Flemish Bond, incorporating Attached Pier and Vertical CORE

Movement joint 1 of 4

Bonding to Attached Piers in Flemish Bond

When constructing long sections of free standing walling, allowance must be made for expansion and contraction of the brick work. Movement is caused by the change in air temperature and the moisture content of the bricks.

This can be achieved by building in a flexible joint.

The flexible joint can be formed in two ways:

Expanded plastic foam strip and mastic sealant

Foam polythene foam filler sealed on the face with a polysulphide sealant

To ensure the joint is kept truly vertical the wall should be built in two sections. This provides a firm vertical surface to which the flexible joint can be applied.

Ties must be used to provide the wall with literal support but one side must be fitted with a plastic debonding sleeve to allow for movement to take place.

Impregnated fibreboard should be avoided as its compressive qualities do not permit sufficient movement.

Flemish bond is made up of alternate headers and stretchers within a single course.

It is often used to enhance the appearance of a solid wall.

A reasonable face can be achieved on both faces of the wall