Brick walls date back at least five thousand years ago, in what is now India and the surrounding regions. Building onto this ancient tradition can seem deceptively simple. But while the basics of brick and mortar are easy to understand, achieving a professional quality wall takes planning and practice.

Note: The following instructions are to build a 2ft (0.6 m) tall, 6ft (1.8 m) long wall, that is one brick wide. However, the instructions are easily adaptable.