Just came back from a site in Manchester and watched a crew screw up a whole wall of brickwork

I was walking through a new build in Ancoats yesterday and saw these guys laying bricks without even dampening them first on a hot day. The mortar was drying out so fast you could see cracks forming within an hour. I told the foreman and he just shrugged it off like it was fine. Has anyone else seen crews skipping this basic step lately?

2 comments

2 Comments

hayden_rivera1mo ago

Yeah, I'm not sure I buy that this is that big of a deal. Brickies have been skipping that step for decades on hot days and most walls are still standing. The mortar might crack a bit on the surface but once it cures fully it's usually fine. I've seen guys dry lay bricks in 90 degree weather and the mortar still grabs hold overnight. The foreman probably knows his crew and what works for that mix. Sometimes people just like to nitpick things they saw once on a YouTube video.

karen_nelson401mo ago

Same thing happens in restaurants when cooks skip letting pans preheat because they're in a rush, and somehow the food still comes out fine most of the time. People just really hate being told they're doing something wrong when it's worked for them before.