You do fantastic work. Awesome setups. Professional in every way. I'm glad that you noticed that that crap cap was too low on the flues to allow for proper draft. However one of the key reasons for the destruction of the bricks and joints has to do with the fact that both oil and gas are extremely corrosive. A by product of burning oil is soot which mixes with rain or moisture and turns into a mild form of sulfuric acid. Gas has moist acidic vapors with the same corrosive properties. On top of those corrosive properties flues are often not properly aligned which is like having an exhaust system with holes throughout which will cause erosion, etc. As you know there's a million reasons that masonry Chimneys don't really last. But thank God for them as they keep us in business. Love your videos. Keepem coming. 👍

How lucky those boys are to have a dad who is a skilled bricklayer, teach them the ropes. Over 30 years I've worked with many union and non union bricklayers. Your very accurate in saying speed is not as important as quality. I know people that throw in 500 brick a day , but the workmanship suffers . Head joints poorly buttered, nobody back parges , voids throughout the matrix etc etc etc. there is way too much emphasis on numbers and too little on quality these days. lay 50 -100 good brick a day, and walk away from solid integrity..... or let it chew and lay 400 dump trucks ... Quality and mechanics first. Speed will develop after the necessary fundamentals are implied. Well done sir. Well done

This is such an awesome video. I hope these kids turn out to keep the tradition alive.

Bless up Mr. Vaillancourt and crew, cherish these moments. Learning a trade on site means a hell of a lot. Thank you for sharing...

I would like to say that I think that you are a brilliant teacher and I hope that your son's keep this tradition alive. It's the best way to learn is hands on. What I find really annoying in the UK is that plasterers don't know how to put brown on with a finishing coat. It's all dot and dab plaster board and then a thin skim of finishing over the top. I live in a 1930's old build and is solid built with lime plaster. You just can't find anyone whom knows how to repair it without covering it over with plaster board causing your rooms to become smaller as the dot and dab method is much thinker than browning and top coat plaster.

It's good that carrying hod is a trade too! lol Not that anyone will work that hard now. We had a guy in his 50s and that was his career. He paid into a pension his whole career and did well. I had two brother in laws that were hod carriers and never had the desire to lay brick. I went to work with my dad when I was about 5 in 1971. I played in the sand pile with my steel Tonkas and would carry a brick or block or two. I was never not in the business. I was laying brick my last two years in high school, not sure how I graduated. We could hardly stay in business when the labor all moved from south of the border and noone wanted to pay for the "real" thing. Steel electric and gas fireplaces with some tile or screw on stone and a little trim was good enough for the $500k + houses. I wouldn't stucco and did a lot of repair work and eventually threw in the towel. Luckily I was in it and had a long great memorable career. I read last night that 7.2 million working age men are not looking for work at all. There is so much work available it's shameful.

Someone somewhere needs to pay this man to teach if society decides to value this trade

Wow ... the R. Lee Ermey School of Bricklaying.

Chad, you are a lucky man to have such fine sons! Very cool "monkeys"... Very enjoyable watching all of you work together. Thanks for sharing... 🦍🦍🦍😁👍👍👍

I've been 20. twice. and then some. man it goes quick

Dr. Seuss would do better than that 😳🧐. We totally understand your frustration when you see such terrible brick work / chimney construction. It's a good day in America when people such as you are educating the public along with your excellent craftsmanship. Fantastic video 🙏

Cool video. You’re lucky to have two strong boys. I never watched my dad lay brick either when I was younger and labored for him. More worried about girls and thought I would do something else with my life. 😂 . . . I learned getting buried in the line when I started in the Union

Most for your buck. Great dad and teacher now let's see if I can go do it myself and thank you

Good stuff. Show more of your scaffold building 👷‍♂️ 🙌 # ultimate ridge hooks rule!

This is an awesome tutorial on bricklaying! Thank you!

Another excellent video!

Boys your Dad is teaching you a Trade so you’ll never be hungry. Someday you’ll look back at what he tried to give you and wish you had showed your old man Respect. .

I think I just learned something. Thank you Sir.

Chad, who are some of your preferred brick manufacturers? Glen-Gery is what I find here in PA.

I wanna lay some brick now 💪🏽

Do you travel to MA?

Rule no 1 , never use stronger mortar than the brick itself….

At 39:14 , i’d remud that brick. Because the suction is gone…

is that profile+clamp setup sold as a kit? or did you buy everything separately? where can one buy those? none of the masonry places near me seem to have them.

Hello,how much a job like that cost.thanks

Give me a break. That is why most places still require it to be filled solid. Funny I can take you to the DMV area and show you 50+ year old chimneys that are filled solid and are still in phenomenal shape. That is not to say it has to be built solid. Most old chimneys were only built solid up to the first flue and firebox. Becareful before you talk trash about old mason's. Not every mason is a chimney builder. That being said this individual did horrible work a.k.a Boot.