Two years of using a mixer I finally went back to hand mixing this week

I always figured a mechanical mixer saved time and gave a more consistent batch. Then last Tuesday I was working on a small garden wall in the back of a property near Ann Arbor and the generator died on me. Had to mix three batches by hand with a shovel. Honestly the mortar felt better, it wasn't overworked and stayed on the trowel without sliding off. The color was more even too, less of that greyish look you get when the mixer beats all the air out. I'm not saying I'll never use the mixer again, but for smaller jobs under 50 bricks I'm definitely going hand mixing. Has anyone else noticed a difference in mortar consistency between machine and hand mixed?

2 comments

2 Comments

jason_fisher47d ago

Had the same thing happen mixing a batch for a patio. Hand mixed mortar just felt stickier and easier to work with. Might be in my head but I'm going back to hand mixing for small jobs too.

scott.grace7d ago

Are you really out here acting like hand mixing mortar is some kind of life changing revelation? Ngl, I've done both plenty of times and honestly I think people overthink this stuff. Mortar is cement, sand, and water, you can't ruin it that easily unless you're leaving it sit for an hour or adding too much water. The color thing especially, like are you really staring at mortar that close to notice some shade difference? Tbh, it's probably just because you mixed a smaller batch by hand and paid more attention to it. I'd bet money if you did a blind test with a few different walls you couldn't tell which was which.