How to make that bricklaying job easier

Laying course after course of bricks can be tough work, especially in the hot summer months. With residential construction proving to be so popular at the moment, there is a strong demand for brick-layers and other subbies.

Of course it pays to make every step of the job as easy as possible, not just to make life a bit simpler for yourself and your team, but also to improve productivity.

Transporting materials

Shifting bricks around the site in a wheelbarrow is all right, but it can be back-breaking work. Not only is it an inefficient use of man-power, but moving around other contractors and the obstacles they create with their tools and materials can be unsafe and a big waste of time.

If you want to move bricks from your stack to the work face in an expedited manner, have a look at hiring a mini conveyor. Not only will this save you lugging loads of bricks all over the site, but these conveyors can be extended as you move along the wall your building.

The safe handling of material on a construction site should be paramount. Safe Work Australia shows that the construction industry accounted for around 11 per cent of all serious worker's compensation claims over the five years to 2011/12. Not only this, but 34 per cent of these injuries were due to body stress or muscular strain - most of which could probably be avoided with proper handling equipment.

Simply adding another miniveyor unit will extend the length of your complete conveyor set up. These units are great for getting material to your workers, and they are equally good for moving rubble or waste from the site to a skip bin.

Brick and block elevators can be ideal for when access is limited, or if you need to safely get bricks from the ground to the second floor.

Reusing bricks

Sometimes when renovating it is just too hard to source the same bricks that the original builder used - whether because they've gone out of production, or just become ridiculously expensive.

For times like this, hiring a brick cleaner is ideal for saving you time and money. Enabling one or two people to work at the same time, you can easily clean mortar and grout off of old bricks so they can be reused. Reusing bricks is not only sound commercial practice, but can have a very positive environmental impact, according to Zerowaste Europe, who advocate recycling bricks on an industrial scale.

Even if you are using new bricks, older bricks can be great for creating feature walls, paved areas, or recycling for some cash. If you need to remove old bricks from the site, or lug around some other equipment, Kennards Hire has a great range of vehicles and trailers to help you out.

Hiring a truck or van can be really helpful if you are working on a job that is outside of your usual area, and can greatly increase the amount of work you are able to take on.

No matter the size and complexity of your bricklaying job, Kennards Hire has the tools to make your life a bit easier.