Bricklayer

A bricklayer builds walls by stacking bricks one by one. They spread a stripe of wet mortar, which is a gray paste that works like glue, then press each brick into place with a trowel, a flat metal tool with a handle. They use a level, a tool with a little bubble inside, to check that every row sits perfectly straight. For example, they might build the walls of a new house, working alongside other builders who bring bricks and mix the mortar.

When a bricklayer finishes a wall, it can stand for a very long time. It becomes the part of a house that keeps out wind and rain, so a family can stay warm and dry inside. Bricklayers also build garden walls, chimneys and school buildings, and they fix old walls that have cracked or crumbled. Next time you walk past a brick wall, you can look closely and imagine the careful hands that placed every single brick.