Found a way to keep mortar from drying out on hot days in Dallas

Last summer I was working a job in Dallas where it hit 102 and the mortar was crusting over before I could even lay 3 bricks. I tried wetting the board more but that just made a mess. Then an old timer I was working with told me to throw a damp burlap sack over the mortar pile when I'm not using it. It sounds simple but it actually kept the mortar workable for like 45 minutes longer. I also started wetting my bricks ahead of time which helped a ton too. Has anyone else tried something like that for hot weather jobs? What do you do when the sun is beating down?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliotc101d ago

Wet the bricks first, that saved my bacon on a 105 degree day.

alexlewis10h ago

Disagree with wetting bricks first. Done both ways and never saw a difference on hot days. The mortar gets stiff way faster from the heat than from dry bricks sucking out water. Just mix smaller batches and work faster. Plus wet bricks slide around way too much and mess up your joints. Keep the mud in the shade and you're good.