I've had good luck pouring a couple concrete slabs in the past, and using hydraulic cement for small fixes, but had to mix and use mortar to cinderblock in an old doorway yesterday for the first time.
I am concerned I didn't mix in enough water, as it seems to be taking much longer to really solidify than concrete. It was the Quickcrete ready mix, just add water brand.
I mixed it to about the consistency of wet, really stuck together beach sand, then layed the blocks with the slop piled 1/3 inch between.
I was concerned about making it too wet, so it wouldn't dry, but am wondering if I should have gone for more of a pudding consistency.
Questions-
1. How long should it take for mortar to solidify?
2. What symptoms should I look for (cracking, fragile, etc...) if I didn't add enough H20.
Thanks from a first timer.