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RULES
FOR CONTESTANTS

You might be fast, but if you don’t know or follow the rules, even the best could lose! Study up, and remember—it’s not just about speed, it's about skill!

FINALISTS GUIDE
PLEASE WATCH & READ BELOW

Credit: Brickwork Tutors Toolbox

RULEBOOK
RULES / QUALITY STANDARDS / PRIZES 

  1. During the competition, the competitors' work methods in the Super Trowel 2024 shall be as close as possible to those in an actual jobsite situation.
     

  2. The bricklayer must lift all their own bricks and trowels of mortar from no more than seven mortar boards and seven stacks of bricks placed as seen fit on the working side of the wall. These stacks and boards must be set out along the length of the wall in usual working fashion by the bricklayer’s hod carrier/labourer.
     

  3. The hod carrier/labourer must be provided by the bricklayer. No more than one hod carrier/labourer will be allowed for each bricklayer.
     

  4. Any assistance from the hod carrier/labourer or others in placing bricks or tools in the bricklayer’s hand, or transferring mortar from the mortar boards to the wall, will result in disqualification.
     

  5. The contestant’s hod carrier/labourer will set up each contestant’s work area using seven mortar boards and seven stacks of brick following the contest's configuration exactly.
     

  6. Contestants can select the location, orientation, and size of brick stacks and the location of mortar boards once the contest starts.
     

  7. The bricklayer is responsible for raising their own line blocks and lines at each end of the wall, securing line and pins/corner blocks, and running each course of bricks. The use of metal, timber, or other profiles, or prepared staffs, levels marked for heights, or stopped ends, are to be excluded.
     

  8. Contestants will need to bring their own tools for the competition. This includes all hand tools. Mortar boards and stands will be provided.
     

  9. Supertrowel 2024 will provide CPI Silo mortar. There will be no requirement to mix your own mortar, courtesy of CPI Mortar UK.
     

  10. Contestants will be allotted two hours prior to the competition to place the starter courses of block and brick.
     

  11. Upon completion of the competition, competitors will have a 10-minute rest period, followed by 20 minutes to finish the entire competition panel. Contestants must make a reasonable attempt to joint both sides and ends of the wall. Competitors will be allowed to use any standard masonry jointing tool to finish the working side of the wall. Mortar joints must be half-round/bucket handle joint finish, and the wall must be brushed. Water and any other liquids or cleaning agents are not allowed to be used to finish the wall.
     

  12. The contest will last 60 minutes, followed by a 10-minute rest period and a 20-minute jointing/pointing-up period.
     

  13. All contestants must be members of the Bricklayers Social Club prior to competing.

MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION OF CONTEST WALL (METRIC)

  1. Brick will be laid using a running ½ bond pattern (AKA stretcher bond) with return ends.
     

  2. The wall will be approximately 215mm wide, constructed 1 brick deep.
     

  3. The block starter course will consist of 1 course of 215mm block upright, with a mortar bed achieving 225mm.
     

  4. One course of (215 x 65 x 102.5 mm) brick will be placed on the starter block as a brick starter course. This brick will not be counted in the contest. Total height 75mm.
     

  5. Total starting height: block + starter course = 300mm.
     

  6. Bricks will weigh no less than 1kg.
     

  7. The wall will be 9 meters long, laid in ½ bond (40 bricks long per side), adjustable based on the brick length used for the competition.
     

  8. Mortar will be cut flush. There is no jointing during the laying portion of the contest. Joints will be finished on the entire wall (both sides and ends) during the finishing portion of the contest.
     

  9. Brick must be laid overhand on the back wall.
     

  10. Mortar will be supplied by CPI - Euromix - UK.
     

  11. The wall must be completed with final brick skins in parallel, fully completed courses. Units laid beyond this will not be counted in the final brick count.
     

  12. Entering your competition work area during judging will result in immediate disqualification.

QUALITY STANDARDS = 5mm Tolerance

The premise of the Super Trowel 2024 is to construct a quality wall containing as many units as possible in one hour, following the rules set above.

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All brickwork should be laid to gauged increments of 75mm per course (e.g., 75, 150, 225, 300, 375, 450, etc.). Failure to meet these height points within the specified tolerance will result in a 20-brick deduction from the final brick count.

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Both ends and the face of the wall must be within 5mm of being truly vertical/plumb. This will be judged using 9 plumb points (4 at each end, 5 across the face). A 20-brick deduction will be assessed for each plumb point outside the tolerance (maximum 180-brick deduction).

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The wall will be allowed no more than 10 voids, judged using a finger trowel/jointer (aka tuck pointer). Exceeding 10 voids will result in a 20-brick deduction.

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Bricks must be laid face side out. Each brick not laid face side out will result in a 50-brick deduction from the final brick count on either side of the wall.

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Bricks with chips larger than 10mm in diameter are not to be used. Each brick with a chip larger than this will result in a 20-brick deduction.

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Lipped (hatching or grinning) bricks must not exceed 5mm. Any brick exceeding 5mm will result in a 25-brick deduction.

Mortar joint thickness tolerance for bed joints is 8-12mm. Joints outside this tolerance will incur a 2-brick deduction per occurrence.

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Mortar joint thickness tolerance for perp joints is 8-12mm. Perp joints outside this tolerance will incur a 2-brick deduction (maximum 50-brick deduction).

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Each individual brick must be laid level. A 25-brick deduction will be assessed for each brick found out of level by more than 5mm (maximum 250-brick deduction).

AWARDS & PRIZES

  1. Overall Winner: Determined by the most bricks laid with the highest quality. 1st place wins the BT Engineering Trophy, followed by 2nd and 3rd place.
     

  2. Minimum Brick Requirement: Participants must lay at least 320 bricks to have their wall judged. Fewer than 320 bricks results in disqualification.
     

  3. Most Bricks Laid Award (Sponsored by KeyFix - Golden Trowel): Awarded to the participant who lays the most bricks within 60 minutes. The winner holds the trophy for 12 months.
     

  4. Best Hod Carrier Award: Judged on the cleanliness of the workspace, organization, and work ethic.

PRIZES

  • 1st Place: Title "UK's Fastest Bricklayer", £5000 cash, £1000 Jewson Voucher, IQ360 Masonry Saw, Altrad Belle 150+ battery mixer, Belle Warrior Wheelbarrow, and more.
     

  • 2nd Place: £2500 cash, £500 Jewson Voucher.
     

  • 3rd Place: £1000 cash, £250 Jewson Voucher.
     

  • Most Bricks Laid: Golden Trowel.
     

  • Best Hod Carrier: £1000 cash.
     

  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Ceremonial engraved trowel.
     

  • All Contestants: £100 Jewson Voucher.

 

Please note, all participants must adhere to the competition rules, and the judges' decisions are final.

THANKS FOR READING!
GRAB A COFFEE, YOU'VE EARNED IT.

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