c/bricklayers

I finally figured out why my mortar was cracking on that big wall in July

Last month I was building a big garden wall for a job in Cedar Rapids, and after three days of work, I started seeing hairline cracks in the joints. I was using my usual mix, but the heat was crazy, over 90 degrees every day. The mortar was drying way too fast before it could set right. I talked to an old timer at the supply yard, and he told me to dampen the bricks before laying them and cover the wall with wet burlap at the end of the day. I tried it, and it worked. The next section set perfectly. Has anyone else had to change their whole summer routine because of the weather like that?

That week in Boise where we laid 4,000 bricks in three days...

The crew was in a crazy good rhythm, and the homeowner kept bringing us cold drinks every hour. We finished the whole garden wall ahead of schedule and the foreman gave us all a $200 bonus. Ever have a job where everything just clicks like that?

DAE see more folks asking for herringbone patterns on driveways?

Pre-cutting a template from plywood saves a ton of time on those angles.

Explaining my job to my niece's class and one kid asked if I build castles for dragons.

Am I the only one who inspects scaffold bases every morning?

A shifted base plate is a hidden danger on site.

Showerthought: I always brushed off using a brick hammer for trimming.

Thought it was just for rough cuts and used my chisel instead. Tried it on some pavers last week and the control was way better, no more broken edges. Pretty stoked to add this to my routine.

Holiday visit to an English brick kiln back in the day

I went there as a young apprentice and saw how they fired bricks by hand. It's wild to compare it to modern automated plants now. Really puts progress into perspective.

Serious question, have you noticed how new mortar sets too fast?

Back in the day, we had mortar that gave us time to adjust bricks (you know, like the good old stuff). Now, the mix dries in minutes, which can lead to messy joints if you're not quick. I've seen whole walls need redoing because of this rush (it's a real pain). Just a heads-up to test your batch before you start a big project.

Running bond vs. stack bond: I always picked running bond, but stack bond worked better on my latest wall. What's your pick?

My daughter's drawing of a brick pattern taught me something new

I used to think bricklaying was all about following plans exactly. My little girl showed me a picture she drew with fun, zigzag lines. I tried her idea on a small garden border last week. The homeowner said it looked amazing. Now I believe getting family input can spark better work.

Reclaimed bricks with odd dimensions had me stuck... sorting by length fixed everything.

I got a bunch of old bricks for a patio... every single one was a different length. My first lay looked crooked and I almost gave up... forcing them to fit just made gaps worse. Then it hit me... I should group them by size. I measured each brick and made piles: long, medium, short. Using the longest for the edges gave a straight guide... the shorter ones filled the center with adjusted mortar joints. Now the patio looks even and the size variation adds character... like it was meant to be. I won't skip this step again... it saved the whole project. Anyone else have tricks for mixed bricks?

Building a brick border for my flower beds was tougher than I thought

I decided to add a brick edge to my garden last weekend. I thought it would be a simple job, but I ran into a few problems. First, the ground wasn't level, so I had to dig out and tamp down a base of sand. Mixing the mortar was tricky, too dry and it crumbles, too wet and it slides off the trowel. I found that a mix like thick peanut butter works best. Laying the bricks in a straight line took patience, but using a string guide helped a lot. Now that it's done, the beds look neat and the bricks keep the soil in place. It was a good learning experience for small outdoor projects.

PSA: My old habit of dry-laying without a plan led to a huge mess

Ngl, back then we just stacked bricks and hoped for the best, but one wall leaned so bad we had to tear it down. Honestly, drawing a simple line now stops that headache.

Serious question, how do you handle wrist pain from all that trowel work?

I've been seeing a lot of talk about wrist issues lately, and it's starting to worry me. It makes sense with how much we use our wrists for spreading mortar and laying bricks. My own wrist gets so sore sometimes that I can't even twist a jar open after work, lol. I tried using a lighter trowel and taking more breaks, but it only helps a little. Has anyone found a good way to strengthen their wrists or maybe a different technique that helps? I'm thinking about trying those compression sleeves I see some guys wear. Would be great to hear what actually works for you all.

Pulling over to explore some Incan stonework while traveling for a rally made me rethink interlocking bonds.

The way those stones fit together so tightly without cement is lowkey genius for certain applications.