My old boss in Toledo always said to wet the bricks for a full minute before laying them

I followed that rule for years until a mason from Chicago told me to just dunk them quick and go. Tried his way on a patio job last month, and the mortar set way better with less slump. The whole wall went up faster and looked cleaner. Anyone else get stuck on a 'rule' that turned out to be wrong?

2 comments

2 Comments

noran218h ago

Wow, my dad swore by pre-soaking lumber, but that just warped everything.

stellac978h ago

It's a weird old-school trick that only works with super dry wood in a super dry climate.