Finally got the hang of that tricky soldier course on a curved wall

I was working on a garden wall in Phoenix last month and had to lay a soldier course on a 15-foot radius curve, which I've always struggled with. Instead of my usual method, I tried cutting the bricks at a slight angle before laying them and the whole thing lined up perfectly on the first try. Has anyone else found a specific trick for curved work that saved them a ton of time?

2 comments

2 Comments

adam_young3121d ago

Ever try using a string line tied to the center point of that curve? I kept one nailed to a stake and just checked each brick as I went, saved me from the whole thing drifting off line. What radius were you working with?

rowan10921d ago

That's a solid trick with the angled cuts. Had a similar breakthrough last summer on a curved patio edge. Spent ages trying to force the standard bricks into the curve and kept getting ugly gaps. Finally just started buttering the mortar thicker on the outside edge of each brick, like a tiny wedge, and it clicked into place. Felt like such a simple fix after all the frustration.