christopherh79•1mo agoProlific Poster

Noticed a huge difference in my brickwork after switching to a new mortar mix

I've been laying brick for about 8 years now, mostly residential jobs around Columbus, and I switched to a Type N mortar mix about 6 months ago. The color stayed way more consistent across the whole wall, and I didn't have to clean up as much efflorescence on the face of the bricks. Has anyone else noticed a big change like that when they swapped mortar types?

3 comments

3 Comments

hannah3201mo ago

Type N is way too soft for structural brickwork, you'll get cracking long term.

king.val1mo ago

And it's funny because you see this same thing everywhere, not just in masonry. People get so locked into what's "supposed" to work on paper that they ignore what's actually holding up fine in the real world. I've got a buddy who swears by using slightly softer mortar on old brick houses specifically because he says it lets the wall breathe and move without cracking the brick itself. Everyone's got a theory, but the wall that's been standing for a decade without a problem kinda speaks for itself, you know?

grant4781mo ago

Built a retaining wall with Type N about eight years ago. Still standing solid, no cracks. Maybe it depends on the climate and what you're supporting. Where I'm at, freeze-thaw isn't bad, so it holds up fine. Might be different if you're somewhere wet and cold.