1st Row of Bricks on Lentil Dry, In Mortar, or Either?

[TomBrooklyn]

When putting the first row of bricks on a lentil, is it OK to put them on the lentil dry (without mortar?). Or should they always be in a mortar bed, or does it matter?

I had a situation yesterday where I put a row in dry because I had just about enough room for a row of mortar above.

Today I have a situation where I'd like to put in a thick mortar bed because I don't have enough room for three rows of bricks, but two rows is short and I have to use wide mortar joints.

This is for opening of a basement door below a front porch.

[Richard A Hetzel]

Where do you get lentils that big?? Sorry, bad joke, but the word is "lintel". Not being a mason, still I don't see why either method could be acceptable. I'm not sure about the existence or non-existence of a meaningful bond between mortar and steel. The seat of my pants says their basically isn't any. OK, masons, tear me apart here.

[BDN Masonry]

You can bed ajoint on steel. Try not to exeed a 3/8 bed joint. It is best to lay dry on any steel to aviod cracking.

[Michael Olding]

Yeah... I don't think it matters a whole hell of a lot.

Whatever it takes to get up to the line though bricks will likely roll with thick joints over steel angles which can be a pain in the arse.

I think it is much more important to have the flashing installed correctly over the steel than the makeup of the masonry material.

[Richard A Hetzel]

If the lintel is set in a normal brick joint on the sides, and if the lintel is 3/8-inche thick, you pretty much have to lay the bricks dry on the lintel, so the next course up will align properly. If you started with a mortar joint, you'd have to shave that course of brick 3/8 inch in height to stay on course...unless the lintel, for some reason, is not in a normal joint to start with.

As Mr. Olding says, get the flashing and weep holes right before worrying about the mortar joint.