LXXXVIII NYLAN TAPPED THE brick level on the mortar and troweled away the excess mortar.

Lyle had already tuned me out, tapping the next brick into place, troweling away the excess mortar that had drooled out between the cracks.

This excess mortar is cleared and shaped before the mortar hardens.

Then scoop up mortar on the back of the large trowel and hold it with the edge against the wall to catch excess mortar that falls from the joint.

This joint design requires no tooling and is formed naturally as excess mortar is squeezed out from between the bricks.

Hold the trowel against the wall to catch excess mortar that falls from the joint, and use the pointing trowel to pick up mortar and press it tightly into the vertical joints (called the heads) of the dampened area.

He placed the stone on to a bed of oozing grey mortar which he had prepared, then scooped the excess mortar from the side of the wall and packed it around the stone.

Use the stiff-bristled brush to remove excess mortar.

Then slice off excess mortar from the joints with a trowel or putty knife.