I used to think a 3/8 inch joint was fine for everything, but seeing a wall I built in 2021 next to one from last month with a 1/2 inch joint shows how much more stable and clean the bigger joint looks after a few seasons.

The foreman on a job in Tacoma last year kept pushing for the bigger joint, and after seeing both walls side by side, I get it now, so what's your standard joint size for a basic residential wall?

3 comments

3 Comments

emma7682mo ago

My crew swears by a half inch joint.

wilson.diana2mo ago

Wait, you were really out here using 3/8 for everything? That's wild. Gotta agree with @emma768, half inch is the only way to go for a solid wall. A skinny joint just can't handle the movement over time, it always ends up looking rough. Seeing them side by side like that would be a real wake-up call. The bigger joint gives it room to breathe and settle without cracking apart.

rowan_butler931mo ago

My buddy had a whole patio wall he built start to look like a jigsaw puzzle after two winters. He used a 3/8 joint and the freeze-thaw just wrecked it. He had to tear it out and redo the whole thing with half inch. Never cut corners on the joint size again.