How To Lay A Brick Garden Wall

Constructing a brick garden wall is an easy way to add character and charm to your backyard. The process is straightforward and you can do it yourself in one day.

Before you start to lay a brick garden wall, you’ll need to prepare the ground and dig out the foundations. The depth of the foundation will depend on how high your wall is, but remember that this part is crucial because it’s what makes the wall secure and stable. Once you’ve finished digging your foundations, you’ll have to mix concrete, which can be tricky if you’ve never done it before. Then comes the fun bit: laying bricks! It might take time, but as long as you keep working at it steadily, bricklaying is a relatively straightforward process. Just make sure that while you’re building your brick garden wall up in layers, each layer is roughly level and straight. If everything goes well with that—and finally some cementing—you should end up with a strong and attractive brick garden wall for years to come.

Design the wall.

To begin, you need to know what kind of wall you want to build. This means measuring the space, considering the style of your house and garden and also looking at your yard’s overall landscape design.

If your space is small, then a short brick wall would be ideal—but if it’s larger than 4 feet wide, then a long brick garden wall would be more fitting. You will also need to take into account how many bricks you have on hand or how much money you are willing to spend on materials before making a decision about which type of brick garden wall will work best for this project.

Check the ground.

Before you start digging, it’s important to make sure that your ground is clear of any obstructions. This means checking for:

  • Water or dampness. If the soil is too wet, wait until it dries out before proceeding with the project. You can also dig a drainage channel at the base of your wall so water doesn’t pool around it and cause problems later on.
  • Roots. If there are roots already growing in your desired area, you may have to find an alternative site or use more than one layer of bricks to cover them up when building your wall (which will add strength). If this happens, remember that roots grow outward from trees—not downward—so if possible work around them instead of trying to remove them entirely (you’ll want some space between each brick anyway).
  • Stones or large rocks that could damage tools like shovels and picks when moved during construction; these should be removed before digging

Mark out the wall on the ground.

First, mark out the wall on the ground. Use a spirit level to get it straight, a string line to get it straight, a laser level to get it straight, or a tape measure and plumb bob if you don’t have any fancy equipment.

Dig a trench.

To lay a brick garden wall, you need to dig a trench. The depth of the trench depends on how much of your garden you want to be covered by your wall. You should also make sure that it has enough room for the gravel layer below and for a post-hole digger or other tool that will help you get through hard soil if necessary.

Once you’ve measured out your trench, use string as a guide to mark it out with stakes and string along one edge of the area where you’ll be working (this will help ensure even spacing between each brick). Use a shovel to dig down into the ground until there’s enough room for gravel, then add in some gravel before leveling off with more dirt or sand (depending on what kind of soil is present), placing boards across top of area where they meet firmly together so they won’t move when pressure is applied during construction process later on.

Lay a concrete footing.

To begin, you will need to have a concrete footing poured. This base is essential for the wall to remain sturdy as well as for it to bear the weight of whatever else you decide to put on top of it. Concrete footings spread out any pressure from above so that the wall’s foundation remains solid and stable. The footing should also be deep enough that it allows for frost protection in cold-climate areas (around 6 inches).

Frost heaves are caused by ground temperatures changing throughout the seasons, causing soil moisture content changes which then push against your wall’s foundation and cause cracking and other damage to your beautiful brick garden wall.

Lay the first layer of bricks.

Lay the first layer of bricks.

  • Start by laying a row of bricks in a header bond pattern, starting from where you want to put your gatepost (if applicable) and finishing at the end point for your wall.
  • Use a bricklayer’s trowel to place mortar onto each brick, then use it to press them into place. You can use a plumb line or spirit level to check that each layer is straight and level as you go along.
  • When you get to the end point for your wall, build up another row of headers and continue building up until you reach ground-level again, or up to whichever height is appropriate for what look you want (you can always add more later).

Lay the second layer of bricks in ‘header bond’.

Lay the second layer of bricks in ‘header bond’. This is the most common way to lay bricks, as it is the pattern in which they are laid in the first course.

Header bond can be described as a staggered pattern where two bricks are placed side by side, then one brick is set back (halfway between them), followed by another pair of bricks that sit beside each other, and so on.

The purpose of this arrangement is to make sure your wall remains straight while you work and also makes it easier for you to ensure that all your lines are level when placing your next row of bricks.

Build up the wall in layers.

To build up the wall in layers, add a layer of bricks, then a layer of mortar and make sure each brick is level before moving on. Repeat this process until you have enough bricks to reach your desired height.

Add more reinforcement as you go up.

As you go up with your brick wall, you will need to add additional reinforcement to provide stability. The same is true for strength. This is necessary for durability and safety, as well. If you want it to look better or last longer, then of course it makes sense to add reinforcement.

In addition:

Build corners and returns by staggering joints each layer.

  • Build corners and returns by staggering joints each layer.
  • You can build corner walls with a return or without one, depending on your preference. A return is created by extending the wall out beyond where two adjacent walls meet to create a 90 degree angle, while an “outrigger” wall runs parallel to an existing wall and may or may not be attached to it.
  • In order for your brick garden walls to look their best, you’ll want them to have a consistent look from top-to-bottom. This means that the bricks should be staggered so that they overlap slightly with bricks above them, are offset from joints in the previous layer and are offset from joints in adjacent walls (not vertical mortar joints). It’s also important that the vertical mortar lines do not line up with horizontal mortar lines (as shown below).

Add damp-proof membranes, insulation and weep vents.

  • What are the benefits of damp-proof membranes?

Damp-proof membranes are put at the base of a wall to stop moisture from rising into your house. They will also help to keep frost out in the winter, which could otherwise cause damage to the brickwork. They’re usually made from bitumen and rubber, so they can withstand heavy weathering and pressure without cracking or breaking.

  • What is a weep vent?

A weep vent is an opening in the brickwork that allows water vapour to escape from inside your home—and it’s required by law for all new houses built since 2000. This means any old houses need them too if they were built before then. It’s important that you don’t cover up this opening with mortar because if you do, it will trap more moisture inside your walls; this could lead to damp patches on ceilings or walls inside your house (and nobody wants that).

Add corbels for a cill or capstone for an old-fashioned finish.

If you want to add a decorative finish, you can use corbels for a cill or capstones for an old-fashioned finish. Alternatively, if you want a simple wall but with some interest, try using brick arches or circles. To make it as easy as possible and to help prevent mistakes later on, try laying your wall level at the beginning and keep checking every now and again while building it up. If one section is lower than another then this will create problems when making corners later on because they will not match up properly and may even fall apart completely.

Building brick walls is hard work but should be good for several years once it is done.

Brick walls are a great addition to any home, and not just because of the aesthetic value. Brick walls provide excellent insulation, keeping your house cozy in winter and cool in summer. They are also very sturdy and last for many years if properly maintained. Brick garden walls can be built on a budget, or you can use expensive materials like reclaimed bricks if you want something fancier. If you have chosen to go with the latter option, then this article will help you lay one out with ease.

First things first: Make sure that your ground is prepared properly before starting any construction work. If it is not level enough, your brick wall will follow suit! You should start by digging up any weeds or plant roots that may grow in between the bricks when they are set into place later on down the road (about 2 feet deep). Then compact all loose soil using either a tamper or hand tools such as shovels/spades until it becomes firm but not compacted so much that water cannot drain through easily without overflowing onto dryer places nearby rather than being absorbed by healthy plants located nearby which need moisture during hot summer months especially those growing close together like tomato plants do well planted underneath these types of structures where shade provides needed relief from direct sunlight exposure but still allows light penetration through leaves despite being protected from harsh rays which would otherwise damage their photosynthetic processes causing early deaths among other things.”

Conclusion

Building a garden wall is hard work so you need to make sure you have the right tools and equipment before you start. If in doubt, the best thing to do is contact a builder who can look at your plans and work out what needs doing.

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