Brick Accents 3 - Barbeque

Intro - Patio - Barbecue - Retaining Wall - Mortarless Paving - Screen - Sandbox - Lawn Edging and Stepping Stones - Planter - Pedestal - Steps

• Hammer
• Mason's String
• Trowel
• Hand Level
• Brick Chisel
• Chalk
• Wooden Float
• Hand Brush

Materials

• 450 Cored Brick Units, 3 3/4" x 2 1/4" x 8"
• 75 Solid Brick Units, same dimensions
• 6 Cubic Feet of Mortar
• 27 Cubic Feet Concrete for Hearthslab
• 1 2/3 Cubic Feet Concrete for Hearthslab
• 20 Reinforcing Bars 3/8" in Diameter:
• 50 bars 18 inches long
• 3 bars 32 inches long
• 12 bars 4 inches long

Sitting a barbecue is a matter of convenience to the cook. It is wise, however, to take notice of prevailing winds: you don't want smoke to blow directly into your windows or those of a neighbor.

Sand-finish brick is a good choice for reducing cleanup work after the job because mortar won't stick or smear, although crumbs will still have to be brushed away.

Excavate and pour the concrete foundation to the dimensions indicated, placing reinforcing bars as shown. Crisscross the bars in a grid pattern and prop them up with brick units so that they lay approximately in the center. If you prefer, they can be wired together and handled as a unit.

Draw the outline of the barbecue on the foundation slab, leaving at least 2 inches all around. Lay out the first two courses of brick to see if the pattern works, allowing 1/2 inch for where the mortar joints will be.

Build the corners first, going three or four courses high, then filling in the wall from corner to corner. The bottom course should be bonded to the slab with mortar. Use a hand level frequently to keep the wall plumb and the rows of brick level.

Excess mortar may be clipped off with the trowel two or three rows at a time. As soon as the mortar is "thumbprint" hard, use a mason's pointing tool to shape and compress the mortar between brick.

Use solid brick units for the top of the barbecue walls.

Excess crumbs of mortar which remain when the wall is finished may be brushed away with a soft fiber hand brush.

Courtesy of the Brick Institute of America

Intro - Patio - Barbecue - Retaining Wall - Mortarless Paving - Screen - Sandbox - Lawn Edging and Stepping Stones - Planter - Pedestal - Steps

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