This is ‘Stretcher bond’ and it is the commonest bond used today and the least interesting in appearance. It can be made even more interesting by laying a course of different coloured bricks.

This is ‘English bond’ and consists of alternating courses of headers and stretchers. The alternative headers are centred over and under the vertical joints of the stretchers bond.

This is ‘Flemish bond’ which is also known as Dutch bond. This is a very decorative bond, and for this reason was used extensively to build houses until the introduction of cavity walls. It is created by alternately laying headers and stretchers in a single course. The next course is laid so that a header lies in the middle of the stretcher in the course below.
 

This is ‘Rat-trap bond’ which is also known as Chinese bond. Usually associated to garden walls in which the stretchers and headers are laid on their sides, with the base of the stretcher facing outwards. This gives a wall with an internal cavity bridged by the headers, hence the name. This bond is very economical as it uses fewer bricks than other bonds and the cavity produced when using the Rat trap bond allows for good air circulation.