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how do builders lay brick so perfectly?

B

BlahBlahYouToo

Lifer
i can't even do it with jenga blocks for more than a few levels... how do they do it for hundreds of feet tall and wide?
what's the secret for bricklayers?
 
It's called a good eye, string line, a level, and appreciation for your work.

Every brick my Dad lays has a level set on both the top and face surfaces making sure it's where it's supposed to be.
 
I'm more curious about the stone masons. How do they plan out those elaborate stone designs with all the different sized pieces?
 
darkewaffle said:
Meth.

I actually know a couple masons, a steady hand a lots of experience and a van full of tools.
Click to expand...

Other than the big things like mixer, mixing tray, saw, mud stands, and shovel/hoe most mason tools should fit in a couple 5 gallon buckets. A string line, level, couple different trowels, stick tape, chalk line, utility knife, 4' and 6' level, pencil, brick hammer and chisel are about all that are really needed.
 
BlahBlahYouToo said:
i can't even do it with jenga blocks for more than a few levels... how do they do it for hundreds of feet tall and wide?
what's the secret for bricklayers?
Click to expand...

It's face brick. It's attached to a wall that is already perfect. Can you stack your Jenga blocks up against the wall perfectly?
 
My father is a journeyman brick and stone mason, among others. All I can say is experience. He doesn't even use a level or a line, and a couple of times I have checked his work, its basically perfect.
 
I laid bricks a few times while building summer cottage. With good level foundation and a string, it's not too hard.

What I want to know, is how do they put plaster on the drywall with those random speckles? Every time I need to do a drywall repair and try to make it look the same afterward, it looks like crap. I can never match and recreate those cracks and speckles.
 
paulney said:
I laid bricks a few times while building summer cottage. With good level foundation and a string, it's not too hard.

What I want to know, is how do they put plaster on the drywall with those random speckles? Every time I need to do a drywall repair and try to make it look the same afterward, it looks like crap. I can never match and recreate those cracks and speckles.
Click to expand...

Not sure what you mean "random speckles". You can do an eggshell/orange peel finish on drywall with a hopper that you spray on the drywall.

If it's true plaster they trowel on a finish coat of sanded plaster and then go back use a sponge to "swirl" it out. If it's a knockdown plaster then they use a trowel and just sort of skip it across the surface and then come back over and halfway smooth it down.
 
Last edited:
vi edit said:
Other than the big things like mixer, mixing tray, saw, mud stands, and shovel/hoe most mason tools should fit in a couple 5 gallon buckets. A string line, level, couple different trowels, stick tape, chalk line, utility knife, 4' and 6' level, pencil, brick hammer and chisel are about all that are really needed.
Click to expand...

Perhaps a mini cooper full of tools is more appropriate? 😀
 
SphinxnihpS said:
It's face brick. It's attached to a wall that is already perfect. Can you stack your Jenga blocks up against the wall perfectly?
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no, most wall are not perfect, especially on cookie cutter homes that get slapped together because of budget and time constraints. If you ever built homes for a living, you would know that. bricks are attached to the walls with ties.
 
ussfletcher said:
My father is a journeyman brick and stone mason, among others. All I can say is experience. He doesn't even use a level or a line, and a couple of times I have checked his work, its basically perfect.
Click to expand...

yup, a good bricklayer has so many years experience that most can tell by eye. only beginner use levels and strait lines. tho most will check their work from time to time just to be sure.
 
vi edit said:
How about block foundations/walls built out of modular block?
Click to expand...

The OP stated "hundreds of feet tall". I beleive the type of work you are asking about is extraneous to the conversation, but in answer to your question, you already answered it.

With modern buildings brickwork is more of a style choice than a structural element. You know that.
 
ussfletcher said:
lol, when have you seen bricks stuck directly on to a wall?
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bricksiding_intro.gif
 
dawp said:
no, most wall are not perfect, especially on cookie cutter homes that get slapped together because of budget and time constraints. If you ever built homes for a living, you would know that. bricks are attached to the walls with ties.
Click to expand...

We are not talking about brick homes and short brick walls. The OP asked about brick walls hundreds of feet high. The only onese that fit that description are face brick walls on steel-framed buildings. And no, even on those the walls aren't perfect... oh wait, they are. This is why there were no really tall buildings prior to the advent of cheap steel.

Even on most modern homes (that never ever have perfectly straight or square anything) the walls are face brick, and yes attached with brick anchors. Duh!
 
BlahBlahYouToo said:
never heard of a string line. how does it aid in laying brick?
Click to expand...

The neato thing about string is that when you put enough tension on it, it becomes perfectly straight. You can do all kinds of cool stuff with straight lines, like calculate the diameter of the earth. I mean if, you know... know stuff.

Edit: Aww Dank beat me to it and was nearly as sarcastic. Kudos.
 
SphinxnihpS said:
The neato thing about string is that when you put enough tension on it, it becomes perfectly straight.
Click to expand...

And if you put too much tension on it the block attached to the string slingshots back at you at a high rate of hilarity.

😀
 
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