How to Create a Brick Wall

A brick wall is a useful addition to a yard or garden. Brick is an ancient building material popular for features such as longevity, durability and versatility. Laying rows of bricks over one another to your desired height forms a sturdy and long-term wall that withstands natural elements without signs of decay. Although building larger walls requires experience and skill, you can easily create a small wall of double-wythe or horizontal rows of bricks.

Things You'll Need

• Stakes
• String
• Shovel
• Concrete
• Plastic tub
• Trowel
• Standard bricks
• Mortar
• Chisel
• Sledgehammer

Instructions

Foundation

1. Push stakes into the soil to mark the perimeter for the brick wall. Keep it slightly wider than the width of two horizontally placed bricks and as long as the desired length of the wall. Make sure the soil over the site drains well. Use stakes to replicate the height of the brick wall. Run a string between the stakes.

2. Dig a 13- to 15-inch deep trench between the string perimeters for the foundation. Use a shovel for digging and collect the dirt in a wheelbarrow. Tamp the base of the trench.

3. Pour concrete to a plastic tub and add enough water so it has the consistency of ice cream. Pour it into the trench before it begins to harden. Level its top and allow it to cure for two to three days.

Laying Bricks

1. Lay a row of bricks over the cured foundation or footer without applying mortar. This gives you an idea of how the wall will look. Although there are many fancy ways of laying bricks, stick to the standard look of staggering rows for added security and aesthetics. Make the wall two bricks thick. Remove the bricks and keep them near the foundation so you can access them easily.

2. Add water to mortar until it is strong enough to hold its shape when you cut through it with a trowel. The mortar when scooped up and held upside down should stick to the trowel for a few seconds before falling off. Add enough water until you achieve the desired consistency.

3. Apply an even layer of mortar to the base and side of one brick before lowering it over a corner of the foundation. Press it down and scrape off excess mortar that oozes out from the sides with a trowel. Apply mortar to the sides and base of another brick and place it 1/4 inch away from the previous one. Repeat the process of laying the first row of bricks over the area.

4. Place a brick for the second row directly above the joint of any two bricks below to create a staggered effect. Continue applying mortar to the bricks and placing them over the previous bricks until you lay the second row. To break a brick into smaller pieces, position a chisel over it and pound it hard with a sledgehammer. Add rows of bricks until you reach your desired height.

5. Scrape off mortar from the sides of the wall and allow it to cure.

Tips & Warnings

• Check your town municipality for local codes that determine whether you can build a brick wall in your area without any permits. Most areas allow homeowners to build walls up to 3 feet tall.

References

• Cemix: Build a Retaining Wall
• Garden Advice: Build a Small Retaining Wall
• Quikrete: Basic Brick Construction
• Extreme How-To: Build a Brick Garden Wall