Mortar mixing: switched from a paddle in a bucket to a mud pan and hoe, cut my wall time nearly in half

Felix Fisher · 2026-10-08T03:30:03.127399+00:00

I've been mixing small batches in a 5 gallon bucket with a drill paddle for years, getting maybe 8 to 10 blocks set before the mud stiffened up on me. A guy on a job in Council Bluffs showed me his setup, a plastic mud pan with a hoe, and I timed it, I knocked out 60 blocks on a garden wall with the same amount of mortar. The pan holds more and I can pull from the edges without the mix sitting still, so it stays workable longer. Anyone else mix in a pan over a bucket? Curious if you lose anything on bigger jobs where you need a lot of mud fast.

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Mortar mixing: switched from a paddle in a bucket to a mud pan and hoe, cut my wall time nearly in half | Bricklayers - Opinions Matter