Just realized how many guys are still mixing mortar too wet for brickwork

I was helping a friend fix a garden wall in his yard last week, and the mix he had going was like soup. He said it was easier to spread, but the bricks were floating all over the place. I showed him the proper slump test with the trowel, and the difference in speed and stability was immediate. What's the one basic thing you see people messing up that drives you nuts?

3 comments

3 Comments

bennett.harper18d ago

I used to think a wetter mix was faster too, until I saw how much it weakens the final bond.

the_sam18d ago

But what about the working time? I've found a slightly wetter mix lets me get everything set before it starts to grab. The bond might test a bit lower, but if the material is fully bedded, doesn't that matter more in the real world? I'd rather have a slightly weaker bond that's fully set than a perfect bond that's only halfway there because it went off too fast.

blair_nguyen18d ago

Read a study that showed even a 10% increase in water can cut bond strength by half. They tested it on concrete blocks. The extra water creates more tiny holes as it dries, which makes the whole thing weaker. So that working time might come with a real cost.