Old timer at the supply yard told me I was wasting time on butter joints

Been doing brickwork for about 8 years now, mostly residential and small commercial. Last Tuesday I was at the masonry supply place near St. Louis picking up some red commons, and this older guy maybe 70 or so watched me loading my truck. He asked what I was working on, I told him a little retaining wall out in Chesterfield. He just shook his head and said "son, you're wasting half your day making butter joints on a wall that's gonna get covered in dirt anyway." I told him I always do butter joints for consistency and water runoff, and he laughed and said the dirt will pack in tighter than any mortar ever will. Now I'm second guessing if I'm being too picky on stuff that doesn't matter. Anyone else run into an old timer that made you rethink how you do basic stuff like this?

2 comments

2 Comments

troykim1mo ago

That old timer's probably seen dirt pack tighter than anything you'll mix on site.

graytorres1mo ago

1910s crews actually used lime based mix that hardened way harder than modern stuff.