What would be an allowable variation in the width of a mortar joint? GC is laying up precast block and brick, and I think we call for 3/8″ joints. The brick is coming out very nicely. The vertical joints in the block vary from 1/4″ to 5/8″ wide. Since it is a finished block and will be exposed, the joints will always be visible.
Second question: the joints are supposed to be tooled slightly concave. Again they are doing a very good job on the brick, and the horizontal block joints are pretty good, but about 1/3 of the vertical joints were struck off flush. The masons solution, now that the mortar has set for 3 weeks, is to “tool” the joints with a piece of 1/2″ all-thread, grinding athe concavity into the mortar. I thought part of the reason for tooling the mortar was to compress it slightly, so now they are effectively removing that feature.
“Put your creed in your deed.” Emerson
“When asked if you can do something, tell’em “Why certainly I can”, then get busy and find a way to do it.” T. Roosevelt
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I guess joint variance is subjective-Up to the boss.
But grinding them will definitely make them more open to the elements.
That said they should still last along time.
The concave joint is usally chosen because they are a weather proof joint, plus a uinform concave joint will hide a multitude of masons sins, and it is the easiest to strike the units with , the bed joints should not deviate no more than 1/16th"from one joint to the next, that is why a mason uses a brick spacing rule or a story pole for the bed joints , now head joints are a matter of experience,a mason can use a gauge for the first few units to be layed then your eye is susposed to catch on to the measurment you want, say 3/8ths and be able to lay that measurement continually though out the wall . I say the G.C. needs to beat that mason with a stick, then go fall on his dull pocketknife to save face , what you have is substandard work that a first yr. trainee app. would never have been allowed to dry to completion .