Wrong mortar mix - schoolboy error

[Blokky27]

Oh dear oh dear oh dear. So I’m building a brick bbq at the end of a brick patio and wooden pergola that I’ve finished and have been “novice DIY’ing” all the way and researching heavily every step of the way. Except for the bricklaying for the BBQ. Didn’t think there could be much to it. Mixed up some mortar to a mix that seemed about right and cracked on.

But it’s oh so slow so I thought I’d watch a quick YouTube to see where I might save some time and it’s pretty clear where I’ve gone wrong. I’ve used a 5:1 sand to cement mix but have used sharp sand. And then I’ve been bashing away at each brick I’ve put down with a rubber mallet to try and get it to squish down thinking I can’t make it any softer by adding water as it’ll just keep falling (dripping) off everything. Quite a different style to the pro gently easing each brick down with an ever so gentle tab of the end of his trowel as the perfectly malleable mortar gently oozes out ready to be neatly collected up and reused later on!

So I now understand that the sharpness of the grains is why it’s so stiff and unworkable, however everything has now gone off and seems very solid…

Will what I’ve done be ok still? Clearly the pointing hasn’t been great but it’s fine for what it is (mainly due to the huge amount of time I’ve spent on each brick!) and a lot of it will be hidden anyway. Also most of what’s already done will have a very heavy granite slab on the top of it holding it in place.

I’m only about halfway through so presumably I should now switch to a proper mix with builder’s sand and a 4:1 mix - will the colour differ much?

Please don’t be too cruel with your replies!!!

 

[noseall]

I’ve used a 5:1 sand to cement mix but have used sharp sand.

Holey moley!

Builders soft sand with a drop of fairy in the water bucket.

 

[stuart45]

Sharp sand will be OK for what's already done. It's fine for lime mortars.
It's just that for cement mortar it makes a virtually unworkable mix.
Do what noseall said. If you can mix it for longer it gets more air into the mix which makes it more workable.
The colour will be different.

 

[Blokky27]

Thank you both. Unworkable is about right! Is there anything that I can add to make the colour closer to what I have so far? Does mortar dye exist?

 

[stuart45]

You can get mortar dyes to put in the mix, and mortar stains for mortar joints and bricks.

 

[Blokky27]

You can get mortar dyes to put in the mix, and mortar stains for mortar joints and bricks.

Thanks - would I be right in thinking with builders sand it'll be more yellow so need a greyish dye?

 

[stuart45]

It probably will if you're using a yellow building sand. You could also just rake out about 20mm of the joints and repoint the lot with a gauged mix so it's so the same colour.

 

[Blokky27]

It probably will if you're using a yellow building sand. You could also just rake out about 20mm of the joints and repoint the lot with a gauged mix so it's so the same colour.

You say "just rake out" - I think I'd have to drill it out - it's gone pretty hard! I'll see how determined I feel once I've done the rest and how noticeable the difference is...

 

[mrrusty]

Don't fret! - it's a BBQ - it will be fine. You may see a slight difference in colour, but it probably won't be that noticeable. If you don't DIY you never learn anything. Better to learn about mortar mixes on a little job like this, and if you've managed to lay some bricks using a sharp sand mortar, it will be a revelation when you get some proper mix. A drop of plasticiser in the mix makes a lot of difference (or at least I think it does....as a non-pro bricky).

Another tip - if you are having any coping or capping stones, get some SBR and add it to the mix. It makes mortar incredibly sticky and stops cappings coming loose. Do clean your tools before it sets.....and you need to work a bit quicker...

 

[noseall]

Does mortar dye exist?

Yes.
We avoid it when ever we can

 

[Blokky27]

I'm going to take the pointing out with an angle grinder. I may be the only person who would ever notice, but I'd notice every time I looked at it!!!

 

[mrrusty]

I'm going to take the pointing out with an angle grinder. I may be the only person who would ever notice, but I'd notice every time I looked at it!!!

I wouldn't. Chances are it will look even more noticeable. It's not easy to get hard cement out, especially on the perps without clipping the bricks.

 

[Blokky27]

I'll do a couple carefully in an inconspicuous place and see how they look first...

 

[noseall]

I'm going to take the pointing out with an angle grinder

By the time you have removed enough material, both sides of a single skin, you risk some of the bricks popping off (what's left of) their beds.

 

[Nige F]

Get a bottle of " liquid weather "