Domakihub How to Build a Brick Wall: A Step-by-Step Guide
From laying the foundation to pointing the joints — what every homeowner should know before picking up a trowel.
Reviewed by Domakihub home & decor pros · 2026-06-23 · 6 min read
A well-built brick wall adds durability, privacy, and character to any property — whether it is a family home on the mainland, a holiday villa on the islands, or a boutique hotel courtyard. The video above walks through the bricklaying process from start to finish, while this guide breaks it into clear steps so you can plan the job, source materials locally, and decide which stages to hand to a licensed mason. For boundary walls above 1 metre or any structural element, Greek building regulations (Law 4495/2017) typically require a permit and a licensed civil engineer — check with your local municipality before you begin.
When you need a permit or a licensed professional
In Greece, even a garden or courtyard wall can require a building permit (oikodomiki adeia) once it exceeds certain height thresholds or sits on a property boundary. Structural walls — those that bear loads from floors, roofs, or beams — must be designed and supervised by a licensed civil engineer (politikos michanikós). Damp-proof coursing in a basement or below-grade wall also falls into specialist territory because a failed DPC can cause expensive, long-term moisture damage. When in doubt, a brief consultation with a local engineer costs far less than demolishing non-compliant work.
For non-structural garden walls, low courtyard dividers, and decorative screens under roughly 1 metre on private land, a skilled DIYer or a local mason (xtistaras) can usually complete the job without a permit. This guide focuses on that category — but always verify with your dimos before starting.
Materials and tools you will need
The core materials are fired clay or concrete bricks, sand-and-cement mortar (or a pre-mixed bagged mortar), and a damp-proof course membrane if the base meets the ground. For a standard half-brick-thick garden wall you will also need a concrete strip footing mix (1 part cement : 2 parts sand : 3 parts aggregate). On Greek building sites, common brick sizes follow the 22.5 × 10.5 × 7.5 cm standard, but check what your local supplier stocks before calculating quantities.
Essential tools: brick trowel, pointing trowel, spirit level (at least 1 m long), builder's line and pins, rubber mallet, bolster chisel and club hammer for cutting, bucket and mixing paddle or a small electric mixer, tape measure, and a straight-edged board for checking alignment. Eye protection and leather gloves are non-negotiable when cutting bricks.
How to build a brick wall — 5 steps
- 1
Dig and pour the concrete strip footing
Mark out the wall line with string and pegs, then excavate a trench at least twice the wall's width and 300–450 mm deep (deeper in areas with expansive clay soils or frost). Pour a concrete mix (1:2:3) to roughly 150 mm depth and screed it level with a timber float. In coastal or damp locations — common across Greek islands and the Attica coast — lay a sheet of damp-proof course membrane on top of the cured slab before the first brick course. Allow the footing to cure for at least 48 hours before loading it with brickwork.
- 2
Set up profiles and string lines
Drive a timber profile board into the ground at each end of the wall and stretch a builder's line between them at the height of your first course. The line should sit exactly at the face and top edge of that first row of bricks — it is your guide for keeping every course straight and at a consistent height. Check both profiles for plumb with your spirit level before you mix any mortar. Recheck after every two or three courses as the line can sag over longer runs.
- 3
Mix mortar and lay the first course
Mix mortar to a 1:4 or 1:5 cement-to-building-sand ratio (by volume), adding water gradually until it holds a peak but slides off the trowel cleanly. A wetter mix may be easier to work but weakens the joint. Spread a 10 mm mortar bed on the footing, then set your first brick firmly, tapping it level with a rubber mallet and checking against the string line. Butter the end of each subsequent brick (the 'frog' or 'header face') before pressing it into place to ensure full perpend joints. Keep all perpendicular joints — the vertical ones — offset by half a brick from the course below (stretcher bond is the standard pattern for a half-brick wall).
- 4
Build up the courses and maintain plumb
Work from both ends toward the middle, building up corners (quoins) first by two or three courses, then infilling the middle section using the string line as your guide. Use a long spirit level on the face and side of the wall every three to four courses to check for plumb and for any bow or lean. Tap bricks gently with the rubber mallet to correct before the mortar stiffens — once mortar has skinned over (usually 20–30 minutes in Mediterranean summer heat), repositioning a brick will break the bond. Scrape off any mortar that squeezes out of the joints before it hardens.
- 5
Point the joints and cure the wall
Once the mortar has firmed but not fully hardened — usually 1–2 hours after laying, depending on temperature — rake out the face of each joint to roughly 10 mm depth using a pointing tool or the edge of the trowel handle, then press in fresh mortar and finish to a neat concave or flush profile. This 'pointing' improves both weather resistance and appearance. Keep the completed wall damp for at least three days, especially in the hot, dry Greek summer — drape hessian or plastic sheeting and wet it down morning and evening. Full structural strength develops over 28 days.
Rather have a pro handle it?
Get a vetted renovation pro in your city — one number, booked in EN/EL/DE.
FAQ
- Do I need a building permit to build a brick wall in Greece?
- It depends on the wall's height, location, and structural role. Boundary walls and walls above roughly 1 metre generally require a building permit (oikodomiki adeia) under Greek Law 4495/2017, and any structural load-bearing wall must be designed by a licensed civil engineer. Low, non-structural garden dividers on private land are often exempt, but rules vary between municipalities, so always confirm with your local dimos or a local engineer before you start.
- What mortar mix ratio should I use for a garden brick wall in a hot, coastal climate?
- A 1:5 cement-to-building-sand mix (by volume) is suitable for most non-structural garden walls in a Mediterranean climate. In exposed coastal locations with high salinity, use sulphate-resistant cement (Type SR) and keep the mortar slightly richer at 1:4. Avoid mixing too much mortar at once in summer heat — a batch that sits for more than 30 minutes in temperatures above 30°C begins to stiffen and should be discarded rather than re-wetted.
- How many bricks do I need to calculate for my wall?
- For a standard half-brick-thick wall (one brick's width, roughly 115 mm) in stretcher bond, you need approximately 60 bricks per square metre of face area, including a 10 % allowance for cuts and waste. Multiply your wall's length by its height to get the face area, then multiply by 60. For a full-brick-thick wall (215 mm), double that figure. Always order a minimum 10 % overage — brick batches from different firings can vary slightly in colour and size, so buying all bricks at once avoids a visible mismatch.