Debate: should you butter the ends of brick or just the center on a hot day?

Had a talk with a guy named Pete at the supply yard last Tuesday. He swears buttering the full end of every brick stops moisture getting in behind the wall. I was taught to just hit the center and let the mortar squeeze out. He said on 90 degree days like we had last week, center butter leaves gaps that crack later. Got me thinking. I've seen plenty of old walls where the pointing is shot but the brick itself is solid. Does full butter actually help or is it just wasting mix? Anyone else hear different from old timers?

3 comments

3 Comments

tessap971d ago

Woah, I gotta push back on the full butter thing. Ive been doing this 12 years and I see way more problems from guys slathering the whole end. The mortar oozes out and creates a little shelf on the bed joint that traps water against the brick face, then it freezes and pops the face off. On a hot day, I just butter the center but I also wet the brick edge with a damp brush right before, helps the suction without wasting mix.

scott.alex1d agoMost Upvoted

Right? I learned that lesson the hard way myself, same exact thing.

the_john1d ago

Laughing at the idea of a "little shelf" like it's some fancy architectural feature when really it's just a frozen ice dam waiting to ruin your whole afternoon. I've pulled apart enough failed walls to know that extra ooze turns into a real problem faster than a bad batch of mud. You tried the damp brush trick on a 100 degree day yet, or does it just make steam?