Tried making my own mortar mix from scratch and it went sideways fast

Ngl, I thought I could save some cash by mixing my own portland, lime, and sand for a repointing job. Ended up with a batch that crumbled after 3 days because I screwed up the ratios. Has anyone else had better luck doing it by hand instead of just buying pre-mixed?

2 comments

2 Comments

bettyroberts19d ago

Three days? Honestly, that's brutal. I tried mixing my own a couple years back for a little wall repair and ended up with a batch that was basically sand and dust after a week. Tbh, Portland cement ratios are way trickier than I thought. You gotta be super precise with that lime to keep it from crumbling. Ngl, after that disaster I just stick to the pre-mixed bags now, the headache isn't worth the few bucks saved.

taylor1219d ago

Yeah the lime is what really messes people up. I did a batch with type N lime and it was basically playdough after two days, hard as a rock but then flaked off like crazy. Type S lime is way more forgiving if you ever try it again, but honestly the premix is just easier. Ive seen guys swear by a 1:2:9 ratio for repointing but getting that right by hand is a pain unless you weigh everything out. Plus the sand type matters a ton too, sharp sand vs soft sand changes the whole game.