The old guy at the hardware store in Spokane changed how I think about water.

I was buying a new magnesium float last week and mentioned a patio job that kept setting up too fast. He looked at me and said, 'Kid, the water in your truck is older than your helper, and it's 85 degrees. That's your problem right there.' He was right, I'd been using the same warm tank water for three days. What's the longest you'll let water sit in your rig before you swap it out?

2 comments

2 Comments

haydenp952d agoTop Commenter

That old timer nailed it. Warm, stale water is basically a science experiment (all that bacteria and algae growth changes the chemistry). I got burned once mixing a finish coat with day-old water that had sat in the sun, and the whole thing flashed over in minutes. Now if the water's not cool and fresh from the tap that morning, it goes in the washout barrel.

cameronrivera2d ago

Totally agree about the "science experiment" thing. It's not just about temperature, that water is literally alive and changing by the hour. I've seen guys try to stretch a bucket over two days and the second batch is always weaker or sets weird. Fresh water is free, so it's the easiest way to avoid a call back.