Advice on buidling a semi-circular wall

[diy_optimist]

Hi,
I'm trying to build a semi-circular pond in our back yard against the back wall using a large pile of victorian bricks that we have.

The diameter of the pond would be 1.5m so the curve will be quite tight and will be 2 rows deep and i'm hoping 6 high. Does anyone have any advice on a brick layout that will give me an attractive curved wall?

no matter which way i try and lay the bricks out there is always an unsightly gap were the bricks meet and the two rows don't fit snugly beside each other.

as you can no doubt tell i'm a complete novice at this, so any help would be much appreciated!

 

[breezer]

chop the bricks in half, less of , sorry cant think of the word, but try a few and see waht i mean

 

[Thermo]

are you laying them stretcher bond? for a tight curve you will need to do them as headers (the short face of the brick) to get the curve and keep the perps looking good.

 

[ModernMaterials]

I built a half oval wall against an existing brick wall using two metal pins as the centres.

You only need one pin for your centre though. Start by banging it in close to the wall and make sure it is perfectly vertical and slightly higher than the wall you intend to build. (A length of rebar is ideal for this.) Make sure it is tight against the wall but has enough gap behind to get a keyring freely swivellling on it.

once the pin and the key ring are in place, you can attach a line to the key ring and use it to guage the corner of each brick you lay, ensuring a constant radius. you can use a level on the existing courses of the back wall to keep your curved courses level or if you are using different sized bricks, mark the new courses on the existing wall before you start (in pencil)

you can buy masonry saws relatively cheaply if you want to shape the brick-ends and lay them stretcher bond (or you could use a stihl saw)

 

[WabbitPoo]

As Thermo said, lay them so their length points along the radius, not around the circumference. ie as headers.

 

[Thermo]

you may need to cut the headers though

 

[noseall]

when both sides of a tight curved wall are visible, then you will need to use 'snap headers'. this could be said for a 'well' type construction

you need to cut every brick in half, and build each leaf independently, forming two leaves out of each half brick.

 

[Thermo]

thats what i said didnt i?

how was the holiday noseall?

 

[breezer]

thats what i said didnt i?

but i said it first

 

[noseall]

[quote="Thermo"

thats what i said didnt i?

yup! just confirming the terminology of snap headers.

how was the holiday noseall

busy. spent the week constantly monitoring the sprogs. gone a bit paranoid since the Madeleine thing.
otherwise typical Spain. sun and sangria, thanks.

[/quote]

 

[Thermo]

noseall, have a look at my question about the dewalt 708 on the materials thread old chap (one about dewalt rip off)

 

[noseall]

'tis done wise one.

 

[Thermo]

thanks oh mystical one... i would apologise for hijacking the thread but i didnt think the mmods would mind with the amount i answer in here!

 

[diy_optimist]

thanks for this its been a great help.

though leads me on to another question.
Can anyone explain why when I'm cutting bricks in half with a bolster the break is more often than not slightly diagonal rather than straight throught the brick?

 

[noseall]

use a brick hammer.