Masonry joist pockets

[m0t]

I'm replacing the joists in a downstairs bedroom and on one wall the bricks around the joists had fallen out.

I've put the new joists in and now need to replace the bricks that sit next to the ends.

Should the bricks be tight to the joists or should there be a gap? Some on the other side have a gap filled with mortar, should I replicate this?

 

[^woody^]

If a solid wall, you should have wrapped the joist ends in polythene to prevent damp from the bricks rotting the ends. Other than that, yes the bricks should be tight to the joists. And then (if a cavity wall) there should be a bead of flexible mastic around the joist to seal any gap when the timber shrinks.

 

[m0t]

If a solid wall, you should have wrapped the joist ends in polythene to prevent damp from the bricks rotting the ends. Other than that, yes the bricks should be tight to the joists. And then (if a cavity wall) there should be a bead of flexible mastic around the joist to seal any gap when the timber shrinks.

Joist ends are wrapped. It's a cavity until the row of bricks above the joists which are laid as header bricks across the inside and outside cavity walls. That's why the bricks around the joists were all able to fall out without the rest of the wall coming down.

I'll add the mastic and make sure the bricks are tight. Not sure why they are surrounded by mortar on the other side though although it hasn't all fallen out.