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Old-timer's tip about mixing mortar changed my whole process

A retired mason named Ray in Toledo watched me lay a course and told me I was adding too much water to the mix. He said the mortar should hold its shape on the trowel for 3 seconds before slumping, so I adjusted my batches and the joints came out much cleaner. It took me about 2 weeks to get the feel right, but now my walls are straighter and I'm not fighting the slump. Has anyone else gotten a trick like that from an older guy that seemed small but made a big difference?
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sethc14
sethc1424d ago
My buddy tried that after a wet mix wrecked his retaining wall, and he said it took him three weekends to trust the drier stuff. Now he won't shut up about it, but his wall did come out dead straight.
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sagep19
sagep1924d ago
Did the same trick for my brick steps, took a week to unlearn the wet mix?
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