Almost all brick structures have a charming old world feel. This charm is probably why so many people like brick structures and why many want to build with bricks or learn how to build with bricks. In fact, masonry is gaining more and more popularity among DIYers.

Being one of the oldest trades in the world, masonry requires a fair amount of skill and knowledge to be able to do it properly. Many DIYers start with a vision of what their final structure will look like, only to be left with a faulty wall that is poorly attached, making it susceptible to the elements, eventually causing it to collapse.

If you’ve never built anything before, you’re better off starting with something much simpler than a project that requires masonry. However, if you have been building for a while and have managed to build many successful structures, then masonry may be the next step in your DIY repertoire. Just keep the following tips in mind:

Space your bricks

The bricks have to be ugly with even gaps in between. This promotes the strength of the structure. A basic brick wall, for example, should have about 10mm of space between each brick. This 10mm is filled with mortar, which holds the bricks (and the entire structure) together. To make sure you get the correct gap, try laying all the bricks without mortar so you can see if 10mm between each brick will give you even gaps. If not, say your last few bricks will have 2 inches of space between them, then increase the space between each brick, but do so by dividing the extra space evenly.

touch them directly

When you start laying bricks, you’ll want to make sure they’re laid evenly and straight. Once again, this is important for the strength of the structure. A structure that has sloping (even slightly sloping) bricks may not last or hold up for long. It is recommended to keep a spirit level handy at all times and check the bricks for evenness frequently during the masonry process. It is good practice to check every two bricks laid. If your bricks are not even, simply knock them down (this should be done while the mortar is still soft) to make them level. Just remember to scrape off any excess mortar.

know your bricks

Before you even get started on your project, it’s important to know the bricks you’re working with. Bricks can be made from a number of different materials and these can perform differently in different climates. Study your climate and find out what type of brick will work best for where you live. Also, know the sides of your bricks. Most bricks have a face, a serrated side (sometimes called a frog side), a top, and an end. Some manuals on masonry may simply use this type of jargon without explaining each one, so make sure you are familiar with the terms.

Correctly calculate your mortar

When the mortar is mixed, you only have about two hours before you have to use it. If you don’t, it will harden and no longer have any use. Therefore, it is important that you correctly calculate your mortar. This saves you time and money.

So, to calculate the mortar, determine how many bricks you need. A simple brick wall will need around 65 bricks per square meter. Get your total number of bricks and divide by 135, this equals the number of bags of cement you need. Multiply the number of bags by three, this equals the cubic feet of sand you need. Divide the sand by 27 (which is the number of cubic feet in a cubic yard). You need to know the cubic yards of sand because that is how sand is sold. Ultimately, you will need four to six gallons of water per batch of mortar.

Mathematically:

65 bricks/135 = 0.4814815 (number of bags of cement needed to build 1 square meter of brick)

0.4814815 x 3 = 1.4444444 (cubic feet of sand)

1.4444444/27 = 0.0534979 (cubic yards of sand)

Keep these tips in mind when masonry, and you should be able to build a simple brick structure, such as a wall at the end of your garden. If you want to create more complex structures, such as corners, arches, etc., it is best to call an experienced Mansfield mason.