Becoming the World's WORST Bricklayer for a Day!

[@AlecSteele]

Keep you balls as clean as this brickwork at manscaped.com/forge and get 20% OFF + Free Shipping + 2 FREE gifts with promo code FORGE

[@dexterrobinson8867]

Just don’t drop a brick on your balls!

[@MadmanJnr]

In the end how did the wife rate your work?

[@stormaster1017]

@@Josh_M556 He made a video on that a few years ago. It's titled "MAKING A FORGE THAT FITS IN A BACKPACK!!!". I'd also recommend looking at TKOR' videos when he made the metal foundry's which have similar concepts.

[@face2faceyouth]

I’ll pay shipping if I can have the door

[@passthebs.1341]

Hahahaha!!!!!

[@ryangross5446]

Alec, as a former professional bricklayer, I absolutely loved this video. You clearly did your research, those strips of metal are called wall ties and laying them between the old and new exterior bricks can also help tie them in to the exterior wall. Also a trick to make those broken bricks disappear, take some mortar and fill the broken part, make the shape of your fill match the brick, let it dry and strike it lightly, brush it a little to match the brick texture, then spray paint it red and brown with a cardboard stencil. Youd be surprised how much that can improve the look of a repair job like this. Excellent video as always!

[@gordonburns8731]

Why not do it properly in the first place? You're a professional Bricky and you think that this is acceptable? I'm really pleased that I never called on youj!

[@KenDeggeryDawg]

@@gordonburns8731 why are you so toxic to Alex’s channel? Don’t watch if your just gonna hate on it, surely got better things to do..

[@redreaper5963]

you learn ways to fix your mistakes as an apprentice so next time you learn how to improve and master your trade not everyone is perfect

[@1986krazy]

I used to work in the brick tie and stone anchor manufacturing industry, and I agree with the original comment. I would also have added brick ties to go from the block to the brick, to connect them together, and also some vents so the air gap doesn't get too humid

[@maxwellslice5933]

My father In law is a 3rd generation brick Mason he taught me how to lay bricks I'm proud of Alex lol

[@jackcampbell3016]

Alec I would like to express how much confidence it gave me in my self to watch you struggle at something I can do confidently when I have spent a good few hours watching you create things that I feared I would never be able to produce. I'm slowly becoming a more accomplished blacksmith and what you demonstrate time and time again is that the main thing is not giving up.

[@brett567]

No one can do anything until the day they try.. And fail.. And try again

[@surgeonsgeneralwarning]

Not all craftsmen can be an expert at it all but we can try our best. Keep trying, the hardest part is over and you’ll get better with more anvil time man. Im right there with you with trying my hand at something new and being easily discouraged. Keep it up man

[@Mirro18]

i think the best part about all the non-smithing videos Alec puts out is the other craftsmen coming out of the wood work to watch Alec doing badly (at first) at their profession and then coming in with tips, tricks and anecdotes (alecdotes?) and healthy dose of appreciation for what he is doing/trying to do. It really enriches the video experience.

[@vincetejedo8021]

As a Brickie myself, I both laughed out loud ,and watched through my fingers as you were “laying”, especially with the muck as the beginning without the plasticiser. Don’t think us Brickie’s get enough credit for how much skill is needed to do a good job, but A+ for efforts, a lot better than I could do at the forge for a first go 👊🏻

[@jamesellis02]

Not to mention missing ties and insulation he previously mentioned 😅

[@wildwilie]

@@jamesellis02 Also weeping holes

[@wildwilie]

At first I was like oh no, this will go badly. Then realized he was doing a filler job and was relieved. I knew it wasnt going to very strait or clean, but at least he didnt have to do corners haha.

[@bow-tiedengineer4453]

Well, it isn't the prettiest masonry I've ever seen, but it's definitely a bricked up doorway, and once the mortar dries it'll probably look fine. Other than the bit on the right hand side where you broke off half of a couple bricks, it looks well done!

[@Kris_at_WhiteOaksFarm]

One of the things I absolutely love about your videos, is that you aren't at all afraid to show your mistakes and your learning from them. There is so much beauty there. Thank you for sharing. I learn from your mistakes too. Its a delight.

[@atversted]

Loved it Alec, this was not a "how to do it your self" but a " try to do it yourself" video. a way more valuable lesson anyway. in good spirit as always. thanks for being inspirering.

[@ANonymous-mo6xp]

Alec, showing us he's an expert blacksmith by doing non blacksmith things really sketchily.

[@MadMathMike]

Jamie to the rescue! He helped build that momentum and confidence that it could be done! Well done, to the both of you!

[@JamiePopple]

He was very close to throwing the towel in I think 😂

[@mauroyanniccari3473]

@@JamiePopple you're a legend mate

[@GlennQueener]

@@JamiePopple or...throwing in the trowel... Sorry, had to. I'm a dad; it's what we do.

[@Vydra-]

@@GlennQueener ah yes, reinforcement that i do not have a singular original idea lol

[@PhilepZ]

@@JamiePopple that would have been a KZbin shorts then :D

[@bendesoto6264]

I think it's awesome that when he first left the UK he said he needed to find a different editor, then never did. lol I love Jaime's early edits where the hammer beats and music beats matched up. You guys keep up the good work.

[@JohnLumagui]

Alec the Builder: "Can we fix it?" Jamie the Builder: "No, it's f**ked!"

[@doubledarefan]

Yes, seriously forked.

[@NZTROLN]

Alec the Butcher 😂

[@mattdavenport2727]

god i love these home reno vids! my dad is a bricky he used to show me how he does his job whe i was small and watching your first attempts was painful! but you did much better by the end so good job!

[@benjocharlie]

I felt this one! I did exactly the same thing. My wife was standing next to me laughing as I held the first brick in my hand and a youtube tutorial in the other.

[@19BigDaddyD71]

Loved the video, as usual, but I will say that watching you take a crowbar to what looked to be a very well made wooden door was the equivalent of fingernails being scraped across the chalkboard to me. If I lived in Birmingham, England instead of Birmingham, Alabama, I would come pick it up! Good luck on the renovations!

[@kennethbolton951]

Yeah , why not just unscrew the hinges? Pull the pins.

[@DH-xw6jp]

It hurts when you think: "hey, the house he is smashing? Yeah, that's probably older than my entire state."

[@drewdane40]

I'm usually not one to jump on the "starving kids in Africa could have eaten that [thing destroyed in video]" bandwagon, but as a guy who lives in a nondescript box it did make me sad to see Alec destroy a good architectural salvage piece.

[@edwardchester1]

It did seem a bit unnecessary. Someone likely would've paid good money for it. Though, to be fair, the actual door wasn't damaged - just the hinges - so I suppose you could still sell it on, I just suspect he didn't. All that said, it isn't vintage stuff. That house looks like it was built in the seventies, so the door's likely only that old. Good solid stuff but not vintage.

[@DjDolHaus86]

The door was undamaged and the frame was going to be firewood anyway. Personally my approach when ripping a door out is entirely based on the state of the screws holding the hinges, if they're phillips heads and haven't been butchered then i'll whizz them out with a driver, if they're flat heads or chewed then it's going to be the crowbar because it's just not worth the time

[@TinyBasementWorkshop]

Only Alec: starts a project in his own craft - takes 20 episodes to finish… starts a project in a completely new and unfamiliar profession - done in a 12min video 🤣

[@joshrepik]

So accurate

[@shortvidz9576]

🤣😂 so annoying

[@matthewalan3512]

Need that watch time 😶

[@MrStbigelow]

I mean, those build videos are things made over weeks if not months. This took two days.

[@ConnorBlackwood]

Tbf I'd definitely spend more time focusing on the things I actually know as well

[@BBlueBBasterd]

I just want to say the editing on this is stellar, the little music cut when alec hurts himself or when he's cursing are absolutely fantastic

[@MobiuSphere]

Having to do occasional minor brick repair for my job (and generally sucking at it) kudos to you for not just the quality of your work, but also sticking with it when everything seemed to be going pear-shaped.

[@sideshow4417]

This is why I like working with lime mortar buildings, the bricks just pop right out with a bit of a go with the hammer drill. Also a spray bottle of water to wet the edges of the bricks helps the mortar stick, and mix a bit of washing up liquid with the mortar mix for a nice smooth creamy mortar which is easier to play with.

[@cmoskaluk9485]

Its funny how from trade to trade we never consider the challenges each task requires, always humbling when you attempt another trade you know nothing about! looked great.

[@62LSXNova]

was a Mason for 20 years. It takes some practice. Started off a little rough but your end product was amazing for a first-timer. Very proud of ya

[@urkince26]

I'm sure this is no consolation to the man, but Alec has got to be one of the most entertaining people on the planet to watch fail. At least he almost always figures it out by the end 😂

[@passthebs.1341]

I know, right? It's almost like watching Doctor Who.

[@jeffwoods4780]

as a construction worker and bricklayer. this was a very good beginner job, and well done. and thank you for actually being honest and saying that it's not that easy to do this job, but once you get it, its easy and fast

[@AsterSkotos]

This was more interesting than it should have been! And I want more!

[@JiryStark]

I ENJOYED this video, not only for the fun, but also for the beautiful friendship you two guys have. Very, VERY nice video, Alec and Jamie.

[@anthonyrogers9798]

Amazing Alec, well done. As a professional bricklayer we make it look so easy just how you as a blacksmith make that look so easy! Until you try it out for yourself you never truly appreciate another tradesman’s skill. Please, if you need any help or advice, give me a shout as I’m local to you and would love repay all the hours of entertainment you have provided over the years to me! Ps. You probably should have used a lime mortar as opposed to sand and cement 🤔

[@0faceless]

Good job Alec, This is what I do in my day to day, Construction remodel home repair handyman landscaping. I love that you're not afraid to learn new skills to enhance your life.

[@swalsugmass]

Love these house reno vids, and this brick laying made my day as i went through the same feelings you did my first time.

[@burlosborne3647]

It is so refreshing to see Alec broaden his knowledge of Manufacturing and Home DYI 😄😄😄😄😄

[@DontarrestmePLZ]

Very nice! I grew up with masons and it looks every bit as nice as something they'd have built. Props buddy, can't wait to see the rest.

[@kmetz878]

Nice! Looks like you're enjoying the full thrill of homeownership and renovation. I bought my house 6 years ago and immediately started renovating it. I completely understand your sentiments at the end of the video - every project starts out as "oh yeah, we can do that ourselves", turns into "how on earth is anyone meant to do this???", and eventually, after 6 times the labor you thought it would be, you end with "well, we got it done somehow".

[@j.t.4072]

Alec, I know you appreciate the skills of craftsmen, so I can only imagine how much more respect you have for bricklayers now than before. Good work to both you and Jamie. God bless.

[@justincarpenter8866]

Good luck with the project my man. I'm also in the middle of completely renovating my first home by myself. Its been a very difficult but very rewarding experience learning how to do brick, drywall, framing, painting, finish carpentry, and so on and so forth. Happy you're making some headway on the home. Keep on keepin on.

[@maxcactus7]

True story. In the 1990s, I worked as a carpenter specializing in remodeling very upscale older homes. The general contractor I worked for used the same family of brick masons for all our jobs requiring such work - a father and three grown sons. I would regularly watch them work and think "It's so easy! Anyone could do that job." Dad and oldest brother would be up high on the scaffolding setting brick, another brother would be on the ground using the masonry saw to cut bricks to size and shape, the youngest son would be mixing mortar and sending it up the scaffolding. Both the brothers on the ground would take tums loading a bucket with bricks or frequently THROWING the bricks up to the eldest brother and father, 12 feet up the scaffolding, who would mortar and set the bricks in place. They offered to let me try setting the bricks one day and I found it wasn't anywhere near as easy to do as it appeared, and it was esp difficult to keep their speed, spacing and accurate leveling. The most amazing part, though, was every one of them would show up every morning with a 24 pack of Keystone Light beer, and each would finish his case of beer during the hot summer days. (For those who don't know, Keystone Light is a thin, 3.2% abv barely beer) They'd developed such a tolerance, they claimed they'd never had a job site accident!

[@pyrojkl]

This is similar to some professional painters, it is a simple task but is easy to make mistakes that ruin the finished or fail to hold up after a short period if any mistakes are made that an pro would just not do and because they know the job so well, they can do it will doing some mild drinking, shrug, not really a drinker myself so i find it impressive

[@ToraKwai]

loving the struggle, we all go through it. Haven't finished the video yet but your first mix didn't look like it had any plasticiser in it, the difference is immense, makes life so much easier. as for toothing out, you can get raking tools that are basically a carbide spindle that goes on an angle grinder, work a treat and don't damage the bricks you want to keep as much just got to the point of you finding your plasticiser XD love this episode! (also stu compton has some great videos, helped a lot when i started bricking) another tip, don't rub your bricks! let the much dry then take a stiff brush to it, you'll avoid rubbing the mortar into the face of your brickwork, the cement is so fine it'll get into all the texture and you'll struggle to get it out. finally, seen a few comments already, missed your cavity wall ties

[@ferrumignis]

Now I want to see you render and plaster the interior wall. Drives me to tears watching the professionals slaps it on in minutes to get a perfect surface when no matter how careful I am it looks like a farmer has just ploughed it.

[@JFlick-nz1jj]

With the little experience I have, i can tell that watering the blocks does help in making the mortar stick to the block. If it is covered in dust, the stuff will only pick up the layer of dust particels and peel right off. A little whipe with a wet broom does the job.

[@Peptuut]

Dipping them in a bucket of water works as well. Makes the mortar dry a bit slower as well, which is stronger.

[@matthiasvolz6720]

Well done Alec! You don’t need insulation in GB? I would have done some insulation between the outer and the inner wall.

[@Mitrasmit]

It's probably bad to insulate only part of the walls, as the rest of the walls rely on air ventilation for its insulation. This would create a barrier that might actually collect moisture. I mean, that's all just assumptions, but this is what I'd imagine.

[@edwardchester1]

No point just doing that one area. Assuming they're getting anything done (cavity itself provides some insulation plus it's sometimes left open for better ventilation), it'll have to be blown insulation to fill the whole cavity. Easier to have this section sealed up for when that's done.

[@andyaitken4243]

I love Alec’s have a go attitude for someone so young. He always does research and makes good choices. Awesome to watch, bring out more!

[@UnicornKnight25]

Ive been a simple bricklayer for more than 10 years, so watching this hurt me xD i have so many stomach cramps from laughing :D its hard to learn new things, but keep it up Alec!

[@mikeg4meplay]

Hey Alec I am a danish bricklayer and i enjoyed watching your video. I thought in the beginning that it wasent going do end well, but you made it work. Great job!!! Keep up the good spirit and the hard work!!!!

[@MM-ft2pv]

The quality blacksmithing content I subscribed for.

[@richardbuttner1989]

Cool! I love it you're showing more of the renovations of your house!

[@weoff507]

Gotta admit, I’m really glad to not have a demo from Alex on todays sponsored products.

[@Flumphinator]

I’m taking my tests to be an architect right now and this was a good laugh. Turned out ok. I probably couldn’t do too much better. When I go to job sites, I always admire the guys who look like they could do this stuff with their eyes closed.

[@MadebyKourmoulis]

Oof hard lesson to learn. Took me about a year to remodel our last place while living there. Sold it the week we finished it.

[@looweeg4229]

Jamie has always been the real hero of the show. :)

[@aserta]

Could've sold that door and frame (some recoupers even offer a service to come and remove it themselves) for a nice sum.

[@Sommertest]

I was looking for this comment. I’m guessing $300-500.

[@jonanderson5137]

Enough to get a brickey to do it and still have some beer money leftover.

[@rapid8067]

Hey Alec. Just a little tip for future bricklaying projects when building a wall with two skins you need to use wall ties laid across the cavity to tie the internal skin and external skin together. bricklaying is a great trade and i love watching the frustration on people who try it for the first time. cheers

[@niallmccormack6359]

This is so cool! Great job guys :D The way you describe the project as going from possible to impossible and back again, I feel like that's the case with every project I do lately! There's a always extreme confidence until I start something, then it dips as I realize how hard it is!

[@YYCEyeGuyGord]

You missed sooooo many golden opportunities to shout to the camera: "Dammit man, I'm a BLACKSMITH, not a BRICKLAYER!"

[@dragonwing4ever]

idk brickies tend to scream and shout and complain so that would've made him more like one🤣 (source i laboured for brickies)

[@ibrahim-sj2cr]

alex never blamed his tools or other people so he'd be a lousy brikkie

[@BenHut69]

This might have been one of your most hilarious videos ever. Loving the home improvement content!

[@RabidParana1]

Brick work is one of those jobs that is really "easy to do" but SO hard to do nicely! I laboured for a stone mason for 2 years and never quite got the art of laying them

[@dennisnicholls6267]

I’ve spent 25 years laying bricks, I must say good attemp, u need clay or a plasticiser added to the mix. And the tools to cut out the toothing is an arborsaw, u can cut out the joints cleanly and minimal dust

[@xliquidflames]

You should affix the old door to the new exterior bricks; a faux door just to confuse people trying to break in or deliver packages.

[@doubledarefan]

Sends a few Matrix vibes, too!

[@MarcotGarage]

This is the best home improvement channel out there, haha. Im renovation my house from the studs and this is exactly how it went for just about everything.

[@roccov3614]

8:35 "We have what looks like a bricked up doorway" No, you have what looks like a "blocked" up doorway. You haven't started on the bricks yet.

[@teatowel11]

The trick of laughing at each other to deal with the suffering is an essential principle of brickies and tradesman everywhere.

[@heavymetalbassist5]

Cool project. I would have reversed the swing of the door then caulked it closed. This way if the oven acted up I could access the back easily

[@benwolf4161]

It’s funny, I am a bricklayer and you are the reason I got into blacksmithing so this is very fun to watch!!

[@deoed]

Good job. I would have done a "blind door" (or what its called in English) a recessed brick wall inside the existing frame, recessed like an inch/2-3cm, no need to remove the half-bricks.

[@99Etien]

keep in mind the insulating properties of the bricks and blocks with the air gap in between. That is much better than your suggestion

[@deoed]

​@@99Etien Yes one inch less insulation, you can still have the air gap, dont think it would make a big difference in insulation properties, but your not wrong :)

[@99Etien]

@@deoed a wooden door and a brick wall are in two completely different categories of insulation. Keep in mind that this is the UK where just some wood and Sheet rock like in warmer areas of the US is absolutely not good

[@barrydewson7691]

I honestly don’t think I’ve laughed so much at one of your videos!!! Good on your boys for giving it a go!!!

[@luminescentlion]

Damn this seems hard, as an american I'm gonna keep building my house out of wood.

[@davesmith5656]

The Ancient Egyptians gave up on mortar and figured out how to build without it.

[@MGMutt]

IDK why americans dont build out of brick. You have hurricanes seemingly every time you blink.

[@luminescentlion]

@@MGMutt That's mostly the south east, most of America doesn't get badly effected by Hurriscanes.

[@knite_lite]

It's really cool seeing you try your hand at other kinds of handywork and learning a completely new skill.

[@CelticGod220]

Your destruction of old and solid things makes me weep. Good on you for learning new things. But ....

[@willgallatin2802]

Alec, I'm glad to see you are a fast study. Anything with portland in it is a challenge. Well done 1st repair on the brickwork.

[@Juice556]

Great video guys. You 2 seem like really good friends who work well together.

[@jamesreid7144]

Really, great job Alec. You are an inspiration to the rest of us homeowners!

[@rjhg6142]

It's not even the door. Dude watching you get in way over your head then overcome it is super inspirational.

[@danielmoss2394]

Alec, that is one hell of a job for a non-mason homeowner to take on. Love watching you learn like this, fantastic job.

[@TheVarzoth]

It's amazing watching you fail your way to success with so many different skills. The confidence to just have a go is always impressive to me!

[@SudaNIm103]

Alec, your perseverance and hard-headedness are inspiring, as always! Well done sir; Keep it up mate!

[@stephencleaves]

Loved this video, your sense of humour Alex is just brilliant, keep the video's coming ! 🤣

[@311connorf]

I just finished building a standalone garage workshop myself. It was alot of fun. The biggest lesson though is that by FAR the hardest part of construction is dealing with the permiting/beuracracy. Makes the actual building part seem like a breeze

[@folklorequine]

Wow, Alec, amazing! I believe that mixing mortar is pretty hard until you get the knack. Thumbs up for perseverance! 👍👍

[@Zeo_Kana]

Professionals make their profession look easy. Which is why Bob the Builder is one of the best. Love the content, entertaining as always!

[@mathieuf.2788]

Really cool video, shows your analytical mind at work, determination to see a project through, not to mention it is not in your main area of expertise.

[@SnXScarius]

As a mason I was pretty nervous at the start but towards the end you honestly got it down pretty good. Its a skilled trade for a reason, it takes years and years to actually get good and I would say with your little experience the job turned out beautiful. I would also like to point out for future reference that when you start laying the bricks that get very close to the soilder above the doorway (the course of bricks that are laid vertically) make sure you use a tuck pointer to ensure that the joint is actually full of mortar. Great job

[@mooncricket16]

Dude nice job! Very cool you can be open about stuff you aren't good at and very pleasing to see the finished result. It would be cool to see more of this type of thing

[@zaklockman7527]

I love your very British opening. Self deprecating and apologetic at the same time.

[@tobywoodfield3298]

1 minute in and I can already tell Im gonna love this House renovations series

[@SergeantSphynx]

Well done, Alec. Finished product looks great and you didn't let setbacks stop you. Bravo

[@CS-re5hw]

Some odd reason that was very satisfying to watch and would love to see more projects. Sending love from Montana 🏔

[@ottonormal3354]

As a construction worker every time i was in simply awe how he does his blacksmithing, now im in laughter how he does my job. And i dont mean it in a bad way. ;) Thanks for brightening up my day.

[@jeast417]

Son of a mason here and my God its frustrating watching people do masonry that have no idea what they are doing. At least you gave it a shot and it doesn't look the worst I've seen

[@lassei4659]

Thx for always great content!!! You are always nailing it with your neat constructions in metal works.. But.. there is always a but xD I might be lynched for this but anyways :D Don't take this as negative, but as guidance. We all need to learn including me, so correct me if im off chart. Wrong mortar for the aerated concrete blocks, the cement might be too hard when curing and won't bind the blocks together but crack due to expansion and contr. And you need to brush them with water so they doesn't soak up all the moisture in the blocks. Next you need to apply stainless binders in the mortar seams on the aerated concrete, they need to be connected with the mortar seams when you lay the bricks, all that to strengthen the construction so the aerated concrete wall or the brick wall doesn't allow for horizontal movement. You did put then in at 4.43 but you also needed them in between the separate walls.

[@alanlutz8373]

I really like seeing that you're not afraid to try anything. Thanks for the video.

[@sebastianalegre7148]

This was a pleasure to watch! Thanks Alec!!

[@RallyX26]

A couple weeks ago I did the exact opposite - I had a cinderblock wall, and needed a door. I still had to tooth out some cinderblock, and boy howdy, it makes me happy to see that you had the same issue with the mortar that I did. I did not, however, have a handy bottle of plasticizer.

[@Deafgreekboy]

My favorite vid of yours this year!

[@JHattsy]

As a son of a bricklayer who was taught at age 10 how to lay bricks, this was the funniest video for me and reminded me of the struggles I had. Thanks Alec.

[@NothingXemnas]

This video shows that, even for the most basic of things, different sciences are for different people. Sure you can learn how to do it, but there are people who do it for a living. Amazing video!

[@StanVanGundy1]

Epic video, home renovation videos are the best

[@MarensKhaos]

Looks wonderful! Glad to see updates on the house

[@therish7169]

Did a “light” Reno on my house, painted, retiled kitchen and bathroom, changed power points etc etc. Hands down, the hardest part was laying 12 bricks to fill a hole where I removed an old air conditioner. Took most of the bloody day, 12 bricks! Plaster on the other side was a breeze.

[@jonanderson5137]

Plaster... a breeze?! You have a hidden talent, not many plaster guys left and they're scheduled 6 months to a couple years out.

[@imperialmedia5449]

Great job! Just a little tip, Next time if you get two sticks on a long bit of string and stick them in the mortar so the string is across the top of the two bricks you place first, you can then tap all your bricks to the height of the string so they all sit level on the mortar! Great job though for beginners I praise you!

[@cleverusername9369]

I've always admired many things about Alec, but chief among them are A his willingness to TRY, and B his ability to laugh at himself even if he's frustrated.

[@colvinwellborn]

That *perfectly* mirrors my experience doing concrete and block work for the first (and hopefully last) time recently.

[@lemm1388]

I love this video. I did a single layer of block for a shed I built and it was awful mortar would not stick nothing came out right. This is so accurate!

[@geraldkoziol2072]

Being a Brick Union member and apprenticeship trained retired brickie and stone mason I can only smile at this. 🙂