Hot/Cold Weather Masonry

Hot/Cold Weather Masonry Featuring master mason Bryan Light, the “Brick Masonry Techniques for Builders” DVD demonstrates …ParsCo cold weather construction tips for concrete and masonry work – Hot And Cold Weather Masonry Construction



Spraying with modest amounts of clean water is another option, although they certainly don’t want to be soaked. More water is required for the latter purpose than for the hydration reaction. A unit with a large number of fine pores may absorb more water than one with a larger capacity of larger pores. A mortar joint exhibiting a distinct crow’s-foot pattern was recently examined.

Managing mortar in hot and cold weather conditions

This is believed to be caused by thermal expansion and thawing of one side of the wall. The low temperatures normal at this time create conditions that bring all the water in the masonry to the surface before changing it to vapour (evaporation), and salts that may have been present in solution are left behind on the wall.

If temperatures are too cold, a propane heater and polyethylene enclosure could be used to maintain temperatures hot enough, to avoid freezing point. Wait until all bleed water has evaporated. Be prepared to handle more bleed water than regular concrete placement. Some masonry materials might need to be heated prior to use, so cement hydration can occur properly. When you start to mortar, spread only enough to permit the setting of the brick that you are working on. Efforts should be concentrated on the proper installation of the control and expansion joints. Also, because of the summer heat masonry materials and mixing equipment should be stored in shaded areas. All equipment should be cooled and the wooden mortar boards should be presoaked. On several projects, we have worked nights to help with the heat. It’s best to take small drinks frequently rather than a large amount at once. Heat these surfaces above freezing while not doing damage to existing structures. While modern technology has extended the building season to nearly year-round in most places, the magic number hasn’t changed, largely because the basic properties of mortar materials and masonry units remain relatively constant.

Still, the parameters around the options are prescriptive. This allowed the space in between to serve as a virtual mortar-mixing assembly line, reducing the time from mixer to boards and aiding heat rentention of the mortar.

When dry mortar ingredients are delivered in bulk and mixed from silos, it’s a good practice to at least partially enclose the silo and provide auxiliary heat to the silo or the mixing area to keep the dry ingredients as warm as possible.

The reduction in workability is minimized by slower drying and a reduced hydration rate at the lower temperatures. Bagged cementitious material also must be well covered and stored on a raised platform to keep it from wicking up ground moisture that could start a hydration reaction with the cement.

That’s when expecting the unexpected can mean the difference between a project on schedule and on budget and one that’s not.

Hot And Cold Weather Masonry Techniques