c/masons

Update: Rushing the base set on a walkway job added a week to my schedule

I started laying brick before the gravel compacted all the way. Now the whole line is off and I'm redoing the foundation. Who else has lost time trying to beat the weather or a deadline?

Mortar mix variability has become a real headache

I've noticed that even from the same supplier, the consistency changes batch to batch. It makes planning out a day's work nearly impossible when you can't trust the materials. What's your method for dealing with this kind of inconsistency?

TIL laser levels can be a game changer for stone walls

I always stuck with string lines and my trusty level for dry stack walls. A friend convinced me to try his laser on a recent garden project. It kept everything so straight and even from the start. Now I get why some masons love them for consistency. I was totally wrong to ignore this tool for so long.

Another mason saw my slip-up on a bearing wall just before the concrete went in.

Can we talk about my manager's idea for virtual masonry training?

He had us stack pillows to practice laying bricks.