A stretcher course is a course of bricks in a wall where all bricks are laid with the long side (stretcher face) showing. The long side of the brick (approximately 210 mm) is visible. In a half-brick wall, all courses are stretcher courses. In a single-brick wall, stretcher courses alternate with header courses.
Stretcher vs. header
| Stretcher | Header | |
|---|---|---|
| Visible face | Long side (210 mm) | Short side (100 mm) |
| Wall thickness | 100 mm (half-brick) | 210 mm (single-brick) |
A brick laid as a stretcher shows its broad face. A brick laid as a header shows its narrow face and extends through the full wall thickness.
Stretcher course in bond patterns
- Stretcher bond (running bond) — Only stretcher courses, each course offset by half a brick
- English bond — Alternating stretcher courses and header courses
- English cross bond — Stretcher and header courses, with staggered headers
- Flemish bond — Stretchers and headers alternating within the same course
Related terms
- Header course
- Bond pattern
- Half-brick wall
- Single-brick wall