How to build brick columns.
Step by step instructions for the
DIY homeowner on how to build brick
columns to accent their porch, fence or the
entryway of the house.
Do you have a
porch that is supported with four
metal poles?
Do you find it
ugly or unappealing to your
landscape?
Or worst does
it rust and deteriorates and you
fear that it will tumble crushing
down?
If any of the
above mentioned problems is yours or
you are in a process of building
brick columns for your house, the
following informative article is for
you.
How to Build Your
Own Brick Column.
Build your
brick columns that stand for decades
and save hundreds on the cost.
The first step
is to determine the height and the
width of the brick column you wish
to build. These measurements are
necessary for calculating the amount
of bricks and mortar necessary for
building the columns.
The following
three pictures represents the amount
of bricks needed per each course for
a typical thickness.
As you see from
the pictures above a 12"x12" brick
column needs 4 bricks per course,
the 16"x16 needs 6 and if you wish
to build a wider column you can
save considerable amount of work and
material by simply veneering the
bricks around a block
column. It is advisable to fill the
inside of the columns with either
mortar or concrete for better
stability. Just throw some of the
"mud" (mortar) in the column as you
go along laying the bricks. If you
veneer the bricks around the block
column then the column needs to be
solid concrete.
In our example we are going to show
the steps it took to build 4 seven
feet tall 12"x12" brick columns. So
lets recap. Each column is 7 feet
tall that is 84 inches all together.
Each brick is about 2 inches in
height plus we are going to leave a
3/8th or a half of
an inch joint so each course is
going to be around
2 ½ in height. Now dividing
the 84 inches with
2 ½ we get 33.6 courses.
Lets round it up to 37 courses X 4
brick per course that gives a total
of 148 bricks. It is always a good
idea to order a few brick more than
you need in case if it brakes.
So to complete our four columns we
will need to order around 620
bricks. As an average each 12"x12"
brick columns require about ten bags
60lbs of mortar.
Lets start building the columns. If
you have a metal pole that you wish
to cover that would basically set
the location of the columns. If you
wish to build new brick columns you
will need to outline the exact spots
for each column first. It is always
a good idea to outline the first and
the last column and pull a string
line and line up the other columns
in between.
If you build your brick column
around a metal pole or any masonry
surface it is always a good idea to
tie some of the courses to the pole
or the block column. As the example
shown in the pictures above.
 |
Lets start installing
the bricks. There are
two ways to do this.
The first one is the old
method of using a 6 ft
level and plumb each
curse as you go along
building the column. The
second one, (which I
would recommend for
first time DIY) is
pulling a string line
from the edge of the
first brick on the
bottom to the very top
on each of the corners.
As I highlighted it on
the picture on the left.
This will be a little
effort to line up the
edges at first but it
will save considerable
amount of time by not
using the level every
time you install a
brick. You just simply
have to line up the
corner of your bricks to
the string and it will
provide you with an
accurate guideline all
the way up to the top.
Quick tip! Occasionally
step back a few feet
from the brick column
and check on the
outcome. See if your
joints are equally sized
and if the bricks are
perfectly level on each
courses. |
 |
|
Concaved joints. |
As you go along
with the installation of the bricks you have
to do some minor touch ups, such as
filling up or tuck-pointing the
joints with mortar. ( The same
mortar you have used for laying the
bricks but perhaps in a little
thicker consistency.) Don't let the
mortar get too dry. Try to do the
tooling as you go up, after
finishing every 4-5 courses.
The most
commonly used joints are either
concaved or raked out ( Square
recessed ) joints. If you finished
tooling the brick joints you have to
brush it with a light whisk brush to
smooth-out the surface of the
mortar.
And that's all.
With a little effort and
attention to details you can
complete this brick column project like a breeze. And the
completed brick column will
stand on your porch for the
admiration of your neighbors and
the attention and praise from
your guests alike, for many years
to come.
|
Wish to do it on your
own?
Go to our
detailed guide on how to
install brick veneer
around your house. At this page you
will find how to tips,
time and money saving
recommendations and
entertaining videos on
how to install any type
of stone veneer.
Does it have a price?
At this point you are
probably wondering
how much this brick
column building project cost.
Well I can tell you
exactly how much if you
click the link above↑. |
Read on
to find out how our brick layers can help you save money
on your next brick installation
project.
↓
Not a DIY?
Don’t feel to build
brick columns on your
own? Fear not, if your
project is located in
our Florida service area
just send us an email
and we will give you a
free price quote
on any sized job.
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can help you with.
We also install fake
fireplaces, marble fireplaces and other
stone fireplaces. Fireplace surrounds
installation in and around Miami fl. We
install all types of Fireplace veneers
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