What is a brick fence? A brick fence is just like any other fence. It is made up of bricks and hence it is everlasting. Most fences in the US are made up of either wood or wireframes. Both of these fences do the job of a fence, i.e. they can keep your dog from jumping into your neighbor’s lawn and can also be used to mark the boundary of your land. But these fences may not be very practical for some people and neighborhoods. There are four main reasons why people consider using brick fences instead of regular ones. They are:
Building a brick fence for privacy
For e.g., if you want privacy then both the wooden and the wireframe fence fail to do the job. Wireframe fences are see-through and wooden fences are also fairly easy to look over. This is when the need for a solid brick fence or as some call it brick boundary wall arises. If you want complete privacy then the best way to do it is by building a wall. A giant magnificent wall (pun intended).
Building a brick fence for protection
For most people, protection is a major issue for opting for a brick fence instead of the wooden one. This is because brick fences can be built as tall as one desires with a proper foundation. In many upscale homes and gated compounds, brick fences are replaced with brick boundary walls which are almost exactly the same as fences but are raised to a greater height so that it becomes very difficult to climb over them and enter the property. If you visit the upscale houses in Beverly hills most of them have boundary walls. This is mostly for protection. to keep unwanted visitors out of the premises of the house. If these houses used just plain wood fences, the paparazzi would storm right into them.
If you go with the brick boundary wall instead of just the fence then it can also deter robbers and thieves. Most robbers prefer houses that are open and easily escapable. If you put up a giant boundary wall that the robber would have to climb over, then it creates an unwanted hurdle for the robber and hence he would stay away from the house.
Building a brick fence for decorative purposes
Most people also choose a brick fence for the aesthetic design that it brings to the house. Most houses that are either made of solid brick or brick veneered will benefit from having brick fences. Brick fences also add value to the house. Hence most builders consider using a brick fence where applicable to increase the appraisal value of the house. So, if you are planning on selling your house after a few years brick fences do also make sense.
Building a brick fence because it lasts forever
The brick fence does not suffer from the wear and issues that you will face if you build a tall wood fence. Even if you use the most durable wood. It is still prone to getting wear and tear as it will be constantly exposed to the elements such as sun, wind, and rain. Wooden fences
How to build a brick fence?
The bricks are laid in a single file unlike building a house in which bricks are laid in a double file in a crisscross pattern. This is because the brick fence does not need to bear the weight of a concrete roof. The walls of the fence are built with foundations underneath the actual bricks. The brick fence can be built as follows:
Marking the area for installing the brick fence
Marking your own area of land is very important in construction especially if you are building a permanent structure that won’t be easily removable. First of all mark the exact boundary of the piece of land which you own. This should be done by getting the exact land boundary guides from your land possession papers and then marking them on the ground with a tape measure. Next, you will need marking chalk to mark the measured area. After putting in the markings you will need to tie a guidewire 2.25 inches in front of the marking chalk line. This is so that the brick lays exactly on the center of the marking chalk line. The guidewire needs to be placed in such a way that it forms a square or rectangle (depending on the shape of your plot) 2.5 inches on the inside of the marking chalk line.
Building the foundation for a brick fence
Next, you will need to dig up a trench. The depth of the trench needs to be about 6 inches if you are constructing a 6-foot fence over it. If you plan to construct a boundary wall that will be taller than 6-feet then you need to dig a trench of about 1-foot depth. After this, the trenches will be filled with a concrete mix in the ratio of 1 part cement, 2 parts sand, and 4 parts gravel. You can further reinforce the concrete with a steel bar mesh but it depends on the requirement. If you are only planning to construct a 6-foot brick fence then the steel mesh can be left out.
Making the pillars of the brick fence
Most brick fences are built with pillars in between the fence walls. These pillars are usually made up of bricks only and do not use concrete. The pillars are made by using two bricks side by side which are placed in a crisis cross manner to give them extra strength. The use of pillars can give extra support to the brick fence and they also make the wall appear more 3D. So, in my opinion, using pillars while building a fence should be a must.
The pillars will usually be placed at least six feet apart from one another in the middle while the edges of the plots will usually have tall pillars to mark the end of the property.
Laying the bricks
Filling up the walls between the pillars with bricks will now be an easy job. Just use good-quality mortar to ensure extra strength.
Now the wall building is complete. The brick fence can now be plastered further to add even more finish to the look and feel. This will make the walls smooth and crisp on sight. Many houses in the eastern countries utilize this finish. You can also check my article on plastering to learn more about it.
Why aren’t brick fences very common?
Brick fences and boundary walls are what most people in the US are not aware of. This is because installing them requires a mason. Masons are very few and far between in the US and hence most people while building a fence for their house only consider the classic wood fence.
If you want to build a fence I would recommend going for the brick fence option once and for all. Brick fences will last a lifetime and more. The one at my house is older than me and will probably be around once I die as well. By going with a brick fence, you will save on the constant maintenance required by wood fences. You will never need to replace the fence ever again. If you plan on living in the house for a long time then this is a must, in my opinion.
The high upfront cost should not be considered as you are building something that is everlasting. The couple of thousand dollars that one can save by going with a wood option are nothing compared to the constant need for maintaining a wood fence.
