Old timer told me to wet my bricks before laying and I thought he was crazy

This guy Mike who's been laying since the 70s kept telling me to dunk my bricks in a bucket before setting them. I figured it was just boomer nonsense and ignored him for like my first 6 jobs. Then last month I did a retaining wall for a customer in Portland and half the bricks were sucking the moisture out of the mortar so fast it crumbled in spots. Had to tear out a whole section and redo it. Now I'm soaking every batch and Mike won't let me hear the end of it. Anyone else learn this lesson the hard way or was it just me?

2 comments

2 Comments

evaallen5d ago

Every trade has that one hack you have to learn the hard way.

taylor.amy5d ago

Yeah, that stings when you figure it out.