When, as compared with the past, the great variety of brick colors and textures now offered is taken into consideration, it may be realized what charming results may be secured in the wall surface by the combination of brick patterns, colors, textures, and mortar joints.
Running
The first and most obvious of these bonds is what is called Running or Stretcher Bond. The wall surface is made up of stretcher courses having at the corners a header which appears as a stretcher on the return side. This bond has the merit of being very strong longitudinally, but lacks transverse strength; consequently, it is modified into what is called Common or American Bond by laying a course of headers about every sixth course ([Fig. 47]). In order to maintain the effect of the running bond, a special double header bond is sometimes used as explained on [page 19].
Fig. 47. Common or American Bond
Fig. 48. English Bond
This method of using headers as in Common or American Bond, in order to secure transverse strength of wall, can be treated in a way to produce very much more pleasing effects, as may be seen in the English and Flemish Bonds.