Masonry Magazine December 1989 Page. 30
Dimensional Tolerances
Because of the variations in the raw materials and the
manufacturing process, brick may vary in size. The per-
mitted size variation is based on the brick type and the
dimension being measured. These variations in size are
listed in Table 5. The variation is plus or minus from the
specified dimension. Generally, "through-the-body" col-
ored brick with a wide color range will also have a wide
variation in dimensions. Brick without a wide color range
may vary one way or another. Size variation becomes
important when constructing an assembly with units
aligned vertically or in wall sections with short horizon-
tal dimensions.
Distortion
Permitted distortion, or warpage, of brick is listed in
Table 6. The amount of distortion is based on the brick
type and face dimension. Other terms for distortion are
"bowed" or "banana" brick. A brick that is over the dis-
tortion limitations is difficult to lay and is easily notice-
able in the finished wall.
Chippage
Brick may be damaged or chipped during packaging,
shipping or on the jobsite. Limitations to the size and num-
ber of chips on individual units are listed in Table 7. The
amount of chippage is based upon the brick type.
A delivery of brick may contain up to 5% broken or
chipped brick beyond the limits in Table 7. The chippage
TABLE 6
Distortion Tolerances
Maximum Permissible Distortion (in.)
| ASTM Standard | 8 and Under | Over 8 to 12 | Over 12 to 16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| C 62 | - | - | - |
| C 216 FBX | 1/16 | 3/32 | 1/8 |
| FBS | 3/32 | 1/8 | 5/32 |
| FBA¹ | - | - | - |
| C 652 HBX | 1/16 | 3/32 | 1/8 |
| HBS & HBB | 3/32 | 1/8 | 5/32 |
| HBA¹ | - | - | - |
| C 902 | - | - | - |
| C 126² | - | - | - |
| C 1088 TBX | 1/16 | 3/32 | 1/8 |
| TBS | 3/32 | 1/8 | 5/32 |
| TBA¹ | - | - | - |
| C 32 | - | - | - |
¹As specified by the purchaser
²Special requirements see ASTM C 126
requirements in Table 7 are based on the remaining 95%
of the shipment. The chips are measured from an edge
or a corner, and the total length of these chips may not
be greater than 10% of the perimeter of the face of the
brick. Chips are more noticeable on brick that have a sur-
face color different from the body of the brick. Chips on
"through-the-body" color brick are less noticeable.
TABLE 5
Dimensional Tolerances
| ASTM Standard | Maximum Permissible Variation (in.) ± |
|---|---|
| | < 3 in. | Over 3 to 4 in. | Over 4 to 6 in. | Over 6 to 8 in. | Over 8 to 12 in. | Over 12 to 16 in. |
| C 62 | 3/32 | 1/8 | 3/16 | 1/4 | 5/16 | 3/8 |
| C 216 FBX | 1/16 | 3/32 | 1/8 | 5/32 | 7/32 | 9/32 |
| FBS | 3/32 | 1/8 | 3/16 | 1/4 | 5/16 | 3/8 |
| FBA¹ | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| C 652 HBX | 1/16 | 3/32 | 1/8 | 5/32 | 7/32 | 9/32 |
| HBS & HBB | 3/32 | 1/8 | 3/16 | 1/4 | 5/16 | 3/8 |
| HBA¹ | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| C 902 PX | 1/16 | 3/32 | - | 1/8² | - | - |
| PS | 1/8 | 3/16 | - | 1/4² | - | - |
| PA³ | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| C 1264 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| C 1088 TBX | 1/16 | 3/32 | 1/8 | 5/32 | 7/32 | 9/32 |
| TBS | 3/32 | 1/8 | 3/16 | 1/4 | 5/16 | 3/8 |
| TBA¹ | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| C 32 | - | - | ± 1/8 in transverse direction | - | - | - |
| | | | ± 1/4 in length | | | |
¹As specified by the purchaser
²Over 5 in. to 8 in.
³No limit
⁴Special requirements see ASTM C 126