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My mortar batch went bad halfway through a job in Arlington
I was working on a retaining wall last Thursday and halfway through the second batch I noticed it was setting way too fast. Turned out my cement had gotten damp sitting in the garage over the winter. Had to scrap the whole batch and drive 20 minutes to the nearest supply yard for a fresh bag. Anyone else ever have old cement ruin a pour on you?
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morgan.jason12d ago
Did you check the bag for moisture before you opened it? That's my first habit now after losing a full day of work to a bad batch last summer. Always crumble a handful of the dry mix in your palm before you add water, if it clumps at all just toss it.
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the_wesley12d ago
Damp cement in the garage! That's a tough one, man. I had a half-used bag of Portland in my shed last fall and I didn't find out until spring that it was completely hard as a rock inside. Had to bust it up with a sledgehammer just to get it out of the bag, it was a total waste. I feel your pain about that 20 minute drive too, that's the worst when you're already sweaty and covered in mortar dust. At least you caught it before the whole wall was laid, that would have been a real nightmare to tear out.
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