Brick Glossary

What do all these Brick and Stone terms mean?

Admixtures
All materials, other than portland cement, water, and aggregates, that are added to concrete, mortar, or grout immediately before or during mixing.
Bed Joint
The horizontal layer of mortar on which a masonry unit is laid.
Block
A concrete masonry unit made with fine aggregate and cement that is shaped in a mold. Any of a variety of shaped light-weight or standard weight masonry units.
Brick Set
A wide-blade chisel used for cutting bricks and concrete blocks.
Butt Joint
When two separate boards have their edges placed against each other. This type of joint is not the strongest of joints, however compared to other types of joints it is easy to fit.
Buttered
The small end of a brick that has quantity or mortar placed onto it (e.g., the act of buttering a brick's end with mortar).
Caulk
To seal up crevices with some flexible material.
Cement
A grey powder made from a mixture of lime and clay, commonly mixed with water and sand to make mortar (bonding agent). It can also be mixed with water, sand and gravel to make concrete.
Coloring Agent
Colored aggregates or mineral oxides ground finer than cement.
Concrete
A strong building material composed of sand, gravel, cement and water.
Control Joint
Grooves made on a concrete floor that allows the concrete to crack in areas they wish for it to crack.
Coping
A brick, block, stone, or concrete cap placed at the top of a masonry wall to prevent moisture from falling directly on it and weakening the wall
Dry Mixture
A mixture of concrete whose water content is severely restricted
Efflorescence
A powdery stain, usually white, on the surface of or between masonry units. It is caused by the leaching of soluble salts to the surface
Expansion Joint
A material placed within or a scoring of concrete that allows it to expand without cracking
Exposed Aggregate
A concrete finish achieved by embedding aggregate into the surface, allowing the concrete to set up somewhat, then hosing down and brushing away the concrete covering the top portion of the aggregate
Face Brick
A type of brick made specifically for covering (veneering) walls
Finger Joint
This method is when you interlock two shorter pieces of wood end to end, creating a longer piece of dimensional lumber or molding. It’s often used in jambs casings and is normally painted (instead of stained)
Flashing
the waterproofing covering placed to set up certain points in brick masonry to hold water or to direct any moisture outside the wall
Float
A wooden tool used to finish a concrete surface
Grout
A mixture of cement along with sand and water to allow it to flow into masonry or ceramic crevices sealing the cracks between the different pieces
Joint
Any place where two or more edges or surfaces come to a union
Jointer
A tool used for making grooves or control joints in concrete surfaces to control cracking
Mortar
A substance that has a mixture of cement or lime, sand and water that then hardens in place and is used for bonding of bricks and stone.
Mortise
A part of a joint that is made by cutting into a board, plank, or timber, usually edgewise, to receive the tenon (or tongue) of another board, plank, or timber to form the mortise and tenon joint.
Masonry
A wall that is made up of stone, brick, concrete, hollow-tile, concrete block, or other types of building materials or units normally bonded together with mortar.
Mastic
A protective coating (as for thermal insulation or waterproofing) used as cement and (as for setting tile) comes as a pasty material
Pavers
Bricks in numerous sizes and shapes that are used in constructing sidewalks, patios, and driveways
Portland Cement
A number of types of cement with unique characteristics manufactured from limestone and mixed with shale, clay, or marl
Precast Concrete
Any concrete member that is cast in forms at a place other than its final position use
Retaining Wall
A wall that is constructed to hold soil in place
Running Bond
This is the same as common bond, with continuous horizontal joints, but the vertical joints are offset or in line
Screed
A long, very straight board used for striking off concrete
Soldier
A brick laid on its ends so that its longest dimension is parallel to the vertical axis of the face of the wall
Striking Off
The process of removing excess concrete to a level needed
Ties
A wire, rod, or snap that is used to hold wall forms at a specific separation
Trowel
A steel tool with a flat surface that causes a concrete surface to become very smooth
Tuck-Pointing
The process of refilling old joints with new mortar
Veneer
A layer of bricks or stones that serves as a facing
Weep Holes
The openings made in mortar joints that facilitate drainage of built-up moisture
Wire MeshAny of a variety of types of bonded wire forming a mat used to reinforce slabs of concrete
Workability
The ease or difficulty of placing and consolidating concrete

Brick Product Sections
Brick
Thin Brick
Big Brick
Pavers
Manufactured Veneer Stone
How to Clean Brick
Brick FAQ
Brick Glossary

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