Mason question

[eprante]

I am waiting for my oven to dry enough to start curing. So I started putting the faux adobe slump block that I am going to cover the block stand with on. I realized that I may not be doing it correctly so I thought I would ask some of the experts.

I cut the 4x4x16 in half lengthwise then mortared them to the block stand. I only did one row along one side before I thought- this might not be the correct way to do it and I don't want to do a lot of it before I figure out that its wrong.

So I am using the masons mortar recipe on the side of the bag of mortar clay: 1 part mortar clay, 2 parts portland, 6 parts sand.

So, is this going to work, or do I need to change technique.

Tscarborough feel free to weigh in here, you seem to be the resident expert mason on the oven blog, or anyone else who has expertise with bricks and mortar.

Picture 1 is the block that I am using, picture 2 is what I have done so far.

Thanks,
Eric

[nissanneill]

Re: Mason question

Eric,
it looks fine to me. Just ensure that your brick/block surfaces are wet and not just dry. This will reduce the bricks/blocks from draining the water out of your mortar and making the joint weak.
Another way to make the bond stronger is to put some brick ties into your mortar joints but you might need to screw them to your blocks. Over a height of only around 1200mm, I doubt that they would be needed.

Cheers.

Neill

[Tscarborough]

Re: Mason question

That is fine. Doing it like that technically makes it an adhered veneer, so no ties are needed. What IS needed is 100% coverage of the mortar on the back of the bricks.

[eprante]

Re: Mason question

Thanks both to Neill and Tscarborough for the advice. I didn't want to get most of it done and find out I was missing something.
Eric