Alright, let’s talk about them brick window thingies, you know, the top part. Heard someone call it a “head detail,” fancy, huh? Sounds like somethin’ from the city, but it’s just plain brick to me.
So, you got this wall, right? Made of bricks, sturdy stuff. And then you wanna poke a hole in it for a window. Can’t just leave a hole, gotta make it strong, gotta keep the rain out. That’s where this “head detail” comes in, I guess.
First thing, you gotta hold up them bricks above the window. Can’t have ‘em fallin’ down, now can ya? Some folks use a steel thingy, like a strong bar, they call it a beam I think. They weld a plate on it, flat piece of metal, and that’s what the bricks sit on. Sounds complicated, but it’s just holdin’ up bricks, simple as that.
- Keeps the bricks up high
- Stops ‘em from fallin’
- Real strong, that metal
Then, there’s the keepin’-the-water-out part. Rain, snow, it all wants to sneak in. So, you gotta have somethin’ to stop it. They use this stuff, sealant they call it, kinda like glue but stretchy. They put it all around the window, between the frame and the bricks. Keeps the water out, keeps the house dry. That’s important, no one wants a leaky house.
Sometimes, they use this…Tyvek stuff. Looks like paper but it ain’t. They put it behind the bricks, another layer to keep water out. And them brick ties, little metal things that hold the bricks to the wall, they gotta be sealed too. Every little crack, gotta seal it up tight.
Now, about them windows settin’ in the wall…it ain’t just stickin’ ’em in there. You gotta think about how the window fits with the bricks. Some folks do it different ways, but it’s all about keepin’ the weather out and makin’ it strong. If you’re buildin’ a new house or fixin’ up an old one, you gotta pay attention to this stuff.
I seen some folks makin’ fancy walls, with stone and stuff. But it’s the same idea. Gotta hold it up, gotta keep the water out. Bricks, blocks, stones…they all need somethin’ to hold ‘em up over a window.
Another thing, they talk about air tightness. Means no air gettin’ in or out, unless you open the window, of course. That helps keep the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Saves money on heatin’ and coolin’, that’s what my grandson tells me. So, that sealant stuff, and the Tyvek, and the way the window fits, it all helps with air tightness.
I ain’t no builder, mind you. Just seen a lot of houses bein’ built, seen a lot of fixin’ up. And it all comes down to the same thing. Keepin’ the weather out, keepin’ the house strong, keepin’ it comfortable. And that “head detail” thing, it’s a big part of that, even if it sounds fancy.
This “brick veneer” they talk about…that’s just a fancy way of sayin’ bricks on the outside of the wall. And whether it’s brick, or somethin’ else on the outside, the window gotta fit right, and it gotta be strong. Common sense, really.
So, there ya have it. Brick window head detail, in plain English, the way I see it. Just keepin’ the rain out and holdin’ up them bricks. Nothin’ too fancy, just good, solid buildin’.
And remember, gotta follow them rules, them building codes they call ‘em. Every place got their own rules, gotta make sure you’re doin’ it right. Don’t wanna get in trouble with the inspectors, now do ya?
Anyways, that’s all I know about them brick window things. Hope it makes some sense to ya. It’s just common sense to me, buildin’ things strong and keepin’ the weather out. That’s all there is to it.
Tags: [Brick, Window, Head Detail, Masonry, Construction, Building, Wall, Weatherproofing, Steel Beam, Sealant, Tyvek]
