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A cold snap in Denver turned my mortar mix into a real problem
I was laying brick for a garage addition last November when the temperature dropped fast overnight. I came back to a wall where the mortar was still soft and crumbly, not setting right at all. I had to chip out about four feet of fresh work with my pointing trowel, which was a real pain. I learned to always check the forecast and use an accelerator when it's near freezing. Has anyone found a good brand that doesn't make the mix too sticky?
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janah837mo ago
Ugh, that sounds like a total nightmare.
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taylor.reese7mo ago
My uncle lost a whole chimney to a surprise frost. He just mixes in a little extra Portland cement now if the nights look chilly. It seems to work for him without changing the workability much.
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elliot_gibson277mo ago
Yeah, that extra cement can help a bit, @taylor.reese, but it's not a real fix for frost. You really need an accelerator or some antifreeze admixture in the mix. Otherwise it's still a gamble lol.
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