Building a brick landscape wall is a great way to add a touch of old-world charm to your yard. The process involves lots of hard work, but if you’re up for it, you can build your own brick landscape wall in a single weekend.
When you’re ready to build a landscape wall, the first step is choosing a location for it. Then, you’ll need to decide on its size and shape, keeping in mind that certain architectural styles may require more complex layouts. Once you have those fundamentals sorted out, you’ll be ready to start excavation! From there, all you need is some patience and precision, plus a little extra help—from bricks for the wall itself and perhaps a few friends or family members—and before long, your wall will be done.
Choose a location.
You’ll want to choose a location that gets plenty of sun. It’s also important to make sure the wall is not too close to the house and other structures on your property. You don’t want your wall to be so close it blocks access from your driveway, pool or other areas of the yard.
It’s important that you have some distance between your structure and any fencing, pools and driveways as well.
Decide on the wall size and shape.
After you’ve decided on your wall’s shape and size, you can begin to order your bricks. Brick walls can be made of different shapes and sizes; however, the most common are square or rectangular. If you’d like to go for a more unique look, curved bricks are also available
Brick walls can create some interesting landscape features in your yard. For example:
- Use them as a border around your patio or deck
- Build a retaining wall for your garden
- Create an arched entranceway into your property
- Make a small fire pit with stacked bricks (great for cooking over)
Excavate the area carefully, keeping soil in one place nearby.
Excavate the area carefully, keeping soil in one place nearby. Use a shovel to dig the trench. Use a spade to dig the trench. Use a hoe to dig the trench. Use a pick to dig the trench.
Dig a trench that is 12 inches wide and 6 inches deep.
Make sure you level the ground where you will be digging. Dig a trench that is 12 inches wide and 6 inches deep using a power auger. Use a shovel to remove dirt from the trench, removing any rocks from the bottom of it as well. Check that your trench is straight by using a level on both sides of it to ensure they are even with each other
Place the first row of bricks in the trench, flat side against the ground and rounded edge facing up.
The first row of bricks is aligned with the edges of the trench, and your job is to make sure it’s level. Use a metal level to check that the bricks are straight and level with one another and also level with the ground. If you don’t have a portable tool like this, you can use a straight 2×4 to do this by placing it in between each individual brick in your first course.
Fill the space between each brick with gravel.
Fill the space between each brick with gravel. Gravel is a good material to fill the space between bricks due to its affordability and availability at most hardware stores. It’s also easy to spread and level. In addition, sand can be difficult to work with because it requires more effort than gravel does.
When you’re ready, start filling in your landscape wall with gravel until it reaches about 4 inches above ground level (or whatever height you want your wall). You may find that it’s easier if someone else helps you out with this step.
Pour mortar over the gravel, or use a trowel to apply it yourself.
Next, you’ll want to pour mortar over the gravel. Mortar is a mixture of sand, cement and water—not unlike concrete (but not quite as hard). The sand provides strength, while the cement sets it into place. In this case, we’re using a trowel to apply the mortar evenly over our gravel bedding layer.
If you’re using pre-mixed commercial mortar such as Quickrete’s Foundation Mix or CMU Fills Cement Mixer, be sure to follow their instructions closely—they’ll give you detailed instructions on how much water exactly should go into your mix so that it has just enough moisture without being too wet or too dry. You can also make your own DIY mortar by combining equal amounts of Portland cement and sand with enough clean water until it becomes like dough––but again: follow those steps closely.
Add another row of bricks on top of the first row, using a metal level to make sure they’re even.
- Use a metal level to make sure that the bricks are level, and use it to check that the rows of bricks are straight.
- Lay down the second row of bricks on top of the first, using a metal level to make sure they’re even.
Add layers like this until you’ve reached your desired height for the wall.
Add layers like this until you’ve reached your desired height for the wall.
- Make sure that the bricks are level with each other and use a level to check it.
- Use a trowel to spread mortar on the bricks, then smooth it out with a trowel.
- Fill in any gaps between bricks with more mortar if necessary.
Fill in any spaces between bricks with mortar, then smooth it over with a trowel.
When you’re done laying the bricks, it’s time to fill in any spaces between them with mortar and smooth it out. Use a metal level to make sure they’re level.
The back of each brick should be flat so that you can stack them with no gaps between them. If there are gaps, take some mortar and push it into those spaces. A layer of gravel will help keep the mortar from cracking as well as provide drainage for plants that sit on top of your wall later on (we’ll talk about this more in Step 5). Smooth out any bumps or cracks using a sponge or trowel until everything looks neat and even! Let the wall cure for at least 5 days before putting plants in front of it; otherwise they might get damaged by moisture coming off its unfinished surface
Keep new mortar from drying too quickly by spraying it with water every day until cured (usually 5 days).
Moisture is the enemy of new mortar. It can dry out too quickly and cause the bricks to crack. To keep new mortar from drying too quickly, spray it with water every day until cured (usually 5 days). Make sure to use a spray bottle that won’t clog up as you continue applying water to your wall.
The best way to do this is by first cleaning off any dust or dirt from your bricks, then spraying them with some water from your garden hose or a showerhead attachment on the end of a hose. You’ll want enough water pressure so that you cover all sides of each brick but not too much pressure as this may wash away some of your mortar as well.
Landscape walls are pretty easy to build yourself
Building a brick landscape wall is a DIY project that can save you money and add value to your property.
You’re going to need some supplies if you want to build your own brick landscape wall. Here’s what I used:
- A level
- Sledgehammer or sledgehammer-like tool (you can use a heavy rock if you don’t have one)
- Brick laying trowel (or just use an old shovel)
Conclusion
Building a brick landscape wall can be so much fun! You get to choose exactly where you want it, the shape of it, and the size of it. Then, you get to dig into the earth and build up a whole new section for your garden that’s beautiful and functional. It’s also surprisingly easy, as long as you have all the right tools (or know someone who does!). If you’re not sure how many bricks to buy or if this is really something you want to do yourself—don’t worry about it.
