kimw57•6d ago

Mortar mix failed on a 50 foot garden wall last Tuesday, had to tear out 3 whole courses

I was so frustrated. The mix looked fine when I was laying it but by the end of the day it was crumbly and just falling apart. Turns out the sand I grabbed from the back of the yard had too much silt in it. I should have checked but I was rushing. Had to chisel out all that work and start fresh with clean sand. Has anyone else had a bad batch of sand wreck a job like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

keith2746d ago

At least your wall gave you a second chance to practice your chiseling technique, sounds like a real core workout. Bet your dentist patients appreciate you getting that aggression out on brick instead of their molars.

gracethomas5d ago

Oh man, I feel this. I had a similar situation with a retaining wall a couple years back where I used way too much water in the mix and ended up with crumbly bricks that just fell apart. My advice? Next time try getting one of those cheap plastic mortar mixing tubs and sifting your sand through some window screen first. @keith274 I swear it cuts down the mess and makes the mix way more consistent. Just a tip from hard learned experience.

sammartinez6d ago

I mean, did you wash the sand at all before you mixed it or just dump it straight in?