BRICK-Laying, the art of framing edifices of bricks. Moxon hath an express treatise on the art of brick-laying; in which he describes the materials, tools, and method of working, used by brick-layers.
Great care is to be taken, that bricks be laid joint on joint in the middle of the walls as seldom as may be; and that there be good bond made there, as well as on the outsides. Some brick-layers, in working a brick and half wall, lay the header on one side of the wall perpendicular to the header on the other side, and so all along the whole course; whereas, if the header on one side of the wall were toothed as much as the stretcher on the other side, it would be a stronger toothing, and the joints of the headers of one side would be in the middle of the headers of the course they lie upon of the other side. If bricks be laid in winter, let them be kept as dry as possible; if in summer, it will quit cost to employ boys to wet them, for they will then unite with the mortar better than if dry, and will make the work stronger. In large buildings, or where it is thought too much trouble to dip all the bricks separately, water may be thrown on each course after they are laid, as was done at the building the physicians college, by order of Dr Hooke. If bricks are laid in summer, they are to be covered; for if the mortar dries too hastily, it will not bind so firmly to the bricks as when left to dry more gradually. If the bricks be laid in winter, they should also be covered well, to protect them from rain, snow and frost; which last is a mortal enemy to mortar, especially to all such as have been wetted just before the frost assaults it.