c/bricklayers

I finally gave up on my old way of mixing small batches of mortar by hand.

For years, I'd use a bucket and a garden trowel, which took forever and never got it right. Last month on a patio job in Springfield, my arm was killing me by noon. I bought a cheap 3.5 cubic foot mixer from Harbor Freight that afternoon. Now I can mix a perfect batch in under two minutes and my shoulder doesn't feel like it's going to fall off. Anyone still mixing by hand for small jobs, or did you all switch ages ago?

I thought using a laser level for a simple garden wall was overkill, but my buddy in Spokane proved me wrong.

Bought a cheap mortar mixer from a yard sale in Tacoma and it broke after two jobs

I picked up a used mixer for about 80 bucks thinking I saved some cash. The motor gave out while I was trying to finish a small patio, and I had to hand-mix the last batch. It cost me more time than the money I saved. Anyone have a good brand of mixer that can handle daily use?

Update: That 3-year-old brick order from the Cincinnati job just showed up at the yard

Honestly, the foreman called me yesterday saying a pallet of the exact blend we needed for the coursing was just sitting there. Has this ever happened to anyone else, or is our supplier just that wild?

Question about a brick saw blade that cracked on me

I was cutting through some old Chicago common brick yesterday with my 14-inch MK Diamond blade and it just split right down the middle. It was only about 6 months old and I keep it clean. Has anyone else had this happen with a newer blade? Wondering if I just got a bad one or if I'm doing something wrong.

A brick saw blade snapped on me halfway through a big patio job in Springfield.

It was a Tuesday morning, cutting a batch of pavers for a herringbone pattern. The blade, a 14-inch diamond model I've had for about three years, just gave a loud crack and stopped dead. I had to send my helper to the supply house for a new one, which cost $180 and put us two hours behind. Has anyone else had a blade fail like that, or is three years a decent run for heavy use?

I found a way to keep my mortar workable in the heat that actually worked

Had a big patio job last July in Tucson, and by 10 AM my mix was setting up like concrete in the bucket. I was adding water and ruining the ratio. On the third day, I tried putting a couple frozen water bottles right in the mortar tub, not just next to it. Kept the batch cool and plastic for almost two extra hours in that 105 degree sun. Has anyone else tried something like this, or have a better trick for hot weather mixing?

Changed my mind about mixing mortar for a chimney repair in Boise

I was fixing a chimney last week and had to choose between mixing a full bag of mortar or just enough for the job. I always thought mixing a whole bag was a waste, so I measured out what I needed. But the weather turned hot and the small batch dried out way too fast before I could finish the pointing. Ended up having to chip it out and start over, which cost me an extra two hours. What's your go-to method for mixing in changing conditions?

Back in '98, we'd mix a whole batch of mud by hand for a chimney rebuild

Now my apprentice just wheels over the mixer and plugs it in. The job's done before lunch, but I kind of miss the quiet rhythm of it (and the forearms I had back then). Anyone else feel like the machines took some of the craft out of it?

I was helping a buddy rebuild a chimney in Akron and saw him use a laser level for the entire thing. Changed my whole process.

Had to pick between two mortar mixes for a chimney rebuild in St. Louis

The homeowner wanted a specific color match, so I had to choose between a standard Type N mix and a custom blend from a local supplier. I went with the custom blend, which cost about $15 more per bag, and it matched the old brick perfectly. The extra time mixing was worth it for the final look. Has anyone else had good luck with custom mortar for historic repairs?

My brick saw's water pump died halfway through a big patio job last Friday

I was cutting pavers for a 400 square foot patio in the afternoon sun. The pump just stopped pushing water, so the blade started smoking after about ten cuts. I had to stop everything, run to the supply house, and drop $180 on a new pump to finish the day. Do you guys fix the pumps or just replace them when they go?

Had to match a 100-year-old mortar color on a chimney repair

The homeowner wanted it perfect, but the old mix had this weird pinkish tint from sand with iron flecks. After three failed batches, I got desperate and threw in a handful of brick dust from the cleanup pile. Mixed it in dry before adding water, about a cup for a half bag of mix. It actually worked, gave it that exact faded, earthy tone. The client couldn't tell the new work from the original. Anyone ever use brick dust to color match mortar, or did I just get lucky?

Hot take: That new 'quick set' mortar mix is a total waste of money for anything structural.

I used it on a small garden wall in my yard last month, and after a heavy rain, the whole thing shifted and cracked. I had to tear it down and redo it with the standard stuff. What's a mix you guys actually trust for small outdoor jobs?

Can we talk about the old mason who showed me his trick for a clean strike in the rain

I argued with him for ten minutes in that Pittsburgh downpour about how it couldn't be done, until he pulled a dry sponge from his bucket, wiped a single course, and got a perfect joint with his striker, proving me wrong about working wet mortar.

I finally understood why my dad always used a story pole on big jobs

I was working on a long retaining wall in Dayton last week and my buddy Mike, who's been laying brick for 30 years, asked me why I kept measuring each course. He said, 'Henry, you're adding an eighth of an inch of error every time you put that tape down. A story pole with your course marks locks it in.' I did the math on a 50-foot run and realized that small error could add up to over an inch by the end. I made a quick pole with a sharpie and it saved me a ton of time and worry. Has anyone else had a simple tool tip that just clicked and saved your bacon on a project?

The mortar on my last patio job in Springfield started failing after just one winter, and I'm trying to figure out why.

I think the supplier's pre-mix might have had too much lime for our freeze-thaw cycles, so I'm going back to mixing my own from scratch with a different sand source.

I bought a $400 laser level for a tricky patio job and it was a huge mistake

Everyone on here talks about how a good laser level is a must-have, so I got a fancy one for a big herringbone patio in Cincinnati. It was supposed to save time on layout, but honestly, it just added more steps. I spent more time setting it up on a tripod, making sure it was perfectly level, and then having to move it every ten feet than I would have just using my string lines and a 4-foot level. For straight runs, sure, it's fine, but for complex patterns on uneven ground, it felt like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The battery died halfway through the second day, and I had to stop work to charge it. In the end, I went back to my old method and finished faster. Has anyone else found that some 'time-saving' tools just don't work for the way you actually lay brick?

My uncle said we should stop using lime mortar on old chimneys

He's been laying brick in Charleston for 40 years and swears modern cement mix is fine for any repair. I've always been taught to match the original material, especially on historic work. What's your take on using modern mixes for old brick?

Just realized my mortar mix was way too dry after a guy on a site in Tacoma told me it looked like 'sandcastle mix' and my joints started failing after a single winter.

He was right, so now I always add a bit more water than I think I need and my work holds up better, so what's your go-to check for the right consistency before you start laying?

PSA: I was laying my line blocks wrong for three years until a foreman in Boise called me out.

I always set them flush with the brick face, but he showed me setting them back a quarter inch gives you a cleaner joint when you strike it. How many of you set them back versus flush?

TIL the Romans used a concrete mix that gets stronger in seawater

I was reading an article about old building methods and it said Roman concrete from 2000 years ago is still standing in harbors. They used volcanic ash and lime, and the salt water actually makes it harder over time. Found that in a book from the library called 'Built to Last'. Has anyone tried a modern mix that copies that idea?

Bought a cheap mortar mixer from a yard sale in Akron, it seized up after 3 batches and cost me a full day's pay.

Anyone have a reliable brand for a small mixer that won't die on a residential job?

Had to lay a curved garden wall with no string line last week

The client wanted a gentle curve for a flower bed, but my usual string line method was impossible with the shape. I ended up using a garden hose to lay out the curve on the ground, which gave me a perfect, smooth arc to follow. I dry-laid the first course along the hose, adjusted it until it looked right, then used that as my guide. It saved me probably two hours of fiddling with stakes and trying to eyeball it. The mortar set up nice and the curve came out looking really clean. What's your go-to trick for laying out a curved wall when you can't run a line?

Hot take: I think the whole 'mud vs. pre-mix' debate for repointing a 1920s chimney in Albany comes down to the weather you're working in.

Had a sudden downpour hit my fresh lime mortar mix last fall, washing out half the joints before I could even grab a tarp, so now I'm curious if anyone else has a hard rule for when to switch to bagged stuff.