Spent 3 hours trying to get a clean line on a curved brick step yesterday. The radius was only 6 feet.

The homeowner wanted a smooth curve for their front walk. I thought it'd be a couple hours tops. I must have re-set the string line and dry-fit the bricks five times. The mortar kept pushing the bricks out of alignment on the inside of the curve. Finally got it by cutting the bricks for the inner course a little narrower than I first thought. What's your go-to method for a tight radius like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

dylan6191mo ago

Ever try a flexible plastic edging as a form instead of a string line?

hayden_rivera1mo ago

Flexible edging never holds a true line for me, it always wants to bow out. You get a little pressure from the concrete and suddenly your straight edge is useless. A tight string line is the only way to guarantee a dead straight pour. Why fight with plastic when a couple stakes and some string work perfectly every time?

victor_ward1mo ago

That plastic stuff is basically a suggestion to the concrete, not a real form. Saw a guy use it for a small patio and he spent more time fighting the curve than pouring. Sometimes the old ways are just simpler.