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My uncle insisted I use a 3/8 inch joint for a garden wall and I should have listened
He's been laying brick for forty years in Philly and told me to stick with a 3/8 inch joint for the mortar on a small residential job last fall. I thought a half inch would be fine and faster. The wall looked okay, but after the winter freeze, I had three bricks pop right out. He just shook his head when I showed him. What's the thickest joint you'll use on an exterior wall in a cold climate?
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blair99010d ago
Forty years and you didn't listen?
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wells.evan10d ago
Feel your pain, man. I did the same thing on a patio once and had to redo half of it after one winter. That freeze-thaw cycle is no joke, it just pushes everything apart if the joint's too big. Your uncle was totally right about the 3/8 inch. I won't go past that now for any outdoor work where it gets cold. Learned that lesson the hard way, just like you.
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