A brick lining wall is a thin wall built in front of an existing wall, with the bricks laid on their narrow side — as stretchers or headers. The Dutch term is klampmuur. What separates it from a klamplaag, a brick-on-edge facing course, is the position: the facing course lies against the existing wall, while the lining wall stands in front of it as a wall in its own right. Where it has to carry anything, a minimum thickness of around 65 mm is normally taken.
What it is used for
- Truing up — an old, out-of-plumb or irregular wall is made flat so it can take plaster or tiling
- Keeping damp back — in a basement, a lining wall with an air gap keeps the damp wall behind away from the internal finish
- Improving insulation — in basements, stores and garages the extra wall plus the gap gives a limited insulating effect
- Partition or dry lining in masonry — a thin wall with only a space-dividing or architectural role
Structural points
A thin lining wall is not stable on its own. So it is:
- bonded, adhered or tied to the wall behind, or
- built with bed joint reinforcement, and
- properly closed off top and bottom so it cannot topple
Do not treat that as a detail: a half-brick or thinner lining wall with no restraint can fall over from a knock or slight settlement.
Historic alternative: klamp tiles
Special thin ceramic tiles were also used in the past, with one rough and one smooth face, roughly 21 to 24 cm long, 15 to 15.5 cm wide and 1.5 to 1.9 cm thick. They were applied mainly against damp in external walls and are a forerunner of modern thin lining systems.
Practical tips
- Ventilate the gap — where the purpose is damp control in a basement, the space between old wall and lining has to be able to dry; a sealed gap traps moisture instead
- Break the damp path — set the first course of the lining wall on a damp-proof course, or the moisture simply carries on
- Allow for the space — a lining wall costs at least a few centimetres per wall; check sills, radiators, doors and services first
- Not the answer to water pressure — where groundwater stands against the basement wall, a genuine waterproofing system is required
Related terms
- Brick-on-edge facing course
- Cleat
- Masonry
- Levelling course
- Basement
- Cavity wall
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