Old timer named Frank in Denver told me I was using too much water on my mortar mix

He said I was making soup, not mud, and that's why my repointing was crumbling after one freeze-thaw cycle. Anyone else get called out by a veteran for something basic you thought you had down?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_paul24d ago

Yeah that happened to me too, my first batch looked like pancake batter and a guy named Sal set me straight real quick.

susanm5623d ago

Sal must be a legend in these parts, huh? My first batch looked like someone dropped a bucket of cement mix into a frying pan. Called it "artisan" and prayed nobody asked for seconds.

jenkins.reese22d ago

Hear out the old timers every single time. It's the same deal with anything you're learning. People think they can skip the basics and get to the good stuff but you just can't. That's how you get sloppy work and wasted materials. Frank's right, water is the enemy of a strong bond, it's like using too much salt in a recipe you can't take it back.