Gauged Work: Bricks cut and rubbed to the exact shape required.
Grout is a thin or fluid mortar made in the proportion of 1 of cement to 1 or 2 of sand. It is used to fill up the voids in walls of rubble masonry and brick. Sometimes the interior of a wall is built up dry and grout poured in to fill the voids. Unless specifically instructed to permit its use, grout should not be used unless in the presence of the inspector. When used by masons without instruc tions it is usually for the purpose of concealing bad work. Grout is used for solidifying quicksand.
Grouting is pouring fluid mortar over last course for the purpose of filling all vacuities.
Header. Also called a bond. A stone or brick whose greatest dimension lies perpendicular to the face of the wall, and used for the purpose of tying the face to the backing (see Bond). A trick of masons is to use "blind headers," or short stones that look like headers on the face, but do not go deeper into the wall than the adjacent stretchers. When a course has been put on top of these they are completely covered up, and, if not suspected, the fraud will never be discovered unless the weakness of the wall reveals it.
In facing brick walls with pressed brick the bricklayer will fre quently cut the headers for the purpose of economizing the more expen sive material; thus great watchfulness is necessary to secure a good bond between the facing and common brick. "All stone foundation walls 24 inches or less in thickness shall have at least one header extending through the wall in every3 feet in height from the bottom of the wall, and in every 3 feet in length, and if over 24 inches in thickness shall have one header for every 6 superficial feet on both sides of the wall, and run ning into the wall at least 2 feet. All headers shall be at least 12 inches in width and 8 inches in thickness, and consist of good, flat stone.
"In all brick walls every sixth course shall.be a heading course, except where walls are faced with brick in running bond, in which latter case every sixth course shall be bonded into the backing by cutting the course of the face brick and putting in diagonal headers behind the same, or by splitting the face brick in half and backing the same with a continuous row of headers."
Joints. The mortar layers between the stone or bricks are called the joints. The horizontal joints are called "bed joints;" the end joints are called the vertical joints, or simply the "joints." Excessively thick joints should be avoided. In good brickwork they should be about to inch thick; for ashlar masonry and pressed brickwork, about x to inch thick; for rubble masonry they vary according to the character of the work.
The joints of both stone and brick masonry are finished in different ways, with the object of presenting a neat appearance and of throwing the rainwater away from the joint.
Flush Joints. In these the mortar is pressed flat with the trowel and the surface of the joint is flush with the face of the wall.
Struck Joints are formed by pressing or striking back with the trowel the upper portion of the joint while the mortar is moist, so as to form an outward sloping surface from the bottom of the upper course to the top of the lower course. This joint is also designated by the name "weather joint." Masons generally form this joint so that it slopes inwards, thus leaving the upper arris of the lower course bare and exposed to the action of the weather. The reason for form ing it in this improper manner is that it is easier to perform.
Key Joints are formed by drawing a curved iron key or jointer along the center of the flushed joint, pressing it hard, so that the mortar is driven in beyond the face of the wall; a groove of curved section is thus formed, having its surface hardened by the pressure.
IVhite Skate or Groove Joint is employed in front brickwork. It is about -h-inch thick. It is formed with a jointer having the width of the intended joint. It is guided along the joint by a straight edge and leaves its impress upon the material.