Last month I was repointing a old brick wall behind my garage and kept second guessing my sand to cement ratio. So I dug up a 1962 manual from the local library's reference section, it had this whole breakdown on how 60 parts sand to 40 parts cement gives the best bond strength without cracking. I laid out 3 test batches with slightly different ratios, and the 60/40 one held up way better when I chipped at it after 4 days. Anyone else ever actually test their mix ratios, or do you just eyeball it like I used to?
I dropped the cash on a green beam rotary laser for a commercial foundation layout last month, and it nailed every corner in half the time, but now it's sitting in the case collecting dust, so is that kind of spend worth it for a solo guy or should I have just stuck with string lines and a chalk box?
I swear I spent two years fighting with mortar that dried out too fast on hot days around Austin. Last month I tried this trick a foreman mentioned, mixing smaller batches on a damp plywood plank instead of a metal board. The wood holds moisture way longer, so I get maybe 15 more minutes of workable time per mix. That was enough for me to stop rushing and keep my lines straight on a 40 foot wall. Anyone else use a plank or is it just a regional habit?
Bought a premium mortar blend from a new supplier last month, figured it would speed up my wall work, but it kept slumping no matter how I mixed it. Took 3 tries to realize it needed way less water than the bag said, and I lost a full day redoing two courses. Any of you had a mix that lied about its ratios on the label?
I used to drag my wet saw out for every single stone cut even straight ones. Last month I borrowed a buddy's snap cutter for a 40 foot wall job. It cut my time in half easy and no muddy slurry to clean up. The snap cuts were just as clean as the wet saw for straight lines. Has anyone else made the switch or do you still stick with the wet saw for everything?
I was on a job in Des Moines last fall and we laid a whole garden wall in the rain. Two days later there were hairline cracks running through every third brick, had to tear it down and start over with a drier mix.
I was at a supply shop in Phoenix last month and had to decide between a Marshalltown and a knockoff with a rubber grip that just felt better in my hand. Grabbed the cheap one, and after a week of pointing and repointing I'm wondering if I made a mistake or if comfort is actually way more important than the name on the blade. Anyone else ever gone against the grain on tool choice and regretted it or had it work out fine?
Had this old chimney in a house near downtown Dayton that needed repointing after some freeze damage. I went with a refractory mix from a local supplier over my standard Portland stuff because the boss swore it handles heat expansion better. So far the joints are holding tight without any hairline cracks, but I'm still watching it through the winter to see if I made the right call. Anyone else used refractory in a residential stack and regretted it down the line?
The old mortar lines were all over the place in width and depth but the new section I patched last month had clean quarter-inch joints and I realized I just needed enough repetition to get the feel for consistency without thinking about it. Anyone else go back and cringe at their early work or is that just part of the trade?
I got taught by an old timer back in 2011 who swore by slapping the mud on with a flick of the wrist and never using the twist method. Used to take me forever to get the joints even, and I'd end up with gaps every third brick. Lately I switched to buttering with a V-notch trowel and a little twist at the end, and my joints are way tighter. Saves me maybe 20 minutes per 100 bricks on a wall. Which way do you guys lean, the old flick or the new twist?
Last summer I was working a job in Lansing next to a guy who had been laying brick for 40 years. He saw me struggling to split a brick clean and just said "hit it with the corner, not the face." He showed me how to score the line first with the hammer's pick end, then one tap on the corner pops it right in two. I've been doing it that way ever since and it saves me time and waste. Has anyone else picked up a simple trick from an older tradesman that made a big difference?
I was picking up a pallet at Builders Supply in Nashville last Tuesday and this guy in his 70s saw me loading type S. He just laughed and told me to switch to type N with a little lime for the old soft brick I was using. I always figured stronger was better, but he said the hard mortar would crack the faces over time. Has anyone else had a old timer at the yard tell you something that made you rethink your whole setup?
I was picking up some Type S mortar last Thursday and this older mason was arguing with a kid about brick selection. He told the kid that brick is just decoration and not to overthink it. But I've seen loadbearing brick walls from the 1800s that are still standing straight. I mean, maybe it's just me but there is a real difference between a structural brick wall and a veneer job. I've been laying brick for about 6 years and I still double check my bond patterns on corners. That guy's comment made me wonder how many new guys think brick is just for looks and skip the math. Has anyone else run into that attitude on a job site?
Back at a job in Cleveland about 4 years ago, this guy in his 60s named Randy watched me mix up a batch and said 'you're drowning those bricks, son.' I just brushed him off and kept doing it my way. But after dealing with slumping joints and cleanup headaches on every wall, I finally cut my water back by about 20%. Now my mortar holds shape better and I'm not waiting forever for it to set. Anyone else have a stubborn habit they finally broke after ignoring good advice?
About 2 years ago I was working a patio job in Austin and this old guy, must have been 60 plus, kept yelling at me to dunk every brick in a water bucket before putting it down. I figured he was just stuck in his ways and wasting time. So I ignored him for the first 3 rows and just laid them dry. By the end of the day the mortar was cracking and pulling away from the bricks like crazy. He walked over, pointed at my work, and said "told you so." Turns out in that Texas heat the dry bricks suck all the moisture out of the mortar before it can set right. I spent the next day pulling up half that first section and redoing it. Has anyone else run into old school tricks that actually make a difference or do you just go with whatever the bag says?
I was on a big retaining wall job outside of Columbus last spring, buttering every head joint like my life depended on it. This crusty old mason with a bent trowel walked by, watched me for a minute, then said "You're wasting half your mud and slowing yourself down." He showed me how to just butter one end of the brick and let the suction do the work on the other side. I tried it on the next course and honestly cut my mortar waste by probably 30 percent that afternoon. It felt wrong at first, but after a few rows I saw my joints were just as tight and I was moving way faster. Has anyone else had an old timer give them a tip that totally changed their basic technique?
I was down in Charleston last month checking out a row of historic houses and the brick they used back in the 1800s looks completely different from the modern stuff we get now. The old bricks are softer and more irregular, but I've seen guys argue that new clay bricks hold up better long term in wet climates. Which way do you lean when you're matching an old wall for a repair job?
Spent 4 hours last Saturday mixing mortar trying to match a 1920s brick wall on a job in St. Paul and still ended up with a shade that was way off, anyone have a trick that doesn't take all day?
Used the same $12 cheap one for years and thought it was fine until I grabbed a Marshaltown last month. Has anyone else noticed how much less hand fatigue you get with a good trowel or is it just placebo?
I was gripping it wrong the whole time, thumb on the flat side instead of the curve. Old foreman walked by and laughed for a solid minute before showing me the right way. Anyone else find out they've been doing a basic thing wrong for years?
Ngl, I thought I could save some cash by mixing my own portland, lime, and sand for a repointing job. Ended up with a batch that crumbled after 3 days because I screwed up the ratios. Has anyone else had better luck doing it by hand instead of just buying pre-mixed?
I thought more moisture would help the mortar bond better, but I guess I went overboard because now I have to redo that whole garden wall before my wife notices. Has anyone else had a similar disaster with over-soaking clay bricks?
Picked up a self-leveling green beam laser last week. My old bubble level was killing my back on long retaining wall runs. This thing shoots a perfect line 50 feet out, no squinting. Made my brick alignment dead on in half the time. Anyone else ditch the old school levels for laser?
I was working on a chimney repoint over in Oak Park last Thursday, right? Everything was going smooth, mortar was the same mix I always use. About halfway up the scaffold I noticed the mortar in my bucket was getting crumbly way too fast, like within 10 minutes it was falling apart. Turns out the bag of Portland I grabbed from the back of my truck had gotten damp from a leak I didnt know about. I had to scrap a whole morning of work because the new stuff wasnt bonding right with the old brick. Had to chip it all out and start over, lost about 4 hours and a bucket of good mortar. Has anyone else had a bag go bad on them mid-job? How do you store your cement to keep moisture out?
I've been bricklaying for about 8 years and always used my speed square to check my 90 degree corners. Last month on a garage build in Columbus, I tried out a line lock for the first time on a tricky corner. It just holds the line tight from both sides and I got perfect corners every time without checking. Has anyone else found a tool that just clicks for them like that?