bricklaying

Bricklaying is a skilled trade that takes many years to master. Bricks are laid in courses - on a bed of mortar, with a taut string line used as a guide to line & level. The horizontal joint is the bed joint; the vertical joints are called perps.
The ends of walls are built first, with the level & verticality of the bricks checked as the corners are raised. The gauging is also checked, to ensure that 4 courses measures 300mm. The ends are typically "Racked Back" which allows successive courses to be laid direct to the string line without having to continually check your work with a level.
The bed mortar is laid out & shaped to seat the bricks. The end of the brick to be laid is buttered with mortar & then pushed against the preceding brick, squeezing the mortar to a width of about 10mm. The brick is tapped down to level with the heel or handle of the trowel, any surplus mortar extruded from the bed or the perp end is scraped off with the trowel, then the process is repeated with the next brick. At the completion of each course, the line is moved up to the next course at the corners.

Frogged or perforated brickwork should always be covered over if left unfinished for any period when rain is likely, to prevent the frogs or perforations filling with water which would make a mess of the bed mortar when the bricklaying starts again. Pointing Styles Pointing ensures the bed joints & perp ends are properly filled with mortar. Pointing is usually done an hour or so after the bricks have been laid,just long enough for the mortar to stiffen but not so long that it has become`s unworkable. The unpointed joints can be topped up with fresh mortar if they are not quite full, before tooling to the required style. The most common pointing styles are shown below. The Weatherstruck & Flush type`s are formed with the blade of a trowel. The Bucket Handle profile is formed with a semi-circular section jointing bar, the Recess type is created with a joint raker or chariot. Tooled joints offer better resistance to rain penetration. Other topics Brick bonds Brick types Copings Retaining walls Pointing Mixing mortar

Kings Heath Builders Directory

Copings are the topping for a wall. Their purpose is to prevent rainwater running down the face of the brickwork, which can lead to problems with damp and colonisation by algae and other vegetation.

Retainer walls are used to hold back a bank of earth or similar. They range from small walls in a garden, holding back raised beds, to massive structures, 10m or more high, retaining a motorway embankment. Retainer walls are not as straightforward as simple walls, and any such walls greater than 1m high should be designed by a civil or structural engineer who is familiar with site and ground conditions. For low embankments, 600mm or less, a flag on edge retainer may well be adequate, and will certainly be cheaper than a brick-built wall. Other options include gabions, timber crib structures or proprietary retaining wall systems. Contact details suppliers of these products can be found on the links page. This diagram illustrates a basic retainer wall for heights up to about one metre. The important points to note are that the foundation is laid on a solid base of clay or stable ground, or with 300mm of cover; that the rear of the wall, in contact with the earth, should be protected with a damp-proof membrane such as PIFA 1200, and that there should be some method of draining the bank, either via weepholes or by means of a perforated drain. It is essential that the correct bricks are used. 'House bricks' may or may not be suitable, depending on classification. Engineering bricks are fine, as are any other bricks with a FL classification (frost resistant/low salt content). Stone or suitable concrete blocks could also be used. If in doubt, seek professional guidance.