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Step by step
How to lay a brick wall: a beginner's guide
A low brick wall is a classic first masonry project. The secret is not speed but control: a solid footing, accurate corners and a string line for every course.
1. Plan and check the limits
This guide covers low, freestanding walls such as garden or planter walls. Taller walls and retaining walls carry wind or soil loads and need a structural design; boundary walls may need a permit or neighbour agreement. The Brick and block calculator counts bricks and mortar for your wall.
2. Build a footing
A wall is only as good as its footing. Dig a trench to firm ground, typically two to three times the wall's width and deep enough to be below frost in cold climates. Pour concrete about 15–20 cm thick, level it and let it harden for a few days. See How to pour a concrete slab: step-by-step guide for working with concrete.
3. Set out and lay a dry course
Mark the wall line on the footing, then lay the first course dry, with a finger-width gap for each joint, to see how the bricks fit and avoid small cut pieces at the ends. Use the common stretcher bond, where each brick overlaps the two below by half its length.
4. Mix the mortar
For general brickwork, a mix of about 1 cement : 1 lime : 5–6 sand, or 1 cement : 4–5 sand with plasticizer, is typical. Mix small batches you can use within an hour or two. See Mortar and plaster mixes: ratios explained for ratios.
5. Build the corners first
Lay a bed of mortar, set the first bricks at each end and build the corners up five or six courses as small stepped towers. Check every brick for level, plumb and height; a gauge rod marked every 75 mm (brick plus 10 mm joint) keeps the courses even.
6. Fill in with a string line
Stretch a string line between the corners at the top of the next course and lay the bricks to it, buttering one end of each brick. Keep joints about 10 mm. Remove excess mortar as you go.
7. Point the joints and cap the wall
When the mortar is thumb-hard, tool the joints with a jointer for a neat, weather-shedding finish, then brush off crumbs. Finish the top with coping or a brick-on-edge course that sheds rain. Protect fresh work from frost and heavy rain for a few days.
Common mistakes
- Skipping or under-sizing the footing.
- Building the middle before the corners are accurate.
- Uneven joints because no gauge rod or string line was used.
- Mortar mixed too wet or used after it starts to set.
- No coping, so rain soaks the top of the wall.
Frequently asked questions
How many bricks per square meter?
About 60 standard bricks per m² for a single-thickness wall with 10 mm joints.
How thick should mortar joints be?
Usually about 10 mm.
How high can I build a brick wall in one day?
Beginners should keep to about 5–6 courses per session so the mortar can firm up.
Do I need a footing for a garden wall?
Yes. Even a low wall needs a concrete footing on firm ground.
When should I point the joints?
When the mortar is firm enough to keep a thumbprint without sticking.