Pro tip: Stop wetting your bricks before laying them

Honestly, I used to soak every brick in a bucket of water before laying them, even in hot weather. I picked that habit up from an old timer on my first crew back in 2016. Then I switched to dry laying about 2 years ago after a mason in Phoenix told me it gives you a stronger bond because the mortar grabs better. Ngl, it felt wrong at first but now I get way less cracking in the joints. Anyone else try going dry and stick with it?

3 comments

3 Comments

nancy8171mo ago

Oh man, that uncle Vic story is priceless! It's funny how we cling to methods that feel right just because we learned them from someone we respected. I see that same thing in so many areas, not just brickwork. Like my mom still seasons her cast iron skillet with bacon grease even though she knows modern oils work better, because that's how her grandma did it. Or my neighbor who refuses to use an electric pressure washer for his deck because "you gotta feel the water pressure with your hands." There's this weird comfort in doing things the hard way, you know? We convince ourselves there's a secret magic to it, until one day we accidentally try the easy way and realize it wasn't magic at all, just extra work.

vera5141mo ago

Wait, do y'all remember when everybody was convinced you had to wet the bricks or the mortar would dry out too fast? My uncle Vic used to hose down his entire pallet of bricks the night before, like he was watering a garden or something. He'd get mad if the sun came out too strong and dried them out before he got to them. Then one time he forgot to wet them on a job and the homeowner actually threatened to fire him. Now he's been dry laying for years and says he was just wasting water and time. Funny how old habits die hard though, I still catch myself reaching for a spray bottle sometimes.

emery_white1mo ago

@vera514 the real trick is knowing when your conditions actually call for it. Clay brick in July? Maybe. Concrete block in spring? No way.