Old timer at the yard said to soak my bricks before laying them in August heat

I ignored him on a 95 degree job last summer and my first wall had 3 cracked bricks by lunchtime, so has anyone else found that pre-wetting makes a real difference in hot weather?

2 comments

2 Comments

keithbennett16d ago

You ever think the real problem isn't the brick but the mortar mix? I tried pre-wetting my bricks for years. Still had hairline cracks. Then I started adding a half shovel of hydrated lime to my mix. Total game changer. Keeps the mortar workable longer in the heat. The lime plasticizes it. So yeah, wetting helps. But fixing the mortar itself is the real trick.

emery_craig17d ago

Learned that one the hard way myself. Soaked a few bricks, then dropped one on my boot right after. Limped around for a week looking like a fool. So yeah, pre-wetting matters. Keeps the mortar from drying too fast and helps the bricks not suck all the moisture out. Now I dunk them in a bucket for a few seconds before laying, especially in the afternoon heat.