Brick masonry tools

for students

1. BRICK MASONRY TOOLS
ARCHITECT SANJIB SENGUPTA

2. Toolsthatarecommonlyusedinbrickmasonryworks.
1.Trowel:-Theusesofthistriangularshapedtool
topickupmortarfromaboard;toplaceand
spreadthemortarintoabrick,orsetofbricks;
tosecureabrickintothemortarbytapping.
Sizesvaryandcanreachupto11inchesin
lengthand8inchesinwidth.Masonsprefer
usingshortandwidetrowelssincetheydonot
putexcessivestress.
2.Chisel:-Achiselisusedtocutbricksinto
specificsizes.Chiselwidthrangesfrom21/2
to41/2inches.
3.Mason’sHammer:-Ahammerhasasquareface
ononeendforbreakingandasharpedgeon
theotherforcutting.Theyareusedtosplit
hardbricks.Itisalsocalledasbasuli.
4.MashingHammer:-Amashinghammerisused
tostrikethechiselwhencuttingblock.Itisnot
recommendedtouseamason'shammerto
strikethechiselsincethetemperedsteelmight
splitandapieceflyoff.Amashinghammer
hastwostrikingendsandwillweighfromtwo
tofourpounds.

3. Toolsthatarecommonlyusedinbrickmasonryworks(Cont.--)
5.Square:-Squaresareusedwhen
constructingandmeasuringright
anglesandforcornerlayouts.They
areusuallymadeofmetalfor
durability.Commonnameguniya.
6.Plumbob:-Aplumbbobora
plummetisaweight,usuallywitha
pointedtiponthebottom,thatis
suspendedfromastringandusedas
averticalreferenceline,orplumb
line.Itisessentiallythevertical
equivalentofa"waterlevel".
7.Mason’sLevel:-Amason’slevelis
usedwhenestablishingverticalor
plumblinesandhorizontalorlevel
lines.Theyaretypicallymadeof
wood,metal,oracombinationof
both.Theycomeequippedwith
eithersingleordoublevials.

4. Toolsthatarecommonlyusedinbrickmasonryworks(Cont.--)
8.Waterlevel:-Waterlevelsareusedto
measureanexact,levelheightacross
asurface,suchasawalloraboard.
Peoplehavebeenusingvarious
formsofwaterlevelsforcenturies,
aswaterlevelsaresomeofthe
easiestandmostaccurateleveling
devicesavailable.
9.Jointer:-Ajointerisusedtofinisha
mortarjointafteritbecomeshard
enoughsothatafingerprintwill
showinthemortaruponbeing
pressed.Therearethreetypesof
jointershapes:flat,pointedand
rounded.Jointersareshapedtogive
avarietyofindentations,depending
onpreference.Themostpopularare
theVjointandthehalfrounded
joint(concavejoint).Thesetwo
kindsofjointshelpshedwater
betterthananyotherkindofjoint.

5. Toolsthatarecommonlyusedinbrickmasonryworks(Cont.--)
10.Brush:-Afterawallisbuilt,theremay
besomemortarstainsorpowder
residueonthewall,whicharecleaned
bybrush.Avarietyofbrushesare
available.Powderresiduecanusually
bebrushedoffwithamediumsoft
bristlebrush.Alightaccumulationof
mortarcouldbebrushedwithastiff
bristlebrush.Stainsthatdon'trespond
tobrushingshouldbecleanedwitha
specialsolutionandbrushingwitha
stiffbristlebrush.
11.ChalkLine:-Achalklinecomesina
metalorplasticcase,withacottonline
comingoutofoneend.Asthelineis
pulledout,itpassesthroughafine
chalkpowder,usuallyblueorred.
Whenthislineisstretchedbetween
twopointsandsnapped,itwillleave
animprintonthesurfacebeing
snapped.Achalklineisusedforlaying
outablockwallonaconcrete
foundationtogetthealignment
correct.

6. Toolsthatarecommonlyusedinbrickmasonryworks(Cont.--)
12.Masons’line:-Anylonordacronline
usedtolayastraightwall.Thelineis
stretchedbetweentwocorners(and
anchoredatthecorners)ofthewallare
beingbuilt.Bylayingtheline,mason
neednottodependonlevelasoften,
speedingupthejob.Amason'sline
placedveryclosetotheblockbeing
laid,butwithenoughroomtostill
permittoswipeofftheexcessmortar
withoutdisturbingtheline,helpsto
buildwallswithoutbulgesorhollows.
13.Crowbar(Sabbal):-Acrowbar,isatool
consistingofametalbarwithasingle
curvedendandflattenedpoints,often
withasmallfissureononeorbothends
forremovingnails.Itisusedasalever
eithertodigearthorforceaparttwo
objectsortoremovenails.
14.Spade:-atoolwithasharp-edged,
typicallyrectangular,metalbladeanda
longhandle,usedfordiggingorcutting
earth,sand,turf,etc.

7. Toolsthatarecommonlyusedinbrickmasonryworks(Cont.--)
15.Tagari:-
16.MeasuringTape:
17.Pickaxe:-Apickaxeisahandtool
withahardheadattached
perpendiculartothehandle.Atool
withalonghandleatrightangles
toacurvedironorsteelbarwitha
pointatoneendandachiselor
pointattheother,usedfor
breakinguphardgroundorrock.

8. SOMEOTHERTOOLS

9. BRICK SPLITTER

10. BRICK CARRIER

11. BRICK TAPES

12. GROUT BAGS

13. LINE BLOCK & TWIGS

14. MORTAR HOE

15. SLED RUNNER

16. MORTAR BOX & PAN

17. Thank You