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Got told my mortar was too wet by an old timer on a job last year

I was laying a garden wall in Springfield and this retired guy watching said, 'Son, that's soup, not mortar.' He said it should hold its shape when you ball it up, not slump. I was adding water until it felt right in the mixer. Switched to measuring my water exactly for a 50lb bag, and my joints stopped shrinking and cracking so bad. It felt slow at first but saved me a call back on the next job. Anyone else have a simple rule of thumb for mix consistency?
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3 Comments
mark_green
Yeah, that soup line is classic. Measuring is boring but it just works, stops all those hairline cracks.
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sarahpark
sarahpark4d ago
Old guys always know the exact water ratio.
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hannah_west39
My grandpa's 2:1 plaster mix proved me wrong last summer.
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