Embracing Weeping Mortar

The first home I ever bought and renovated had weeping mortar. And these joints were critical to my opportunity to buy this house because it made the home look unsightly. I believe they scared other potential buyers off, not because this style is distasteful, but because the brick ranch had been painted and it made the property uglier and seem more hopeless, or more of a daunting challenge, than it would have otherwise. 

But this may just be me.

Painted weeping mortar of Pig's Ear #1 

Over time, a theory formed on my part that previous owners had ultimately decided to paint the façade after a master suite was added. Matching brick can prove to be trickier than one might imagine, and my deductive speculating has grown to presume that the old and new brick weren’t alike enough. In my Sherlock Holmes of renovation mysteries mind, the paint job established uniformity that resolved this elementary dilemma.  

This experience made me into a fan of weeping mortar, as long as it’s not been coated in painted. And since then, I can be cruising through some unfamiliar neighborhood, and this unique exterior coursework style will grab my attention. And I truly appreciate it for the aesthetic statement it makes.  

Although I am no bricklayer, I have laid a few pallets worth of brick and block over the years. And not only have I been the mason, I’ve also been the person buying materials and the tender mixing up the mortar. So first off, I am aware of the extra time and money it takes to pull of an entire house that showcases these oozing joints. And I can only imagine how much waste and extra clean up this adds to a project.

Still, when the work is finished and colors and textures contrast, it can be striking. And that’s the look that is easy to embrace.

My most favorite example of these joints is when they’re coupled with rust colored brick. And this may just be me, but I’ve really been taken in by homes with white windows and trim that add some visual pop along with well-manicured ivy that has been permitted to creep up to the soffit.

Like the lawn and hedges that need regular attention, these green leaves and vines must be kept in check. But I think it’s worth the commitment and effort, because for me this condition on the right home, when pulled off properly, makes a memorable and quite fetching impression.   

If you have weeping mortar, I hope my take might allow you to appreciate it even more than you did.  However, if you are looking for options to divorce yourself from these sloppy joints, I’ll post about potential remedies in posts that follow.