How to lay bricks in a Flemish bond

Build a Flemish bond brick wall when you've mastered the basics. They are more decorative and can be made more so with half brick insertions.

Level of difficulty

Level 2: Intermediate

What you need

• String line
• Bricks
• Bricklaying trowel
• Hammer
• Mortar
• Spirit level

The steps to follow

1. First lay a foundation strip before building the wall.
2. Fasten string lines on pegs and stretch the string line across the foundation strip.
3. Dry-lay the brick to give you an idea of how the brick wall will look.
4. Start by laying the first corner brick from the left side. Lay the shorter end of the brick (header) facing you. 
5. Next, lay two stretcher-bonded bricks (long side of the bricks) side by side, facing you.
6. Lay another header brick. Don’t forget to leave a 1 cm (3/8 in) gap between each brick.
7. Finish dry-laying the first course of bricks, alternating the header and stretcher.
8. When you are sure of this first course, re-lay the bricks.
9. This time, fill in the gaps between the bricks with 1 cm (3/8 in) mortar joints.
10. Check if the course is level with a spirit level.
11. For the second course of brickwork, lay the brickwork at the header end if your first course was a stretcher course, and vice versa.
12. To complete the wall, alternate the headers and stretchers in every course.

The steps to follow

• How to lay a foundation strip
• How to lay bricks
• How to build a wall

Don't want to DIY? Get recommended bricklayers for your home improvement jobs.