Never built with bricks. Want to learn how to lay bricks for a small farm project. Any tips/tricks/warnings?
Built plenty of wood framed projects from chicken coops to an 800sqft apartment in my shop (which is concrete block, which is also something I need to learn to work on), but never with brick.
I have a greenhouse that I want to add some cold frames to for seed starting. I have plenty of glass for glazing the tops. I've made some wood ones before, but nothing too serious. I want to build some out of brick (and insulate the outside to hold heat overnight in the winter), partially for the added longevity but mostly because I think it'd be neat to learn.
We're talking something about 3'x3' and 12 to 16" tall with an angled top. Maybe 3'x6' (or even longer) if I'm feeling frisky and want to join multiple together into one structure. Bottom and outsides will be insulated with rigid foam, and I'll run small electric heat mats to keep frost tender seedlings warm during cold nights.
I know I'm basically doing the "I had a thought and want the people on Reddit to tell me everything instead of doing the research myself" thing. But I guess I mostly want to hear from people that know more about the topic to see if there's something fundamental about the material that just makes this a dumb idea, and see if anyone wants to point me in a good direction to get started.
TLDR; Never used a brick to build anything. Want to build some small boxes for my baby plants in my greenhouse. Could do it out of wood, but want to learn how to use bricks. Am I stupid? What should I know/research first?
Posted Dec 1, 2025, 8:22 PM UTC