Shoutout to the foreman who told me my mortar mix was too wet

Old Joe over on the Grant Street project in Chicago pulled me aside and said my mortar was running like soup. He made me dump a whole batch and start over with less water, like 2 scoops less per mix. I thought he was being picky but the next wall held up way better and didn't sag overnight. Anyone else had a senior guy change how you do a basic step like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

leelewis1mo ago

That foreman basically told you your mortar was a milkshake, not a mix. Sometimes it takes a salty old guy to point out you're basically making soup instead of something that'll hold bricks. Funny how the smallest changes can make the biggest difference overnight.

victor_adams25d ago

Nodding along to this. Old timers save you a whole lot of hassle if you just listen the first time.

richard_dixon1mo ago

Three buckets of water per bag of mix is what my old timer used to tell me, and the guy before me was doing five. That's a whole different ballgame. You end up with a lousy bond and joints that look like garbage the next day. Overthinking the mix is the fastest way to a re-do, and nobody pays you for that.