Difference Between English Bonds and Flemish bond

Difference Between English Bonds and Flemish bond

1) ENGLISH BOND

The bond, in which headers and stretchers are laid in alternate courses, is called "English bond".

The bond, in which headers and stretchers are laid in alternate courses, is called "English bond". The following are the salient features of English bond:

1. Headers and stretchers are laid in alternate courses.
2. Every alternate header in a course comes centrally over the joint between two stretchers in the course below, giving an approximate lap of 2 ¼ in.
3. The same course will show headers on the face and stretchers on the back and vice versa, if the thickness of the wall is an odd multiple of half brick. (13 1/2 in , 22 1/2 in , etc )
4. Every transverse joint is continuous from face to face.
5. The middle portion of the thicker walls consists entirely of headers.
6. The same course will show headers or stretchers on face and back, if the thickness of the wall is an even multiple of half bricks (e.g. 9 in, 18 in, 27 in, etc.)
7. In each heading course, a queen closer is placed next to quoin header and the remaining bricks are laid as headers.

(2) FLEMISH BOND 

The bond, in which headers and stretchers are laid alternately in the same course, is called "Flemish bond".

The following are the salient features of Flemish bond:

1. Headers and stretchers are laid alternately in the same course.
2. In every alternate course a queen closer is placed next to quoin header, so as to provide a lap of approximately 2 1/4 in.
3. Brick bats are to be used in walls having thickness equal to an odd multiple of half brick.
4. Every header in each course lies centrally over every stretcher of the underlying course.

Difference Between English Bonds and Flemish bond:

Sr No.	English Bonds	Flemish bond
1	It is costly because the use of brick bats is not allowed.	It is economical because brick bats are allowed for forming this bind.
2	Much attention is not required in providing this bond.	Special attention is required in providing this bond.
3	It provides rough appearance specially for one brick thick walls.	It provides good appearance for all thickness of walls.
4	This bond consists of headers and stretchers laid in alternative courses.	This bond consists of headers and stretchers laid alternatively in each course.
5	Progress of work is more.	Progress of work is less.
6	There are no noticeable continuous vertical joints in the structure built in this bond.	There are partly continuous vertical joints in the structure built in this bond.
7	It is strongest of all the bonds.	It is less strong for walls having thickness more than 13 ½ inches.

Types of Flemish Bond:

 (a) DOUBLE FLEMISH BOND

The bond in which headers and stretchers are laid alternately in each course, both in the face and back of the wall, is called Double Flemish Bond. 

(b) SINGLE FLEMISH BOND 

The bond provided in a wall with Flemish bond in facing and English bond in backing is called "Single Flemish bond" or "Cross bond".

This bond combines the advantages of both English and Flemish bonds and simultaneously eliminates their disadvantages.

This bond is recommended where costly bricks are specified for facing in order to provide good appearance to the wall. Also, it can be made more economical by using cheap quality of bricks on the back of wall.

On the other hand, it weakens the overall strength of the wall because of maximum use of brick and existence of continuous vertical joints. Also, it can not be provided in walls having thickness less than 13 ½ in.