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Spent 6 and a half hours on one stupid corner because nobody warned me about wet brick | Bricklayers - Vivisector

Spent 6 and a half hours on one stupid corner because nobody warned me about wet brick

Nobody told me that fresh brick soaks up mortar water like a sponge and it cost me almost a whole day on a job in Gary last month. I was laying a simple porch column, 4 courses, maybe 120 brick total, should have been done by lunch. Instead the mortar kept drying out before I could set the next course and the brick kept sucking the water right off the trowel. I finally figured out I needed to hose the brick down first and let it sit a bit, then the mortar held like it should. Six and a half hours for 120 brick, and my foreman just laughed at me when I owned up to it. The part that got me is the old timer on site knew the whole time and just watched me fight it. So my question is, do you guys soak brick every time or only when the weather is hot and dry? I feel like there has to be a cutoff temp where it matters and where it doesn't.

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1 Comment

wade_kelly775d ago

My old boss Kenny used to say the only thing dumber than a dry brick is the guy who laid it, and I proved him right twice last summer. First time was a job in July with cheap brick from a yard I won't name, I didn't wet a single one, and by course two the mortar was pulling apart in my hand like dry beach sand. Second time I got smart and soaked them, but I soaked them so much they were dripping and the mortar slid around like I was buttering a hot pancake. From what I've seen, once you're under about 50 degrees and the brick is cool to the touch, you can get away with a quick dunk or nothing at all, because the sun and wind aren't stealing your water. Above 70 and dry, you better have the hose out or you're fighting a losing battle. The old timer watching you was a jerk for not saying anything, but he probably wanted to see if you'd figure it out, which you did.