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Just realized the average bricklayer from the 1950s laid about 500 bricks a day
I was reading an old union manual I found at a flea market last month, and it said 500 was the standard pace back then. That got me thinking with all our modern saws and mixers, are we actually slower now or just more careful? Has anyone else run across old stats that made you stop and compare?
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troyreed1mo ago
That 500 bricks figure might be a bit high for the real average. I've read old contractor journals that put it closer to 400-450 for most jobs, with 500 being the top guys on a good day. The faster pace probably came from thinner mortar joints and less fussing over level lines, not stronger backs. Modern codes and insulation requirements make us slow down for sure, but we also don't have to carry hod loads of bricks up forty feet of scaffold like they did. So I figure the actual daily output hasn't changed that much when you factor in all the extra steps we take now.
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paigep201mo ago
Changed my mind completely. You're probably right on this.
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@paigep20 sounds like you've been convinced by the old-timers' tales, huh? I've got a buddy who restored an old brick church and swears the original guys used spit and a prayer for level lines. With all our laser levels and power mixers, we probably spend half the day setting up equipment they didn't even own. Maybe we should trade in the saws for a good hod and see if @paigep20 can hit 500 by lunch.
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