Scoop up a sausage shape of mortar and shape it to roughly the size of the trowel blade. Slide the trowel underneath the mortar and transfer it to the top course of bricks
Using the flat back of the trowel, stretch the mortar along five or six bricks
Then make a furrow in the centre with the point of the trowel
Remove any mortar overhanging the edge of the bricks
Pick up a brick with one hand and apply mortar to the end of it with the trowel
Aim for 10mm-wide horizontal and vertical joints.
Push the brick into the mortar and give it a tap with the trowel handle.
If a brick is too low, remove it and add more mortar.
Lay the top front edge of the brick to the line but not quite touching it
Scrape away any excess mortar from the front of the wall with a quick upwards movement with the edge of the trowel
All text and images from:
Book of Home Improvement
B & Q (2007) pg 218
