What went wrong with my mortar?

Question

I was going to build a small wall today with breeze blocks.

I had everything I needed here, and I downloaded instructions on how to mix the mortar.
3 parts sand
1 part cement
water and a squirt of washing up liquid.

But when I tried to use the mortar, it was like wet sand.
It wouldn't stick to the blocks, and it wouldn't hold them together. Even when it had dried.
In fact, even now when I lift one of the blocks off, I can crumble the remains of the mortar off it quite easily with my thumb.

What did I do wrong?
Too much sand and not enough cement?

I did notice that when I applied the mortar to the block, it seemes to suck all the moisture out of it, leaving me with a crumbly sandy mixture.
Should I have wet the blocks with water before building with them to prevent them from soaking up the water from the mortar?

Answer 1

From the sound of it, you didn't use cement, you likely used a mortar mix or sand mix. In the states cement is sold in 94 pound bags and mortar mix is usually sold in 40, 60, or 80 pound bags.

Cement should have been a fine powder like talc. If it wasn't you did use mortar. You still can you the mix, just don't add sand to it and you should be OK.

Don't add to much water. If it is at all runny you have way too much water. If done right the weight of the block should compress the mortar bed to say 1/2" and you then tap it into it final place.

Do water your block but don't have water dripping off them when you go to lay them. Something like 2 or 3 hours beforehand....

Remember:

Concrete mix is cement+sand+large aggregate+water [for paving]
Mortar mix is cement+sand+water [for bricklaying]
Cement is the fine talc-like powder

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What went wrong with my mortar?
I was going to build a small wall today with breeze blocks.

I had everything I needed here, and I downloaded instructions on how to mix the mortar.
3 parts sand
1 part cement
water and a squirt of washing up liquid.

But when I tried to use the mortar, it was like wet sand.
It wouldn't...

Answer 3

Wet Mortar

Answer 4

It is better to go with a little more type S mix than not enough. Go with 3 parts sand and 1 1/2 parts type S (or type N if it is above grade. Did you premix the dry stuff before adding the water? When you added water and mixed the mortar was the outcome like a really stiff pudding? or was it more sloppy? The mix needs to be fairly stiff. You can also add a bit of portland cement to the mix to make a strong batch of mortar.

Answer 5

If you built this wall today you would not expect the mortar to achieved much strength yet and the blocks will be easy to pull off. Likewise the mortar will be "crumbly".

As suggested above I would use 1 part cement 4 parts 50/50 fine sand and a proper plasticizer (not washing up liquid). Here in the UK we mostly use concrete blocks and do not wet them.. The mortar should be creamy and may look a (little) too wet but the blocks soak the water very fast giving just enough time to set the block in position before it becomes stiff enough to support the weight. The real strength comes after a day or two when the cement cures.

Answer 6

I'm not go in to detail because its been pretty beat to death already but I will say this
1. DON'T WET the blocks
2. DO pre mix your dry ingredients
3. DO NOT ADD a plasticizer (wast of money)
4. DO NOT ADD soap (soap acts as a release agent)
5. DO NOT MIX A FULL BATCH at a time multiply below X 2
6.Try this 1 part cement, 1/2 part lime, and 4 parts sand.
7. MAKE SURE your shovels are EQUAL
8. YOU MUST USE LIME.....to make the mixture you describe "sticky"
9. lime penetrates masonry to lock mortar units together.
10. lime allows for an extended board life. (like a plasticizer)

I have been laying brick, block and real stone for over 10 years.
I learned under my father who learned under his father.
For laying block your mortar should be on the stiff side so they will not sink. Mix it as above and after doing so let it REST for a min while doing something else. go back to it and re mix it a bit and check if you need to add water, how do you know how much water you add? just add a little bit at a time and mix it in and then try it on a block if it sticks your close. It should be moist enough to stick but stiff enough to hold the weight of the block. This WILL ONLY be accomplished by trial and error, it is NOT something that can be written..
be patient and get the mixture right so you can worry about the other 15 things you need to know when laying the block.

Answer 7

Prepare to run everywhere. There is no vehicle transportation. Also like sports if one person screws up everyone pays. Pushups aren't as important up pullups are. Practice them. u have to run farther and faster than any other service. Any creativity can be thrown out the door. U do everything the MARINE WAY. Get in the best shape possible so if u have to go to THE PIT, u don't look like a wimp. If u do this you'll make it all the way to the Hero's Breakfast and then GRADUATION!

Answer 8

Listen to big dogg.We usually use twenty shovels for block.If you want to strengthen the mortar dont use that liquid put a couple shovels of portland cement. You can buy it the same place you bought the other. Good luck

Answer 9

For laying a block wall, instead of using washing up liquid, use Febmix. Febmix is a plasticiser and keeps the mortar flexible and workable. Too much washing up liquid can cause the mortar to crumble. For the mix my husband told me he uses 4 sand to 1 cement, mix with water to a creamy consistency (not too wet). Are you using Holmes sand (sharp sand) or pit sand (fine sand). Fine sand is better for laying a block wall.

Answer 10

1 80 lbs bag of type S mortar to 15 shovel fulls of mortar sand and water is what u should do.....u dont need to use an additive or wet the block....we have laid over 100,000 block in the past years and never had a problem......also this is how my block/brick guy does it....

lic. gen. contractor