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Took me 10 years to figure out this mortar mixing trick
I used to mix my mortar exactly like the bag said - 5 quarts of water per 80lb bag. But last year on a job in Portland, the bricks kept slipping and I couldn't figure out why. Finally an old timer walked over and told me to cut the water back to 4 quarts on hot days. He said the bag instructions are for perfect 70 degree weather, not real life. I tried it and the mortar held way better, no more sagging joints. Now I also check the sand moisture before mixing because wet sand changes everything. Has anyone else found that adjusting water based on temperature makes a bigger difference than they expected?
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hall.nora3d ago
Hot sand will mess up your mix every time, gotta adjust on the fly.
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amybarnes3d ago
Right, because who needs a predictable mix anyway?
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