Looking to use some of bricks leftover to create a nice look around our beds. Ill more than likely try to pay any of the guys doing brick work in our neighborhood.

I'm no expert at masonry so looking for any advice or things to consider. Not sure if even possible due to amout of bricks I'd need. Looking to do 2-3 layers with with capped on top. Does that mean I'd basically need 3 bricks laying side by side to create the depth of the wall, another 3 on top for row 2, then the bricks on top to cap it?

In Katy if anyone happens to know someone who does good work if you don't suggest just approaching one of the laborers building the homes. What would be a good price for about 35-45 feets worth of this?

[This message has been edited by Theo is a touchdown (edited 2/21/2014 8:11a).]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9cdlik3wvp4iu4r/brick%20math.xlsx

Change any of the 'green highlighted' cells in the sheet. You're welcome

LOL thanks bro. What would I do without you.

I've talked to a few local places that advised against bricks due to lack of durability/longevity of the structure. Not sure if they are just trying to get be to buy stone through them or what.

Lack of durability? That sounds an up-sell attempt.

I laid a 6 brick high, single brick wall, 15 long, and 3 foot deep planter in front of my parents house 12 years ago. And it has been very durable. Not a single crack in the brick or mortar.

Edit to add: I don't know what your plans are but every time I've laid bricks for landscaping, I lay a concrete foundation the width of the layer to provide a good footing. The brick designs that I have seen fail are the ones that have the bottom row of bricks simply placed into the ground.

[This message has been edited by Maroon Skeeter (edited 2/21/2014 9:46a).]

As long as you bed the wall properly (packed sand and gravel) and you have excellent drainage in the bed and don't overwater, it should be fine. I would probably, if I wanted to use brick to build a flower bed that was retaining dirt, not build a straight run any longer than about 10 feet and would back it with thin cinder blocks, with rebar inside the thin cinder blocks if I was building the wall any higher than about a foot.

A single wythe of brick is actually VERY frangible and delicate. We think "brick houses" are the end all be all in durability, but brick is really fragile and subject to water issues, freezing and spalling in climates that get a hard long freeze more often than every few years (anywhere north of Waco), and on south-facing exposures, it'll dry out and rot/spall/crack due to U/V and heat cycles.

[This message has been edited by superspeck (edited 2/21/2014 11:06a).]

Thanks for the feedback maroon.

You're welcome. Also, superspeck is spot on. There are many inherent inconsistencies with brick which can cause multiple issues under varying temperature differences. And like he said: You will need to have a plan for drainage. What I have done is simply cut slots in the mortar between the bricks close to the bottom.

Also like speck said, if you don't overwater (or underwater) you'll be alright. Just like a house foundation, you need to keep a consistent moisture level.

[This message has been edited by Maroon Skeeter (edited 2/21/2014 10:18a).]

Great info. Thanks both of you.