortar Suction Rates, and the Movement Joint Spacing guide.
How We Calculate This
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Last updated: April 2026
All calculations are estimates. Verify with your supplier.