Bricklaying for the Do-It-Yourselfer

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The purpose of the leads is to serve as a guide for the rest of the wall and to give you a place to set your line. Figure 17 shows a layout course and a lead on each end.

We'll start off by first laying the brick designated as brick #1 in figure 17. In this case, it will be a half brick. To make your half brick, mark the center of the brick on the face and place the cutting edge of your brickset on the mark. Hit the other end of the brickset with your hammer. If the brick has not broken, turn the brick a quarter turn and use your hammer and brickset to complete the cut on the top or bottom of the brick. For this type of lead, we will not be too concerned about the appearance of the cut edge because it will face the back of the wall. A professional mason would cup the brick in one hand and give the center of the brick one good sharp rap with the head of his mason hammer, as opposed to the chisel-shaped end called the "scutch." This unit will have to be level, plumb on the end, and plumb on the face. it must also be the right height, which would be the second #6 on your modular rule. it must also range with the layout course. You may have to relay the brick two or three times before you are willing to accept whatever degree of accuracy you have set as your standard. These steps will apply to the first unit of each course of the lead you build.

1) Put down enough mortar to lay the first unit and lay the unit.
2) Push down on the unit and cut off the extruded mortar until it looks to be about the way it should be.
3) Place your level on top and make the unit level with the existing wall.
4) Place your level on the end of the unit vertically and make the unit plumb with the layout course.
5) Place your level vertically on the end of the face and make the unit plumb with the layout course.
6) Hold the top of your level against the face of the first unit in a downward diagonal manner and make sure that the first unit is in alignment with the wall by tapping the right end of the brick in or out as the need indicates. (You will be using your level as a straight edge.)

The next step will be to lay the rest of the brick in the first course of your lead.

1) The first course of your lead will be three-and-one-half bricks long. You have already laid the first unit, so now we need enough mud to lay three brick (about 24"). Throw this mud down and make your bed as previously instructed.
2) Lay these three brick, making propersized head joints. (The leading vertical arris should be back one-half of a mortar joint thickness from the center of the brick it is over. This is perfect half bond. Cut the extruded mortar as you lay them, and make them look right.
3) Place your 2' level on top and make these three units level with the first unit.
4) Place your level vertically on the end of the last unit and make it plumb with the layout course.
5) Place the top of your level against the faces of the brick in the second course of your lead and use the level as a straight edge to range the brick. Caution: do not move the right end of the last brick nor the left end of the half brick. if you do, you may have to replumb. Continue to the next course of your lead. This lead is known as a jamb lead. Each course of your lead will be a half brick shorter than the course below (this is called racking back). A lead is usually six courses high and ends with a half brick.

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