Brick laying advice

[H F]

In the next couple of months I want to embark on a new project and wanted to get some advice as I prepare.

 

In our garage, we have an area of wall missing - please see photos. We were able to get some really nice reclaimed bricks, and I wanted to brick up that wall. As I've never laid bricks before, the objective is not to get a professional finish, as the rest of the garage isn't in that style anyway, but I want to get some advice on how to proceed.

 

For example, do I lay a concrete base (foundation) to build on?

 

The wall slants away, so is it OK if I follow the slant?

 

Any other advice or pitfalls would be massively appreciated at this point.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Edited August 19, 2019 by Home Farm

[Carrerahill]

6 hours ago, Home Farm said:

For example, do I lay a concrete base (foundation) to build on?

 

The wall slants away, so is it OK if I follow the slant?

Yes to the foundation, you need something, it's been a fireplace so there may be some "concrete" but it may not take the load of a wall and was probably just a base for the fireplace, I would carefully dig down and see what you have. I would not be surprised if that wall has no foundation like you would expect to find nowadays. You need to be careful, a big heavy foundation next to a "stone on ground" build could have issues such as differential settlement, the existing wall can move as ground conditions change, dry out in summer and become wet in the winter, a concrete found will change the way in which your new wall would move, so I would first work it all out, work out your ground conditions then get in a found of some sort that is sympathetic to the original construction.

 

Once you dig out don't leave it open for too long, the removed material can cause the ground around to settle into the space which could cause cracking. I'd want to dig it out, work it out and have it refilled within a day. A lightweight found may be the answer - the original may just be large pieces of stone upon which the rest is built - you could mimic this with some trench block and a light concrete at the base to level it all out. Only disturb as much soil as you need this means your new construction can sit on undisturbed sub-soil - never a good idea to dig down then fill it back in as you end up with a layer that will settle which is why founds are poured directly onto a solid undisturbed sub layer.

 

At the end of the day it is a couple of hundred bricks to tidy up a wall and I would not get too hung up on it all but at the same time be aware of conditions or you may end up with the new wall popping away from the old. 

 

It all depends on what you are trying to achieve, are you just going to brick in the gap flush with the rest and follow the shape of the opening? Are you going to build out a chimney breast feature? 

 

You will need to tie the new wall - you can little L shape ties which can be fixed as and when they are needed. You could possibly use a wall starter tie kit on the two vertical sections but I think that may be overkill.

 

In terms of the slant then yes as it's not a structural wall and really just a facade - other wise you end up with a straight wall against a slanted wall and it would look daft. 

 

I would use lime mortar too, not ordinary Portland to give a better match and keep it looking shall we say... "rough".

 

Those bricks look nice.

 

 

Edited August 19, 2019 by Carrerahill

[H F]

Thank you for the great advice and apologies for the delayed response in thank you.I have printed this reply out and will definitely refer to it when the time comes to commence with this project.

On 19/08/2019 at 14:53, Carrerahill said:

I would use lime mortar too, not ordinary Portland to give a better match and keep it looking shall we say... "rough".

 

 

Can you please elaborate - when I go to the hardware store, what should I ask for to make lime mortar? Do I need building sand for that too, and what would the ratio be? 

 

On 19/08/2019 at 14:53, Carrerahill said:

are you just going to brick in the gap flush with the rest and follow the shape of the opening?

 

Yes, I think. So I'll end up with a "wonky" slanting wall - is that what you meant?

[Carrerahill]

On 20/08/2019 at 17:15, Home Farm said:

Thank you for the great advice and apologies for the delayed response in thank you.I have printed this reply out and will definitely refer to it when the time comes to commence with this project.

 

 

Can you please elaborate - when I go to the hardware store, what should I ask for to make lime mortar? Do I need building sand for that too, and what would the ratio be? 

 

 

Yes, I think. So I'll end up with a "wonky" slanting wall - is that what you meant?

Basically it is just like making normal cement mortar but you use lime instead of OPC and you use sharp sand instead of building sand.

 

You would need to by a bag of lime, there are various types depending on where you go, but generally hydraulic (sets by hydration) and non-hydraulic sets buy carbonation - use hydraulic lime for this application, as thick mortar joints may not set for an eternity if you use non-hydraulic. 1:4 would be my ratio but 1:3 or 1:5 work depending on strength.

 

As for how your wall looks, if you do it right it will look original to be honest and the slant should be incorporated into the wall so that it looks the same.

 

I would possibly get a bricklayer or stonemason to look at it and rattle that up for you - brick work is not "easy" there is an art, even the best of care and attention while laying bricks cannot replace experience and skill. I have been building small walls and structures at a DIY level for 20 odd years and I know my brick and block work is acceptable, but I would not opt to build anything too great or something that might be say in the middle of my house on view for evermore, not yet anyway! So it depends where this wall is going to end up - is this wall going to form part of your house one day? I see logs and pallets and cannot work out if this is a outbuilding etc.

 

 

Edited August 22, 2019 by Carrerahill