Questions tagged [mortar]

Mortar is used between bricks, cinder blocks, or stone to bind them and fill any gaps. It is made from sand, a binding agent (cement or lime), and water.

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What actually happens if I vary proportions of cement and sand in mortar?

When preparing cement mortar proportions of sand and cement can AFAIK be varied. I've always been using the "default recommended" 1-to-3 (one volume of cement for every three volumes of sand) ...
sharptooth's user avatar
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20 votes
4 answers
202k views

Must I remove all mortar between tiles before grouting?

I'm just getting ready to lay down the grout after successfully tiling our master bathroom. I've been told in no uncertain terms that I must remove the spacers between tiles (or else grouting over ...
Andrew Flanagan's user avatar
16 votes
3 answers
139k views

What kind of mortar should I use to point a fieldstone foundation?

What kind of mortar should I use to point a fieldstone foundation? The old mortar is crumbling, and sandy mortar is falling out onto the basement floor. I plan to remove the crumbling mortar (see ...
Vebjorn Ljosa's user avatar
15 votes
3 answers
14k views

How do I self-repair a section of crumbling basement wall, or should I hire a professional?

How do I self-repair a section of crumbling basement wall, or should I hire a professional? Background: How I discovered it: I removed some exposed blue foam insulation from my basement walls to ...
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15 votes
5 answers
96k views

Why do builders say that wet concrete/mortar is not as strong?

I have been watching a few videos demonstrating the mixing of mortar and cement and a constant theme is that you must not have the mix too runny. I cannot fathom the reason... Does anyone care to ...
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14 votes
5 answers
51k views

Can I start and stop a tile floor job?

I am tiling my bathroom floor and don't soon have a full day to dedicate to the job. Is it ok to lay down a few tiles each day and come back to the job when I have time? I would only lay mortar for ...
dpollitt's user avatar
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10 votes
10 answers
5k views

Rusted screws in outdoor outlet box

Summarize the problem I need help removing rusted screws from an outdoor outlet box. A few notes: The outlet box was used for an outdoor light that I removed I turned off the breaker I have access to ...
Ryan's user avatar
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9 votes
4 answers
87k views

What mortar should I use for 8x10 and mosaic wall tile?

I will be tiling a tub/shower area using 8x10 ceramic tile with glass mosaic tile accent rows. I see about half a dozen varieties of thin-set on the market: Weights: - 25lb - 50lb Types: - ...
The Evil Greebo's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
1k views

How much air under tile is acceptable?

We hired a contractor to do redo our tile. One had to be replaced because it caved inward when a tool was dropped on it. We peeked under the adjacent tiles and there are giant areas without mortar. ...
kliqqer's user avatar
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8 votes
2 answers
3k views

Should I fill eroded mortar in exterior brick?

There's a few bricks around my house about 40cm up from ground level where the vertical mortar between the bricks has completely fallen out / eroded away. In a few spots, there's insects going into ...
MikeyB's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
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What is the difference between building sand and plaster sand

Recently I mixed a batch of mortar for building and was unsure if the hardware provided me with building sand or plaster sand.. What are the properties that differentiate the two? and are there any ...
Hightower's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
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Mortar (or something) falling out of basement brick wall

In my basement, there is a powdery, bright white substance between some of the bricks. It looks like it was something applied on top of the mortar joint. I scraped a couple places where it was falling ...
skaiser's user avatar
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7 votes
5 answers
37k views

Is mortar waterproof?

I was advised by a professional that mortar is waterproof, however sources online are telling me that it's not. So is mortar waterproof or not? Does waterproofness vary by mortar classification (e.g. ...
AlfaZulu's user avatar
  • 215
7 votes
3 answers
3k views

Will colouring mortar weaken it?

My neighbour has recently had some work done to her roof. The old mortar was red and the new mortar is grey (uncoloured). So it looks a little silly with both colours present. She's not very happy ...
Lee Kowalkowski's user avatar
7 votes
4 answers
35k views

What's the best ratio for sand-only concrete?

I'm making concrete countertops, so sand-only is the way to go to reduce voids in the forms. (I've done a half dozen samples). I've looked everywhere for mix ratios, but it's a weird request, and I ...
jgrant's user avatar
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6 votes
5 answers
5k views

Do they make a non-liquid concrete/mortar color additive?

I've been trying to find a cement additive to change the color of some mortar, but only seem to be able to find it in liquid form at my local big-box hardware store. I'm looking for a similar ...
JohnFx's user avatar
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6 votes
7 answers
290k views

What water:cement:sand ratio gives the strongest mortar?

A typical mortar mix ratio is 1 cement : 3 sand. But what is the water ratio? Is it 0.5:1:3? Would a 0.5:1:2 ratio be a stronger mortar? Our next door neighbor has a dog that digs like a pro. The ...
Terrence's user avatar
6 votes
4 answers
4k views

How can I stop mortar plugs from popping out of slab holes?

Our termite people plugged their dozens of chemical insertion holes using a regular grout and a putty knife. Needless to say the plugs are popping out left and right. (They tell me that is normal, ...
Bryce's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
4k views

What should I do about my concrete shower curb that I did not remove all the air bubbles from?

I'm building a concrete shower curb and pan. I built the curb and when I removed the 2x8 forms I notice that I didn't pack the cement all the way to the bottom in some parts: A bit crumbled and fell ...
cbrulak's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
4k views

Should I supporting a load via anchors in brick or mortar?

I'm attempting to hang window flower boxes (a metal frame with a moss/fabric insert, filled with dirt/flowers/water for a total weight of about 15 lbs) on a brick wall. An example of a similar metal ...
BQ.'s user avatar
  • 841
6 votes
3 answers
21k views

How to mix a resurfacer/leveler with sand and cement?

Disclaimer: No, I can't buy ready made surface leveler, because in Brazil this doesn't exist. I need to use a resurface a dry pack levelling that my previous contractor made a lousy job (porous ...
Luiz Borges's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
2k views

Plumber set my bathtub on top of Great Stuff foam. Do I need to pull the tub?

My floor was about 1/16” off level so the plumber said he couldn’t set the tub into a mortar bed. The tub is acrylic. He sprayed a can on great stuff foam on the subfloor then set the tub on top of ...
Niko's user avatar
  • 303
5 votes
1 answer
622 views

How to repair mortar that is crumbling?

The interior of my stone basement foundation wall has been mortared it is starting to sand off. What is the best way to seal it off so I can paint it again? The home was built in the 20's and has no ...
Katherine's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
4k views

How do I avoid this white residue around brick after my first attempt at mortar repointing?

Whole house needs to be repointing so I tried in an inconspicuous area to practice. This white residue appeared and won't come off with a wet sponge. I'm using Spec Mix tuckpointing mortar type O. ...
APP's user avatar
  • 151
5 votes
1 answer
20k views

Types of floats and trowels for concrete

In Brazil there are basically 3 kinds of floats: Steel (in many shapes), used for smooth finish concrete, spreading mortar for tiles, plastering, etc. Wood (rectangular) used for rougher finish of ...
Luiz Borges's user avatar
  • 2,325
5 votes
1 answer
23k views

How to fix a through hole in a concrete step?

Here're two photos of a through hole in a step in an enforced concrete staircase in an apartment building. The step is about one inch thick, the hole is about three inches wide and appeared many years ...
sharptooth's user avatar
  • 9,597
5 votes
1 answer
8k views

How do I darken new mortar in a brick wall to match the older mortar?

I had some bricks replaced. Unfortunately, the mortar is really light. How do I stain it a darker gray, so that it matches the original mortar? Is there a product that I can buy at a big box store?
Laxmidi's user avatar
  • 639
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

What mix of cement and sand should I use to set cap slabs?

We have a number of "slabs" that are just wider than a brick, which are set on top of walls in the garden. A number of them have come lose and I need to remove the cement mix that used to hold them ...
Bernhard Hofmann's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
3k views

Re-Pointing Fieldstone Foundation [duplicate]

I purchased my 110 year old colonial house 6 months ago. It has a field stone foundation that looks completely original (with a few small repairs). The house is located in North Eastern Massachusetts ...
Dave Dillon's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
17k views

Contractor suggests caulking cracks in chimney, is that the right solution?

The mortar in our 25-year-old chimney is starting to crack and now leaks into our home if it rains hard. I assume we're probably in need of repointing, but a contractor that has done roof work for us ...
Shpigford's user avatar
  • 696
4 votes
1 answer
909 views

Raising a thinner tile to be level with a thicker tile

I set all my tiles on the bathroom floor not realizing how much the thinset mortar would add to the height of the floor. I have a curbless shower and the tile I chose for the shower floor is half the ...
Shawn Brodoski's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
7k views

What kinds of gloves should be used for working with mortar?

I am currently working on my eagle scout project, and I will be using mortar to put together part of my project (I know this doesn't completely apply to home improvement so if this is the wrong place ...
Sammy's user avatar
  • 41
4 votes
3 answers
16k views

How do I replace a bricked in mailbox?

My in-laws have a Mailbox that's a normal looking metal mailbox that's in a brick enclosure. It appears that when it was built, someone just put down mortar, set the mailbox in it, covered the ...
Neth's user avatar
  • 263
4 votes
2 answers
3k views

Repairing above-ground gaps and holes in foundation

I am moving into a house (built 1911) that had a few things turn up on the inspection. One corner of the basement has an indoor cistern, and there are some gaps and a hole in the cinder blocks just ...
Parker's user avatar
  • 290
4 votes
2 answers
1k views

how to repair a concrete patio slab with crumbling edges

A brick-on-sand patio was added to the house back in the 1970s atop a poured concrete foundation that goes down 36", below frost-depth, per local code. A brick-veneer was adhered with mortar to ...
mr blint's user avatar
  • 1,830
4 votes
1 answer
16k views

How do I make concrete out of mortar?

I need white concrete for a countertop sample, but the only white concrete-like product is white mortar. If I just add an equal sized bag of gravel to the mortar, will it be close enough to use as ...
jgrant's user avatar
  • 384
3 votes
2 answers
393 views

What is the North American term for sand used in making mortar for laying a sandstone patio?

I've been watching Brits prepare and lay patio stone on Youtube, and have been reading blogs by Brits. They recommend using "sharp sand" to make the mortar for laying sandstone rectangles. ...
mr blint's user avatar
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3 votes
3 answers
14k views

Why did concrete screws feel loose when installed in a brick wall?

I am trying to secure a floating mantle shelf over a brick fireplace wall. I used 2 3/4" 3/16 tapcon screws to secure the strip of wood to a brick wall but the wood strip did not hold securely The ...
provlima's user avatar
  • 491
3 votes
3 answers
3k views

Is there some flexible cement-based mortar?

I live in an apartment in a multistoried building. The building is assembled of huge enforced concrete plates - one plate is size of a wall of a room. One of the inter-plate seams has a crack in it ...
sharptooth's user avatar
  • 9,597
3 votes
4 answers
10k views

Can a hammer concrete drill bit be used with a regular drill for a small project

I have to run a 1/2 inch pvc electrical conduit through a mortar joint The mfg calls for a 7/8 masonry bit to be used to allow the conduit through. Have not been able to find such a bit at the big ...
provlima's user avatar
  • 491
3 votes
4 answers
85k views

How long to wait after tile installation before placing heavy objects on it?

I just installed some 12" x 24" large format tiles in my laundry room using Flexbond mortar over concrete that was machined with a diamond cup disk. Its been ~32 hours since I finished the main ...
TugboatCaptain's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

What critter (insect?) removes sand from between paving bricks?

Something is excavating sand/mortar from between paving bricks, as seen here. I thought it was ants, but I've placed ant traps and bait and there seems to be no effect. Also, when the mounds are ...
Jim Garrison's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
642 views

Will a slab poured with mortar stand up to service under a pizza oven?

I mistakenly did not add any stones to my foundation mix and now have a mortar foundation. It is 1.6m x 1.6m x 0.2m with reinforced mesh. I am creating a brick pizza oven with hollow concrete blocks ...
Richard Roberts's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
735 views

How to keep brick face clean when applying fresh mortar?

In the few times I have replaced bricks in my home, I always feel the end result is a little messy. Specifically, despite my best efforts, the brick face ends up a little "smeared" with mortar. What ...
Roberto's user avatar
  • 489
3 votes
2 answers
731 views

Mount an LCD TV to 30 year old masonry fireplace

Power and HDMI are no issue. I'm worried about messing with the mortar. Any advice? Will this be an issue, more trouble than it's worth, etc? I have some alternatives. Leave my TV on the mantle or ...
gtaylor85's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
69 views

What kind of mortar is suitable for cut surfaces of old concrete

We're going to cut up and remove a slab. I figured I might as well (attempt to) cut it into rectangles and use it for landscaping. If I wanted to mortar them together like bricks, what should I use? ...
gunfulker's user avatar
  • 193
3 votes
1 answer
109 views

When is the best time of year to apply mortar in New England?

I have two small areas at the base of my foundation I would like to repack with mortar. I don't fully understand the properties of mortar. Living in New England where the summers get really hot and ...
user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

What is a suitable mortar when repointing a wall made of soft red brick?

I am about to re-point the front of my Victorian (1895) house which has soft red bricks. Is a 4:1 ratio of sand to cement suitable? I have read that cement can force the moisture though the bricks ...
Joe's user avatar
  • 287
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

The mortar between my patio bricks is crumbling away

The bricks on my front porch have some sort of mortar that crumbles away more and more every time I pull a weed from it. You could pick this stuff away with an awl but it is not just sand that you ...
Paul's user avatar
  • 131
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

What could be the cause of eroded mortar in exterior brick?

This question actually reminded me of an issue with my exterior walls. I have the same problem with the vertical mortar being eroded/missing from several bricks at ground level on the exterior of my ...
Doresoom's user avatar
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