Courses

A course is a continuous horizontal layer of similarly-sized building material one unit high, usually in a wall.  A course is laid with unit masonry such as brick, cut stone, or concrete block.  Typical course styles are stretcher, header, rowlock, soldier, sailor and shiner.

A string course or band course is a thin projecting course of brickwork or stone that runs horizontally around a building, typically to emphasize the junction between floors, or just below the eaves.  Also see Fancy Patterns.

A water table is a masonry architectural feature that consists of a projecting course that deflects water running down the face of a building away from lower courses or the foundation.  A water table may be found near the base of a wall or at a transition between materials, such as from stone to brick.