Had a batch of brick blow out on me at a job site in Nashville last Tuesday

Was laying a retaining wall behind a new development near the Cumberland River. Weather was fine, mix was good, but about 4 courses up I noticed some bricks starting to crack and split near the corners. Turns out the pallet had been sitting in a damp spot at the supply yard for a while and they soaked up moisture. Had to tear down 3 hours of work and swap with dry stock. Now I check every pallet for water stains before I unload. Anyone else run into this with winter stored brick?

3 comments

3 Comments

nancy_butler4d ago

Man three hours of work down the drain over some wet bricks? That's brutal. Did the supply yard give you any grief about swapping them out?

emerycarr4d ago

That supply yard gave me some side-eye but they swapped them out. Told them the pallet was sitting in a puddle when I got there and they just shrugged. It's like nobody cares about the little things anymore because they figure you can just deal with it. This reminds me of how fast food places always forget items in your bag or how contractors leave trash on your site. People cut corners everywhere and it always ends up costing someone else time.

the_sean4d ago

Yeah I actually read an article a while back about how moisture trapped in brick during cold months basically expands when it freezes and cracks them from the inside out. Sounds like that pallet was already doomed before it ever hit your job site. Good call checking for water stains now, that's the kind of lesson you only learn once the hard way.