Bricklaying for the Do-It-Yourselfer

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1) Pick up mud, using part of trowel designated.
2) Slide mud on end of brick with downward stroke.
3) Use top of trowel toe and push mud more firmly in place.
4) Make sure face of mortar joint is not angled in too much (see figure 11).

It will be necessary for you to be able to make a head joint on both ends of the brick. The four steps outlined above are directed toward the right end of the brick. In order to make mortar joints on the left end of the brick, you still grab the brick the same way, but you roll the brick a quarter turn upward. For the tight-ended joint, you use pull strokes; and for the left ended joint, you use push strokes.

Now let's act like a mason. Observe that one side of your mason's rule has inches and feet like a regular rule and the other side has six different scales, numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8. These are used for six different sizes of masonry units. Each scale is the same as the number of courses in 16" of height. For standard sized brick, you would use the #6 scale six courses in 16" of height. (Each course of standard-sized brick and mortar measures approximately 2 11/16".)

Do your best to keep your work as plumb as possible. This means keeping your work accurate vertically by using the plumb bubbles on your level. There are two level bubbles and four plumbing levels. One set of each is upside down so that no matter how you grab the level, it is always ready to use. in plumbing terminology, if your work leans toward you it is called "hard" and if it leans away it is called "slack."

The next step is to make a building point. Determine where the wall is to begin, and make a mark. This will be the starting point of your wall. Next, make a dry layout. Take one of your bricks (decide which is the best face) and place it so that the left end of the brick is right over the building point. Use a piece of wood, metal, or almost anything that is 3/8" wide as a spacer to approximate the width of the mortar joints. I like to use a piece of wood approximately 3/8 x 1" x 6" long. Place it against the end of the brick you have just positioned and lay another brick against the spacer. Make a pencil mark at the end of the last brick. Remove this brick and then make a building point Using your pencil over the mark you just made so that it looks like the one at the beginning of your dry layout. Replace the last brick, making sure the right end is over the building point you just made. Caution: do not ram the brick as you are making the dry layout or you will gradually change the location of the previously placed brick. Be gentle and use a minimum of pressure as you place the brick down for the dry layout.

We call the next step "spotting" the first and last brick. This is done by following these steps.

1) Pick up the first brick and place enough mortar down to lay it. Do not cover up the building point. Keep the mortar away from it.
2) Push down on the brick and lightly tap it with the heel of your trowel. Cut the extruded mud with the blade of your trowel and throw it back into your mortar pan.
3) Place your 2' level on top of the brick (lengthwise); make it level by tapping the appropriate end with the heel of your trowel.
4) Place the bottom of your level on the face of the brick and make it plumb by tapping either the top front or top back of the brick with your trowel.
5) Check it for height, using your modular rule. Use scale #6. There are six courses of standard-sized brick in a height of 16". if it is too low, raise it. (Repeat steps two, three, and four if necessary.) If too high, tap it down.
6) Do the same thing with the last brick.
7) Range the two spotted (end) brick with each other.

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