I keep seeing guys in my area mix mortar way too wet for brick veneer

My crew in Charlotte has been called to fix three jobs this year where the veneer was failing because the mix was like soup. The old heads say a wetter mix is faster to butter, but it bleeds too much water and makes a weak bond. I stick to a 3:1 sand to cement ratio with just enough water to hold a trowel shape. Has anyone else had to fix sloppy veneer work from a wet mix?

2 comments

2 Comments

wright.rowan1mo ago

Ever notice how people take shortcuts in all kinds of jobs now? It's like everyone just wants the fast way out, even if it wrecks the work later.

amy_murphy151mo ago

Honestly, sometimes a shortcut is just working smarter. If a faster method gets the same result, why waste time on extra steps that don't add real value? A lot of old ways of doing things were just busywork.