A course, of course!
What is a brick coursing chart and how can it help you?
A brick coursing chart is a handy document used by builders and brick layers to calculate the number of bricks needed to achieve a particular wall height or width. It is also a very handy reference for those about to build or renovate.
A coursing chart helps with your head space.
One word that pops up early in discussions with builders is ceiling height – often seen in plans as 28C or 32C, etc. This is referring to 28 or 32 brick courses that will determine the height of your ceiling. This might sound pretty standard, but what does it actually mean – and what do you need to understand?
Getting it right before a brick is laid.
Let’s assume you’ve decided on an average ceiling height of say 32C. What does that mean to your living space and your home design?
It means your builder will lay 32 rows of bricks to create a ceiling height of 2742mm. And if you decided to go for 34 rows you will have 2914mm – and so forth.
It may sound like mundane builder talk, but it’s probably one of the most important decisions you’ll need to make before a brick is laid!
How is ceiling height calculated?
A single standard brick course is 86mm (76mm of brick and 10mm of mortar). However, it’s not as simple as calculating the number of courses by 86mm, there are just too many variables.
So how do we achieve a guaranteed constant height?
This is where the bricklayer’s skill comes into play. Put simply, the brick layer will adjust the mortar thickness by a millimetre here and there to achieve a uniform 600mm height over each 7 courses. So each 7C will equal a height of 600mm and multiples thereof.
Midland’s coursing chart makes it easy
But what happens when you decided on 30 or 32 courses which aren’t multiples of the 7 courses? This is where Midland Brick’s coursing chart is invaluable. You can easily see any combination from 1 to 100 courses with corresponding and accurate ceiling heights. And Midland Brick’s coursing chart covers their Standard, Maxi/Double Height and Utility bricks.
Whatever brick you choose, a Midland Brick coursing chart is an invaluable addition to your information base. Even better? The Midland Brick coursing chart is free, and available at Midland Brick branches and online.