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Hot take: Using a notched trowel for brick mortar actually works better for me
I know most bricklayers think notched trowels are only for tiles, but I tried it on a brick patio last summer. I was tired of uneven mortar spreads with my regular trowel, so I grabbed one from my tile kit. It puts down ridges that help the bricks sit flat right away. On that job, I had way less mess and didn't need to tap bricks into place as much. My buddy saw me and shook his head, but I finished faster and with cleaner lines. It might not be for every type of wall, but for flat work it's a total win. I've used it on three projects since and my speed has improved. Give it a shot on something simple like a walkway and you might be surprised.
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angela_wilson786mo ago
Adjust your mortar mix to a thicker paste when using that notched trowel, since a runny mix just floods the ridges and makes a mess. I messed around with different consistencies on a small retaining wall project, and it took a few tries to get it right. Once the mortar was stiff enough to hold the notch shape, each brick sat level without any adjustment, saving so much time. Really, the key is matching the material to the tool, which a lot of folks overlook.
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