I also learnt the hard way to put your other hand on top while doing the top two courses, otherwise they can pop off when you press in at the front.
Paddle Mixer Bricklaying Mortar
- Thread starter Dave1UK
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Any advice for laying bricks tomorrow in the "heat" not super hot but hot enough 24 degrees Celsius? I will be mixing small batches, go brick by brick. Will dampen the brick before using.
Bricks will be stored in the shade.
Should I cover up the work I have already done before starting to keep it cool? Should I put up a garden umbrella to create a shade?
Not sure whether I am overthinking it just want to be safer than sorry and not have to redo/deal with a crumbling wall!
Bricks will be stored in the shade.
Should I cover up the work I have already done before starting to keep it cool? Should I put up a garden umbrella to create a shade?
Not sure whether I am overthinking it just want to be safer than sorry and not have to redo/deal with a crumbling wall!
You'll be fine, no special precautions needed in this weather. You can re-wet mortar if it dries, not a problem at all. Keep a watering can with a rose fitted on standby. It's only an issue if it's setting, which is hours later. Drying is reversible and is not the same as setting, which is a chemical reaction.
You shouldn't need to wet the bricks. Just point them a bit sooner.
You shouldn't need to wet the bricks. Just point them a bit sooner.
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I built my entire extension with a paddle mixer, and a Brickie, it didn't matter that much with the Brickie but the mortar wasn't buttery like on those videos. I put it down to the paddle mixer not "folding" the mix and thus mixing air into it.
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If you’re struggling to “beat a brick down” you’re probably putting too much mortar on or not adopting a good “pair of toblerones” shape
Show us a picture of what your laying looks like just before you set the brick in place
When I set mine I scoop the mortar on the board, tip the trowel up on its side around 90 degrees and put it back, scoop again, maybe repeat the drop and pick up, so there is a nice consistent squareish sausage shape of mortar on the trowel, get it on the wall by tipping the trowel slightly towards my leg and doing a backhanded flick along the line of the wall, while rotating the trowel to point more downwards. The bigger the sausage the harder you flick it(to elongate it, as it spreads out along the wall), then use the trowel upside down with the tip in a dragging “pressing up and down” motion to spread it into two toblerones, bring the trowel along the face and back edges at an angle to shape the front and backs of the toblerones and use any picked up mortar for the perp of the incoming brick
How much and what shape is something you get to know by experience
If it’s too large, and you’re whacking the brick too much you end up beating the water and air out of it, leaving just solids behind, difficult adjustment, and then risk squeezing mortar out of your bed and all down your face bricks
Show us a picture of what your laying looks like just before you set the brick in place
When I set mine I scoop the mortar on the board, tip the trowel up on its side around 90 degrees and put it back, scoop again, maybe repeat the drop and pick up, so there is a nice consistent squareish sausage shape of mortar on the trowel, get it on the wall by tipping the trowel slightly towards my leg and doing a backhanded flick along the line of the wall, while rotating the trowel to point more downwards. The bigger the sausage the harder you flick it(to elongate it, as it spreads out along the wall), then use the trowel upside down with the tip in a dragging “pressing up and down” motion to spread it into two toblerones, bring the trowel along the face and back edges at an angle to shape the front and backs of the toblerones and use any picked up mortar for the perp of the incoming brick
How much and what shape is something you get to know by experience
If it’s too large, and you’re whacking the brick too much you end up beating the water and air out of it, leaving just solids behind, difficult adjustment, and then risk squeezing mortar out of your bed and all down your face bricks
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Nice! Yeah a paddle mixer is more than enough for the bricklaying I need doing, wouldn't dream of using cement mixer, it would end up all going off! I'm assuming the "Brickie" is that laying kit you're using? Saw a review on a YouTube video, however can't justify the spend on it for a garden wall yet.
Yeah I struggled heavily in the beginning I put that down to probably mix was bit too dry, I don't think my toblerones (triangles down the center) are that bad. Will take a few photos today of how I lay.
You're definitely right about getting to know how much to use, however I find a little bit more is better than less and having to then adjust/remove and relay if too little, can always scoop the sides back into the mix if bit much.
Right now I'm not too overly concerned about bit of mortar on the face of bricks or pointing being beautiful. More concerned about having full joints and everything being level and structurally tip top.
I bought a Belle mixer. Left it outside, it was covered in slop and rusty after I'd done with it.
Then sold it on ebay, collection only, as an auction from a 1p start price to get attention.
It sold for about 75% of the new price. Cost me less than a few days' hire in the end.
Don't mess about, buy the right tools then sell when you've done.
I did look at the Brickie thing. It looks OK, but it has drawbacks. The mortar doesn't get compressed by the brick so is likely to be weaker. The only choice is recessed pointing, which can look OK with the right bricks but isn't good in weather.
Having said that, the photos show bucket handle pointing. Did you press more mortar in after? If so it definitely wasn't a time-saver.
Get a couple of lengths of wood and a string line, it's an art but one that most people with practical abilities can pick up. Don't level across the bricks, the face is the only surface that matters as the rest are invisible. Align the bottom edge with the previous course, and the top edge with the line. If your bricks are non-square (often), then it's better if the face is plumb but the top slopes rather than the other way round, so a level across the top would be making things worse not better.
If you're building up from below ground then you can practice on the bricks that will eventually get buried. If it looks OK by the time you get above ground then carry on. If not get someone in.
Then sold it on ebay, collection only, as an auction from a 1p start price to get attention.
It sold for about 75% of the new price. Cost me less than a few days' hire in the end.
Don't mess about, buy the right tools then sell when you've done.
I did look at the Brickie thing. It looks OK, but it has drawbacks. The mortar doesn't get compressed by the brick so is likely to be weaker. The only choice is recessed pointing, which can look OK with the right bricks but isn't good in weather.
Having said that, the photos show bucket handle pointing. Did you press more mortar in after? If so it definitely wasn't a time-saver.
Get a couple of lengths of wood and a string line, it's an art but one that most people with practical abilities can pick up. Don't level across the bricks, the face is the only surface that matters as the rest are invisible. Align the bottom edge with the previous course, and the top edge with the line. If your bricks are non-square (often), then it's better if the face is plumb but the top slopes rather than the other way round, so a level across the top would be making things worse not better.
If you're building up from below ground then you can practice on the bricks that will eventually get buried. If it looks OK by the time you get above ground then carry on. If not get someone in.
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Yes I did point it afterwards, but it still saved me the time involved in learning learn how to lay bricks, which I've struggled with, the Brickie requires literally zero skill, no line. no corner profiles, just plonk them on. It helped that my walls were mainly straight runs 5m long.
That's a 5m bed in one go.
Yeah, sure it works and I almost bought one but glad I didn't. Honestly there's more work in adding the pointing after than just laying the bricks freehand. It will be weaker, as your pointing isn't a part of the bed so is clinging on. It's an elaborate and complicated solution to what's not actually much of a problem.
I'm a DIYer. Never done any formal training. It's really not difficult - you just need two uprights and a string line. Pre-mark the courses every 75mm on your uprights, after that just follow the line. Get a cornish pasty of mortar on your trowel, sling it on. You'll make a mess at first then rapidly improve. Align the bottom edge of the brick with what's below, the top edge with the string.
I reckon anyone reasonably practical can self-train. Watch a few youtube videos first.
I'm a DIYer. Never done any formal training. It's really not difficult - you just need two uprights and a string line. Pre-mark the courses every 75mm on your uprights, after that just follow the line. Get a cornish pasty of mortar on your trowel, sling it on. You'll make a mess at first then rapidly improve. Align the bottom edge of the brick with what's below, the top edge with the string.
I reckon anyone reasonably practical can self-train. Watch a few youtube videos first.
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