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A 3/4-inch rod or pipe is about the
right size to use for finishing a 1/2-inch joint. If joints are wider, larger-
sized pipes should be employed.
.V-JOINT. This joint can be made with a purchased tool; but, if a home-
made tool is desired, a length of strap-iron can be ground down to
produce the V, or the point of a trowel or the corner of a board may be
used. Whatever tool is employed, however, the main danger to avoid
is that of getting the joint uneven. A proper V joint centers the point
of the V between courses of masonry units.
.TAPPED JOINT. A bit of practice will be necessary in order to produce
the proper effect in making this joint. It depends upon the mortar
bed's being just the right thickness so that the right amount of mortar
is squeezed out when the masonry unit is tapped with the handle of the
trowel. It should not be too thick, or too large a blob of mortar will be
forced out, making the joint uneven and slobbery. A little practice will
enable the craftsman to judge just how much mortar to use when laying
the bed joint and when "buttering" the end of the unit to get the proper
final effect. Correctly made, this joint gives a very interesting rough-
cast appearance which is most attractive in the proper setting. It is not
the most weatherproof of joints, but it will last about as long as any of
the open joints.
.CONVEX JOINT. For finely finished masonry work, such as fitted stone
masonry, this is most useful. It is half-rounded and protrudes beyond
the masonry line, giving a rather interesting line texture to a smooth
wall. It is frequently used on semi-dressed or cut-stone walls, too. The
tool may be used before the wall is scraped and cleaned, or the joint may
be raked and refilled and the tooling done afterward. (See Tuck
Pointing.) Due to the extra care necessary and the extra compression,
this joint will probably be as long-lasting as any, particularly if Tuck
Pointed.
.TUCK POINTING. The joints are raked as detailed above for Raked
Joints, and then, by the use of a specially prepared mixture of mortar
made with extra fine sand, the joint is refilled. This must be done, of
course, before the original mortar has set, so that the two will bond together successfully. Use the point of the small pointing trowel with a
small quantity of mortar and avoid dribbling it or splashing it on the
masonry units. You may finally tool the joint flush or use the finishes
for any other joints except the Raked Joint.
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