Brick Laying Basics: A Beginner's Guide to Masonry

Updated March 2026 · By the MasonryCalcs Team

Brick laying is one of the oldest construction skills, and it remains one of the most satisfying to learn. A well-laid brick wall is structurally sound, weather-resistant, and visually striking — and it requires no specialized power tools. The fundamentals have not changed in centuries: prepare a solid foundation, mix consistent mortar, keep your courses level, and finish your joints cleanly. This guide covers the core techniques that every brick project demands, from a simple garden wall to a full-height veneer.

Essential Tools for Brick Laying

You need surprisingly few tools to lay brick. A mason's trowel is the primary tool — use it for spreading mortar, buttering bricks, and tapping blocks into position. Buy a quality trowel with a comfortable handle; you will use it for every single brick. A brick hammer scores and breaks bricks for cuts, though a masonry saw with a diamond blade produces cleaner results for visible work.

A 4-foot level is essential for checking each course. A string line and line blocks keep long runs straight between corners. A jointer (also called a striking tool) shapes and compresses the mortar joints after they begin to set. A mortar board or hawk holds a working supply of mortar at arm height so you are not bending to the ground every few seconds. Round out your kit with a tape measure, pencil, and a 5-gallon bucket for mixing.

• Mason's trowel: 10-11 inch Philadelphia pattern for general work
• Brick hammer: for scoring and breaking bricks to size
• 4-foot level and string line: for course alignment
• Jointer: concave or V-shaped for weather-resistant joint profiles
• Mortar board or hawk: keeps working mortar accessible

Mixing Mortar Correctly

Mortar is the adhesive that binds bricks together, and its consistency makes or breaks the job. Pre-mixed mortar (Type S or Type N) is convenient — just add water and mix until you reach a workable consistency. The mortar should hold its shape when you slice through it with a trowel but be wet enough to stick to the brick. The classic test: pull your trowel through the mortar and the groove should hold without the sides collapsing.

Mix only as much mortar as you can use in 30-45 minutes. Once mortar begins to set, adding water (retempering) weakens the bond strength. In hot weather, mortar sets faster — mix smaller batches and keep the mortar board in the shade. In cold weather below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, mortar may not cure properly; avoid laying brick if temperatures will drop below freezing within 24 hours of placement.

Laying Your First Course

Start by dry-laying the first course without mortar to establish spacing and identify where you need cut bricks. Standard mortar joints are 3/8 inch thick, so account for this in your spacing. Mark the brick positions on the foundation or footing, then remove them and spread a mortar bed about 1 inch thick and 2-3 bricks long.

Press the first brick into the mortar bed and tap it down with the trowel handle until the joint is 3/8 inch thick. Check level in both directions. Butter the end of the next brick with mortar and press it against the first, squeezing the head joint to 3/8 inch. Scrape off excess mortar that squeezes out and throw it back on the mortar board. Continue across the course, checking level every 3-4 bricks.

Bond Patterns and Their Uses

Running bond is the most common pattern — each course offsets by half a brick. It is simple, strong, and works for walls, veneers, and pavements. Stack bond aligns every course vertically for a modern, grid-like appearance but requires metal ties or reinforcement because the lack of overlap weakens the structure.

Flemish bond alternates headers (short face) and stretchers (long face) in each course, creating a distinctive pattern used in traditional architecture. English bond alternates entire courses of headers and stretchers. Header courses tie the wall together in thickness, making these patterns structural — they were developed for solid brick walls where the bond pattern literally held the wall together. For modern veneer work over a frame, running bond is standard.

Building Corners and Leads

Professional masons build the corners (called leads) first, stepping up several courses at each end, then fill in between using a string line for alignment. The corner lead serves as a height and alignment reference for the entire wall section. To build a lead, lay 5-7 bricks in the first course at the corner, then step back by half a brick on each subsequent course, creating a stair-step pattern.

Check the corner lead for plumb (vertical straightness) on both faces and for level on every course. Use a story pole — a straight board marked with course heights including mortar joints — to verify consistent course spacing. Once both corner leads are built, stretch a string line between them at the top of the first course and fill in the bricks between, using the string as your straightness guide. Move the string up one course at a time.

Finishing Joints: Tooling and Timing

Joint finishing (tooling or striking) happens after the mortar has stiffened enough to hold a thumbprint but is not yet hard — typically 30-60 minutes after laying, depending on temperature and humidity. Press the jointer along the mortar joint with firm, even pressure to compress and shape the surface. Tool horizontal joints first, then vertical joints.

The concave joint is the most weather-resistant profile because it compresses the mortar surface and sheds water efficiently. V-joints also perform well. Flush joints and raked (recessed) joints look clean but are more susceptible to water penetration because the surface is not compressed. For exterior walls exposed to rain, always use concave or V-joint profiles. After tooling, brush the wall lightly with a soft masonry brush to remove mortar crumbs.