anna_ross19•27d agoProlific Poster

A homeowner pointed out my mortar mix was too wet and I brushed it off at first

I was working on a retaining wall in Asheville last month and this older guy came out to watch. He said my mortar was running like pancake batter and would crack in a year. I thought he was just being nosy but I checked it after three days and sure enough there were hairline fractures everywhere. I usually add water until it feels smooth but he told me to aim for a consistency like stiff peanut butter instead. Next job I cut the water by about 20 percent and the joints held much better with no slumping. Has anyone else had a homeowner call them out on technique and been wrong about being annoyed?

3 comments

3 Comments

irismartinez27d ago

Hear me out but I actually side with the homeowner on this one... stiff peanut butter is way too dry if you're working with a decent lime putty or type N. You end up with weak joints that don't bond right. I've been doing this for about 15 years and a slightly wet mix that slumps a little actually fills the gaps better and gives you a stronger hold over time. Those hairline cracks you saw might've been from the wall settling or the block being too dry, not the water content. Every job is different but I've had way more problems from going too dry than too wet.

the_hayden27d ago

That stiff peanut butter thing always reminds me of a job in Arizona where the mud dried faster than I could spread it. Had to keep a spray bottle handy just to keep it workable, and even then the joints looked like they were holding a grudge. Sometimes dry and stiff just means you're fighting the weather, not the mix.

bettywood19d ago

Arizona heat will teach you that lesson quick. I worked a summer in New Mexico and learned to mix my batches small, maybe 10 minutes of mud at a time, so it stayed workable before the sun sucked it dry. The spray bottle trick is fine but you're better off adjusting your timing than fighting the weather.