Took three hours to lay a single pillar. Mortar kept slumping.

Was doing a garden pillar at a job in Greenville. First one went smooth. Second one? Mortar wouldn't hold the stack. Kept sliding off every third brick. Tried mixing drier, wetter, different sand. Nothing worked. Finally realized the bricks were soaking wet from morning dew. SW Carolina humidity. Let them dry out and it was fine. Three hours for what should have been 45 minutes. Has anyone else had wet bricks mess up their day?

3 comments

3 Comments

tessap7317h ago

Wet bricks are the absolute worst, make you feel like you forgot how to lay block overnight. At least you figured it out before the whole pillar started looking like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

fiona_hunt7116h ago

I read somewhere that wet bricks basically turn into sponges and throw off your whole mortar cure time.

felixhenderson15h ago

Tarp over my pile and let them dry a full day before using them again.

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