Brick Laying Fools?

I'm hoping there's a brick laying fool or 2 out there.

I laid brick for the very first time. I laid 2 courses with a tile cap around the base of my bathroom wall. So that qualifies me as an expert right? The courses were smooth and even and I didn't even have too much excess mortar everywhere. Now I want to go onto another project.

I want to install a brick dirty clothes hamper. It will need to be finished out on both sides, but that's just a matter of being careful with the mortar. It will be laid over tile flooring so that will be the floor. My problem is the lid.

How do I attach a lid to the brick? The hamper is a simple rectangle with the interior dimensions of 18" X 24".

I thought about setting a 2x2 in the top course and anchoring a lid to that - will that work or will it work loose?

Anyone have an idea of a better way?

I don't really know what I want for a lid other than something I can sit on so I'm leaving the actual lid construction open till I figure out exactly how to attach it. That might determine the lid material.

The last one I built was out of tile over hardi board and I used a wood frame. The lid was wood, padded and covered in vinyl. I was never happy with that one because I never got the vinyl layed smooth around the edges. I'm hoping for a more professional look this time.

Anchor the wood into the wet mortar with galvanized screws or lag bolts. Lag bolts are probably overkill for what you are doing. You can probably build the frame, screw in the fastners at the correct spacing, and set it as a whole piece. You don't want to try screwing into the mortar. Congrats on getting it level and clean. That's hard to get out in the field sometimes.

Buy yourself a cordless hammerdrill for Christmas and use a good quality plastic anchor. Lid could be a nice Red Oak screwed together barn door style. Wood and Masonry is a risky proposition, steel is a better choice.

So basically just screw a couple of coarse thread screws into the wood and then push them into the mortar & let them set up to give it all a little bite?

But set the wood partially in the mortar too, right?

I was thinking I could do this just on the back side where the hinges mount and let the front set on the wood.

I like the idea of building the lid barn door style. The bath is being turned into an old looking Texas/Mexican mission theme with exposed plaster, tile, brick with a rusty limestone counter top. I've cut into the wall and set various large stones and then I will partially plaster over it so that it appears the wall was originally stone. (I hope)

It might not be as comfortable to sit on, but I'm only going to sit on it to put socks on.

why bother with wood to screw hinges to? just use some tapcons or screws with anchors.

patgizz wrote: why bother with wood to screw hinges to? just use some tapcons or screws with anchors.

I have had less than great long term results from tapcons or anchors, especially on something that will get used a lot.

But you got me thinking, Hmmmm, do they make a hinge that I can set directly into the concrete as they did all the anchors that were needed for my house and my shop?

How about setting some 1/4 steel plate into the 2nd last course and attaching hinges to it?

Plan B... make the lid a lid... no hinge, just like a stew pot.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: How about setting some 1/4 steel plate into the 2nd last course and attaching hinges to it? Plan B... make the lid a lid... no hinge, just like a stew pot.

• 1 on Plan B! And build it light enough that you'll not be working out every time you do laundry.

You can't overstate the worth of a good Plan B!

DUH!! Why didn't I think of making it a removable lid!!! That solves all the problems!!

Thanx guys. Just goes you can overthink something. I made a hinged lid on the last one, didn't like it, but that's all I could think about on this one.

Now I can lay the brick tomorrow. I'll just put a second layer of board underneath the top one which will not only make it sturdier for sitting on but also keep the lid in place.

EVEN BETTER!

I used old distressed wood for some beams, railings, etc. in the house. It is actually wood from seasoned pallets. A guy near me seasons them and then dresses them. I had one (1) piece left that is exactly the size of what I need for the lid. All I have to do is put the finish on it that I used in the rest of the house and it will match exactly.

I knew you guys were smarter than me!

What is your wife doing that dirty clothes have time to sit around in a hamper?

Wally wrote: What is your wife doing that dirty clothes have time to sit around in a hamper?

I don't think I'll let her see your post!!

You know that eventually you're going to walk into the bathroom in the middle of the night, and wreck your toes when you run into that brick clothes hamper.

Nah, it's not on a straight path to anything. And anyway I have super human spidey-sight.

Actually I had the fore-sight to install electrical outlets with LED lights right by all the commodes (the commodes are all in different bathrooms, not lined up in a row in this one bathroom) that light up when the room gets dark. It's just enough light to make sure you can find your way.

Not to throw water on this idea, but isn't brick porous? As in it holds in smells and such. And aren't most hampers ventilated to prevent the growth of mold, bacteria...SSooo, wouldn't it be worth looking into ventiation, or sealing the interior of the hamper with some sort of coating?

Febreze. It's the duct tape of smells. It can fix anything.

I would also think that the rough masonry surface - no matter how good you are - would put dozens of pulls in your clothing.

Maybe Carguy is concerned about spontaneous combustion? That would be some serious dirty laundry.

Duke wrote: I would also think that the rough masonry surface - no matter how good you are - would put dozens of pulls in your clothing.

I don't wear delicates.

As far as spontaneous combustion I have had a few pairs of underwear spontaneously combust, but usually there was female companionship involved.

Use fire brick... nice and smooth

With a wooden lid it won't be sealing tight enough to give me an issue. Should one arise a quick spritz with bleach water will take care of it.

I have the brick. It matches what else I've been doing in the bathroom AND my last one was hardi and tile and I never had an issue so I'm not worried.

I'll put my delicates in my wife's clothes hamper. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.

mndsm wrote: Febreze. It's the duct tape of smells. It can fix anything.

If ever a quote belonged in the mag, this one would be it....because of the epic tonnage of truth contained therein

In reply to stuart in mn:

I was thinking exactly the same thing. I'd be knocking toes off within minutes of completing it.

how aboot some pics of your project?

Well once I have it completed I'll attempt to post some.

At the moment I have just completed a concrete patch to my dam(n) overflow and am attempting to do some special grouting on a concrete & epoxy resin window surround that I'm putting around the window into the shower.

Bricks are tomorrow, I hope