A common bond, also known as an American bond, is one of several techniques of bonding bricks in building and construction. Vertical rows, or courses, consist of headers—bricks that are laid flat with width exposed—that are inserted every five or six rows, with the headers centered on stretcher—bricks laid flat with narrow side exposed—and the header joints aligned. This differs from the most commonly used method, running bond, which consists entirely of stretchers. The common bond is considered both a structural bond, which is used specifically to assemble a single structural unit, and a pattern bond, which may also serve as decorative configurations on wall facings.
