Building a brick wall on a slope requires the use of batter boards and stakes, which are used to mark the top and bottom of each course. This ensures that each course is level with the one below it. You can use a level to check your work, but if you’re building on an uneven surface or if you’re not confident in your ability to get it right, it’s best to set up batter boards and stakes as guides for your bricks.
Building a brick wall on a slope is not as difficult as it may seem. There are many different techniques that you can use to build a brick wall on a slope, but there are also some things you should keep in mind when building one.
Here are some tips for how to do it:
Knowing the basics
You probably know what a brick wall is, but maybe you don’t. A brick wall is a structure that’s made out of bricks. You probably already knew that. What you might not know is what a brick wall slope is and how it differs from a regular brick wall—and if you do know the difference, then great! But for those who don’t, here are some basics:
But if we tilt up or down and view the same thing from another angle, we get something more like this: [image with arrow pointing at an imaginary slanted surface]
Mark the area
- Mark the area with string.
- Mark the area with chalk.
- Mark the area with a tape measure.
- Mark the area with a laser level.
- Mark the area with a spirit level.
- Mark the area with a plumb line.
Mark the block areas
Mark the area with string and use a compass to mark the corners.
Use a chalk line to mark the lines for your block wall.
Measure flat areas with a level, and make sure your lines are level using a spirit level.
Dig out the trench
To start, you’ll need to dig out the trench. To do this, use a shovel or other tool to remove dirt from your yard until there’s enough room for the bricks. Make sure that it is at least deep enough for the bricks and wide enough so that they will fit snugly into place without falling out of place when they are laid down.
Lay your gravel base
- Spread the mortar over the entire surface of your wall with a trowel.
- Use a brick trowel to spread it evenly and without clumps, then wipe off any excess with a damp sponge or cloth. Do not use too much mortar, as this can cause problems later on.
Start laying the bricks
The first thing you want to do when laying a brick wall is make sure that your bricks are level, straight, and spaced evenly. If any of these things are off, it will look bad and ruin the whole project.
- Make sure your bricks are level by using a spirit level or laser level (these are tools that tell you if something is flat).
- Make sure your bricks are straight by using a ruler or trowel (a tool for smoothing out mortar). This can be done by eye or with a long piece of string tied from one end of the wall to another so that there are no gaps between them. Then use plumb bob lines at intervals along both sides of each row until they all line up perfectly with each other.
- Make sure your bricks aren’t too close together because this makes them weak; however also don’t put them too far apart because then they’ll be difficult to fit into place later on in construction.
Leave for 24 hours to dry and set.
Make sure the bricks are level, straight and plumb. Check that they’re square with a spirit level.
If you’ve set the bricks as recommended, they should be in place now so leave them for 24 hours to dry and set before you go on with any further work.
Build a brick wall on a slope.
The first step in building a brick wall on a slope is to make sure that the surface is flat and level. You can easily do this with a spirit level, which you can buy at any hardware store. If your grade is not perfectly level, use shims under the outer row of bricks to compensate for it (see image below).
When laying bricks on a slope, it’s important not to push them in too far or they’ll be unstable—the bottom row should just barely be touching when set into place. Also keep in mind that this technique works only for walls up to about five feet high; anything taller than that will need mortar along its base in order not to fall over.
Conclusion
As you can see, building a brick wall on a slope is not that difficult. It just takes careful planning and more time to get it done properly. With the tips we’ve covered in this article, you’ll be able to build yours with confidence and know that the job will last for years to come
