Best Practices for Using Mortar for Brick Building Products

Most people don’t know how to properly mix mortar for a brick building project. Most of the time we hire professional masons or a general contractor with bricklaying experience. But for those situations where you decide to do-it-yourself, here are some best practices you should follow.

Select the Right Type of Mortar

Most mortar can be broken down into 2 types, Type N Mortar and Type S Mortar. For most DIY projects you will be using Type N Mortar (for more info about the differences between the two, check out this blog post).

Buy Premixed Mortar

Mortar is a carefully measured formula of water, sand, cement and sometimes lime or a plasticizer. Buying premixed mortar takes the guesswork out of mixing the dry parts of the formula, but can be quite expensive if you have a particularly large project.

Use the Right Masonry Tools for the Project

You need to purchase the right tools from a masonry supply store if you don’t already have them. The most important tool being the brick trowel, which is used for laying down and spreading the mortar for the bricks, most experts recommend buying a standard 11-inch brick trowel. Some other tools you should have for all brick building projects are:

• Wheelbarrow – or other large container for mixing the mortar.
• Shovel – for mixing the mortar.
• Bucket – for adding water to the mix. A bucket where you can accurately measure the amount of water you are adding to the mix works best.
• Large Spirit Level – for obvious reasons.
• Jointer – for cleaning up the mortar joints between the bricks.
• Soft Bristled Brush – for wiping away excess mortar and cleaning up the work at the end.

Mix the Mortar Properly

This is where you need to follow the instructions for the mortar mix precisely. Make sure the ratio of water to mix is exact, and slowly add water to the mixture until it is smooth and even. You don’t want the mortar to be too wet or too dry otherwise, the bricks will not set properly.

Practice, Practice, Practice

It is always a good idea to practice laying down the mortar on the bricks. You might consider having some “practice bricks” to use as practice for applying the mortar so that it looks good when finished. Another option is to start using the mortar on a part of the project that will be hidden or less visible so you get the hang of it before getting to the more visible areas.

Bedrock Orlando is Your One-Stop Masonry Supply Store

In addition to a wide variety of brick sizes and styles, Bedrock Orlando provides premixed mortar, sealers, colored mortar mixes, and much more.  Give us a call at (407) 859-1300 or fill our simple online quote form to reach out to one of our masonry supply experts to answer any questions you might have today.