Building mortars are mixtures, used for the joining of bricks and stones.

Definition:- A paste obtained by adding water to a mixture of fine aggregates such as sand and binding material.

The pyramids of the have been built with clay-gypsum, gypsum-lime and lime mortar.

The safety, strength and durability of resulting wall or any structure depends upon quality of mortar used as a binding medium.

Functions of mortar:-

• It provides force or cohesion between the structural unit.
• It acts as a medium for distributing the forces throughout the structure uniformly.
• Additional strength and resistance against the rain penetration and other such weathering agencies.
• In stone or brick masonry, it fills up empty joints, a thin liquid mortar used for such purposes is termed as Grout.

Qualities or properties of mortar:-

• The mortar mix should be workable- easily transported to the place of application.
• It should develop adequate strength in tension, compression and bond for the work for it is used.
• It should capable of retaining sufficient water during it’s application.
• It should be sufficiently plastic easily placed on the bed is construction in the form of thin, smooth and uniform layer.

• It should be durable and strong in itself on drying and hardening at the same time. It should not react in anyway with construction units.
• It should set and garden quickly construction could be done with speed.
• It should not develop any cracks on drying and should be able to maintain their appearance for quite long period.
• It should capable of developing the designed stresses.
• It should be economical to make without compromising on any of the qualities.

Although the terms mortar, cement and concrete may be used interchangeably, each of these materials serve very different functions within the construction industry and are therefore used for different applications. This article will discuss the specific applications in which the construction industry utilizes mortar compared to other materials.

What is Mortar?

Mortar is a construction material comprised of a binding material, aggregate and water. In terms of strength, mortar is considered to be less strong compared to concrete, which is a building material composed of cement, sand and gravel. As a result, mortar is typically used as a binding material for specific purposes, such as the maintenance of a building’s structure or to join bricks together, rather than as a complete building material on its own. Mortar is used for a variety of different applications within the construction industry and has therefore proved to be particularly useful for civil engineering purposes.

Types of Mortar

In order to choose the appropriate type of mortar for a given project, both the specific construction application and the binding material of interest must be considered. The main types of mortar, each of which are named according to the binding material being used, include cement, hydraulic and fat lime, gypsum, gauged, surkhi, aerated cement and mud mortar.

Each type of mortar has different characteristics making them useful for certain projects. For example, cement mortar is associated with a greater level of resistivity and strength against water, whereas hydraulic lime water is particularly suitable for damp areas that are waterlogged. Regardless of what type of mortar is used, the preparation of mortar will typically involve the addition of water to the binding material and fine aggregate to ultimately create a malleable paste.

Applications of Mortar

In addition to classifying mortar by its binding material, it can also be categorized by the specific application it is being used for. These applications include:

Bricklaying Mortar

Bricklaying mortar is most commonly used to bind bricks, stones and concrete blocks together for masonry projects. Bricklaying mortar can also be used as a bed to support these building materials from bearing an uneven weight distribution onto each other as the structure is being built.

Finishing Mortar

For construction projects that require plastering, as well as those looking to add a certain aesthetically pleasing appearance to the structure, finishing mortar is typically used. Finishing mortar, which will often utilize lime and/or cement as the binding material, is used to increase the strength and mobility of a structure, as well as improve its resistance against damaging environmental incidents like rain and wind.

Thinset Mortar

Thinset mortar can be used as a glue-like structure for projects that require ceramic or stone installation.

Advancements in Mortar Technology

In an effort to improve the ease of handling mortar on the construction site, BASF has recently introduced their newest low dust repair mortars known as MasterEmaco T1060DR and 1061DR. BASF anticipates their low dust mortars to be particularly useful for the construction of both interior and exterior horizontal concrete surfaces, as well as during the repair of both full and partial structural concrete materials.