Debate: Do you butter the inside of your bricks before laying them or not?

I swore by dry stacking for 10 years, thinking buttering the frog was just wasting mortar. Then a mason I worked with in Cleveland pointed out my walls had twice the shrinkage cracks as his, and now I can't unsee it. What side are you on, and have you actually tested both ways on a real job?

2 comments

2 Comments

jamiekim9d ago

Jumped over to buttering a few years back for the same reason, and it's wild how this little thing plays out in other areas too. It reminds me of how people skip seasoning cast iron or washing new jeans, thinking it's an extra step that doesn't matter until they see the results. You know, it's like that saying about the tiny details making all the difference, but you really have to mess up to learn it. Once you see the cracks (or the rust, or the stiff denim), you can't unsee the shortcut you were taking. That's just life, I guess - the cheap path always costs more later.

shanegibson10d ago

Oh man, I feel you on this one. I was a hardcore dry stacker for years, thought buttering was just a pain in the ass and a waste of time. Then I had to tear out a whole wall I did that was cracking like crazy, and I finally listened to an old-timer who told me the same thing. Now I can't go back either, it just makes the wall way more solid with way less stress points. Glad you found the switch, it's one of those things that feels wrong till you see the difference.