Why does nobody warn you about over-wetting your bricks?

Been laying brick for 8 years, mostly residential stuff in the suburbs. Last Tuesday I'm on a retaining wall job and a guy from the supply yard stops by to drop off more material. He watches me for a minute and says 'you know your joints are gonna crack right?' I thought he was joking. Turns out I been soaking my bricks way too long before laying them. They'd dry out and shrink, leaving gaps I'd fill with extra mortar. Nobody ever told me, just figured wetter was better. Ever have one of those moments where a stranger fixes your whole process with one comment?

3 comments

3 Comments

viola_garcia5615d ago

Had the exact same thing happen with my brick guy about ten years ago. He just shook his head and said "you're making mud, not brickwork." Still think about that every time I see a dry joint.

the_cameron15d ago

Yeah, I've made more mud pies than actual masonry work myself.

kellyallen14d ago

You ever try to mix mud when you were a kid and think you got it just right, then your dad comes over and says it's too dry? That's how I felt the first time I tried to lay a brick path for my shed.