Question for brickies: How much mortar?
#1
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The first wall is going up on our house. On the outside the mortar joints look "normal", i.e. the mortar appears evenly spread along/between the bricks. But on the inside there are "gaps" in the mortar.
Knowing nothing about bricklaying, other than how it "looks": could someone please tell me whether the "gaps" are o.k. or whether I should raise this with our SS.
Edit: It's going to be a double-brick wall, i.e. later they will build another brick wall on the inside.
Thanks
Knowing nothing about bricklaying, other than how it "looks": could someone please tell me whether the "gaps" are o.k. or whether I should raise this with our SS.
Edit: It's going to be a double-brick wall, i.e. later they will build another brick wall on the inside.
Thanks
Last edited by ozhappy981; May 24th 2009 at 7:50 pm.
#2
That's not too bad. You should take a look for the thread I started a month or two ago about the same thing. One of our walls fell down shortly after the brickie left the site!
Who's your builder and where's your property? We're building with Celebration in Butler.
Who's your builder and where's your property? We're building with Celebration in Butler.
#3
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 172


The first wall is going up on our house. On the outside the mortar joints look "normal", i.e. the mortar appears evenly spread along/between the bricks. But on the inside there are "gaps" in the mortar.
Knowing nothing about bricklaying, other than how it "looks": could someone please tell me whether the "gaps" are o.k. or whether I should raise this with our SS.
Edit: It's going to be a double-brick wall, i.e. later they will build another brick wall on the inside.
Thanks
Knowing nothing about bricklaying, other than how it "looks": could someone please tell me whether the "gaps" are o.k. or whether I should raise this with our SS.
Edit: It's going to be a double-brick wall, i.e. later they will build another brick wall on the inside.
Thanks
With regards to your concerns of the mortar gaps on the inside, the beds and perps (ends of the bricks) look reasonably full of mortar, therefore structurally sound. They will eventually be hidden within the cavity of the wall, hence, the aesthetics on this face is not important.
The Joints on the outside of the brickwork look reasonably unfinished, I am assuming (hoping) this photo was taken before the bricklayer completed the pointing.
I would always recommend all people ask for a 1 sq meter sample panel of brickwork, prior to awarding the work to contractors or see and previous works.
#4
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Thank you, Varsanik. That's been really helpful. The brickie isn't our contractor. We are building with APG, a project builder, and they are in charge of hiring and firing.
I've included the photos (plus another one) in an email for our SS and will see what he says and does.
At least, with your reply, I now know that it shouldn't look like that. Thanks again (karma sent
)
I've included the photos (plus another one) in an email for our SS and will see what he says and does.
At least, with your reply, I now know that it shouldn't look like that. Thanks again (karma sent
)
#5
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I'll search for that thread. We are building with APG in Iluka.
#6
Jesus Christ, that work looks shite. 
The worst guy on my brickie course makes a better job than that

The worst guy on my brickie course makes a better job than that
#7
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As a house builder, I would get the brickwork taken down and rebuilt at their cost. You pay for a good job, not just in areas where you see it. Start being hard and you can ease up. If they get away with crap work now, it will only get worse
TD
TD
#9
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#10
Im a construction manager and in my opinion, the brickwork is not upto the standard I would expect on one of my sites. However, I must say I have seen worse.
With regards to your concerns of the mortar gaps on the inside, the beds and perps (ends of the bricks) look reasonably full of mortar, therefore structurally sound. They will eventually be hidden within the cavity of the wall, hence, the aesthetics on this face is not important.
The Joints on the outside of the brickwork look reasonably unfinished, I am assuming (hoping) this photo was taken before the bricklayer completed the pointing.
I would always recommend all people ask for a 1 sq meter sample panel of brickwork, prior to awarding the work to contractors or see and previous works.
With regards to your concerns of the mortar gaps on the inside, the beds and perps (ends of the bricks) look reasonably full of mortar, therefore structurally sound. They will eventually be hidden within the cavity of the wall, hence, the aesthetics on this face is not important.
The Joints on the outside of the brickwork look reasonably unfinished, I am assuming (hoping) this photo was taken before the bricklayer completed the pointing.
I would always recommend all people ask for a 1 sq meter sample panel of brickwork, prior to awarding the work to contractors or see and previous works.
#12
The bond is the pattern in which the bricks are set.
ie: 1 brick should be set halfway along the top of the the brick below. This forms the structural integrity of the wall.
ie: 1 brick should be set halfway along the top of the the brick below. This forms the structural integrity of the wall.
#14
they call it quater bond.. still solidly sound........lokks like a internal so will be redered. so you have no worries there.. ps could of roll jointed it thou ,its just cosmetic.
A bricky
A bricky




