I went with a 3/8 inch joint on a residential chimney rebuild when everyone said to use a half inch.

The crew on site kept telling me the bigger joint was standard for chimneys, but I had a bad feeling about it with the old brick we were matching. I used the 3/8 inch trowel and a stiff mortar mix. It took more time, but the finished look was way cleaner and matched the original work perfectly. Has anyone else gone against the grain on joint size for a repair job?

3 comments

3 Comments

shane_clark1mo ago

That "bad feeling about it" is so real. My buddy had the same thing fixing a stone wall and went thinner. The crew grumbled but the owner loved how it looked like it was always there. Sometimes the standard just doesn't fit the job.

baker.holly1mo ago

Good call trusting your gut on that one. Matching the original brickwork matters more than following some standard. The finished result proves you made the right choice.

robertcarr1mo ago

I always thought you had to use the bigger joint too. Seeing your result makes me want to try the smaller size next time. It just looks right.