Ensuring
mortar color
consistency
It’s essential to control many variables—the type and amount of mortar
materials, mixing procedures, joint tooling, and cleaning techniques
By Carolyn Schierhorn
rchitects specify colored
A mortar to enliven or differ-
entiate masonry buildings
for only a modest increase in cost.
Available in a wide range of colors
—with buffs, reds, browns, and
grays most often selected—col-
ored mortar may be chosen to
match, complement, or contrast
with the masonry units (see “Us-
ing Color as a Design Element,”
Masonry Construction, August
1993, pages 348-350).
Because inconsistencies or
flaws in joint color can ruin the
look of the finished masonry wall,
good quality control practices are
essential. This involves managing
many variables, from the selec-
tion and proportioning of mortar
ingredients to the cleaning tech-
nique used.
Controlling materials
All of the materials used to pro-
duce mortar can affect its color
and should be controlled.
Pigments. Mostpigments used
to color mortar today consist of
blends of red, yellow, or black iron
oxides, which meet the require-
ments of ASTM C 979 (Pigments
for Integrally Colored Mortar/
Concrete). Other mineral oxides
produce more unusual mortar
colors, but these are less often
specified because of their higher
cost; cobalt oxide, for example,
yields a blue mortar pigment.
In the Trowel Tips publication
titled “Mortar Color,” the Portland
Cement Association (PCA) recom-
mends the use of mineral oxide
pigments because they are com-
patible with cement and lime and
provide color stability in the fin-
ished mortar joint. In contrast,
carbon black pigments should not
be used in exterior masonry, since
they exhibit poor color stability
when exposed to weather (Ref. 1).
Pigments are available in either
powder or liquid form. According
to one pigment manufacturer, liq-
uid pigments are used less fre-
quently for mortar because they
are about 15% more expensive
(Liquid pigments are common in
colored concrete block produc-
tion, however). The main advan-
tage of liquid over powder pig-
ments is that they don’t disperse
dust when added to the mix.
 Accurate pigment measure-
ment is essential for consistent
mortar color. At one time, labor-
ers had to measure out pigment
on-site from bulk packages—a
tricky practice that frequently re-
sulted in inconsistent color. But
modern packaging and distribu-
tion practices have made this
procedure unnecessary.
Today, mortar pigments usually
are preblended in the cement or
distributed in premeasured “add-
a-bag” packages that can be
added easily at the jobsite. Both
methods can produce desirable
results as long as other variables
are controlled.
John Melander, masonry spe-
cialist for the PCA, favors the use
of preblended colored cements
because the manufacturer expert-
ly controls two variables in the
plant—the pigment and the ce-
ment. At the jobsite, slight varia-
tions in cement color may go un-
noticed.
Cement. Avoidchangingbrands
of cement or hydrated lime dur-
ing a project, Melander warns.
The dry powder appearance of
unpigmented cementitious mate-
rials belies their impact on mor-
tar joint color (Ref. 1).
As mortar is mixed, the cement
and water form a paste that coats
the sand particles. As the cement
hydrates, the paste hardens and
dominates the color of the mortar.
“The color of the hardened paste
is influenced by the inherent color
of the cement, or cement and
lime, plus the water-cement ratio
i nt h ep a s t e , ”M e l a n d e rs a y s .
Sand. Similarly, all sand used
on a job should be from the same
source. Masonry contractors that
receive multiple shipments of
sand, even from a single source,
should inspect each shipment to
make sure that sand color and
gradation have not changed sig-
nificantly. Sand gradation affects
the texture of the mortar joint
surface and the water demand of
the mortar. A small quantity of
sand from the first shipment may
be kept in a sealed container for
comparison with later shipments
(Ref. 1).
Control the
amount of sand
in a mortar mix
by using a cu-
bic-foot measur-
ing box to add
sand to the mix-
er or periodical-
ly to check the
required shovel
count. Slight
variations in
the amount of
sand have little
impact on mor-
tar color; but
using too much
sand will cause
color inconsis-
tency (Ref. 2).
Water. The
amount of wa- A change in both the type of cement and sand used in the
ter added to the mortar produced the joint color differences shown here.
mix also influ-
ences mortar color. “Mortars hav- achieved (Ref. 3). To ensure color
ing higher water-cement ratios consistency, one manufacturer
tend to be lighter in color than recommends loading 3⁄4 the re-
those having lower water con- quired amount of water and 13⁄
tents,” Melander observes. Ex- the required amount of sand be-
cessive water also creates micro- fore adding the cementitious ma-
scopic bubbles on the surface of terials and the pigment (if not al-
the mortar, which diffuse light ready blended in the cement).
and affect the color (Ref. 2). The balance of the sand and wa-
Units. Variations in the initial ter are then added.
rate of absorption (IRA) of clay “Retemper colored mortar cau-
brick masonry also can a ff e c t tiously to avoid color changes,”
mortar color. During hot-weather advises Melander. “The key is not
construction, if it’s necessary to to change the water-cement ratio
prewet high-IRA clay brick, make dramatically. Sprinkle a little wa-
sure all units are subjected to the ter, then mix it up on the mortar
same procedure (see “Preventing board.”
Hot-weather Construction Prob-
lems,” Masonry Construction,
June 1994, pages 244-248). To Workmanship is critical
minimize joint color variation Always important, good work-
from the use of both wet and dry manship is even more critical on
units, cover brick and block walls with colored mortar joints.
stored at the jobsite. To avoid having to clean off hard-
ened mortar smears and drop-
Mixing colored mortar pings later on, spread mortar and
To minimize the need to retem- lay units as neatly as possible.
per mortar that has dried out Joint tooling greatly affects
and stiffened, plan ahead: Deter- mortar color by drawing the pig-
mine the size of the mortar batch mented cement paste to the sur-
needed to lay a specific number face, while pushing the sand
of units. down. Consequently, all joints
C o l o re dm o rt a rs h o u l d b em i x e d must be tooled the same way. Be
in a mechanical mixer for at careful not to overtool the joints,
least 5 minutes, until a uniform which can darken mortar color by
color and desired workability are bringing more of the fine pigment
and cement particles to the sur-
face (Ref. 2).
Tool joints when they’re thumb-
print hard. Tooling mortar that is
too soft lightens the joints; tool-
ing mortar that has set too much
darkens them (Ref. 4). In addi-
tion, cover masonry walls at the
end of the day to help prevent
water absorption and resulting ef-
florescence.
Clean with caution
Nine times out of 10, colored
mortar problems result from im-
proper cleaning, according to one
pigment manufacturer.
High-pressure cleaning devices
or strong acid solutions may wash
the cement out of mortar joints,
exposing sand particles and light-
ening the joint color. Avoid dam-
age to the wall by using the least
aggressive cleaning technique
possible, consistent with the unit
manufacturer’s recommendations.
Don’t clean walls too soon. To
prevent the cement paste from be-
ing washed away, allow walls to
cure sufficiently before cleaning be- tion with the job.
gins—generally seven to 14 days.
Avoid acid cleaners when pos- References
sible. Using muriatic acid or a 1. “Mortar Color,” Trowel Tips, 1995, Port-
land Cement Association, 5420 Old Or-
highly concentrated masonry chard Rd., Skokie, IL 60077.
cleaner can degrade the mortar 2. Rod Keehn, “Using Mortar Color Suc-
surface, resultingin a light,grainy cessfully,” Masonry Construction, January
joint with exposed sand particles. 1992, pages 27-29.
Instead, apply a commercially 3. “Mortar and Masonry Grout,” Spec Data
prepared proprietary masonry 4, February 1991, Solomon Grind-Chem
Service Inc., P.O. Box 8288, Springfield, IL
cleaner, following the directions 62791.
for the weakest solution recom- 4. Christine Beall, “Coloring Mortar,” Ma-
mended by the manufacturer. sonry Construction, October 1989, pages
Test cleaner on sample area. 446-449.
Be sure to test the cleaner on a
small trial area of the building. Al-
low the test area to dry before ex-
amining the mortar joint surfaces
for evidence of etching or discol-
oration (Ref. 1).
Prewet the wall. To prevent
damage from chemical cleaners,
prewet a masonry wall with water
before cleaning and rinse it imme-
diately afterward.
Controlling as many variables
as possible on a masonry project PUBLICATION #M960033
will promote mortar color consis- Copyright © 1996, The Aberdeen Group
tency and your overall satisfac- All rights reserved