For fastening everything together, I have found the best performance with either Bonsal's  "Pour-N-Patch" or Quikrete's "Concrete Crack Sealer."

I have heard of folks using everything  from white glue to Bondo Epoxy car dent filler. A few years ago when I started with JigStones I was advocating the use of yellow glues.

Here is why I love the crack-filler:

• It is meant to work with concrete (i.e., JigStones)

• It is meant to work outside: weather-proof, temperature-proof, UV-proof.

• It is tough! It is used to repair concrete, fer Pete's sake!

• It looks like concrete. And it accepts paint, stains, dyes, etc., exactly like the JS blocks it is holding together.

• It is cheap! Huzzah!

• It is available across the USA.  .... Well, the Quikrete is.  Bonsal is a NC product.

• It's field tested. 2+ years in my back yard with 2 kids and several North Carolina hurricanes!

• And lastly, as it contains a very fine sand.... It allows you to fill joints, cracks and bubbles in your pieces.  And they dry invisible.  No shiny glue, or whatever, to expose the joints, or to not accept your choice of coloring.

• I could use some more of the basic concrete as a real brick layer might, but I would have to mix up a little batch. This way I just squeeze out some ready-mix.... Lazy, aren't I!

The Bonsal cautions you that it contains "acrylic resin emulsion."  Some folks may be sensitive to this. The Quikrete warns you but does not say why...

To use the crack filler:

• Have a small bowl of water handy. Dip or soak your pieces in the water.

• Never put wet plaster, hydrocal, concrete, etc. on itself dry.  These materials require water to setup and to bond.  The dry material will suck out the water from the crack filler and it will not then 'set' to its full strength.

• Use a brush to swipe some water on the
  wall already put together.

• Squooze some crack filler on one block. Push the new piece onto it. Squeeze!

• Using the brush and water push the crack filler into any crevices. Push off any excess.

• Use the excess (or an extra little squooze) on the back of the wall.  Just to make things neat.

• Set it aside for a few minutes.  I work on another (opposite) wall... Then back to the first wall, and the next piece, etc.

• Let dry over night.

Later, if necessary:

The next step will cover up some of the small indiscretions with the crack-filler, and fill up the various cracks and gaps which up to this point have proclaimed to the discerning eye the handiwork as 'adult leggos.' With a bit of water and a bottle of crack filler we now proceed to make the many, one!

Actually, as you go along you will do all this filling and smoothing as you fit things together. You will not have to come back over the wall.  Practice makes perfect!

Drop a teaspoon of crack filler into a small lid.  Swish a water brush over the crack or area you will be working on. Dab the end of the brush into the crack filler and proceed to fill the gaps. Quickly, once again, is the password, as this too is quick setting.

I use two brushes, one to dab the filler and one moist one with which I quickly brush out the mortar lines. This can be fairly messy as I flip the brush clean in the air or wipe it on my apron.

...Proceed to your favorite paint application......

"Quikrete" and "Bonsal" are registered Trademarks of their respective companies.

Updated 13 April 2001