Mortar mix properties

[camerart]

Hi,
Previously, I've done lots of brick/block laying, but never seem to get the quality of mortar, that I've seen. Mine doesn't seem to be as sloppy.

Are there differences in sand and cement from builders yards, that can make a difference, or is the B&Q stuff ok?
Camerart.

 

[23vc]

Did you use plasticiser/how much? That and mixing well (mixer rather than hand for any significant amount) tend to aid “workability”

 

[stuart45]

The sand can make a lot of difference. Diall building sand from B&Q seems to need to be 3/1 to get it workable. Leaving it in the mixer a bit longer to get more air into the mix can also help.

 

[camerart]

Hi 2 and S,
Thanks.
I'm making a gate pillar. 4Bricks, 18 high, with a concrete top. How much do I need?

I will be hand mixing, and probably haven't mixed it enough before, according to your suggestions.

I'll add a squirt of washing up liquid. Correct?

Cheers, C.

 

[23vc]

Happy to be shot down for this, but I often use my (heavy duty) plaster mixer to knock up small amounts of muck for brickwork!
I’d buy some plasticiser rather than use fairy

 

[Leofric]

to knock up small amounts of muck for brickwork

Good to use the correct technical terms

 

[camerart]

Happy to be shot down for this, but I often use my (heavy duty) plaster mixer to knock up small amounts of muck for brickwork!
I’d buy some plasticiser rather than use fairy

Hi 2,
Is the plaster mixer similar to a small cement mixer?

For 4xBricks, 18 high, with a concrete top. How much do I need?

C

 

[23vc]

Hi 2,
Is the plaster mixer similar to a small cement mixer?

For 4xBricks, 18 high, with a concrete top. How much do I need?

C

No, it’s a paddle mixer for mixing plaster and adhesives. It’s not the correct tool for the job but I’ve got one and I like the easy life.
Very very roughly I think I tend to allow one bucket trowel full of sand, per standard size brick, with the corresponding amount of cement. As I say tho, very very roughly as depends on brick type etc.
If you’re laying 4x18 bricks (72) then I’d say that’s roughly a full belle minimix load (ie the concrete mixers you hire)
But I guess you’re not planning on doing them all in one hit.
I’ve also got a belle which I use for anything more than say 20 brick mix.

 

[camerart]

No, it’s a paddle mixer for mixing plaster and adhesives. It’s not the correct tool for the job but I’ve got one and I like the easy life.
Very very roughly I think I tend to allow one bucket trowel full of sand, per standard size brick, with the corresponding amount of cement. As I say tho, very very roughly as depends on brick type etc.
If you’re laying 4x18 bricks (72) then I’d say that’s roughly a full belle minimix load (ie the concrete mixers you hire)
But I guess you’re not planning on doing them all in one hit.
I’ve also got a belle which I use for anything more than say 20 brick mix.

Hi 2,
I'll mix by hand, and I've no idea how long it will take, although I've done it before. That one was rendered, so it hid all my mistakes. As this is not rendered, so I'll take my time.

When you say a 'Belle full' how many B&Q bags of each?

cheers, C.

 

[23vc]

A belle is a type of mixer.
Use an online calc for your quantities, I think there’s one as a sticky on this site somewhere, or plenty of others online if not. From your description I’d say about 4 bags of sand total but I may have worked that out wrong so best work it out for yourself (based on the number of bricks).

 

[Ian H]

You can hire a mixer for £20, save your back and get a better mix C.

 

[garyo]

No, it’s a paddle mixer for mixing plaster and adhesives. It’s not the correct tool for the job but I’ve got one and I like the easy life.

I do the same, despite having a belle minimix. I find dirtying the mixer and barrow a bit OTT for a weekday evening when I can only use a bucket of muck anyway

 

[^woody^]

Happy to be shot down for this, but I often use my (heavy duty) plaster mixer to knock up small amounts of muck for brickwork!
I’d buy some plasticiser rather than use fairy

I was thinking of giving this a go using a large gorrilla tub.

Does it mix thoroughly and easily (ie the paddle copes with the sand) and what quantiites have you mixed at once? I was thinking about 30kg (1.5 bags) of sand should fit in one of these tubs. I've mixed bags of stone for resin drives like this, so can't imagine mortar being much different.

 

[23vc]

I find dirtying the mixer and barrow a bit OTT for a weekday

Yep, I don’t know what the minimum amount is you can mix, but I’ve had it where the mix just sticks to the side and doesn’t do anything, so I tend to use a minimum of half bag cement plus 10 sand or whatever for the mixer.

Does it mix thoroughly and easily

Yeah, it deffo works, but the mixer probably needs to be half decent not just a drill bit attachment. I’ve got an old Aldi job but it’s large, like the ones spreads use daily. It won’t really mix it dry so I tend to turn it over a bit with the trowel first. As soon as there’s some water and plasticiser in there, it mixes nicely. I don’t reckon you could easily do much more than a 25kg of sands worth tho, but it’s dead quick to mix the next batch when you need it.

 

[Charlie George]

1 bag cement and 4 bags building sand(from B+Q) will do 72 bricks.