Mixing lime putty with my mortar changed everything

I tried 1 part lime to 4 parts type N on a retaining wall last month, and the stuff stayed workable for almost 20 minutes longer. Anyone else find a specific ratio that fixed their mortar drying too fast?

3 comments

3 Comments

markm273mo ago

Used to think lime was overrated, but now I won't mix mortar without it.

bettykim3mo ago

Did switching to lime fix your cracking issues or just make the work easier?

paulperry1mo ago

Nah, I gotta disagree with you on that one. Lime's not a magic fix for cracking - it just makes the mix more forgiving while you're working with it. If your base is shifting or your scratch coat is too thick, lime won't stop those cracks from showing up later. I've seen plenty of lime mortars crack just as bad as straight Portland when the prep work was sloppy. It's more about getting the mix right and having good substrate prep than switching ingredients. Honestly, I think people give lime too much credit for solving problems that are really about technique.