Joint rakers vs striking joints: which actually holds up better down the road?

I been on jobs where the old timers swear by striking with a jointer right after laying. But I worked with a crew last summer that only rakes out and brushes later. They said striking pushes the mortar too tight and causes cracking. The raked joints they did 3 years ago still look clean though. I always learned to strike fresh. But now I wonder if I been doing it wrong. What's your experience with long term durability on these two ways?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_richard1d ago

Man I've been wrong about so much in masonry that at this point I just tell the new guys to pick whatever method makes them look busiest.

harper_owens1d ago

Is it just me or does every trade have this one debate where both sides have been doing it long enough that neither one can really be proven wrong? @the_richard hit on something real there, because I see the same thing with drywallers arguing over hot mud vs premix, or framers squabbling over nail spacing. Everyone swears their way is the only way that lasts, but then you drive past a house from the 1980s and the joints look fine no matter what they used. I bet the real difference comes down to the weather and the base material, not the tool. People just get stuck in their habits and call it knowledge.