This goes without saying, every bricklayer needs a good brick trowel and they come in many sizes. It depends on your own preference what size to pick. A brick trowel is used with brick or stonework for levelling, spreading, and shaping mortar or concrete. You can also purchase a pointing trowel for cleaning up brick or stonework too.

A pointing key is another toolbox must have. Pointing is the process of finishing and tidying the mortar joints which hide the interior mortar and enhances the finished appearance. Again, there are different sizes of pointing keys available so we would suggest checking what kind of pointing you will be doing first before choosing a size to go with. As a rule of thumb at SLBC we often stick to pointing keys sized between 10mm-15mm.

A brick jointer is another tool which helps with flattening and smoothing brick mortar joints before they set to provide a uniform and neat finish. Brick jointers not only help bricklayers with aesthetic purposes but also when compacting mortar between bricks which ultimately enhances water resistance.

A brick bolster is mainly used by bricklayers for splitting or cutting bricks, block, and stone with the help of a hammer. The brick bolster has a wide cutting edge and that is why it is mainly used for brick, masonry, and block work. You should always look out for one with a handguard as this allows you to hold it while in use

Now, this one should really go without saying but we felt we should add it in anyway because bricklayers need a measuring tape which extends a minimum of 5 metres.

The Club Hammer is used by bricklayers alongside the brick bolster for light demolition work. It’s often referred to as the sledgehammer’s little brother as the handle is smaller and it is not as heavy as a sledgehammer.

The Brick Hammer is used by bricklayers for a similar purpose i.e., cleanly breaking bricks, rocks, hammer concrete etc. One end of the hammer head is a chisel and the other is a block

Another one which goes without saying are spirit levels, large and pocket sized. Spirit levels keep the courses level, determining whether or not the brickwork and masonry are level horizontally, vertically and that the work is plumb.

Bricklayers line is used as a point of reference when building to ensure the brickwork built is level and plumb, according to the internet it was one of the world’s earliest used tools! The line is run from one corner of brickwork to the other and can be easily assembled with corner line blocks, which help you move the line up and down the brickwork more efficiently.

Last, but by no means least, is the soft brush. Bricklayers absolutely must have a soft hand-held brush in their toolbox for the removal of excess mortar after pointing and finishing brick, block, or stonework. It’s important to use a soft-haired brush as anything harsher (i.e., wire brush) will damage the pointing and impact the overall quality of work.