I was mixing mortar too wet for a decade because my boss said so

Always did a 4 to 1 sand to cement ratio but added water until it looked like thick paint. Last month in Phoenix, a guy I was helping pointed out my bricks were sliding all afternoon. He said, 'That's soup, not mud.' Tried a stiffer mix the next day and my speed doubled. Anyone else have a basic habit they had to unlearn?

3 comments

3 Comments

sanchez.robin19d ago

My uncle was a union mason for forty years. He always said a wet mix hides poor technique, letting you force bricks into place instead of bedding them properly. That extra water weakens the bond from the very first minute.

-1

haydenbutler19d ago

But isn't the real problem too much water overall? A wet mix is bad, but so is adding water later to keep it workable. Once you add that first water, the clock is ticking on the bond.

jesser799d ago

Yeah, @haydenbutler, what about the heat speeding that clock up way faster?