My uncle's advice about wetting bricks turned out to be a disaster

My uncle Bill, who's been laying brick for 40 years, told me to always soak my bricks before laying them on a hot day. I was working on a garden wall in Austin last July, so I soaked a whole pallet of them in a trough for about an hour. Well, the mortar started sliding everywhere and the wall looked like a wavy mess by lunchtime. Turns out he meant a quick spray with a hose, not a full soak. Has anyone else gotten bad advice from a well meaning relative?

2 comments

2 Comments

abby_henderson4d ago

Had a buddy who ruined his whole patio doing the exact same thing.

-1

evan_stone4d ago

Scrub it fast with white vinegar before it sets in deep.