How to Make a Brick Paver Wall in a Basement

Fill any holes, cracks or divots in the wall with joint compound to create a smooth surface from which to begin. Use a putty knife to press the joint compound into the holes and scrape away the excess. After the compound dries, sand away the excess down to the surface of the wall.

Check the floor using a level to see whether it is straight enough to use as a guide for laying the first row of bricks. If the floor is not completely level, cut a slat of wood the length of the wall to use as a ledger. Press the slat flat against the bottom of the wall and use the level to adjust it. Secure the ledger in place by driving nails from a nail gun through the wood and into the wall.

Prepare the brick pavers by cutting 10 to 12 of them evenly in two using a masonry saw. Set the halved brick pavers aside and make a pile of whole bricks within easy reach.

Mix mastic according to the manufacturer's instructions and apply a generous layer of it to a small area of the wall using a notched trowel. Begin in the lower corner of the wall, spreading the mastic with the trowel. The notched trowel will leave grooves in the adhesive that will contribute to making a tighter seal between the brick pavers and the wall.

Lay a full brick paver along the bottom of the wall, aligning the bottom edge with the ledger and the outside edge with the edge or corner of the wall. Press the brick paver gently into the mastic. Install two or three more bricks in line with the first following the same procedure and leaving about 1/2 inch of space between each brick.

Install one of the halved brick pavers directly above the first brick laid, leaving 1/2 inch of space between the top of the first brick and the bottom of the second. Continue by installing two or three full brick pavers in line with the halved brick, maintaining 1/2 inch of space between the adjacent bricks. The bricks in this second row should be centered directly over the space between the bricks in the first row. This pattern is called a running bond.

Apply more mastic to the wall and continue laying bricks in the running bond pattern. You may choose whether to work in small sections or to lay entire rows at a time. Whatever method you choose, finish the bottom half of the wall before you move to the top half. This will prevent the mastic from drying more quickly on some parts of the wall than on others.

Spread a layer of mastic and continue installing brick pavers on the top half of the wall using the method you prefer. After you have covered the entire wall, allow the mastic to set for a full 24 hours or more.

Pry the wooden ledger away from the bottom of the wall using the curved end of a hammer or a pry bar.

Fill a grout bag with grout and carefully fill all the 1/2-inch gaps between the bricks with grout, using a small trowel to distribute it if necessary. Once you have grouted the entire wall, allow the grout to set for 20 minutes and go over the surface of the brick pavers with a stiff brush to wipe away any excess. Allow the grout to set undisturbed for a full 24 hours.