Serious question, who else has used that new fast set mortar in cold weather?

I was on a job in Buffalo last week, trying to finish a small garden wall before the real freeze hit. The supplier was out of my usual stuff, so I grabbed a bag of that 'RapidSet' mortar mix, the one with the blue label. Figured it would be fine, even with the temp around 35 degrees. Big mistake. It started to go off in the mixer, like, way faster than the bag said. I barely got half the wall laid before my hawk load was turning to stone. Had to chip it out and start over the next day with a proper winter mix. Learned that advertised set times are a warm weather suggestion, not a cold weather promise. Has anyone found a fast set that actually works when it's this cold, or is it just a summer-only product?

3 comments

3 Comments

josephl6729d ago

Ugh, same thing happened to me last month in Chicago, total waste.

mary37229d ago

Seriously, it feels like everything's a gamble now. You pay good money and just hope it's not a letdown.

sageross23d ago

Man, that sounds like a total nightmare. Did you try warming the mixing water at all, or is it just a lost cause below a certain point? I mean, you'd think a product called 'rapid set' would at least try to live up to its name. It's so frustrating when you're already racing the weather and the stuff you bought to help just makes it worse.