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Shot a bed joint 3/8" proud on a Tuesday pour, and the GC made me tear it out
I was on a commercial job in Boise last month laying a running bond on a long wall when the GC walked by and caught a bed joint sitting 3/8 inch proud. He made me tear out 40 blocks back to the corner, which cost me half a day and about $300 in labor. Some guys on my crew say you should always strike joints as you go, while others swear letting them set up a bit then tooling them gives a cleaner finish. I did it my usual way and got burned, so now I am second guessing myself. What do you all do when the mortar starts to firm up on a hot day, strike immediately or wait it out?
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wendy13122d ago
Oh man, a buddy of mine got hit with the same thing on a school job in Nampa. He let the mortar set up too long on a 95 degree day and by the time he went to tool it, the stuff was so stiff he had to bear down hard just to move it, and the bead ended up rolled over and smeared instead of clean. The inspector flagged the whole run and he lost a full day chipping and relay. Now he strikes right after laying while it is still thumbprint soft, no waiting, even if it means chasing the wall down the line.
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