English bond is one of several techniques used for bonding bricks in building and construction. Vertical rows, or courses, alternate between stretchers—bricks laid flat with the narrow side exposed—and headers—bricks laid flat with the width exposed—that are configured with the headers centered above the stretchers, and the joints of the stretcher and header rows aligned. This contrasts with the most commonly used method, running bond, which consists entirely of stretchers. The English 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 a decorative configuration on wall facings.
