Customer argued about mortar mix ratios until I showed him the bag

Last Tuesday I'm on a job in Billerica, laying a garden wall for this retired engineer. He keeps coming out every 20 minutes insisting I'm using too much sand in my mix. Says his neighbor told him it has to be 3 to 1 or the wall will crumble. I've been doing this 15 years, I know what works for freeze-thaw cycles around here. Finally I grabbed the empty mortar bag from my truck and showed him the manufacturer specs right on the back. He shut up quick but then asked if I could match the color to his dog's food bowl. Some people think they know the trade better after reading one forum post. Anyone else get armchair quarterbacks hovering over their work?

2 comments

2 Comments

lilycraig1mo ago

Three bags of Type N into one of sand and my own dad still questions my mix every time I see him. Maybe I should just start carrying the bag around as a security blanket.

butler.abby1mo ago

Hang on a second, I gotta call something out. Type N is 1 part cement to 1 part lime to 6 parts sand, not three bags to one. That would be a SUPER rich mix that's gonna crack like crazy in a freeze. Your dad might be onto something if he's been mixing it that way for years. I keep a picture of the spec sheet on my phone so I can just pull it up and point, it saves a lot of arguing.