I always thought a 3/8 inch joint was fine for everything, but a chimney repair in Denver changed my mind.

I was repointing an old chimney last fall and used my usual 3/8 inch joint. The homeowner asked me to use a 1/2 inch instead, saying the old bricks were uneven. I argued but did it. The wider joint let me pack more mortar in and actually made the whole thing look straighter and stronger. Now I check brick size and condition before I even pick up my trowel. Anyone else adjust their joint size based on the brick, or do you stick with one size?

3 comments

3 Comments

gibson.sean1mo ago

That's a good way to put it, letting the material tell you what it needs.

willowroberts2mo ago

That part about the wider joint making it look straighter and stronger really hits home. I had the same stubborn habit of using a 3/8 inch joint for years. Then I worked on a basement with these really crumbly, handmade bricks. Forcing my usual joint just made a mess and looked terrible. Letting the material tell you what it needs is a game changer, even if it means unlearning your old standard.

walker.rowan2mo ago

Right?! I fought that same battle with old fieldstone, and a fat joint was the only thing that saved the whole project.