Architects EAT

Three Parts House

FACT
Melbourne, Victoria SHEET

Seek advice and

input from a
Structural
STACKBONDING Engineer.

EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL LINEAR PATTERN

NON-STRUCTURAL / STRUCTURAL DECORATIVE Stack bond is bold use of
TRADE SKILL LEVEL: brick with a strong visual
impact expressed through
the verticality of this
SOME RULES OF THUMB
Most brick types are aresuitable
laying method.
Most brick types suitable
Most
for brick
stack types
bond,
for stack
forfrogged
stack bond,
are suitable
including
bond,
including
including Stack bond is ideal in a
andand
frogged cored bricks.
cored bricks.
example
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of cored brick
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of cored
and
including
brick
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including
bricks.
Bedding reinforcement
Bedding reinforcement should
should where it may be used as
frogged and cored bricks. Bedding reinforcement
be placed with shouldto
accordance
example
example
example
of frogged
of frogged
of cored
brick
brick
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brick be placed with accordance to
the detailing
with accordance
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an interior veneer or as a
example ofDeeper
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Various brick sizes and
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tie backs in load
backs of
in load textures may be used
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backs in load
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bearing cavity walls.
bearing cavity walls.
Increase
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frequency of of
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SOME OTHER STACKBONDING WE LOVE
stack bond, requiring
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TRADE SKILL LEVEL:
finish
Architects
cut cut
bricks
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TRADE SKILL LEVEL:Walter Brooke
Walter Architects
horizontally
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Custom Architects
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decorative
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 This flyer raises some of the issues that an DETAILING ThinkBrickAustralia
engineer may need to consider when advising on
REQUIREMENTS thinkbrick
the design of a ‘stack bonded’ masonry wall.
The following detailing thinkbrickaustralia
Stack bonded masonry is becoming increasingly approaches are highly
popular as an architectural effect in veneer effective at improving thinkbrick
construction and structural features. the horizontal bending
strength of stack bonded
This type of masonry is currently covered in section masonry and this is
4.12 ‘Stack Bonded Masonry’ of AS 3700 ‘Masonry included in section 4.12
Structures’ (2018) in conformity with the research ‘Stack Bonded Masonry’ of
from the University of Newcastle AS 3700 (2018)

BACKGROUND Anchored bed joint reinforcing with an area not less

than 0.00035 x gross vertical cross sectional area
of the wall and complying with sections 5.9.3, 5.9.5
Unlike stretcher bonded masonry, unreinforced and section 11.8 of AS 3700 should be inserted at the
stack bonded masonry has a comparatively low following locations:
horizontal bending strength, and is deemed to
• the first bed joint above or below an unrestrained
have zero horizontal bending capacity when
horizontal edge of the masonry
calculated in accordance with section 7.4.3 ‘Design
• at least one bed joint within 300 mm above and
for Horizontal Bending’ of AS 3700 (2018).
below any horizontal lines of lateral support

This is because the stack bonded pattern provides • the reinforcing should be vertically spaced at
no unit overlap, meaning the perpend spacing centres not exceeding six times the thickness of
factor (according to section 7.4.3.4) is set to zero. the stack bonded leaf

Please note that for the purposes of a stack-bonded

However, testing showed that although the wall, these detailing requirements shall take
horizontal bending capacity of a stack bonded wall precedence over the reinforcement requirements (for
is less than a stretcher bonded wall, it does provide bending) set by sections 8.6 (a) and 8.6 (b).
some degree of bending resistance. This is because
its horizontal bending capacity is similar to its
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
vertical bending capacity (according to section
7.4.2) where in both cases; the failure mode runs
Stack bonded members should be designed as:
along the perpend and bedding joints respectively.
• The design requirements under AS 3700 (2018)
The 2018 version of AS 3700 provides detailing Clause 4.12 shall take precedence over the
requirements and a structural design methodology requirements of Clause 8.6, Item (a) and (b).
that accounts for the true structural strength of
• Unreinforced masonry for compression, shear and
stack bonded masonry walls
vertical bending, complying with sections 7.3, 7.5
and 7.4.2 accordingly.
• Reinforced masonry for horizontal and two-way
bending in accordance with section 8.6, provided
that the detailing requirements elaborated within
this factsheet have been adhered to.

While the contents of this publication are believed to be accurate and complete, the information given is intended for general
guidance and does not replace the services of professional advisors on specific projects.
Think Brick Australia cannot accept any liability whatsoever regarding the contents of this publication.

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