Old timer on a job site corrected my mix ratio, big difference

Last month on a patio job in Austin, a retired mason watched me mix mortar and said the slump was too stiff for the brick I was laying. He had me add a half shovel of lime and drop the water a bit, and everything leveled out way smoother. Has anyone else gotten a random correction that completely fixed their technique?

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simonw4124d ago

Hold the thought on that one. Water and lime both loosen a mix, so adding lime while cutting water can fool you into thinking the recipe changed when the slump really just got balanced out. The real test is how the mortar holds its shape on the trowel after a few minutes, not the feel when you first mix it.