How to Mix Mortar by Hand
Mortar is a mixture of sand and cement that is usually sold in large bags weighing 60 to 80 lbs. The dry powder is mixed with water to a particular consistency before used for different construction work. Mortar is commonly used to hold bricks together, so if mixed incorrectly, the stability of the brick structure could be at stake. Mortar is mixed using mechanical mixers or by hand. Depending on personal taste and the construction site, mix mortar in a wheelbarrow or a plywood sheet before application. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Place the bag of mortar on a clean concrete floor that you can easily clean afterward. Alternately, place the bag on a scrap of wood that is 3-feet square. Make sure the selected surface is clean, dry and free from debris that may contaminate the mortar.
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Cut the bag open with the tip of a shovel or a pair of scissors. Turn the bag over to release the contents, forming a pile in the center of the plywood or concrete surface.
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Create an indentation or hole in the center of the mortar pile using the shovel. The pile should resemble a crater at the tip of a volcano, with a large, deep hole in the middle. Distribute the mortar evenly over the sides or walls so they are thick.
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Pour water slowly into the center of the crater using a hose, trough or bucket, and slide some dry mortar mix from the sides or walls of the crater to mix with the water. Keep adding mortar from the sides to the water slowly to prevent the water from gushing out.
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Add more water to the mix if necessary to achieve an ice cream-like consistency. Mix the mortar to the water until the dry ingredients are completely saturated and you have a workable mass. You want a nice texture that adheres to bricks easily, without being too stiff or too runny.
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Tips & Warnings
Be careful when carrying bags of mortar because they are heavy. Bend your legs at the waist when lifting bags to distribute the weight throughout evenly and not pressurize your back. Try to carry the bag or bags in a wheelbarrow instead of your back.
Instead of purchasing a commercial bag of mortar, make the mix yourself using four parts sand to one part cement. Mix the ingredients in a pile and form a hole in the middle. When adding water, add enough so it equals 0.6 percent of the weight of the cement.
There are no hard and fast rules as to how much water to add to the dry mortar. Keep a container of water at hand and keep adding little by little until the moistened mix is workable.
For smaller projects mix dry mortar and water in a wheelbarrow using a hoe or a piece of scrap plywood.
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