How to Design a Brick Wall
Renovations, remodeling and landscaping can be fun endeavors. They also can be intimidating. Working with brick is not quite as easy as slapping a coat of paint on a wall, but the results you get from a brick wall can be long lasting as well as beautiful. Stone and brick are very trendy right now and with a little guidance, you can design, if not build, your own brick wall.
Decide if you want to contrast colors with your existing brick or it you want to match any stone or brick that you have now. Your options maybe limited if you want an exact match, depending on how old your brickwork is.
Draw out your ideas first. Let your imagination run free and unclouded from the reality of what you might really be able to accomplish. From this first sketch, your builder can draw upon your ideas while bringing you back to reality. At least it gives the bricklayer an image of what you are trying to accomplish.
Be realistic about the height of your wall though. The higher the bricks are placed, the more reinforcement you will need. Take into consideration the weather patterns of your area. If you live in an area that is prone to high winds, a stone wall must be lower to the ground.
Drive around and look at other brick walls to get more ideas of what can be done with stone. Many different colors, shapes and sizes of brick and stone are available on the market today.
Consider the amount of work involved in installing your brink wall and decide whether you will do the work yourself or hire a bricklayer. You may want to keep the design more minimalist or just use brick facings if you are not experienced in mortar application. If you plan to contract the work out, then find out how much the bricklayer charges by the hour and design your wall according to the amount you are willing to invest.