Like an idiot, I chose to render the top of a wall for a friend on what was the hot day last year. He has a brick wall and wanted to put a nice level top on it without using coping stones, and to set some fancing lights into it. The layer of mortar was about 1" thick and I kept it moist with hessian and dpm once it was finished. It did tend to dry out rather a lot - not a surprise. I used approx 1:4 cement:sand mix.
Come the frosts it has virtually disintegrated, lots of cracking and spalling, material has gone crumbly.
I know I made a mess of it, but can anyone advise which is likely to be the major mistake or is it the combination:
1: Doing it in v. hot weather
2: the ratio / materials used
3: Adding water to keep it all floatable, I can;t remember but I don't think I used a plasticer.
I've got to go back and sort it, and I'd like to do it right this time. I will wait until the risk of frost has gone though!
Come the frosts it has virtually disintegrated, lots of cracking and spalling, material has gone crumbly.
I know I made a mess of it, but can anyone advise which is likely to be the major mistake or is it the combination:
1: Doing it in v. hot weather
2: the ratio / materials used
3: Adding water to keep it all floatable, I can;t remember but I don't think I used a plasticer.
I've got to go back and sort it, and I'd like to do it right this time. I will wait until the risk of frost has gone though!
