You Don't Have to Be a Professional to Build a Brick Wall

Building a brick wall can be a difficult task, but if the job is not too large you can take on the project and feel the pride that comes with knowing you did it yourself. Building with bricks has been used throughout history and actually dates back to around 3000 BC. Although the style and material is different today, the concepts and techniques have actually changed very little.

The basic components needed to building a brick wall are individual bricks and filling mortar. Building with brick can be pleasant work, but it does take practice before you can become really proficient.

There are many brick patterns and bonds to choose from in building a brick wall . So the first thing you'll want to do is determine what type of brick pattern and bond you want your brick wall to have. Structurally brick is the most durable material to choose from when building a wall. The size and form of brick make them an easy material to handle.

Brick is a long-lasting material to build walls with because it neither burns nor decays. If you choose too build your wall with brick, you'll also have an endless variety of colour tones and textures to choose from. In fact, no other building material can match the possibility of colour schemes for the wall surface. Plus, the colours last because they are a permanent part of the brick.

One of the first things you should know when building a wall is that when you look at a brick at its wide side you are looking at what's known as a stretcher. When you look at the end of the brick you are looking at what's called a header.

The word bond refers to the pattern of stretchers and headers used to build the brick wall. If you build the brick wall with only the sides of the brick showing (stretchers), it's called a "stretcher bond" wall. This is the least interesting of appearance, but the simplest bond to use.

Homes in the UK often use a bond pattern where each row alternates between a layer of stretchers and a layer of headers. This pattern is known as an "English bond wall," but there are many other bond patterns you can use to build your brick wall .

The preparation for laying the bricks is about 90% of any brick job and the most important element when you start the process of building a wall. After you have the wall ready to lay, you should have the bricks stacked within reach as well as a few mortar boards. Mortar boards are two foot square pieces of plywood that will temporarily hold mortar within your reach. They will be set up on five gallon buckets, or stacks of bricks so you won't have to reach to the ground for the mortar which will wear you out quickly.

When laying bricks to build a wall, you have to work from left to right. To do this, your left leg will be closest to the wall. With your left hand, you will reach over, grab a brick from the stack, and scoop a little mud (mortar) from the board with the tip of the trowel in your right hand. Set the brick into the mud bed squishing it even with the line. Once you've done that, cut the mortar from the wall that squishes out from the brick with a clean swipe. Use this mortar to swipe the leading end of the brick and then repeat the entire process. As you continue to do this, you'll undoubtedly get better and faster, so don't worry if it all seems confusing at first.

Building a simple brick wall is something that you can easily undertake if you have a basic understanding of brick wall construction. However, if you are unsure of whether or not you are comfortable undertaking the task without any type of training, there are a wide variety of bricklaying courses offered throughout the UK. One of the most convenient training programmes is available as a home based DVD brick laying course . This means that you can learn the art of bricklaying on your own time and at your own pace.

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