Laying bricks in the summer

[DIYedboy]

I've just tried laying some yellow stocks on top of the existing bricks, jeez, the mortar stiffened up instantly due to suction I presume my mortar mix was quite sloppy and I'd prewetted the bricks slightly

I guess this means I'll have to soak the rest of the bricks in a bucket of water to eliminate the suction nightmare. Am I being potty? surely this isn't the right thing to do, or is it?

 

[^woody^]

surely this isn't the right thing to do, or is it?

No its not. You increase the chance of efflorescence when the wall dries out.

You need to work faster

 

[DIYedboy]

Jeez wood, sadly I can't see me speeding up to warp factor 9! somewhere in the back of my mind I think I've seen blokes dipping bricks in buckets of water before layin them, is this ever done? or am I just a big ol fartypants?

 

[theoldun]

Any one who tells you to soak a brick in water does not know what they are talking about.
Your problem is your muck.
You want either 6 of soft sand, some people call it building sand, 1 of cement and 1 of hydrated lime and splash of admix, or 6 soft sand, 1 of cement and a decent slurp of admix.
Use the lime mix if you want the finished joint to dry out a lighter colour, but you will find the admix mix will suit your purpose. Febmix is the best plasticiser on the market. A plasticiser serves a number of purposes, it softens the hardness of the water, reduces water content, adds microscopic air bubbles into the mix, reduces efflorescence, reduces bleed and segregation of the mix and reduces shrinkage.
Turn dry materials over twice, add admix to bucket of water and add water to dry mix as required. You want it to finish up a very very thick cream consistency, so that it is soft but will stand up by its self when placed on spot board.
If your muck is of the right consistency you will not see any bleed water on the surface of the muck.
Even a half decent bricklayer should be able to lay a bed for 20 yellow stock bricks and the twentieth will still slide in without having to be tapped down.
oldun

 

[^woody^]

Yes, dip in a bucket of water, or a hose pipe is used.

It's up to you. It solves the drying probelm, but the efflorescence risk remains, so you just have to weigh it up, you old fartypants

 

[DIYedboy]

Fudge me oldun, I couldn't lay one without having to whack it down with a hammer, I hate to say this, but I had to whack one so hard I split the brick my muck was 7:1 soft to cement (no admix) it was super sloppy and I pre wet the bricks! I was only laying the bed one brick at a time. I realise this makes me sound like an absolute bricklaying fool which I'm still struggling to understand seeing as I've laid hundreds of bricks (never a stock) and built a brick double garage! I can only assume that febadmix must be the most wonderful stuff ever invented and I will definately be down the merchant's to get some.

Many thanks for your help

 

[mikric]

Even a half decent bricklayer should be able to lay a bed for 20 yellow stock bricks and the twentieth will still slide in without having to be tapped down.
oldun

Would like to see that in this weather, especially with yellow Butterly/Hansons etc

 

[^woody^]

Yes, and the pointing will fall out after a couple of winters!

 

[DIYedboy]

I'm posting this for the benefit of anyone looking at this in the future.

I spoke to the bricklayer who lives opposite me (many thanks Pete), he said he's been on plenty of sites in the summer where the brickies have buckets of water next to them in order to dip each brick before laying. He went on to say that on hot summer days when the bricks are hot too and they are trying to lay 'suckers' ie yellow stocks, they have to call the job off.

On the question of admix, he said to me 'yeah in your case you probably could have laid a bed for 2 bricks at a time as the admix will help to retain water'.

Regarding efflorescence, he said that if the salts are in there, they would be coming out sooner or later (yes dipping speeds up the process), but it's only temporary so take a chance or don't have a wall!

 

[^woody^]

Ad-mixes (ie plasticiser) work by entraining air into the mortar to make it more pliable. This process means that the mix requires less water, and that is why plasticisers help with controlling the speed at which mortar sets and dries out. So its not a case of plasticisers retaining water

It's a similar situation for winter working, as the less water in the mix means quicker setting and less freeze/frost damage

If a brick is soaked before laying, then it is completely different to the same brick getting wet once laid, and that is why there is more chance of salts being drawn out once all the water evaporates from a brick saturated with water

Pete should also tell you that this is exactly the same reason why bricks should be covered until laid in the wall, and the tops of walls covered until the final coping or suchlike are laid

 

[DIYedboy]

Right on Wood and thanks for that, but it's good to hear everyday solutions and experiences from a bloke doing it everyday too, don't ya think?

 

[^woody^]

I have the tee-shirt