Bought a tube of expired mortar from a hardware store in Fresno last week

I grabbed a bag of Type N mortar from a little hardware store near a job I was doing in Fresno. Got home and noticed the date stamp said it was 14 months old and the mix was clumpy and wouldn't hold a consistent color. Has anyone else dealt with buying expired materials from smaller shops and what do you look for on the bag to avoid it?

3 comments

3 Comments

shane_wilson1d ago

Always check the date before you pay, that corner cutting mindset runs deeper than just materials.

davidshah1d ago

The date thing is just the tip of the iceberg with that mindset. Once you start looking for it, you see it everywhere - someone cutting corners at the deli counter with old meat, a mechanic skipping a bolt, a contractor using the cheapest caulk that'll crack in six months. It's always about saving two minutes or two bucks now while passing the problem down the line to someone else. That's why I always watch how a business handles the small stuff like expired stock or sticky shelves, it tells you everything about how they treat the big stuff you can't see.

webb.hannah1d ago

Jump right in and say I actually get where the small shop is coming from on this one. @shane_wilson I know what you mean about checking dates but sometimes these little hardware stores are just trying to move stock they've had sitting around for a while, not trying to cheat anyone. I've grabbed bags from bigger box stores that were just as old and clumpy because nobody rotated the pallet. The trick I use is to squeeze the bag near the bottom first thing if you can feel hard chunks or it feels stiff instead of powdery, leave it. Also look for any water stains or tears near the stitching that's usually a bigger red flag than a date stamp for me.