I watched a video by a bricklayer who did a few videos highlighting pick n dip. I had a go at it. Took a week or so to get the technique right and I’m now laying more bricks using that method than traditional. Found the old trowel that was smaller trowel helped too. But tbh does it really matter 🤷♂️ each to their own. As long as the quality is there and your earning just do it however you feel comfortable. Spot boards set higher helps for pick n dip too. 🧱👍
I don't think pick'n dip is suited to the English way. It comes from the continent, where all the work gets raked out and pointed after. Here the brickwork gets joined as u go along. So the joints have to be full and flush, otherwise they crumble after a few years.
We use this method in Sweden,furrowing the bed here is a no go, because of the long winters,any water sat in the furrows would freeze and the wall would be ruined,you are a top brickie,and as you say find the way that works for you best.
Well Stu you are obviousely more comfortable with the traditional method. I agree with everything you say especially about what is right for the individual and advantages/disadvantages of each method eg pick and dip better in hot weather. I am not a bricklayer. I have been a Plumber for 40yrs. I have always adapted and learnt from others one thing I did notice is that you were looking to improve and take on the good bits from each method like any good tradesman should. Only the most arrogant think they know it all. Well done great video
Stu I tried the pick n dip method today for the first time and enjoyed it although I was taught the traditional way 27 years ago! The trick is to lay a big bed then push the brick into it to form the perp. Takes a bit of getting used to but I'll keep trying it 😉👍
This was a good review on brickwork. In Belgium go like this take a brick look at it than take mortar for two bricks take a brick take mortar for two bricks .... you now how goes . Stu this was a good example like it very much.👍 Pat
Nick M where about date you mate? I worked in Perth and found this to be the case and even adopted the style while there, but in Victoria I find most bricks will still spread in front of them when the weather allows it
I’ve been watching a lot of videos on pick and dip. I use a combination of it and traditional spreading. Spread the wall with a lot of mud. Be sure to spread the majority to the front of the wall. No head joint or perp. Just slide your brick back through the mud creating a head joint. Then take extra bed joint and plop it on top of the head joint. Rinse and repeat.
The variant I've watched doesn't involve buttering they just wap a huge dollop of really creamy muck as the bed and the perp gets formed as the brick slides horizontally through the mortar pushing a gob of muck against the preceding brick. Maybe that's where they save time
This system comes from germsny and holland, where the bricks are smaller in height. So the perps get filled easier. Also, it's all raked out there anyway. As fast as the english way, if done properly.
To be honest, you don't butter up in pic n dip. You just plop the muck down thick and then scoop the brick into the other standing perp at an angle as you go in front to back, like you were laying, so that it squeezes muck into the perp joint. Also, you angle the brick sideways from far face, leaning into the outer face, scraping off the muck as it squeezes out to the front, outer face. Not much comes out behind but you can scrape off as you go. But doing pic n dip is about twice as fast than traditional.
Great to see another video up stu. I find these videos extremely informative and this is helped me a lot as I’m soon to be a brick apprentice. Keep up the good work stu
Thanks for the video Stu..! For me I spread the wall first and then lay brick too. I have used pick and dip,or spread for one brick, on hot days and where the brick is super absorbent. Also when I get to laying chest hi I lay backwards or right to left if right handed, it is more natural for me.
Im in Australia ,did my trade in London, i stick with the traditional method as it suits me, even though its extremely hot in summer , i spread for around 10 to 12 bricks, doesn't take long to cover that
The proper pick n dip is laying more than usual amount of muck on the bed and don’t butter your bricks. The idea is to push the brick into the muck and it oozes in the perp. Hence the word “dip” you’re literally dipping the brick into the muck
No need to butter your perp or v your bed with pick and dip just throw it on push up to perp to fill it in and roll brick from back to front (it’s something you need to practice) Great vid as usual SC!
Stu you're a good brickie and i am not having a go at you but one of the reasons behind the Pick and Dip method is that you don't need to 'butter a brick' 😀😀
I'm a bricklaying and what I my doing is spraying all the way long and after that put the 23 bricks in 1:35 Just trying one day. I recommend you is don't put the brick cement every times before laying.
Surely you should have your spot board closer aswell as bricks. I first seen this method being used in the early 90's by the dutch. 3 of us v/s 3 of them on a cellar. They absolutley creamed us. My concern is the amount of muck behind the wall as I tend to scrape the back of each brick after laying. I still lay an average of 800 a day using traditional method so Im not bothered about the pic and dip method. I also like a full perp it's easier to joint afterwards. Nice vid tho bro.
I’m always giving the hod carriers a hard time after they knock a brick into the mortar. I will pick it up, dip the brick into the mortar and lay it! I thought that was the pick and dip method!
Pick & dip at waist height and above, always. Agree, more useful in the heat. Once you get used to it you can put your joint on with the bed. I reckon it uses more mortar in the end as you don't furrow it but it's a better job because there will be less voids.
Oi oi I was in spec mix 500 3 years ago competing,,, unbelievable experience there was a Canadian guy who pissed it with over 900 bricks in a hour, with the pick and dip method how ever the judges didn’t mark his wall well and had loads of corrections great videos , tidy 👌🏻
When I've seen the pick n dip method they don't butter the brick , they fill the perp as they dip n push it up to the next brick not that I've tried it myself . Wellin Stu 👍
Nice work, STU! 1.Why are the bottom four rows made of hollow bricks and then you put all the other basic solid bricks? 2. What is the difference between these bricks? Clinker? What are their sizes? 3. What masonry mortar do you use? 4. What wire do you use to connect blocks and bricks to each other, stainless steel?
Pick n dip you get less injuries......elbow n shoulder. try laying your bed at a slight angle to the front and swiping up the muck for the perp with the heel of the brick.....takes a little practice but fast and easy on your wrist..... I still do the twirl for blocks.... As you say so well.......each to there own
One thing I've learned from pro teachers is that if this is going to be your career, you have to protect your body and joints. Credit to ~Charles Cummins~The first method really made you work much harder at bending and flexing. That method could wear your body out in a few years. You should do what ever wears on you less! My opinion. Great videos!
Stu just wanted to say my 6 yr old daughter lives watching you work she always asks if the best brickie has added any new video's at bedtime, we're in South Wales she loves your accent and runs around the house imitating it, she met her great grandpa George last week for the first time who's from Burnley ( hapton) and she thought it was great lol.... I'd say traditional method suits you better mate and Catrin agrees 🤦♂️
Australian bricklayer i have always spread my whole course and laid pushing each buttered brick forward(working right to left) and double buttering the last brick of each course. i feel like its much quicker than either of the examples ive seen in this video.
Pick and dipping works best when you scoop the mortar with the end of the brick to fill your joint rather than buttering the brick every time. If you bed heavy and roll the brick from back to front there are very few snots on the back. North western brickie here and always lay pick and dip. But that was a solid effort takes a while to get used to a new method and speed comes from experience. I always find I’m faster when I’m calm when I feel rushed I make mistakes.
Cheers Jake, i did roll but probably not enough, may try again but I don’t think I will. Change because the beds are never uniform, you would have to judge the amount of mortar perfectly each time to get a consistent lay but the traditional you work the mortar to a consistent bed throughout so I find it easier to lay on that bed but I may give it another whirl with the dip perp joints
I use a smaller trowel when I’m laying, mostly because I broke my elbow when I was finishing my apprenticeship and get mega bad tennis elbow. My trowel is the same size as a Dutch trowel so a full trowel is almost a perfect gauge for one brick.
Nah his right pick n dip you don't butter, the way u put the brick down slides the muck up. but it wastes muck as falls down cavity but is good in excessive heat as Stu sez but personally traditional all the way faster and less wastage.
Yeah I thought that bud you pick the brick you dip your trowel. Anyway the essence of the method is that you get your mortar and brick at the same time. The traditional you spread through as one part then lay brick secondly. No pun intended but people are going to pick at the video anyway, can’t stop pessimists they can find fault on anything 😁 keep on laying 👍👍👌
But the whole point is to see which is faster and you've defeated the purpose by buttering the brick which in the pick and dip is eliminated,saving time.
I thought it was brilliant. There is a whole lot of skill there which is not fully apparent, for example laying the bricks with the back edge first so the excess mortar squeezes to the front but finishing up so the bricks are level front to back, then laying then so they are level left to right, then getting the mortar mix just right so the bricks tap down easily, then the lightning quick strike off of the excess mortar, getting the perps in line, getting the bricks to form a flat face to the wall. I'm envious!
Well I like you Stu and it’s interesting seeing how it’s done in the UK. Im in Mississippi and believe me it’s way hotter here than there, but we still spread more than one brick at a time, i would go broke if we did it like that. Also , why don’t you set some boards on mud stands ( a table) to keep from wearing yourself out. I enjoy your passion for brick laying it’s fun to watch. How do you do radius curved wing walls with steps it would be nice to see how y’all do them over there.
Pick and drip is how we do in the Netherlands except we use 'waal' bricks and are mortar is different. you should take a look we call bricklaying 'metselen'. Greetings.
I'm a sparks not a block layer so maybe a dumb question, but why not lay the other way so you can look along the bricks as you go to see if the line is snagged or whatever.
Hello friend VC could explain how this system that VC uses to stretch the lines and how it does. They are not in the rules. Thank you. Congratulations on your work ..
I think that the pick n dip is a European thing as a lot of the time they don't bother with the perps and they use a delta trowel. I might be wrong. Your work is great by the way.
I believe the fastest method is using traditional, but as you did at 12:08 ( your speed also increased atm) I always do it that way and have always beat someone who butters the brick they grab. I always use the mud I scraped from the one I layed and butter the one just payed. Sometimes I don't even cut my mud off from the furrow if I'm running bigger head joints. Your skills are fabulous man, I'm just saying.
Have to agree with you there stu but they say pick and dip is easier on your body... it feels slow and awkward to me but im not used to it so suppose it will at first.
Is it a northern thing putting the perp on the front of the brick to be laid to ? If it’s front or back always put the perp on where the brick will be pressed against , in a hot day you will see
It’s not a matter of deciding you want to try pick and dip . It’s a matter of practicing the method and re forming the muscle memory. As a bricklayer knows that takes between a year to 18 months to get proficient .
Pic and dip is useless seen loads of videos on it perps are never full just bad practice in my opinion traditional method all the way if you can't cover more than 3 bricks with one trowel full of muck then your doing something wrong
Stu, you looked so uncomfortable doing the pick and dip method. From my understanding a smaller trowl and not buttering is the fastest way, pick a brick and a trowl full of muck at the same time, your trowl was too big, and 50% of your time ia spent buttering, then taking extra time to pick your muck for the bed.
You use that trowel like a surgeon uses a scalpel. Excellent job! Love watching you lay those bricks. Especially when you get in a constant rhythm. Like a robot, LoL.
Ola amigo VC poderiam min explicar como é esse sistema que VC usa pra esticar as linhas e como faz. Elas nas réguas nai cau não. Obrigado. Parabéns pelo o seu trabalho..
I’m having a little tease with it sometimes the top of the perp is empty only 5-10 mm but work in practice . The guy in the vid is rushing and getting all flustered. Is what it is
Bit of a shame that Stu didn't do the test 1/ without buttering in P&D and 2/ At a relaxed, all-day sustainable, pace. Trying to go fast will inevitably favor the traditional method as Stu is far more practiced in it...
I’m the no1 in the world at pic n mix I can eat 10 cola bottles in 5 seconds lol! Seriously though I’ve seen other Brickys not buttering their bricks in this method I think that’s were the speed comes especially on a hot day! But like u say stu wot ever works for u
Hey bro love the fact that you tried and have such a great attitude about life and masonry. Pick in dip is faster when your material is at height of waist and up. Also no need to add the perp joint as the extra mortar is used as a squeezed in joint. Also the trowel can be much smaller. Less than 10 inches because instead of spreading 2-3 brick you are spreading one at a time. Also saved your wrist/ elbow. Love the video keep it up! And like you said everyone has their way. As long as it is level plumb and straight. That’s all that matters!
Did you delete the monkey with a spoon comment? I can’t see it ? It’s good you can do that , keep it 💯 positive 😂😂you have to accept all aspects of your video and all opinions, otherwise don’t post vids if you don’t like criticism don’t post the vid
