Vent: Tried that new 'one-bag' mortar mix from the supplier on a patio job

It promised easier clean-up but after 3 hours the joints were crumbling and I had to rip out 40 square feet of work, so what's the secret to making those pre-blended mixes actually hold up in wet weather?

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kim_sanchez193mo ago

Is it just the temperature where you're at too? I mean, idk but I feel like those pre-blended bags get finicky if it's above like 85 degrees, they set up way too fast and then you're chasing crumbling joints. Maybe it's just me but I swear by mixing in a little extra Portland cement for wet weather jobs, even if the bag says not to.

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stellam893mo ago

Pre-blended mixes are garbage if you don't follow the water ratio exactly. Most guys just dump and mix but you gotta measure carefully. That stuff sets up faster too, so if you dawdle it goes bad in the bucket. Wet weather is a death sentence unless you let it cure dry for at least 24 hours before any rain hits. Tarp it if you even think it'll rain, that's the only way. Honestly, I just go back to mixing my own sand and cement every time.

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