. . . various joints and how to make them
After the masonry units are laid and just before the mortar finally sets,
the mortar joints are ready to be finished. This merely means that
any loose mortar which was squeezed out when the masonry units were
set in the mortar bed should now be removed. The trowel is usually
employed to remove the major excess and final tooling is done with
various tools which may be purchased or made in the home workshop.
A good, neat, well-made joint will finish the wall properly so that
it has a professional look. A ragged, sloppy joint will make the wall look
amateurish and bedraggled, reflecting no credit on your craftsmanship
or on the home which your craftsmanship should beautify. Therefore
you should exercise care and precision in striking the joints in walls
you build, observing the basic rules and practicing them to achieve
a well-built, good-looking, durable wall.
. . . the basic method
Hold the blade of the trowel at about a 30° angle from the wall, one
edge of the blade resting flat against the wall so that it will scrape ofi
the blobs of mortar that have squeezed out. Using a quick motion,
holding the trowel so that it stays in approximately the same position in
relation to the wall, scrape off the mortar and dispose of it by a quick
jerking motion of the trowel or by tapping it lightly against some firm
object. An occasional dipping of the blade in a bucket of water or a
quick rub with a wet rag will keep it clean and prevent any mortar from
adhering to it. Once the excess mortar is removed from the wall you
are ready to proceed with the finishing work of tooling.
The Head Joints (vertical ones) are always tooled first, whatever
method of tooling is employed. Then the Bed Joints (horizontal ones)
are struck; and then comes the final removal of any blobs or other accidentally-left mortar which can be whisked off with the tip of the
trowel blade. Certain of the joints may be finished with the point of the
trowel, too. The Flush Joint, the Struck Joint, and the Weather Joint
may be finished this way, and the trowel is also used for the final finishing of the Tuck Joint.
. FLUSH JOINT. The reason for all tooling is to compress the mortar
somewhat and to remove any excess mortar from the finished wall.
On the page of sketches, note how the edge of the trowel scrapes along
the wall and removes the mortar until it is even with the surfaces of
the masonry units. This joint is usually used with cement or cinder
blocks; often it is employed on brick work where a smooth effect is
desired.
|
