Bostik Colours for Cement, For Concrete, Mortar, Render and Screeds, Available in 5 Intermixable Colours, For Interior and Exterior Use, Colour: Buff, Size: 1kg

Product Information

This may take a day or so but you will need to be patient as each one needs to be fully dried to get an exact colour. It’s no coincidence that both the colour of most standard mortars and cement is a grey’ish colour. This is due to the fact that the grey colour-tones of the cement go a fair way into the overall colour of the mortar. As we have mentioned above, the real key to matching mortar colour is to work out exactly what type of sand was originally used.

Now pour some clean, fresh water into both the containers. This will help to dilute the remaining acid in both, making it weaker and less hazardous. Put a lid on the container with your waste acid and put this to one side for now. Step 6 – Drain off Sand Solution But with a 4:1 mix and standard Blue Circle cement, both come out largely grey (the golden sand comes out a lighter grey). Firstly, start with a 3:1 mix (3 sand to 1 cement) and then a 3½:1 (3½ sand to 1 cement), then a 4:1 mix (4 sand to 1 cement), then a 4½:1 mix (4½ sand to 1 cement) and so on, all the way up to a 6:1 mix. Once dried, simply hold your sample board up to the existing mortar and look along the line until you spot a close or identical colour match and this will indicate the mix ratio to go for. Now that you know exactly how to create some test mixes and compare to your existing mortar to find a colour match, it’s now just a question of getting it done, but before you make a start there are a few further points to be aware of:The slight differences in mortar colour may not be such a major concern on newer properties as often the mortar colour can be matched fairly closely, but as said in older properties that may be several hundred years old, matching mortar colour can be a nightmare.

In short, yes, the colour of the cement that used in a mortar mix does have an effect on its overall colour. When it comes to lime, traditionally, this would have been used in place of cement as it does exactly the same job e.g. binds materials together, but it also has the added benefit of making a mortar mix breathable and more flexible. The next part is a waiting game! You will need to leave the solution for 2-3 days for the Muratic Acid to get to work on the on the cement and dissolve it (and also any lime that may also be present). However, if the mortar is very light in colour then this suggests that either a white cement (aka Snowcrete) or lime has been used. Ask if you can have a small sample of each so that you can run some colour matching experiments (more on this later). Its boring and time consuming, but if you do not want your repairs to stand out a mile off, it has to be done!Our cement plasticiser range includes Bond It’s Water-Resistant Plasticiser which improves the workability of concrete and mortar in its wet state whilst also doubling as a cement waterproofer. The Sealoproof Cement Waterproofer creates a durable waterproof finish while also acting as a cement and render retarder to slow down the setting process, whilst Sealomix’s Mortar Plasticiser supplies added strength to concrete and adds frost-resistance against freezing and thawing. This is also the case for your test mixes, so when measuring quantities for each mix component use a set size object such as a measuring jug or cut down soft drink bottle, filling each one to the brim each time and then levelling it off. Under no circumstances should you ever change the cement to sand ratio of a mortar mix for a new mix so that it’s different from any existing mortar just to ensure a colour match! This may affect structural integrity On the topic of light coloured mortar, did you know you can also get white cement? If not, indeed you can. White cement is created using raw materials that don’t contain any (or at least very little) manganese or iron, the components that give traditional cement its grey colouring. For this reason it is fairly essential that you identify and use the same sand that was used for the original mortar, although often this isn’t always possible as pits, mines and quarries close or run out of materials, local suppliers shut down, sand supplies are sourced from abroad etc.

Accelerators help to speed up the setting and hardening process of cement and mortar, whilst retarders slow it down. If you’re looking for a concrete waterproofer additive, many of our accelerators, retarders and plasticisers include waterproofing and frost-proofing qualities as an added benefit. As the name suggests, muriatic acid is in fact hydrochloric acid which is very dangerous. At all times during this experiment you should wear old clothes, chemical resistant gloves made from PVC or Butyl rubber and at minimum eye protection, preferably full facial protection. From concrete plastisicers and mortar water proofers to cement accelerators, retarders, dyes and everything in between, we’ve got it at Selco. If you have gotten to this point, done a vast array of test mixes, tried every dye, tone and tint you can find and still cannot get a match there is yet still more hope! As we have mentioned, as the sand used in a mix makes up the bulk of the actual mix itself, it has the greatest effect on the overall colour, so to get a good match, it’s really essential to identify it.While waiting for your test mixes to dry you can still do some preliminary tests by giving a section of your existing mortar a good soaking with some water. This should then reflect the damp drying state of your test mixes Your property may have been built from a local sand or it may have been imported by a developer who got a great deal from a quarry further afield. Essentially, there is no science involved in matching a sand and cement mix to that of your existing wall or property, it’s really just a question of trial and error and also possibly a little research. Before we actually start looking at mortar and cement colour matching techniques, it’s important to understand exactly why mortar and cement colours can vary so drastically.