A talk with my uncle made me question the 'always use a full bed joint' rule

I was helping my uncle rebuild a garden wall at his place in Springfield last weekend. He's been laying brick since the 70s. I was buttering every brick top and bottom like I was taught, and he just shook his head. He said, 'Kid, you're wasting mud and time. For a single wythe wall like this, a good 3/4 inch bed with solid head joints is plenty, and it lets the wall breathe better.' I argued that a full bed prevents water getting in, but he showed me an old retaining wall he built 30 years ago using his method, and it's still perfect. It made me realize we sometimes follow rules without knowing why. Has anyone else found old-school methods that work better than modern 'best practices' on certain jobs?

2 comments

2 Comments

seanperry2mo ago

So what did he say about weep holes then?

dakota8632mo agoMost Upvoted

He basically said they're useless if they get clogged with mortar droppings. You gotta use those little plastic spacers or mesh inserts to keep the cavity clear. Otherwise water just sits in there and rots the framing. Seen it happen on old brick jobs where they didn't know any better.