Real Estate Construction | How To Lay Brick

People often have a misconception that brick laying is an easy task. There are some inexperienced bricklayers who claim to create beautiful and uniform wall only to find that their efforts have given rise to a faulty shifting wall which will quickly become a pile of rubble. Bricklaying is an art and a serious profession that requires study and foresight.

A brick consists of three parts: the face or the front, the top or the bottom and the ends. Depending upon how you plan to use the bricks, each of these three parts can be laid in two positions. The pattern in which the bricks are laid is called Bond. There are different types of bonds such as running bond, header bond and Flemish bond.

Lets us look at the running bond also known as half bond. This is the most commonly used brick patterns because it is easy to lay. In this type of pattern the stretcher bricks are set in rows which are offset by half a brick and each row of bricks is known as course. When undertaking a project to lay bricks it is important at ascertain the number of bricks that you will need to complete the project and minimize waste. To calculate the number of bricks that you will need you will have to calculate the area of the project that you are building. That area you then multiply by seven, because there are 7 bricks in one square foot of area. This will give you the total number of bricks that you will need to complete your project.

Once you ascertain the number of bricks you will need it is time to look at other materials that you will need to complete the project. One of the key ingredients in the bricklaying process is the mortar. It is a mixture of masonry cement, fine mason sand and water. You will also need other tools such as bricklaying trowe, pointing trowel, mason's modular spacing rule, brick hammer, mason's braided nylon line, all-purpose masonry brush, combination wire brush and scraper, wheelbarrow and mortar pans or mortarboards among other items.

It is important to get the mortar and the water mixture perfect because if the mortar is very dry it will not spread, while on the other hand if it contains more water and is too wet, it will run and will not grip its shape properly on the trowel. When you are ready to spread the mortar, hold the trowel by its handle in such a way that your thumb is on the top. Work it through the mortar and develop a feel by trying to pick up the mortar with the side and the heel of the trowel.

Pick the brick in one hand and a trowel full of mortar in the other hand. Apply the mortar by snapping it off the trowel. Do this two or three time and each time moving ahead and overlapping each snap of mortar. Spread the mortar to make it uniform in thickness. Once you have prepared the bed for laying the bricks you must put the mortar on the head of the brick to make a head joint. The mortar must be neatly applied and must be smooth and compact enough to hold on to the mortar joint. Take the first brick and apply enough mortar to lay it down. Lay the brick and gently tap with the heel of the trowel. Remove the excess mud with the blade of the trowel and put it back into the mortar pan. Place the spirit lever on top of the brick and make it level, lengthwise, by gently tapping on it. Check the eight using the modular rule and tap it down if it is too high. Repeat the same process for the last brick. Range the two end brick with a nylon line. Once the range is established and the first and the last bricks laid, the rest of the bricks are just sitting as dry layout. Lay the first unlaid brick, keep it in your hand and get enough mud on the trowel. Make a mortar joint, the head joint, and keep the top surface of the brick even with the nylon line. Continue with this till you lay the last brick in the course called the closure. Continue to lay the second course for following the same procedure, only this time shifting half a brick ahead or behind to create the running bond.

Staying Within Budget On A Construction Project

Reliable sources indicate that proper budgeting and management of construction projects reduces stress and saves money. With today's emphasis on maximizing every dollar, careful planning that focuses even more attention on costs and energy efficient materials have changed the way individuals are viewing their construction projects.

Most construction projects begin with laying out a realistic budget with time frames and funds that are adequate to accommodate for any unexpected incidents. Suppliers and contractors may need some time to order materials or schedule crews, and for that reason, being flexible can often times earn a better price.

To avoid any unnecessary time constraints, experts stress the idea of shopping around in today's buyer's market for the best deals on materials before starting the project. Suppliers can usually offer discounts on overstocks or returns that are not available on new stock items. When this isn't possible, give the supplier plenty of time to receive the materials before they will be needed on the construction site to avoid delays.

Going green with construction materials is designed to improve the environment and the results will save energy. While this may cost more upfront, the lifetimes savings in energy bills are worth considering. Bat insulation made out of recycled cotton or a vegetable oil based polyurethane spray is both free of volatile organic compounds (VOC's) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's).

Other 'green' areas to consider include low VOC paints, certified sustainable wood products, bamboo, tank-less water heaters and water efficient toilets and shower heads. Solar panels installed on the home and underground thermal heating systems can save staggering amounts of money on the energy bill. While some of these options may appear pricey at first, keep in mind that there are several tax incentive programs as well as discounts offered by some energy companies for the use of these revolutionary technologies. The idea is to look at every aspect of the project to see where energy can be saved and/or sustainability can be supported.

All projects should have an allowance for the unexpected. Discrepancies may be found during construction and remodeling projects will have an even greater likelihood of discovering problems during demolition. Experienced contractors suggest a reserve that is determined by the complexity of the project, and is usually somewhere between five and twenty percent.

Using a good project management tool will go a long way toward a successful project. It will help to lay out a chronology for the project as well as providing time lines and reminders of all of the steps necessary for completion. In addition, it is important to assign duties to avoid finger pointing or steps being missed. Regular reviews of progress and the next steps in sequence, along with plan or budget revisions, will keep everyone on task.

Many contractors agree that the easiest way to exceed the budget is by changing the plans or materials. This will incur change orders adding additional unplanned cost, so it is always best to decide for certain what you want before beginning a project. Quality and quantity of materials should be determined and adhered to in order to keep the project on time and on budget.

Having a well thought out plan and sticking to it is the surest way to a successful project.