My dad's old partner saw my work and asked about my mortar mix

Ran into him at the hardware store in Tacoma, and he pointed at a wall I did last month. He said, 'You're still using that fast set stuff, huh? It's like building a house on sand.' He explained how he switched to a slower, stronger mix twenty years back after a job failed. I've been thinking about it all week, especially on this current patio. Anyone else get stuck in a habit with their materials that might be holding them back?

3 comments

3 Comments

joseph_torres19d ago

My buddy Jake in Spokane was using the same roofing nails for a decade. He swore by them until a whole section on a garage lift in a windstorm. Turns out the newer code required a shorter shank he hadn't even heard about.

dakotawood19d ago

That Spokane windstorm story is about fastener length, not shank type.

ray36319d ago

Man, that's so true. It's wild how easy it is to just keep buying the same bag off the shelf without asking questions. I got stuck using a certain type of concrete sealer for years because it was "good enough," until a client pointed out the newer stuff actually soaks in and lasts way longer. That old partner's advice is gold.