barbarac95•1mo agoMost Upvoted

Spent a whole afternoon just getting the first course right on a curved garden wall

The homeowner wanted a gentle curve, but getting each brick to sit level and follow the line took forever... I think it was about five hours just for that base. How do you guys handle curved layouts without losing your mind?

3 comments

3 Comments

jones.brooke1mo agoTop Commenter

Five hours? That's just proper craftsmanship.

uma_webb281mo ago

Last year I spent a full weekend just repainting my kitchen cabinets. Two coats of primer and three coats of paint, sanding between each one. It felt like forever while I was doing it, but now I open that cupboard and just smile. The finish is still perfect, no chips or streaks. That extra time really does make the difference in how long something lasts.

the_karen17d ago

Ha, no. Five hours for a single course of brick isn't craftsmanship, it's just slow. I get it the curve is tricky, but that pace means you're either overthinking it or using the wrong tools. @uma_webb28 your cabinet job sounds like you were just being a perfectionist with the sanding, not actually improving anything. A good layout should take maybe an hour or two tops. You can be precise without killing your whole day. Save that extra time for the fun part, like the finishing touches.