FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum

Bricks in the wall

JusticeOne | Posted in Construction Techniques on September 17, 2004 02:13am

I own a home in upstate New York that due to construction techniques I believe was constructed prior to 1850. I have found bricks mortared in betweenn the studs of the exterior walls. These bricks were unfired as they disintergrate when they get wet.  I am a contractor whose majority of work is in home renovations and my house is the only one I have ever found this in. Does anyone know the purpose of these bricks? The house is timber-framed and they have no structural purpose. 

Reply
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Replies

  1. Ronbaby | Sep 17, 2004 03:34am | #1

    I to am from upstate J, and have come across a few resorations with brick in the walls. I was always told it was used for its insulating factor. Not sure of its true, but hope someone else chimes in.

  2. DLightbourn | Sep 17, 2004 04:09am | #2

    "We don't need no education
    We don't need no thought control
    No dark sarcasm in the classroom
    Teachers leave them kids alone
    Hey teacher leave them kids alone
    All in all it's just another brick in the wall
    All in all you're just another brick in the wall "

    Sorry, I just could not resist!

    Dennis

  3. Piffin | Sep 17, 2004 04:29am | #3

    Never seen the bricks but buttering with mortar or plaster in inside of sheathing is something I often see to prevent air infiltration. It helped prevent drafting inside the wall and that control of the convection currents slowed heat loss. more common at sill level but sometimes they plastered it al the way to top of wall. better homes had more, rural folk homes had less or none

    Adding bricks would have increased thermal massing.

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

  4. GreekRevivalGuy | Sep 17, 2004 05:06am | #4

    I believe that was fairly common ... I've seen quite a few examples.  I'm sure the reasons were those already mentioned.  Often they used fired bricks ... but "sammies" (salmon-colored) ... ones that didn't get fired hot enough to be hard bricks.  If yours disintegrate when wet, they are, as you say, unfired (adobe).  There are quite a few upstate NY house made of adobe, believe it or not.  Mid-1800s.  Lime plaster on the exterior kept the walls intact.  There are also rammed-earth homes from that time period in upstate.  There was a lot of experimentation going on.

    The brick infill technique, of course, goes back to medieval Europe where they would build post-and-beam structures with masonry inbetween ... (think "Tudor-style").

    My 1830s house in Upstate has solid wood walls ... made from stacked 1-inch-thick planks, laid up like lincoln logs.  Even the interior walls are constructed that way.  Clapboards are nailed onto the exterior of the planks, and plaster is applied directly to the interior (no lath).  This technique was more common than you might expect ... with examples throughout the northeast and Canada.  It avoided some of the complex joinery of the day ... and made it possible for a single laborer to construct the house, I suppose.  And it offers some insulation and reduces air infiltration.  But, wow, what a lot of sawing, what a lot of lumber ... and what a lot of nails!

    Somewhere at Cornell, there's a research paper written on the subject of plank-on-plank construction.  Been meaning to go look it up.

    Allen

  5. RickD | Sep 17, 2004 05:50am | #5

    What others have said, plus this:  fireproofing.  If I remember right, this was one of Ben Franklin's ideas; he was a pioneer in fireproofing buildings, and he realized that bays between studs served as chimneys during fires.  One of his techniques for minimizing this effect was to brick in the bays around the sills of the house, to prevent air from below feeding a fire, and to help prevent fire traveling from floor to floor. 

    1. GreekRevivalGuy | Sep 17, 2004 06:15am | #6

      Good point.  A couple weeks ago I inadvertantly started a fire behind the clapboards in my house while stripping paint with a propane torch.  I got a little careless ... walked away for 10 minutes, then found the front parlor filled with smoke.  I was VERY GLAD my walls are SOLID wood ... the fire did not spread very far.  If those were empty bays in a studded wall ... hoo boy ... I don't want to even imagine.

      Anyway, I learned my lesson ... and now only use the torch to strip trim I've temporarily removed from the house.

      Allen

    2. JCarroll38 | Sep 17, 2004 02:24pm | #7

      I don't think this building technique originated with Ben Franklin. Thomas Jefferson filled the voids between the timbers of his floors at Monticello with "nogging". "During restoration of the house in the 1950s, the wooden floors were pulled up to reveal more than one hundred tons of nogging--brick, mud and straw packed between the floor joists as fireproofing, ratproofing and insulation" -- from the book Jefferson and Monticello by Jack McLaughlin. The walls of Monticello were 2-ft. thick and built of bricks.

      1. RickD | Sep 17, 2004 05:39pm | #10

        I am by no means a Franklin expert, but a little web search shows that Franklin founded the Union Fire Company in Philadelphia in 1736, 7 years before Jefferson was born, and that he published on fireproofing buildings.  The use of plaster lath between floors as fireproofing was Franklin's idea http://www.ushistory.org/carpentershall/building/smith.htm

        My bet is that Jefferson learned from and expanded Franklin's work- Maybe some scholar or fire expert could weigh in-

        1. JCarroll38 | Sep 17, 2004 06:27pm | #11

          Both Franklin and Jefferson were concerned about fire prevention. As a young man, Jefferson's ancestral home, Shadwell, burned to the ground. In the fire, his library, one of the most extensive collections in America, was destroyed. It is not unreasonable to assume that Jefferson read what Franklin, who was a full generation older than Jefferson, had to say about fire prevention. However, I think it is a stretch to say that Franklin's recommendations about fireproofing a house were original to him. The first modern building code was enacted after the Great Fire of London (1666) and nogging had been used as infill for timber-framed houses for centuries. Franklin organized the first public library, the first fire company and the first public postal service in the English colonies. But he didn't invent any of these.

          1. RickD | Sep 17, 2004 10:44pm | #13

            well, I never said invented, but I knew there was a reason why I remembered Ben here at Taunton http://www.codecheck.com/pg30whyben.html

      2. seeyou | Sep 17, 2004 08:24pm | #12

        I've seen similar construction (the bricks were usually laid with mud - dirt and water) and I've heard it called "nogging".

  6. frank547 | Sep 17, 2004 03:30pm | #8

    I am also upstate - in the albany area. have the same thing on a 1860ish house i am working wiht. The BI said that it was for insulation.

    good luck.

  7. User avater
    SteveInCleveland | Sep 17, 2004 03:59pm | #9

    We'll.........

    I'll huff, and I'll puff, and blow your house down.

    signed,

       The Big Bad Wolf

    "Those who are citizens of God's kingdom are best equipped to be citizens of the kingdom of man"  -- St. Augustine

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Video Shorts

Categories

  • Business
  • Code Questions
  • Construction Techniques
  • Energy, Heating & Insulation
  • General Discussion
  • Help/Work Wanted
  • Photo Gallery
  • Reader Classified
  • Tools for Home Building

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

An Easier Method for Mitered Head Casings

Making mitered head casings is a breeze with this simple system.

Featured Video

SawStop's Portable Tablesaw is Bigger and Better Than Before

The 10-in. Jobsite Saw PRO has a wider table, a new dust-control port, and a more versatile fence, along with the same reliable safety mechanism included in all SawStop tablesaws.

Related Stories

  • Fire-Resistant Landscaping and Home Design Details
  • A New Approach to Foundations
  • A Closer Look at Smart Water-Leak Detection Systems
  • Guest Suite With a Garden House

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 332 - July 2025
    • Custom Built-ins With Job-Site Tools
    • Fight House Fires Through Design
    • Making the Move to Multifamily
  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2024
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

Enjoy unlimited access to Fine Homebuilding. Join Now

Already a member? Log in

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data