Postcrete as brick mortar?

[skotl]

OK, this is literally as far away from metal and welding as you could get, but I'm sure I'll get some wisdom from the masses.

I have three things:
1. A 50cm x 50cm hole in an outside wall, around 4ft off the ground, that previously comprised a flue for a gas fire that's been removed
2. Some spare bags of postcrete
3. Some bricks

Can I use the postcrete as mortar? This obviously isn't particularly load-bearing as it's previously had a thin-walled steel flue in the gap. I know that sand and cement aren't exactly expensive, but...

 

[DAPPH]

Whilst it's dry use a kitchen sieve to sieve out the bigger stones to get it to down to mortar fine sand & cement & get ready to use it quickly .
Prepare absolutely everything including wetting the hole before mixing up , don't mix too much in one go as Postcrete usually has some sort of five minute or so quick set water soluble powdered resin in it .

The colour might not match the rest of the mortar in the wall does that matter much ?

 

[DAPPH]

Postcrete has high levels of accelerator and this may make it shrink so I would suggest using PVA around the inside of the hole as well.

Do a small test run on some bricks away from the hole & see how it works out then you'll know for sure of any problems you might encounter.

 

[northwest]

Frankly, I wouldn't. I wouldn't even use postcrete for it's intended purpose. The patch is going to stick out like a sore thumb, you can get mortar mix. If you must use it, take Dapph's advice above and sieve it.

 

[steveo3002]

ive tried modeling it around some bits n bobs , id say no doesnt perform like normal mortar at all

you can get a little bag of premix just add water from the diy stores for a fiver or so

 

[JMS1972]

Postcrete sets very quickly. I doubt it would remain workable long enough to lay any bricks with it ..

 

[dobbslc]

It'll look rubbish as it's very grey in colour. You'll probably get your trowel stuck in the wall as it sets, modern art?

 

[minimutly]

Postcrete sets very quickly. I doubt it would remain workable long enough to lay any bricks with it ..

This exactly - you could add plastiser I guess, but why bother with it.

 

[skotl]

Ah right. I’d forgotten about the 5 minute setting time.
Ok - sounds like I’m just being lazy and need to head back out to wickes for some mortar mix.
thanks all!

 

[the snooper]

No dont use it for laying bricks, it will have too much cement in it and therefore stronger then the bricks, any expansion or slight movement and it will cause the bricks to break instead of the joints

 

[brightspark]

buy a 4 quid bag of builders sand and a bag of cement . do the job properly. lay the bricks in and then face them off with a bucket handle . post crete is totaly useless and the color is wrong and its sharp sand

 

[Parm]

You can buy ready mixed bags of sand and cement that isn’t postcrete. I’ve used it in the past where a full bag of cement will be mostly wasted.

I think I got them from Wickes

 

[Edward Teach]

Do not waste your time,
Get sand and cement,
Mix it up, with a little washing up liquid in the mixing water

 

[Bryan Williams]

I was on a job where the boss had dropped a couple of bags off to shove in some gate post holes, me, not reading the bag pours it in a bucket, throws some water in, gives it a quick stir goes to throw it in the hole and it seemed to set in mid air like a cartoon.
Shoved it in fast and tramped it down, its so fast its best pouring it in a hole dry and watering it it. Still rubbish though, best mix concrete for holes and proper morter for bricks.

 

[bricol]

its so fast its best pouring it in a hole dry and watering it it. Still rubbish though, best mix concrete for holes and proper morter for bricks.

To be fair, that is what the instructions say - the in hole dry and water - not use proper concrete But if you've only got a bit to do, it works well enough - and makes you feel better for not having to throw a solidified 95% full bag of cement out a year later . . .

 

[grim_d]

Frankly, I wouldn't. I wouldn't even use postcrete for it's intended purpose. The patch is going to stick out like a sore thumb, you can get mortar mix. If you must use it, take Dapph's advice above and sieve it.

You wouldn't use postcrete for setting posts? Are you some sort of masochist?

I was on a job where the boss had dropped a couple of bags off to shove in some gate post holes, me, not reading the bag pours it in a bucket, throws some water in, gives it a quick stir goes to throw it in the hole and it seemed to set in mid air like a cartoon.
Shoved it in fast and tramped it down, its so fast its best pouring it in a hole dry and watering it it. Still rubbish though, best mix concrete for holes and proper morter for bricks.

It seems like you still didn't read the instructions as you put the water in first then pour in the mix.

 

[angellonewolf]

To be fair, that is what the instructions say - the in hole dry and water - not use proper concrete But if you've only got a bit to do, it works well enough - and makes you feel better for not having to throw a solidified 95% full bag of cement out a year later . . .

when using postcreat ive always put water in the hole 3rd way up and then throw the postcreat in till the water runs out then more water then more post then water then post then oce to top of hole water in after
im not sure water will get all the way down to the bottem of the hole other wise

so slow as above

 

[northwest]

You wouldn't use postcrete for setting posts? Are you some sort of masochist?

Often, allegedly:-)

Thing is, I have never had any real success with an expensive solution to a simple problem. I specifically told the builders not to use postcrete for the electric gate. Since he ignored this I have had to construct a brace and use a good deal of concrete to set it AND install another deep post and install a stainless stay wire in another direction. I am not at all happy about this.
The same guy used a hook and eye for the top pivot instead of letting me make a proper hinge, as I said. So that was something else I had to rectify. Postcrete may be okay fixing a three foot fence post but absolutely useless fitting a post supporting a five bar gate spanning te driveway.

Can you tell I was not happy?

 

[Parm]

Often, allegedly:-)

Thing is, I have never had any real success with an expensive solution to a simple problem. I specifically told the builders not to use postcrete for the electric gate. Since he ignored this I have had to construct a brace and use a good deal of concrete to set it AND install another deep post and install a stainless stay wire in another direction. I am not at all happy about this.
The same guy used a hook and eye for the top pivot instead of letting me make a proper hinge, as I said. So that was something else I had to rectify. Postcrete may be okay fixing a three foot fence post but absolutely useless fitting a post supporting a five bar gate spanning te driveway.

Can you tell I was not happy?

It has its uses but it’s not the solution to all problems

 

[Bryan Williams]

You wouldn't use postcrete for setting posts? Are you some sort of masochist?



It seems like you still didn't read the instructions as you put the water in first then pour in the mix.

I did say I didn't read the bag...