Stretcher Bond
/STRETCH-er bond/
Also known as: running bond, half bond, stretcher course
Definition
The most common brickwork bond pattern, in which every brick is laid as a stretcher (lengthways) with each course offset by half a brick length from the one below. Used in the outer leaf of all modern cavity walls.
In Practice
Stretcher bond is the standard pattern for the outer leaf of a cavity wall because only one brick's width of thickness is needed. In traditional solid brickwork it would produce a weak wall as there are no through headers to tie the leaves together. The half-brick offset gives the wall its strength through interlocking at each course.
See Also