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Mortar mix went bad mid-wall, had to tear out 14 courses
Last Tuesday I was laying a garden wall in Tacoma and my mix started setting up way too fast in the wheelbarrow. By the third batch it was hard as a rock before I could even butter the ends. Turns out the pallet of Portland I grabbed from the yard had been sitting outside all winter and picked up moisture. I ended up pulling 14 courses the next morning and remixing with a fresh bag, cost me a full day and about 80 bucks in wasted material. Anyone else ever get burned by damp cement that looked fine from the outside?
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the_sage1mo ago
Check the date code on the bag next time before you blame the pallet. Portland that's been stored properly will usually stay good for months, but if the bag's been sitting through a wet Pacific Northwest winter, you'll often see hard lumps or a crusty feel on the outside. I've had bags look perfect on the outside and still be trash inside, so giving it a squeeze before you commit can save you the headache. That said, the real tell is usually the date stamp, not the bag's looks.
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