Talked with an old mason about my repointing job and he said three words that stuck with me

I was working on a retaining wall last Saturday in the backyard of a house near downtown Nashville. This retired guy walks by, watches me for a minute, and says "you're rushing it." I mean, I thought I was being careful, you know? I had already mixed my mortar too wet and was trying to beat the sun. He pointed out how I was forcing the joints instead of letting the trowel find its own way. Made me realize I've been treating repointing like a race instead of just matching the old work's rhythm. Now I'm paying more attention to how the mortar feels in my hand before I even start. Has anyone else had a stranger walk up and give you advice that actually changed how you lay brick?

3 comments

3 Comments

michaeld481mo ago

One old guy told me to wet my brick before laying it and it totally fixed my bond issues.

kim.jake1mo ago

Man that's the kind of wisdom you can't buy. I bet that old timer's got a hundred more tips he could drop on you if you bought him a coffee.

uma_williams1mo ago

Oh absolutely @kim.jake, you hit the nail on the head there. Those old timers have lived through so much that they see shortcuts and traps we'd never even think about. A cheap coffee is a small price to pay for that kind of street-smart knowledge.