How important is brick mesh?

[i_am_fubar]

Moving up on my workshop build, I'm wondering if it's worth adding brick mesh.

I get the theory of improved tensile strength, but I've never knowingly encountered it when drilling into walls.

Is it worth it / needed / helpful for a 100mm block wall? If so, on how many courses? - recommended every 3 courses for a brick wall, which space wise would be every course of 215 high blocks.

 

[^woody^]

Only useful if you think your workshop may explode and you want to protect the neighbours from flying debris.

 

[tony1851]

By brick mesh do you mean the coils of expanded metal lath? If so, it serves no useul purpose as regards strengthening the blockwork. But it will eventually give you rust stains down the walls, even with galvanised.

 

[stuart45]

Things like Brick Tor are used for crack control. Sometimes in Thermalite walls to help prevent shrinkage cracks. Used to have 3 courses of it above the timber door and window frames when the brickwork went straight on top without a lintel.

 

[i_am_fubar]

Woody. Good to know. I shall invest in some I thinks

Can see the rationale against tensile forces due to lateral loads, but assume that as soon as you're more than a few rows up, compression loads will dominated any strength issues.