Prevent bricks moving when laying brick line

[omph]

When laying the initial bricks, how do you stop them moving as you lay the brick line ?

 

[noseall]

When laying the initial bricks, how do you stop them moving as you lay the brick line ?

Make sure they are dead before you lay them.

 

[^woody^]

The string line or the line of bricks?

 

[omph]

The string line or the line of bricks?

The string line. Two bricks on either end of the wall with a string in between.

 

[liftfan]

Are you saying you have a single brick at each end of the wall and the string won't stay in place when run between them?

If so, try using more than one brick at each end so they stay in place. Then put one or two bricks on top of the string.

Like this:

 

[liftfan]

There are different gadgets available to hold the string but something like this maybe

 

[^woody^]

Unless it's just one course, don't lay just one brick, as that leads to inaccuracies which compound with every single other one brick.
Build a corner.

If you must lay one brick, try stacking a few dry bricks on top or a heavy block.
Otherwise, here's the principle to stop the line pulling it off. This stops the line pulling on the one side of the brick. The brick on top holds the line at the arris.

Alternatively, wrap the line around a brick and then pin the line in the wall further back, this restrains the brick from being pulled forward and does not pull on the laid brick.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

I usually just put a couple more bricks crossways across the one that's giving the level. I usually put the string block on top of these loose bricks, with the string pointing downwards and looping under them. This way it's not as dependent on the tension keeping it in place, so it's less likely to fall off as you walk away to the other end while unwinding the string. The string is held against the bottom of the loose brick on top of it, not actually touching the laid brick at all, just resting against its edge. Also it allows you to get the string about a string width away from the laid brick, as it should be for the rest.

Or you can put the string block against some other random brick, looping around the loose ones. Much better, then it's held firmly.

But it's much easier if you can find a way of laying the ends before filling in between them, e.g. building up the corners then filling in the next day. Or use corner profiles, in which case the string isn't attached to the bricks at all.

Edit: Woody beat me to most of it while I typed, with pretty pictures too.

 

[jeds]

Years ago I worked in Aussie. One job was a huge long retaining wall behind a hotel called the Red Bluff Hotel. We used to set a $5 bill as a tingle in the centre of the course and lay from each end. The first to $5 kept it and the other bloke put the next one in.

Once set up, you must realise that each brick (laid to the line) MUST NOT touch the line. What you actually do is lay the brick close to the line without touching. Else the line will move each time and the course will end up way out.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Years ago I worked in Aussie. One job was a huge long retaining wall behind a hotel called the Red Bluff Hotel. We used to set a $5 bill as a tingle in the centre of the course and lay from each end. The first to $5 kept it and the other bloke put the next one in.

Once set up, you must realise that each brick (laid to the line) MUST NOT touch the line. What you actually do is lay the brick close to the line without touching. Else the line will move each time and the course will end up way out.

I bet that brickwork was a bit rough, if the brickies were racing for $5 per course, plus payment of the $5 for the next course if you lose!

Today I've learnt what a tingle is...

Tingle

Use: Tingle plate used to keep lines from sagging in middle of a long string line Notched to allow string line to pass under and over tingle Dimensions: 115 x 50mm Thickness: 1.5mm Material: Zinc plated steel for superior corrosion resistance Designed and manufactured in Britain using the...

www.rhino-build.com

Probably overkill for my current shed project though.

Agree though, the bricks shouldn't touch the string. Therefore the string shouldn't touch the end brick if that is the reference you're using, otherwise all the rest of them will all be inset by a couple of mm. Or if you bump each brick into the string you'll just end up with a massive bow outwards as you go along.

 

[opps]

Are you saying you have a single brick at each end of the wall and the string won't stay in place when run between them?

If so, try using more than one brick at each end so they stay in place. Then put one or two bricks on top of the string.

Like this:

I started to feel sea sick towards the end of the video...

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Are you saying you have a single brick at each end of the wall and the string won't stay in place when run between them?

If so, try using more than one brick at each end so they stay in place. Then put one or two bricks on top of the string.

Like this:

I've watched a few of his videos. I hate to be an armchair critic, and it's hard to tell from a video, but he does seem to put as much fresh air as mortar in, there must be huge pockets under each brick with the way he furrows it so deeply into the frogs below.

 

[noseall]

Once set up, you must realise that each brick (laid to the line) MUST NOT touch the line. What you actually do is lay the brick close to the line without touching. Else the line will move each time and the course will end up way out.

Correct.

 

[Charlie George]

I've watched a few of his videos. I hate to be an armchair critic, and it's hard to tell from a video, but he does seem to put as much fresh air as mortar in, there must be huge pockets under each brick with the way he furrows it so deeply into the frogs below.

I lay about 20 bricks before he starts laying

 

[stuart45]

Like the way he joints up, 2 perps then the bed.