Masonry Repairs

The average bricklayer in London gets called in on a regular basis to carry out extensive repairs to defective masonry .
Masonry Repairs to most houses are necessary at one point or another because of the damagingImage via Wikipedia effects of weathering.

Frost especially can have a very detrimental effect on the softer less impervious types of masonry. In the wintertime when the masonry gets saturated from the rain it freezes and expands.This blows the face off and consequently these bricks will require renewal to bring the masonry back to its former glory.
These days with the introduction of waterproofing sealers,the neccessity for masonry repairs are gradually becoming a thing of the past. These sealers afford great protection for the masonry against the elements while at the same time allowing it to breathe. This is an excellent innovation and all that is required for complete masonry protection is a liberally applied coat of this magic liquid with an ordinary paint brush or spray hose and you can rest easy at night, secure in the knowledge that no further treatment will be necessary for years.

How To Lay a Concrete Base

Last week I was called in to lay a concrete base for a shed
Eventhough technically, laying a concrete base does not lie within the domain of your average bricklayer nevertheless I have had the pleasure of doing one on many occasions and the procedures are as follows.

1. Dig out the area where the proposed base is to be, to a depth of at least 100mm.
2. Make formwork (to encase the concrete) with some 100x50mm to the size of the proposed base.
3. Ensure the depth of the concrete is 100mm.
4. Lay some hardcore (broken bricks etc.) and compact thoroughly with a compacter plate or similar ensuring there are no soft spots.
5. Drive some pegs into the ground to secure the formwork to and leave a little fall on it so that the rainwater can run off when the finished slab
   
6. Using an electric mixer mix up a ratio of 5 parts balllast to 1 part cement ensuring it is thoroughly mixed to the correct consistency
7. Barrow the concrete into the proposed base area and with a seesawing action level off the concrete (with a long straight length of timber) in line with the top of the formwork.
8. If a smooth finish is required use a plastering trowel when the concrete has dried a little
9. Be aware that a smooth finish can be dangerous in the winter and when combined with ice can prove positively fatal to the elderly and infirm. A brush finish can be a good safe alternative.This is where a brush is very lightly dragged over the concrete to produce a slightly rippled effect.
   

Time to quench the old thirst with several pints of the Amber Nectar!
There you have it. The blueprint of how to lay a concrete base. Simple huh!!

How to Build a Brick Arch

To day I had to build a brick archway over a gate by the side of a house in Barnet. It was not a job I come across very often so I quite enjoyed doing something different. I first had to make a segmental arch former to support the brickwork.
Using a jigsaw to cut out the shape of the arch from a piece of plywood.I then cut out another piece exactly the same size and joined them together with pieces of 2x2 so that I had a former the exact size and width of the opening.I supported the arch former with a4x2 frame which would be taken away later when the brickwork had gone off. I then built up the brick corners and went to have a pint of beer with my trusted Polish assistant Piotr.
With the arch former in place I laid the bricks on top making sure I had an uneven number (there must always be an uneven number of bricks in an arch) I then put up my line from corner to corner and ran the rest of the brickwork making sure to cut the bricks at the arch very carefully.
Two courses of creasing tiles with brick on edge on top made for a very classy finish and all in all it looked a treat.Time for another pint I think :-)

Welcome to the bricklayer in london blog

I have been a bricklayer in london for over twenty years. I did my apprenticeship and got my City and Guilds qualifications and headed out to seek my fortune in the capitols building sites. I went on to get my Advanced City and Guilds because I thought about going to Canada and those were the requirements to get in at that time.I worked in Germany(just on the other side of the bridge on the right next to Cologne Cathedral) for a few years and also Ireland.When I returned from Germany I worked the building sites where I had a lot of fun but I longed to be my own boss so I went out on my own doing house extensions,garden walls brick paving,brick re pointing and brick driveways.The economy which has been pretty buoyant for the last 15 years is now experiencing a downturn which means that the number of businesses going into liquidation has increased manifold and house repossessions are taking place on a daily basis.People are reluctant to spend money on anything other than the bare essentials and even the weekly shop is costing much more than this time last year because of sky high oil prices and the now all too infamous credit crunch.