the_james•17d agoMost Upvoted

Overheard a guy at the supply yard say he never wets his bricks

I was picking up a pallet of commons yesterday and this younger mason told his helper soaking bricks is a waste of time. He said modern mortar is good enough and it just adds weight. Has anyone else run into problems skipping the wet down on a hot day job?

2 comments

2 Comments

jesseb2017d ago

nancys90 hit the nail on the head about the weak joints. I remember one job back in 2019 out in the valley where we had a string of 95 degree days and the helper forgot to wet the bricks on a retaining wall. The mortar set up so fast we couldn't even tool the joints right, and by the end of the week we had cracks showing up between the coursing. Had to tear out a whole section and re-lay it with soaked bricks just to get a proper bond. So I learned the hard way that wetting them isn't just some old timer superstition. On a hot day you need that extra moisture so the mortar cures slow and sticks right instead of just sitting on dry clay like glue on glass.

nancys9017d ago

I never wets his bricks" is a bold move for sure. From my experience, skipping the soak on a hot day can make the mortar grab too fast and you end up with weak joints. Your mileage may vary, but I've seen too many hairline cracks on dry-laid walls to risk it.