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Finally found a way to keep mortar from drying out too fast on hot days
I was fighting the sun last July on a driveway job in Phoenix, losing mortar before I could even butter a brick. Tried misting, tried shade cloth, nothing worked until a old mason told me to mix in a tiny splash of dish soap per batch. Sounds weird but it slows the set time just enough without weakening the bond. Anyone else got a go-to additive for summer heat?
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harper_owens9d ago
Absolutely agree on keeping sand cold. I'll freeze jugs of water overnight and add ice cubes to the mix bucket too. It buys you a solid extra 10 minutes before things start getting crusty.
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noah8809d ago
Whoa, careful with that dish soap trick! It can actually trap air bubbles in the mortar if you use too much, which weakens the bond over time. I've seen guys get away with a tiny drop but anything more than that gets risky. A better bet for hot weather is just keeping your sand and water ice cold before mixing.
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