Found some numbers on brick absorption rates that changed my mind about soaking

Ngl I always thought you needed to soak bricks before laying them in summer heat but I read a study from the Masonry Advisory Council that said dry bricks actually bond better if the mortar is mixed right. They tested over 500 walls and the soaked ones had 22% more cracking in the first year. Anyone here ever test that on a job?

3 comments

3 Comments

jake_torres6815d ago

I feel you on that. That 22% more cracking stat is wild, I never would have guessed it would be that big of a difference. I've always been one of those guys who soaks bricks just out of habit, especially on those hot July jobs when everything dries out too fast. But reading that, it makes me wonder how many cracked walls I've actually fixed over the years that started from that old soaking trick. It's like everything we thought was a rule is getting flipped on its head with actual testing. I'm still processing it honestly, but I appreciate you sharing this because it's got me rethinking my whole approach.

finley_price2415d ago

Wait, 22% more cracking? You're telling me that simple soaking bricks, something every mason I know has done for decades, actually makes them more likely to crack? That's absolutely wild to wrap my head around. I've watched guys on job sites toss bricks in water troughs like it was a religion, especially on those scorching mornings. It makes total sense though (when you think about the science of water expansion and drying), but still, hearing that number just floors me. @jake_torres68, you're right that it flips the whole script on what we thought was the right way to do things. I'm with you on this, it's a lot to process.

eva_adams6814d ago

Funny you mention those scorching mornings... reminds me of a job down in Arizona where the foreman swore by dunking bricks in a kiddie pool full of water. He said it was the only way to keep the mortar from setting too fast. Whole crew did it for weeks, then we noticed some hairline cracks showing up in the south facing wall. Nobody connected it to the soaking until we saw a study later that year. @jake_torres68, I bet you've seen the same thing with old timers clinging to that habit like it's gospel... kind of makes you wonder what other "rules" we've been following wrong.