What is a header course?
A header course is a course of bricks in a wall where all bricks are laid with the short end (header) facing outward. The short side of the brick (approximately 100 mm) is visible. The brick extends through the full thickness of a full-brick wall, which strengthens the wall by tying the front and back faces together.
Function
In a full-brick wall (21 cm thick), the header course has a structural function: the bricks laid as headers tie the front and back faces of the wall together. Without header courses, a full-brick wall would consist of two separate half-brick layers.
Header course in bond patterns
| Bond pattern | Header courses |
|---|---|
| Stretcher bond | None (stretchers only) |
| English bond | Every 2nd course |
| English cross bond | Every 2nd course, staggered |
| Flemish bond | Stretchers and headers in every course |
Related terms
- Stretcher course
- Bond pattern
- Full-brick wall
- Half-brick wall