Bricks with Holes

Most of the building-facing bricks used in construction are solid, with rectangular shapes with stable and smooth dimensions. But some of the bricks are manufactured with holes to serve some specific purposes.

Holes in Bricks

Most bricks are provided with two types of holes:

1. Core Holes
2. Frog Bricks

1. Core Holes in Bricks

Core hole bricks are bricks with three holes that are placed evenly in the center of a brick as shown in fig.2.

Fig.2. 

2. Frog Bricks

Frog bricks have a recess on its stretcher side as shown in fig.2.

Purpose of Holes in Bricks

The main purpose of providing holes or recesses in bricks are:

1. Holes in bricks allows the mortar to seep through it during the laying process, thus securing the brick in place. This finally creates a sturdy and strong structure.
2. Bricks with holes are lighter than solid bricks, thus reducing the dead load on the below structure and foundation.
3. Reinforcement or rebars can be used through these holes bricks for masonry construction, which help to fix the whole unit in place.
4. Used in the construction of architectural elements that does not require solid bricks and have no purpose of load-bearing.

Advantages of Bricks with Holes

The main advantages of using bricks with holes are:

1. Bricks with holes are lighter, easier to transport
2. Lighter construction
3. Faster construction
4. Easily manufactured

Also Read: Brick Dimensions: ASTM Standards