Brick Layer Question...Mason??

Call me nuts...I'm planning to brick up my shed....So, I've done some research ready to pour the footer but have a question on laying out the "story pole" so that my courses will come level the the top of windows. Problem: windows are not at the same height (different sizes). Any standard methods to compensate for these differences or cutting bricks to fit over the windows is the standard method.

I know...kind of a weird question...always want to lay some brick and be a "real man".
Any masons out there??

I bricked up a wall around a fireplace once.

I said afterwards if I ever had to make a choice between laying bricks for a living or starving to death, I'd just say to he11 with it and starve to death.

You either have to figure it out for each window or saw the bricks, which may look funny too. Maybe adding a filler strip of metal clad wood between the window and the header would work. When I was applying for my last job 30 years ago they asked a lot of questions about laying blocks, as if I would be expected to lay some. Most of the time they brought in a contractor but about 10 years ago there was a small job in my dept. and I said I want to lay those blocks! Half way through the job I wished I had kept my mouth shut!

You could use soldier courses above the windows and vary the length of the soldiers to stay on your courses

I wanted to have installed some masonry pillars with wrought iron panels in between them flanking the driveway in front of the house. I contacted the local Masons lodge but they were of no help whatsoever. Charitable orginization my eye.

Thanks....I like your idea!

the soldier course is a great answer and it will look good. did you dig for the footing yet? I was wondering if you researched the thin z brick where you could wire lath the shed plaster and the stick the bricks on,

Honest John, I am a Freemason, and do masonry work more as a hobby. My Granddad and Dad both did masonry work, and I learned from them. There is a lot of difference between who you called, and who you wanted. The Freemasons are a charitable group, we are the Ground Floor for the Shriners. Probably should have looked in the yellow pages under builders/construction...

I'm not a expert, so take this with a grain of salt. Most of the time you have the top of the windows regardles of size the same height, most times if reasonable it is the same height as the top of your walk doors.

Again just food for thought, results may ....

The neighbor just redid his brick on the front of the house. Used a row of limestone part way up which really sets of the red brick. Around the windows, they sawed the limestone about the same width as wood window trim. Really set the windows out. Minor variances in the height of the rows below the windows can be adjusted by cutting that bottom row to fit and isn't noticable from the street.

Do it right and you won't have to cut any bricks for height. Its as simple as using different size (thickness) mortar joints. Go to a masonry supply house and buy a brick rule!!!! They look like a 6' folding rule except they're laid out for different size mortar joints. Any place that sells them should have someone that can explain how to use it. You may use one size joint from the footings to the window sills, a different size joint from there to the top of the windows, and yet another size joint from there on up.

Good Idea...adjust the mortor joint to compensate for the differences. Is this a regular technique used in the brick laying field?

Thanks!

yes, it is . There are two different kinds of mason rules. One is called a modular spacing rule and the one to tighten or open the bed joints is called a brick spacing rule The brick spacing rule is a little harder to find you may have to go to a masonry supply yard, not a box store.

The vertical joints when laying brick are called head joints, the horizontal are called bed joints.

When laying brick properly both the head joints and bed joints are varying thickness to make it not necessary to cut any brick.

What you need to do is to measure measure measure.

First measure the distance from your footing to the bottom of the first window. Use a brick rule to determine your bedjoints and lay your first courses with that spacing. This will make it not necessary to cut a brick under the window. Then measure the distance from the top of the laid brick to the bottom of the next window. Figure the spacing and lay the brick to that size bed joint. Once all the windows are started measure to the top of the window(s) and do the same thing. Once all the openings are bricked past you measure to the top plate and use that spacing.

All the time that you are doing this you measure the distance from the corner to an opening and from opening to opening and vary the head joint spacing as well to make sure that you end up with full and half bricks only being used when laying your courses.

There is much more than what meets the eye to a properly done brick job.

Make sure if you work with another guy you don't end up with a hog in the wall. This is a major SNAFU and will most definitely ruin your day.

Great Info....good explaination. Thanks!