The Art of Bricklaying

The Art of Bricklaying

Older than the pyramids, the art of bricklaying may not be exactly ‘fine’, but it certainly requires deft and skilled hands. Hire A Tradesman investigates what lies behind the brick façade.

A professional bricklayer’s craft is evident in fencing, paving, residential and commercial buildings. You will find a bricklayer or a stonemason is involved in bridge building, landscape design and the construction of public spaces. Hire A Tradesman has found some of Melbourne’s best and shares the secrets of the trade:

Brick types
Bricks are predominantly made from clay and subsequently, they are not uniform. Sizes will vary slightly depending on the amount of moisture in the clay or the amount of time spent in the kiln. A standard brick is approximately 215mm x 102.5mm x 65mm, but they come in a range of sizes. Bricks from a different batch from the kiln may also vary in colour.

Mortar
Modern mortar is a mixture of sand, cement and water. It is applied wet and sets hard to bind the bricks and fill gaps between them. It was invented in 1794 following efforts to improve the mortars available at the time.

Bricklaying tools
A spirit level is one of the most important bricklaying tools used for checking whether a line of bricks has been laid straight/parallel. Trowels, used to apply or remove wet cement to individual bricks, come in varying shapes and sizes. Jointers are used to give a professional finish to joints between bricks and bolsters have a wide chisel edge designed for cutting bricks during building work. Other essential tools include a rubber hammer, masonry chisel, eye and ear protection, measuring tape, line, rake, wheelbarrow and shovel.

For your next bricklaying job, contact Hire A Tradesman on 1300 79 4473. We are your one-stop-shop for convenience, quality and reliability. Visit www.hireatradesman.com.au. Hire A Tradesman franchises now available.

Bricklaying Lingo

bed joint: the layer of mortar on which a brick is set
bond: pattern in which brick is laid. Examples include Flemish bond, cavity wall-stretcher bond, running bond, herringbone and English bond
frog: a recessed part of a surface of a brick
header: the short end of the brick
pointing: removing loose mortar from the face of a brick wall and replacing with new mortar
sailor: a brick laid vertically with the broad side exposed
soldier: a brick laid vertically with the narrow (stretcher) side exposed
stretcher: the long face of the brick