I skipped the mortar mixer and went back to hand mixing in Tampa

Everyone on my crew told me to drop $1,200 on a powered mixer for this retaining wall job we just wrapped. I rented one for a day, hated the cleanup, and decided to hand mix all 4,000 bricks instead. It took me three extra days, but the mortar came out steadier and I caught two bad batches before they went up. My wrists are sore, but the wall hasn't cracked once in the two weeks since. Has anyone else ditched machinery on a big job just to keep control of the mix?

1 comments

1 Comment

jesse_fisher17d ago

Two weeks is a pretty short test for a wall that size. You said it “hasn't cracked once,” but mortar takes a month or more to really cure, so that's like bragging your cookies didn't burn while they're still in the oven. Also, hand mixing might give you a steadier feel, but it doesn't stop a bad batch from happening, it just makes you slower to make them. The real trick isn't the mixer, it's testing your slump and keeping your water ratio locked down. I'd check those joints again at the three month mark before you call it a win.