Found a stat about mortar waste that made me rethink my mixing

I was reading through an old issue of Masonry Magazine I found at the job site last week, and it said the average bricklayer wastes about 15% of their mortar just from overmixing and not using it in time. That number hit me hard because I always figured a little extra was no big deal. Over a year, that adds up to a lot of bags and money down the drain. Has anyone here tried tracking their mortar usage per job to cut down on waste?

3 comments

3 Comments

cooper.phoenix2mo ago

Actually that 15% number is probably way off for most guys. I've been tracking my waste for the last few years and it's more like 30% on a bad day, easily. The magazine stat sounds like something from a controlled test site where they're babying every batch. Reality is you mix too much because you'd rather have extra than run short and slow down the whole crew. Plus if you're working in wind or direct sun that mortar sets up even faster than you think. Have you ever tried splitting your mix into smaller batches and timing how long each one actually stays workable in your conditions?

hall.nina2mo ago

@cooper.phoenix you're totally right about the 30% thing. I see this same pattern everywhere, not just on job sites. People always overprep because running out is way worse than having a little waste. It's just how we're wired.

kim8191mo ago

Honestly I used to think the 15% thing was close enough until I actually started paying attention to my own waste. That comment about splitting mixes and timing how long they stay workable really hit home for me, never thought to actually test it in real conditions instead of just going off what feels right. Now I'm tracking everything too and yeah, 30% is way more realistic than I ever would have guessed before.