Sometimes, repairing an old brick chimney comes with a few challenges. For this project, the original bricks were just too far gone—cracked, weathered, and unsalvageable. On top of that, the exact brick style wasn’t available anymore, which happens more often than you’d think.
Why the Soldier Course Was Necessary
To solve the problem, I used a soldier course as a transition. A soldier course is where the bricks are turned on their ends and laid vertically. This gave me a clean, intentional break between the old brickwork and the new bricks going above it. It works well when blending materials that don’t match perfectly, and it helps everything look neat and well-planned.
The Repair Process
Once the soldier course was in place, I laid the new bricks in the usual horizontal pattern, matched the mortar as closely as possible, and tied everything together. In the end, the chimney got a fresh, solid repair, and the transition to the new brick looked clean and deliberate.
It’s a simple solution that works when the original materials can’t be reused or replaced, and it gave this chimney a new lease on life.
The Final Result
The soldier course not only resolved the issue of unavailable bricks but also added a clean, decorative element to the chimney. The repair blended durability with a subtle design feature, leaving the chimney stable and visually appealing.
This portfolio piece highlights a simple, effective solution to a common challenge in brick chimney repair.
