TIL some guys butter the back of brick and some don't - which side are you on?

I was on a job last week in Kansas City with a crew that does things totally different. They slap the mortar straight onto the wall and just press the brick on, no back buttering at all. Meanwhile I've always been taught to put a thin coat on the back of every brick for better bonding. They told me back buttering is a waste of time and mortar, but I've seen too many walls crack from poor adhesion. The way I see it, you either trust the wall butter method or you take the extra 30 seconds per brick. So which way do you do it and why?

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uma_mitchell8323h agoMost Upvoted

Flip it around and go full wall butter. I mean, if the mortar mix is right and the wall is prepped properly, slapping it straight on works fine. Seen plenty of old buildings in KC that were laid that way and they're still standing 50 years later. Back buttering might be a safety net for bad habits or uneven joints, but it's also extra material cost and labor for something that should hold anyway.