Old timer told me to wet my bricks before laying in hot weather...

I was 20 and thought he was just being slow, but after a dry August job in Phoenix where half my mortar cracked within a week, I realized he knew what he was talking about. Has anyone else had an old school tip save their backside?

3 comments

3 Comments

wood.eric1mo ago

Came across this same lesson the hard way myself. I was helping my uncle build a stone wall in July and he told me to dunk every brick in a bucket of water before laying them. Thought he was just being old school and didn't know what he was talking about. Sure enough, a week later half the wall had cracks showing up and I had to redo the whole thing. Now I don't question any old timer's advice on anything related to concrete or masonry. They've been through the exact mistakes we're making and just want to save us the headache.

taylor.reese1mo ago

Is it just me or does every profession have these little tricks that look stupid until you get burned? Same thing with my grandpa telling me to always let a new engine warm up for a minute before driving in winter. I thought he was just wasting time until I had to replace a starter motor on my old truck. The old timers figured out these shortcuts by making all the mistakes so we dont have to, but we're all too stubborn to listen until we mess up ourselves. Now I figure if someone with gray hair tells me to do something weird, there's probably a good reason behind it.

spencer_coleman1mo ago

Got burned the same way on a drywall patch job. My dad said to wet the tape before bedding it in compound, I was like "nah that's extra work." Ended up with bubbles everywhere, had to sand the whole thing down and start over. Now if a guy whos been doing this since before I was born gives me a tip, I just nod and do it.