how do builders lay brick so perfectly?

[SphinxnihpS]

I'm more curious about the stone masons. How do they plan out those elaborate stone designs with all the different sized pieces?

Theses days all those "stones" are cast concrete.

In the ago times, lifetimes of practice. ...oh, and math.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

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.

Which texture?

 

[vi edit]

Theses days all those "stones" are cast concrete. In the ago times, lifetimes of practice. ...oh, and math.

I'm not exactly sure what specific type of stonework he's asking about, but I've got good old fashioned quarry stone from Wisconsin on my house.

 

[Schadenfreude]

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.

And on a lot of modern houses the "brick" wall is actually a faux-panel anyways.

 

[gorcorps]

I'm more curious about the stone masons. How do they plan out those elaborate stone designs with all the different sized pieces?

tetris

The word "tetris" is actually Yiddish for "stone mason". That's where it came from. I swears it :sneaky:

 

[ioni]

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.

Yea, that rubber band string will get ya every time.

 

[CPA]

Which texture?

YGPM