Switched from a trowel to a mortar gun for long retaining walls and it saved my wrist

I used to lay every block by hand with a standard margin trowel, figuring that was just how it was done. Did a big retaining wall job out in the suburbs last spring, about 40 feet long and 4 feet high, and my wrist was screaming by day three. My helper had a mortar gun he borrowed from his old crew, so I tried it on a test section. Night and day difference. The gun laid down a consistent bead in half the time and I didn't have to keep bending over to scoop from the board. I still use the trowel for corners and detail work, but for straight runs on walls, I'm sold on the gun. Anyone else switch tools like this and find it made a big difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

simons281mo agoTop Commenter

I grabbed a mortar gun off my buddy last summer for a 30 foot wall and my wrist felt way better after day two lol. That consistent bead saved me so much time.

claire_walker1mo ago

Man I feel that so hard lol. My first time trying a mortar gun I had the consistency of toothpaste mixed with peanut butter, still came out better than my hand mixing though. A buddy of mine still swears by his wrist brace but I just tell him to get with the program and save himself some Advil.

-1