Found a trick for keeping my mortar from drying out too fast on hot days

Last week we had a stretch of 95 degree days here in Phoenix and my mortar was crusting up before I could even butter the next brick. I tried spraying it down but that just made a mess. Then this old timer I was working with told me to toss a wet burlap sack over the pile on my board and tuck it under the edge. Kept it workable for a good 15 minutes longer between mixes. Any of you guys use a different method when the sun is beating down?

2 comments

2 Comments

patb869d ago

Wet burlap works good. One time I left a wet towel on my seat by accident and sat on it later. Thought I pissed myself in front of the whole crew.

hill.jade10d ago

Man that wet burlap trick is gold. I do the same thing but I soak the burlap in a bucket first and wring it out just enough so it's not dripping all over the board. Keeps the moisture in the pile without the extra water messing with your mix. Another thing I do is set my mixing board in the shade if I can, or throw up a tarp over the whole setup. Even a little bit of shade makes a huge difference when it's that hot. You could also try mixing your mortar in smaller batches so you're not stuck with a half-dry pile. I started doing that when it's over 100 and it cuts down on waste a lot.