Why is the indentation in a house brick called a frog? | Notes and Queries | guardian.co.uk
- Why is the indentation in a house brick called a frog?
- Ben Chaston, Hong Kong, China
- In the 1930s the bricks were made by hand in slop moulds and the indent required a wooden former in the bottom of the mould box. This looked like a crouching frog and the name stuck despite its reference to the indent.
- Jack Hill, St Albans, UK
- My family used to leave bricks in the garden, indentation down, propped up, in order to provide safe havens for wildlife, possibly frogs. So maybe the name originates from the inhabitants.
- Henry Lancashire, Dusseldorf, Germany
- Because it’s similar in shape to the indentation in a horse’s hoof also called a frog. This could be because the shape in the hoof is similar to a frog’s front end. It could also be a simple transference from the earlier name for this dent ‘frush’ or ‘frosk’, themselves contractions of fourchette or furchette.
- Peter Brooke, By Kinmuck, Scotland
- ‘Frogging’ – the familiar (usually pyramidal) indentation in bricks – originates from the ancient Egyptian custom of creating hollows in their Nile-clay bricks, in which they interred live animals (usually infant) as building work progressed. Historians are divided on the reasoning. Traditional Egyptologists favoured the after-life scenario (baby animals ready to grow to serve the risen Pharaoh), until the 1903 discovery of millions of skeletons of ‘Bufo regularis’ – the common African frog – in the remains of ancient Egyptian workers’s buildings on the Giza Plateau. Although this amphibious exhumation was not well known to other than historians and palaeontologists, the Victorian trades embraced this romantic (sic) custom during the industrial revolution, and it’s been with us ever since. Albeit buried.
- Mick Warwick, Stockton-on-Tees England
- As a bricklayer I’ve often asked older brickies why a frog is called a frog all to no avail. The most logical answer I’ve heard is the indentation (frog) is there to reduce the amount of clay in the making of the brick,(whilst still maintaining the strength of the brick).Therefore the brickmaker is being “frugal” with the clay and frog is a play on the word frugal.
- john cahill, dudley west midlands england
- The actual term “frog” comes from the dutch word “kikker” Traditional brick making consisted of a wooden box which a “kicker” in the middle was used to force the clay out wards to form the arrises.
- dean davies, tipton west midland
- Well done Dean, the answer you have given is absolutely correct. Indeed the term kikker comes from the lowlands of Belgium and Holland and simply translates into English as frog and has nothing to do with leaping frogs!
- Allan Rowe, Newall Green Manchester
- Well done Dean, the answer you have given is absolutely correct. Indeed the term kikker comes from the lowlands of Belgium and Holland and simply translates into English as frog and has nothing to do with leaping frogs! As the senior brickwork at the Manchester College of building I often use this question as an interesting trivia question.
- Allan Rowe, Newall Green Manchester
- One of the meanings of “frog” is “a thing used to hold or fasten something” (C OED). The frog in the brick helps better adhesion (due to additional shear key provided. Hence the name.
- Narasimhan, Chennai India
: Why is the indentation in a house brick called a frog? | Notes and Queries | guardian.co.uk
Contents
What is the small depression in the top surface of the brick called?
FROG: A depression in the bed surface of a brick. Sometimes called a panel.
What is the top layer of brick called?
Terminology – As the most common bricks are rectangular prisms, six surfaces are named as follows:
- Top and bottom surfaces are called Beds
- Ends or narrow surfaces are called Headers or header faces
- Sides or wider surfaces are called Stretchers or stretcher faces
Mortar terminology- showing perpends and bed. Mortar placed between bricks is also given separate names with respect to their position. Mortar placed horizontally below or top of a brick is called a bed, and mortar Placed vertically between bricks is called a perpend. A brick made with just rectilinear dimensions is called a solid brick. Bricks might have a depression on both beds or on a single bed. The depression is called a frog, and the bricks are known as frogged bricks. Frogs can be deep or shallow but should never exceed 20% of the total volume of the brick.
- Cellular bricks have depressions exceeding 20% of the volume of the brick.
- Perforated bricks have holes through the brick from bed to bed, cutting it all the way.
- Most of the building standards and good construction practices recommend the volume of holes should not exceed 20% of the total volume of the brick.
Parts of brickwork include bricks, beds and perpends, The bed is the mortar upon which a brick is laid. A perpend is a vertical joint between any two bricks and is usually—but not always—filled with mortar. A “face brick” is a higher quality brick, designed for use in visible external surfaces in face-work, as opposed to a “filler brick” for internal parts of the wall, or where the surface is to be covered with stucco or a similar coating, or where the filler bricks will be concealed by other bricks (in structures more than two bricks thick).
What is mean by frog in the bricks?
Explanation: Frog is an indentation or depression on the top face of a brick made with the object of forming a key for the mortars. This reduces the weight of the brick also. It is kept on the top face while constructing a wall so that mortar is filled properly in it.
Why do bricks have dimples?
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Close, Bricks are small rectangular blocks that can be used to form parts of buildings, typically walls, Bricks are often completely solid, but they can also have holes perforated through them to reduce the amount of material used. If bricks are perforated, or completely solid, it generally does not matter which way up they are laid.
However, some bricks have an indentation on one surface (or on two opposing surfaces). This is commonly called a ‘ frog ‘. The frog reduces the amount of material used to form the brick, makes it easier to remove from the form, and gives the completed wall better shear resistance,
- It may also help heat reach the centre of clay bricks in the kiln.
- It is thought that the word frog is a translation of the Dutch word ‘kikker’ and refers to a kicker placed in the bottom of the wooden boxes traditionally used to make clay bricks, which forced the clay material outwards when the brick was being formed.
The frog must be filled with mortar when bricks are laid otherwise the structural, thermal and acoustic performance of the wall can be affected. For this reason it is best practice to lay bricks with the frog facing upwards so that it is easy to fill completely and so that the mortar does not fall out when it is being laid.
Airbrick, Aircrete blocks, Basic brickwork replacement, Blockwork, Brick. Brick strip foundation, Brick veneer, Cavity tray, Cavity wall, Damp-proof course, Defects in brickwork, Efflorescence, Frog, How to lay bricks, Mortar, Pointing, Spalling, Testing bricks, Treating brickwork with sealant or water repellent, Types of brick bonding, Types of bricks,
What are indents in brickwork?
Indents: Definition: Series of vertical recesses formed in alternate courses, as the wall is built, at a position where a future brick or block wall has to be tied (bonded) into the main wall at 90 degrees. Often used so that a junction wall may be left down, until a later date, for reason of access.
What is a capping brick?
Capping & Coping Brick Specials are used to cap the tops of parapet or freestanding walls to offer protection and visual appeal. Cappings sit flush with the vertical face of the wall, while Copings project at least 40mm from both sides of the wall and incorporate a drip on the underside.
What is header in brick?
Header is the shorter square face of the brick which measures 9cm x 9cm. Header. bond is also known as heading bond. In header bonds, all bricks in each course are. placed as headers on the faces of the walls.
Why do old bricks have names on them?
Stamped Bricks Taking down some walls, we start finding stamped bricks. Names stamped at the time of their manufacture, denoting their makers- the families, yards and towns of the Hudson River Valley Brick companies. The names are all different, which implies that the portion we are currently demolishing, a previous renovation, was constructed from several different lots of brick.
They were being used as interior walls and wouldn’t be visible under layers of plaster. “Back brick,” we call it. The contractor (in 1950?) bought a mixed lot for a better rate. Being from different makers, there would be little consistency in the form and color of the bricks. Some may have already been damaged to a degree.
A lesser grade. Didn’t matter. You wouldn’t see them anyway. They were just going to get covered with plaster. The stamps of their makers, placed face down in the hastily applied mortar. The names of the companies stamped on the brick intrigue us, even when the walls are gone.
- Each individual brick bears the name of its maker.
- They carry that bit of history.
- Separated from history, these names are now unfamiliar; we are confronted with words that have very little meaning.
- Decorative linguistic nonsense.
- If you put your nose up to the glass of the Donald Judd house/Foundation in SOHO, you’ll see a sculpture on the floor by an artist named Carl Andre.
The piece is called “Manifest Destiny.” There are 8 bricks stacked, the stamp of their maker “EMPIRE” repeated on the faces. The piece was conceived in 1986. The Empire Company went out of business in 1940. That’s minimalist sculpture. We understand that this man-made form can be branded and infinitely reproduced, own the space it occupies. 
: Stamped Bricks
What are the holes in bricks called?
Different Types of Holes There are generally only two types of holes in a brick: core holes and frogs (also referred to as recesses). Frog bricks contain one partially indented hole allowing a smooth finished look.
What does frog mean in construction terms?
How-To – Posted on: February 01, 1990 The architect for the project I am working on has selected a molded brick with a frog. In laying this brick, should the frog be placed up or down? Currently, there is no industry consensus on how to lay a brick unit that has a frog.
- A frog is a depression in one bearing face of a molded or pressed brick.
- The frog reduces the weight of the brick and makes it easier to remove from the forms.
- ASTM specifications C 62 (building brick), C 216 (facing brick), and C 652 (hollow brick) all set limits on the size of frogs.
- Frogs can’t be closer than 3/4 inch to any edge of the brick.
Frogs greater than 3/8 inch deep at any point are treated the same as cores. Frogs less than 3/8 inch deep don’t affect the net area of the unit. Some experts say that bricks containing frogs should be laid with the frog up so that the frog is completely filled with mortar.
If the brick is laid with the frog on the bottom, the frog may not get completely filled with mortar. This would make the brick wall only face-shell bedded, which produces less wall strength than full mortar bedding. Other experts say brick should be laid with the frog down. They give two reasons. First, a uniform bed of mortar can be laid more easily on the face that doesn’t contain the frog.
If the frog is less than 3/8 inch deep, the mortar bed should be able to fill the frog. Second, if the frog is laid up, it can hold water, which may contribute to early brick deterioration. Most masonry walls built today are not highly stressed bearing walls.
What are the 3 types of indent?
Working with Indents: Ruler Option
| Type of Indent | Appearance of Text |
|---|---|
| Normal Indent | A Normal Indent looks like this |
| Hanging Indent | A Hanging Indent looks like this |
| First Line Indent | A First Line Indent looks like this |
What do you call an indentation in a wall?
“Castellated” redirects here. For the hardware item, see castellated nut, Drawing of battlements on a tower A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (i.e., a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at intervals to allow for the launch of arrows or other projectiles from within the defences.
- These gaps are termed ” crenels ” (also known as carnels, or embrasures ), and a wall or building with them is called crenellated ; alternative (older) terms are castellated and embattled,
- The act of adding crenels to a previously unbroken parapet is termed crenellation,
- The function of battlements in war is to protect the defenders by giving them something to hide behind, from which they can pop out to launch their own missiles.
A defensive building might be designed and built with battlements, or a manor house might be fortified by adding battlements, where no parapet previously existed, or cutting crenellations into its existing parapet wall. A distinctive feature of late medieval English church architecture is to crenellate the tops of church towers, and often the tops of lower walls.
What is slurried brick?
If you’re anything like us, you love driving around homes and satisfying your eyes with beautiful houses and stunning exterior walls. Most modern houses use vinyl siding, and others adorn their home exterior with decorative plaster. But let’s face it,
- Bricked exterior walls are hard to beat.
- They give homes that certain charm and historical vibe but with a speck of modern ambiance — something we really love! If you’re planning to install bricks or already have them on your home, you might want to consider applying slurry to embellish your home even more.
Slurry is a colored mortar troweled over bricks. It’s basically coating bricks with a mortar wash instead of paint. Some call it mortar washed or sacked, so in this blog post, we will use these three terms simultaneously. Slurried bricks use the same materials as German Smear brick, but they differ when it comes to application. 
Source: tell it to your neighbor When applied properly, slurry painted brick gives off a look similar to a smooth white stucco. The brick texture will still be highlighted, producing a vintage vibe to your home. Some confuse whitewashing with slurry coating, but the truth is that they have different processes used in different situations.
- When you have an existing brick, you are most likely looking at whitewashing.
- It is the process of covering an entire brick veneer with a thin haze-like coating (usually a combination of water and white paint).
- If it’s a new home or project, then you have the option to slurry the brick.
- And when we talk about slurry, we are talking about coating the entire brick veneer with a thick stucco-ish finish.
Applying slurry to bricks does more than just improving the aesthetics of the exterior. You are basically applying a thick layer of mortar over the brick, which is hard to remove. With it, you will get a tougher and more robust wall.
What is a brick slip panel?
Slip bricks, otherwise known as brick slips or veneers, can either be purpose-made brick tiles or, in the majority of cases, thin sections of facing bricks. Brick slip cladding is used to replicate the appearance of modern clay facing brick walls, both internally and externally.
What is a depression on a surface?
Depressions are localized pavement surface areas having elevations slightly lower than those of the surrounding pavement.
What are deep depressions in the ground called?
A sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer.
What is ground depression?
Sinkholes are just one of many forms of ground collapse, or subsidence. Land subsidence is a gradual settling or sudden sinking of the Earth’s surface owing to subsurface movement of earth materials. The principal causes of land subsidence are aquifer-system compaction, drainage of organic soils, underground mining, hydrocompaction, natural compaction, sinkholes, and thawing permafrost.
- Land subsidence can affect areas that are thousands of square miles in size.
- A sinkhole is a depression in the ground that has no natural external surface drainage.
- Basically, this means that when it rains, all of the water stays inside the sinkhole and typically drains into the subsurface.
- Sinkholes are most common in what geologists call, “karst terrain.” These are regions where the type of rock below the land surface can naturally be dissolved by groundwater circulating through them.
Soluble rocks include salt beds and domes, gypsum, limestone and other carbonate rock. Learn more:
USGS Water Science School – Sinkholes USGS Water Science School – Subsidence
What is a topographic depression?
‘Depression,’ in this case, essentially means a hole. It is an isolated feature with lower elevations than the surroundings. On a topographic map, it is demonstrated by hatched lines, which point inward to the bottom. The depth might be represented by a number at the center.
