Old timer taught me to wet my bricks different

Had a job in Portland last summer on a retaining wall. Guy with 40 years in the trade walked over, watched me for a minute, then asked if I always soak my bricks that long. Told him I just dunk them till the bubbles stop. He showed me to dip for 10 seconds max, then let them sit for a minute before laying. Said oversaturated bricks push the mortar out and you get weak joints on the back side. Tried it the rest of that week and noticed my cleanup was half the work. Anyone else adjust their soaking method based on the weather that day?

3 comments

3 Comments

gibson.morgan14d ago

Wet your bricks too long and you're basically making mud pies for mortar.

aaronsullivan14d ago

We have been using the same brickyard in Cleveland since 2019 and they always tell us to soak our commons for at least two minutes before laying. Those bricks are thirsty after sitting on a pallet in the sun all day. If you lay a dry brick the mortar will suck all the moisture out before it can even set up right on that first course. We had a whole wall slump on us once when I was an apprentice because the guy before me rushed the soak. Mud pies only happen if you leave them sitting in a bucket overnight, not for a normal soak.

ben_lewis14d ago

Funny how that same principle shows up everywhere. Overdo anything and it screws the whole thing up, whether it's soaking bricks or marinating chicken or charging your phone battery all night. Just gotta find the sweet spot.