A retired mason in Omaha taught me the value of a clean joint

Last spring I was working a small retaining wall job and this older gentleman, must have been 75, stopped by to watch for a few minutes. He didn't say anything at first, just looked at my joints and then asked if he could run his trowel along one. He told me I was brushing too early and leaving a dusty film that would weaken the bond over time. I had never really thought about it, but he showed me the difference on a test piece and it made total sense. Has anyone else had a stranger correct their technique in a way that stuck with them for years?

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aliceg6118d ago

Read somewhere that old masons always wet the brick before laying, seems related.