Why did I think I could build a brick retaining wall without help?

My yard has a bad slope so I tried to fix it with bricks. Lining them up straight was tougher than I thought. The mortar would not stick right in the hot weather. I wasted a lot of mix getting the consistency wrong. Now part of the wall is crooked and needs fixing. I spend all my free time on this. I really wish I had some tips from pros.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_brooke2mo ago

Oof the "mortar would not stick right" part is so real. I once tried to mix a bag of concrete to fix a driveway crack and totally messed up the water ratio. It was like trying to spread gritty soup that just washed away, left a huge stain. Tbh I just gave up and called someone.

patricia5472mo ago

Calling it 'gritty soup' seems a bit dramatic for a concrete mix-up. It's just a learning curve (we all botch DIY projects sometimes), and that stain probably washes out with some effort. Honestly, giving up and calling someone feels like overkill for a driveway crack.

jake1742mo ago

Yeah the "mortar would not stick right" is the worst. I tried to repoint my chimney in the summer and it was a disaster. The mix dried out in the bucket before I could even get it on the trowel. I ended up with these crumbly lines that looked worse than before. Hot weather DIY is just a different kind of pain.