Bricklaying

[RB2020]

Hi,

is there a rule about not using wet bricks when brick laying?

never done brick laying before, but had a go today and bricks had been outside for weeks and soaking wet.

I mixed up the cement so it wasn’t dry but also wasn’t runny, it stayed on the bricks without falling off when buttering them up on the ends etc.

but as soon as I started laying them, after a while the mortar started sagging and the cement was all running out the joints, made a right mess so I packed it in lol.

I can only assume the water in the bricks started watering down the cement and after a while it became very runny.

 

[stuart45]

If bricks are too wet they don't have enough suction and so you get these problems. You did the right thing to stop. Best to take the brickwork down and dry the bricks off a bit. Some bricks benefit from being a bit damp, but surface dry. If they are too dry they suck too much water from the mortar.

 

[^woody^]

Saturated bricks before laying = efflorescence

 

[stuart45]

What about saturated Bricklayers?

 

[^woody^]

Indiscretions