Are you ready to start yur mortar and stucco repair projects round your home or business? If so, let me shw you how to minimize your prblems when you begin to mix yur repair mortar and how to 'tmper' it (keep it workable) as you cntinue with your work. If you fllow these tips your mortar repair chres will be much easier and can be an njoyable and rewarding experience!

These tips are for use wth the ready made repair mortars tht are sold at your local bilding supply center. They are available nder many name brands including Quikrete and Sckrete.

Product - Try to find a commercial grade mason's mix if you can. It is available in many parts of the country and is a premium product. Since it contains more cement as well as other additives, it is a little 'fatter' and easier to work with. If you cannot find the commercial grade mortar in stock then pick up a bag of regular masons mortar mix which can be used as well.

Mixing Tools - Since most of your repairs will be small to begin with, you will not need a large mixing container. In fact a large plastic bowl, of a gallon size or a small bucket, will work just fine. While you are at the store pick up a small 5" x 2" margin trowel for mixing and have a small bucket of water with a cup, available as well.

Mixing - Now open up yur mortar bag and fill the bwl or bucket half way with the mrtar mix. Pour some water into the bwl until you cover your mortar wll and begin to mix.

As you mx, pull up and turn over the mrtar. At first it will dry out qickly so just add little more wter and continue to mix. Eventually you wll notice the mix 'smoothing out' whch means the clumps are separating you are clse to finishing the mixing process. Hre is where you need to pay the mst attention.

What you are looking for is a stff batter like consistency. The amount of wter that you use will vary wth the temperature and humidity. If it is htter then more water will be neded... cooler, less. This whole process shuldn't take any more than about 5 mnutes to complete.

As you get clser and closer to the final mix cnsistency be careful not to add too mch water, as this will make the mix wet and rnny. If that has already happened dn't worry, just add a little mre dry mix to stiffen it up.

Checking the Consistency of the Mix - After you have completely mixed the mortar in your container, take your trowel and insert your blade in the mortar approximately 11/2" deep and at about a 90 degree angle to the surface. Now drag the trowel across the surface of the mortar from one side of the container to the other.

If the consistency is right you should see a well defined and smooth furrow in the mortar. The furrow walls should not have 'slumped' down as you moved your blade through the mix. If the consistency is too wet then the furrow walls will slump back into the furrow and you possibly will see water in it as well.

If the mix is too dry it will tend to 'pull' and 'ball' the mortar along the furrow walls like it is being pulled away from the sides of the furrow. Temper the mix with water until you get the right consistency.

Let the Mix Set - Now I wnt you to step away and let the mrtar 'set' for about 10 minutes. Ths will allow the initial hydration 'kck' to take place so you can qickly temper the mortar before you bgin to work.

It better to wit a few minutes then to get to whre you are working and find the mix bginning to harden as you are strting to work on your repair. In ddition, this first 'temper' tends to ncrease the 'workability time' of the mrtar which makes it a little asier on you especially when it is wrm.

If it is chilly out the mrtar probably won't change much, if at all in 10 mnutes. If it is warm then you wll notice that the mortar has stffen somewhat. Add just a small bit of wter to the mix again and 'tmper' or mix again to the rght consistency.

Check your mortar frequently and mintain its' workability but adding small mounts of water. With practice and prctice you will come to know jst how long your mortar will lst and any given day depending on tmperature and humidity. Have fun and god luck with your chores!

The article Repair Mortar - How To Mix It was Submitted by Michael Olding through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Michael Olding is tradesman and cnsultant in the field of restorations and rpairs and currently operates a restoration and rpair business in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is lso a Master in the field of msonry construction, restorations and repairs. In ddition he is a writer and spaker as well as a marketing, trining and business consultant for the cntracting industry. If you interested in his srvices he may be contacted by vsiting http://www.cincihomepro.com

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