- 1). Lay down the "course," or the row of bricks, by spacing each brick 3/4 to 1-inch apart on the concrete foundation. The space between the bricks can be kept by using 3/4-inch "dowels," which are thin, cylindrical placement rods. Then use a chalk line to mark the location of the bricks on the foundation. Indicate both where the bricks end and the gaps between the bricks, also known as "joints," with a pencil.
- 2). Dampen the concrete foundation and bricks before mixing and throwing down the first layer of mortar. The trowel is the diamond-shaped masonry tool used to mix, shovel and distribute mortar. Then, "butter" the first brick, using the trowel to apply mortar to one side of the brick. This side of the brick will connect to the following brick. Once the brick is buttered, press it into the mortar that is lying on the foundation.
- 3). Make sure the first brick is perfectly vertical to the foundation, by aligning it with a leveling tool. Once the position is correct, tap the brick into the mortar with the back end of the trowel. Then, butter one end of the second brick and place its dry edge next to the mortared edge of the first brick. Make sure that you leave a "joint" or space of 3/4-inch between the two bricks, and pat the second brick into place. Continue the process of buttering one edge, aligning and tapping the bricks into the foundation mortar until the first row is complete.
- 4). Distribute another layer of mortar on top of the first row of bricks to lay down the second course, or row. This time, start by buttering a half brick, so that the second row's bricks alternate with the first. Lay the half brick down, and, using the level, align it to the first row, which should be perpendicular to the foundation. Tap the brick into place, and scrape away any excess mortar that was pushed down onto the wall. Continue, by buttering, laying and scraping each subsequently brick, making sure the 3/4-inch joint are consistent between each brick.
- 5). Continue to lay the brick courses until the height of the wall is achieved. Make sure that the bricks are leveled as the wall gets higher, before cleaning the excess mortar with a joint tool. Joint tools are narrow cylindrical instruments that help to give the mortar between the bricks a neat, slightly concave shape. Clean up the horizontal lines before the vertical, and scrape away any access with the trowel. When the mortar is almost set, brush any mortar remnants off of the brick's face. This will help give the wall a clean, finished look.
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