KEY LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS The ability of one landscape con- tractor to perform non-plant seg- ments of landscape installation can be a definite edge over others BRICK WALLS AND in competing for business. Brick masonry of walks, walls, and other landscape elements is a prac- WALKS: tical, additional service for land- BY BRUCE F. SHANK, EXECUTIVE EDITOR scape contractors. Carpentry is an- other service to gain a service and profit edge. Carpentry will be dis- cussed in June Weeds Trees & Turf. The obvious limitations are the scale of brickwork and union re- quirements on union job sites. This article is designed to show types of brickwork practical to a landscape contractor. More complicated pro- jects would require masonry subcontracts. The Brick Institute of America (BIA) and the Associated Land- scape Contractors of America (ALCA) assisted us in the develop- ment of this article. BIA has a vast Continues on page 28 number of helpful brochures on brick masonry and works with ALCA on occasion to meet the specific informational needs of the landscape industry. Design Brick features must be designed for durability as well as appear- ance. There are a variety of pat- terns and types of brick providing a wide selection for landscape de- sign. The landscape contractor should focus on simpler, classical designs and leave complicated ones for the mason. A landscape feature should not stand out in the plan, but rather blend with the plant material as one landscape. Resist the temptation of the cus- tomer to create a functionless mon- ument and instead concentrate on the overall apperance and use of the area. Both walks and walls are in- tended to guide traffic through a landscape. A creative plan will avoid straight lines and edges in favor of more natural curves, as in the bends of a brook. This immedi- ately complicates matters due to the shape of most brick and is one rea- son for the popularity of molded concrete brick with landscape ar- chitects. Nevertheless, a few tricks provide the skill to use bricks for curves, ledges, and corners. Recognize the difference be- tween commercial and residential design. Commercial is very func- tional, efficient (low maintenance), and uses a smaller variety of plant material. Residential is more recre- may be left entirely to the land- Large bricked patios should not ational, colorful, higher mainte- scape contractor, who knows vari- be mortared, if possible. Sand filler nance, and uses fewer numbers of ety and color are expected. allows rainfall to drain where it elements with more variety. Resi- You are not working for a master- falls. Large expanses of brick dential design is more reflective of piece brick structure, you are work- should be broken up with tree the owner than commercial. ing for a complete landscape, plant wells, planters, or steps. These ele- In commercial design, the and structures working together to ments, along with the perimeter, planter may have three or four achieve a naturally striking im- hold the brick in place. Metal and plant elements. Whereas, a resi- pact. wood borders are common. These dential plant bed may contain ten are simpler than using soldier or more types of plants. In commer- Construction course of brick set in concrete cial landscaping, the primary de- One major advantage of brick footers and pouring curbs to con- sign element is the planter, over paving, according to BIA's tain the brick. whereas in residential the empha- Charles Farley, is its ability to let Large bricked areas should have sis is on the plants. Landscape ar- water permeate the surface and provisions for drainage, at the pe- chitects must lobby with the gen- drain downward. The shear rimeter or underneath, or both. Dig eral contractor for plant considera- volume of runoff caused by paving trenches in the subsoil, lay tile, and tions
Estimating Brick & Mortar
Walls Brick Per 100 sq ft Cubic Feet of Mortar Brick Size Per 1000 Brick %" joint H" joint joint W joint 3%x2^x7% 675 8.1 3^x2^x8 655 616 88 117
Pavements Cubic Feet of Mortar Per 100 Brick Brick Size Brick Per 100 sq. ft. (includes V bed) joint h" joint 2V* x x 8 400 1 84 2l/*x3 %x7% 450 1 49 1% x 4 x 8 450 No Mortar Required
BRICK PATTERN OPTIONAL
Solid and cut units form a screen 2"* 4~GRAVEL STAKE pattern 4* CONCRETE &. FORM MESH 2" Stone Screenings or Graded Pea Gravel 15 lb Roofing Felt ASPHALT COAT IMG Sloping Surfaces Only)
GRAVEL^ CHIMNEY7 W Expansion Joint Material Compacted Earth Base 1" PLASTIC PIPE
V8 HE BARS 42/a O.C. (MAX.) FILL CAVITY] WITH Weep Holes 3" Dia GROUT 4 0 0 C
Walkway-Gravel Base
Mortared Brick Curb
1" Stone Screenings or Graded Pea Gravel
r— 4" Gravel Base
15 lb Roofing Felt CONCRETE Vs" REBARS, PLACED (Sloping Surfaces Only) FOOTING AS SHOWN. MIN.3" 24" w. x 14"d FROM OUTSIDE OFCONC.
junction boxes. You may want to on a brick project. Warn customers inset lighting fixtures in the wall, of impractical requests, such as especially along walks. brick posts at the end of a driveway that may limit access if spaced too Driveway - 2V4" Pavers Summary close to each other. Avoid separate Brick features need not be com- projects. Try to limit brick work to plicated to be attractive. A simple fit an overall landscape plan. All one-row border of brick for plant brick work should be done at the Mortared Brick Curb Compacted Earth Base beds may be sufficient. Larger same time to avoid later problems brick features may fall under local with matching brick or mortar. If building codes. Have all the regu- the job is to be done in steps, buy 2 Stone Screenings or lations down before taking on brick and charge the customer for Graded Pea Gravel work. enough brick for the complete job. Cored Units on Edge No Mortar Joints All brick is graded for durability. Brick landscape features, of Used brick may have a special look course, may not work as well as but may lack durability. If the site wood features. Don't force the use already has a brick feature, try to of brick where wood will work as match the existing brick as closely well. A split rail fence may fit the as possible taking into considera- bill better than a brick wall. tion fading. Order extra brick to Bricks are an important element make up for mistakes and damage of landscape planning. The land- during construction. scape contractor should be familiar Don't practice at the customer's with all landscape elements. Ma- expense. Try out various tricks and sonry is one valuable tool in the Driveway - Cored Brick on Edge designs before attempting to take contractor's kit. WTT