Can we talk about the right way to mix a small batch of mortar?

I keep seeing guys at the yard just dump a random amount of water into their mixer for a repair job. They end up with soup or a brick that won't stick. My foreman taught me to measure by volume: for a half bag of type S, you need exactly 2.5 quarts of clean water, mixed for a solid 5 minutes. It makes a huge difference in workability and final strength. Are you a strict measurer, or do you just go by feel until it looks right?

3 comments

3 Comments

avery8053mo ago

Remember oliver523's milk jug trick when my neighbor tried patching his steps.

matthewp522mo ago

Exactly. The milk jug trick is one of those things that sounds too simple to matter but it really does. @avery805 the guy you saw messing up his steps probably figured mortar was like mixing pancake batter. But you can't make it right by just adding water until it looks wet enough. I've been on jobs where a new guy would dump in a full bucket of water for a small repair and then spend the day fighting soup. The measurement saves material too. No waste from a batch that's too loose to use or too stiff to work. After a few times with the jug you get a feel for it but I still measure every time.

oliver5233mo ago

Your foreman had it right with that 2.5 quarts for a half bag. I used to just eyeball it and my pointing mortar would always crumble out by the next season. Started measuring the water with a milk jug for small batches and it was like night and day. The mix actually holds on the trowel and sets up right. Why waste time and material guessing when a two minute measure fixes it?