Mixing mortar by hand beats the bagged stuff every time

Everyone on my sites raves about how quick the pre-mixed bags are. I keep having bonding issues with them in damp conditions (and the cost adds up fast). Does anyone else think we're sacrificing too much quality for a little speed?

4 comments

4 Comments

gray_hernandez981mo ago

Yeah, you're onto something. I had a whole garden wall start to weep and sag after a rainy spring, and it was all pre-mix. It just never set right in the damp. The convenience is nice for a tiny patch job, but for anything that needs to last, it feels like a gamble. You can tweak a hand-mix on the fly for the weather, which makes all the difference. That little bit of extra time mixing saves a ton of headache later.

jana_sanchez961mo ago

Remember, pre-mix works fine if you keep it dry and mix it properly for the weather.

sarahb541mo ago

That weeping wall story hits home. I had a patio slab crack because pre-mix didn't cure right in high humidity. It looked fine for a week, then just gave way under light foot traffic. Now I only hand-mix for outdoor projects, adjusting sand ratio if rain is coming. Pre-mix is basically throwing money away if the weather isn't perfect.

nelson.vera1d ago

Exactly, that on-the-fly tweaking is the real skill. You learn to read the air and adjust the mix before the weather even hits.