TIL my old way of mixing mortar was just making extra work

For years, I'd add water to the mix a little at a time, stirring constantly, thinking it gave me more control. Last fall on a big job in Boise, a guy I was working with just dumped in about 3/4 of the water all at once and used a paddle mixer. The mix was perfect in under two minutes, and my arms weren't dead by 10 AM. I switched that day and haven't looked back. Anyone else have a simple change that saved them a ton of time?

3 comments

3 Comments

sethk501mo ago

Dumping all the water at once is a great way to get a sloppy, inconsistent batch. Adding it slowly lets you feel the texture and stop exactly when it's right, especially with different sand moisture. That paddle mixer just hides lumps at the bottom you'll find later. Speed isn't everything if the mix is wrong.

webb.lisa1mo ago

Yeah, I saw a video where a mason said the same thing. He argued that gradual water addition is the only way to build the right muscle memory for the mix. Rushing it might save a minute but costs way more in fixing bad batches later.

nancyhernandez9d ago

Worked on a patio last summer with really damp sand. Dumped the whole bucket once and ended up with soup. Had to waste a bag of mix to fix it. Now I always pour from a jug and stop when it looks right. Takes an extra minute but saves the headache.