I finally gave in and tried a different mortar mix on a big job in Spokane

Last month I was working on a big chimney rebuild for a house in Spokane, and the homeowner insisted on using a pre-blended Type N with a plasticizer already in it. I've always been a 'mix it myself with just sand, lime, and cement' guy, thinking the bagged stuff was for amateurs. But this job had a tight deadline and the weather was turning cold, so I agreed. We laid about 800 bricks with it over three days. The stuff was way more consistent than my usual mix, especially in the chill, and the butter was perfect straight from the tub. It saved us a ton of time not having to tweak the mix every few hours. I still like knowing exactly what's in my mud, but for a fast, cold weather job, I get the appeal now. Has anyone else switched to a pre-mix for specific jobs and stuck with it?

3 comments

3 Comments

gibson.avery13d ago

That cold weather consistency is a huge factor. I've seen guys waste a whole morning trying to get a custom mix to hold up when the temperature drops, just adding more cement and throwing the whole ratio off. The bagged stuff takes that guesswork out, which on a big job like yours is basically money in the bank. It's hard to argue with results when the mud behaves the same at 7 AM as it does at 3 PM. Makes you rethink what "pro" work really means, you know?

cora51813d ago

Ugh, preach. Watching someone fight a bad mix all day is the worst. That time loss adds up so fast.

victor77913d ago

My buddy Mike in Tacoma had a whole patio job go sideways last spring because his usual mix kept drying out too fast. He switched to a bagged mix halfway through and said it saved the project, even if it hurt his pride a bit lol.