How to make a white mortar for laying bricks? How to make white seams in brickwork? White masonry mortar for facing bricks

All currently existing masonry mixtures are a special type of building material that is widely used for masonry or wall cladding using individual elements, including various types of bricks. To make a durable and high-quality masonry, it is necessary to take into account the characteristic features of the composition of different types of mixtures, properly prepare the working solution and follow the application technology.

High-quality masonry mixtures are special complexes capable of forming a ready-to-use, durable, elastic, high-performance mortar suitable for construction or finishing work with a water seal. The components of dry mixes, as a rule, do not differ much, and are presented:

• a binder, which can be either natural clay or cement;
• the main component in the form of fractionated sand or expanded clay concrete;
• solvent in the form of pure water;
• various additional mineral components.

If there is a need to obtain a brick masonry mixture that optimally matches the color scheme with the masonry being performed, a variety of natural dyes and pigmenting substances are used.

Selection principles

The key task of the masonry mortar is to perform a connecting function between all elements of the structure being erected, and the choice of mixture should be based on the obligatory consideration of the following principles:

• the composition of the working solution for performing work in summer and winter has certain differences;
• when choosing a mixture, it is necessary to take into account the location of the object, since underground and above-ground work is carried out using solutions of different composition;
• clinker brick laying is carried out by means of a working solution of a special composition;
• in the construction of stove or fireplace structures, the use of cement mortars must be excluded.

The type of binder included in the standard solution allows you to determine the type of hardening, which can be either hydraulic or air. If there is one binder component, then we have a simple mixture, represented by lime and cement compositions. The presence of several binders is a sign of a complex masonry mixture, which can have high plasticity and successfully resist cracking under the influence of negative external factors.

When finished is needed
masonry mortar for bricks

Main types

To date, the initial parameters of the mortar make it possible to subdivide all masonry building and finishing mixtures into several main types.

color mixture

Facing activities using bricks often involve the use of colored mixtures. Such compositions have certain advantages, and the standard composition includes fine-grained inorganic components in the form of lime or cement, water and colored fillers. The finished mixture is characterized by filling with a mineral dye, based on iron oxide. The total volume of dyes should not exceed 8% by weight of the entire solution. A high-quality color mixture can be represented by the following main components:

• cement brand M500, which reduces the release of salts and gives the masonry optimal strength;
• fractionated washed sand, excluding the presence of clay and impurities;
• mineral-type colored pigment components that provide sufficient resistance to adverse weather factors for long-term operation and give an aesthetic appearance;
• additives of a polymeric nature, providing high strength and water resistance.

The use of color mixtures allows a harmonious combination of the color of the brick with the coloring of the seams. When making it yourself, you need to remember that only white cement is added to obtain light tones, and gray cements should be added to achieve a dark shade.

Self-made mixtures

In order to personally prepare the most simple and popular mortar for laying building bricks, you need to prepare:

The preparation technology is simple and consists in adding cement and sand to a small amount of filtered water, thoroughly stirring and adding the remaining water. The resulting mixture should be stirred for about three to four minutes. It is important to remember that the sand used for the preparation of mixtures must be screened, and large volumes of masonry require the use of a concrete mixer.

The composition, optimal in consistency, has a characteristic uniformity and elasticity. Works with silicate or ceramic bricks are carried out with cement-sand mortars.

Self-calculation of consumption

Step-by-step calculation of the flow rate allows you to get the most accurate amount of solution with minimal errors. First you need to calculate the masonry area, excluding the area of ​​​​door and window openings, and then calculate the amount of mortar based on each cubic meter of area - a third of a cubic meter of the mixture.

For example: the task is to build a one-story building, with a wall length of 15 m and a ceiling height of 3.4 m. The presence of seven windows measuring 1.8 x 1.2 m and a pair of doorways 2.1 x 1.3 m.

An independent calculation of masonry with an outer thickness of 64 cm and an inner thickness of 25 cm will be as follows:

• determine the total volume of the outer walls: (4 walls x 15 m x 3.4 m - 7 windows x 1.8 m x 1.2 m - 2 doors x 2.1 m x 1.3 m) x 0.64 m;
• determine the total volume of the internal walls: (42 m x 3.4 m - 5 x 2 x 1.3) x 0.25 m;
• we calculate the ratio of aggregates and binders 4:1;
• calculate the amount of cement.

As a rule, the following proportions are used when mixing:

• one part of cement;
• three parts of seeded sand;
• ½ part water.

For the preparation of the most common brands of mortar, the following proportions of sand and cement are recommended:

• 5:1 for the manufacture of grade M25;
• 4:1 for the manufacture of brand M50;
• 3:1 for the manufacture of brand M75;

For example, to prepare M25, you need to mix 2 tons of sifted sand, 0.26 tons of M400 cement and add 350 liters of water. The ratio may vary depending on many factors, including soil and climatic conditions and the location of the work. Clinker facing bricks need compositions with increased viscosity. It is possible to increase the strength of the lime mortar by means of hammer slag. Properly prepared mixture spreads rather slowly.

Consumption standards

Depending on the indicators of the thickness of the brickwork, the standard norms for the consumption of working material may vary.

Most often, the M50, M75, M100, M125, M150 and M200 grades are used for brickwork.

According to SP 82-101-98, when preparing mortars for brickwork, you need to focus on certain parameters. A tabular example of obtaining a cubic meter of a working composition using a concrete mixer with a capacity of 200 liters.

SP 82-101-98. Preparation and application of building solutions

To increase the strength, it is advisable to add a plasticizer, which saves about ten percent of cement. As a result, there is no delamination, and it becomes much easier to apply the composition.

If there is a need to color, then the pigments are pre-diluted in a small amount of warm water, and then added to the first portion of the composition for the concrete mixer. In the same portion, it is necessary to add standard additives, represented by modifiers, plasticizers and hardeners. The correct ratio is always prescribed by the manufacturer of building materials on the packaging or in the attached instructions.

Features of traditional masonry

The technological processes and the principle are based on certain key parameters, including the thickness of the masonry:

• in half a brick - the thickness is 12 cm;
• in one brick - the thickness is 25-26 cm;
• one and a half bricks - the thickness is 38 cm;
• in two bricks - thickness 58 cm;
• in two and a half - the thickness is 64 cm.

Building ceramic blocks are installed on a layer of special mortar or bed. The same mixture is used to fill the gaps or seams between the elements. The standard thickness of the filler should not exceed a centimeter. Specialists in the field of finishing and construction work practice several types of laying elements, but the most common and simplest option is the chain construction of walls. The following masonry options can also be used:

• solid view;
• with four-row dressing of seams;
• with an air layer;
• well.

The choice of construction method depends on the height of the structure, its purpose, quality characteristics and dimensions of the building material.

Tools Used

To build high-quality walls or perform aesthetic cladding, it is very important to take care of having a complete set of tools.

When working, you will need to use:

If necessary, it is necessary to prepare in advance scaffolding or any devices that allow you to safely and efficiently carry out all construction or finishing work at a sufficient height.

Step-by-step instruction

It is important to note that it is necessary to lay the elements, regardless of the parameters of the structure being built, from the corners, observing a simple technology.

Step 1. Take a couple of bricks and place them, observing a right angle, on the foundation base, checking the accuracy of the location with a building triangle.

Step 2 Lay the next pair of elements, and then lay two more bricks on the resulting group of four bricks, which will allow the next row to overlap the previous row.

Step 3 Having brought the plot into three elements, you need to carry out the same work on the other corner, using the ordering and pulling the moorings, which will allow you to orient the rows strictly horizontally. Lacing should be located approximately every 5 m, without sagging.

Single-row masonry involves the construction of the beginning of the outer wall, and then the inner, after which the backfill is laid. The implementation of multi-row masonry consists in the arrangement of blocks in a mixed or stepped way.

Rules for applying the solution

Today, in the conditions of modern brick construction, several effective methods of applying the working solution are used. With self-laying, it is enough to choose the most convenient option.

First way

Step 1. Lift the element previously laid on a dry surface with your left hand.

Step 2 Using your right hand, apply the solution to the styling area and smooth it with your fingers to the optimum thickness.

Step 3 With your left hand, lower the brick into the water and lay a small amount of mortar on the side.

Step 4 Lay the element on the "bed" and press, slowly moving back and forth, which helps to obtain a thin seam.

Second way

Step 1. Lay the element on the working solution distributed over the surface.

Step 2 Raising the back of the brick, lower its front side in such a way that the forward movement causes the set of the bonding face of the mixture.

Step 3 With both hands, move and press the brick to the adjacent element, squeezing out the excess amount of mortar.

Third way

Step 1. Gently but thoroughly soak the brick in warm water.

Step 2 Apply a slide of the solution to a well-moistened surface.

Step 3 Apply the mixture to the end part, then lay the brick and press it, moving it back and forth with both hands.

The laying of every third or fourth row must necessarily end with the filling of the seam space, which will make it possible to obtain more attractive seams, and also helps to increase their resistance to temperature changes. Among other things, such an event is aimed at a kind of prevention of damage to the structure as a result of the negative effects of moisture. The only option when it is allowed to neglect such a procedure is to finish the wall with plaster.

It should be noted that it is necessary to control the quality of laying almost constantly, and each square meter of the erected surface must be checked for the correctness of corner joints, verticality and horizontality indicators using a plumb line, building level and square. It is strictly forbidden to shift the laid elements after the solution has solidified.

If it is impossible to make a mortar on your own, you can use ready-made compositions from such well-established manufacturers as Osnovit-Brikform, Knauf, PKF Stroybeton, Rusean, Vilis, PERFEKTA and DAUER.

Video - Masonry mix for bricks

Video - Bricklaying with colored masonry mortar

They think about the decoration of the brickwork seams even before construction. In most cases, they are performed in a shade different from the natural color of the cement mortar. It is selected depending on the brick used, which can be ordered at msm62.ru/katalog/kirpich.html. But the most popular is the white seam.

Options for obtaining a white seam in brickwork

There are quite a few ways to get a white seam, the most common of which are:

• Adding lime directly to the masonry mortar. But the mixture in this case is not completely snow-white, but closer to a light gray tint. Some experts argue that after heavy rains, lime streaks can form on the brick.
• Use of special color tints for solutions. The result may not live up to expectations. Their use cannot 100% guarantee a snow-white shade, since the slightest inconsistency in the technology of their preparation leads to color distortion.
• Use special white cement and quartz sand (also white) to prepare the masonry mortar. The process of laying bricks must be approached with the utmost responsibility - to exclude the slightest contamination of the building material with mortar and to remove its excess from the intermediate seams in time.

But it is best to purchase a white dry mix, designed specifically for grouting the exterior joints of brickwork.

Features of the mixture and grouting technique

Finished compositions are characterized by increased resistance to humidity, temperature changes and other negative natural phenomena. They do not fade under the influence of direct sunlight, quickly set and are an environmentally friendly material.

There are 2 grouting methods:

1. Sunken - all seams are filled with the finished composition and the remains of the mixture are removed with the help of an arcuate device. When pulling, the tool should be located with an arc inside the seam.
2. Convex - after filling the horizontal joints with a solution, the device is placed with an arc towards itself and pulled along the seam. Grouting of vertical grooves can only be started after the mixture has set in horizontal ones.

Grouting is carried out after the masonry mortar has completely dried. Before work, the seams must be abundantly moistened for better adhesion of the prepared composition with the dried solution.

A private house made of red brick with white seams looks impressive, voluminous and expensive. This is a classic version of the design of the facade, which you can do yourself. White seams set off the stone, highlighting its texture, size, clarity of lines. The only disadvantage of the color solution is the fragility of the visual effect, over time it acquires a grayish tint. It is created using grouts or a solution of the desired color. The finished mixture can be purchased at a hardware store or made by hand with the addition of white sand and lime. Best of all, light seams are combined with brown, red and other dark bricks.

The value of the color solution in a brick wall

The white seam of the brickwork is used to enhance the decorative effect. With its help, the texture, color, material of the stone is emphasized. It sets off every element and makes the dark brick house more presentable. The expressiveness of the texture is emphasized by the shade of the seam. The combination with red in construction has always been considered a classic. A gray or black seam blends in with the elements and does not visually set off brown or other dark building materials. At the same time, the brick facade looks dull.

It is important to consider that light seams quickly become dirty and gray. For a visual effect, it needs to be updated regularly.

White accentuates red, brown and black bricks. A similar effect is mainly used for exterior decoration, but is also found in the interior decor of rooms with a brick wall. When building a fireplace with this combination, one should be aware of the impracticality of a light shade and its possible early pollution. It is enough to apply a solution of this color so that the surface of the building looks unusual and without the use of mosaics or sculpting. Light seams in brickwork are found during construction:

This design of the seams adorns the brick fence.

• private houses;
• non-residential objects (for example, courtyard buildings);
• fences;
• columns and other architectural structures.

What solution is needed?

White mortar for laying bricks can be purchased at the store in a finished version or made by hand. It consists of white sand, lime and cement. Plus, special impurities are added to this for the strength of the masonry. It perfectly sets off the masonry in brown, enhancing texture and scale. There is a wide range of ready-made mixtures on the market that do not require additional components and guarantee the purity of the color. It is important to remember that in the manufacture of the mortar, one should be attentive to the concentration of ingredients, which affects the strength and reliability of the masonry.

The material for the construction of a country house is often brick. It looks very elegant, while it also has a lot of useful properties - for example, it retains heat well in the finished building. And even the finishing brick also brings considerable benefits, besides, it also performs an aesthetic function. And to make the house even prettier, you can add additional decorative elements to the walls. For example, grouting brickwork looks spectacular, and, as it turned out, brings considerable benefits.

Grouting the joints of brickwork is the alignment of the joints formed during the laying of bricks, their decorative design, possibly applying an additional layer of mortar of a different color, which will effectively emphasize the correctness of the lines and the accuracy of the masonry itself. This is a kind of wall decoration, thanks to which they will become more expressive and neat. The grout unites the horizontal and vertical seams, formed during the bricklaying process, into a single whole.

Grouting brickwork is necessary not only to decorate the facade of the house. It makes the masonry more resistant to weather conditions, increases its tightness, and increases the service life of the entire structure. That is, it increases the density and strength of the masonry seam and allows you to give clarity to its pattern.

On a note! Grouting is not always able to improve the appearance of the masonry. If the work on the construction of a brick wall was carried out negligently and carelessly, then the curvature of the joints and walls, unremoved pieces of excess cement and other shortcomings will not be corrected even by the best and neatly applied grout mixture.

The main purposes of using grout or jointing.

1. Improving the appearance of the facade of the house. The use of grout mixtures that have different shades (and their color scheme is quite rich) can emphasize the accuracy of bricklaying. Contrasting shades are often used, for example, light-colored grout looks good in combination with dark brick and vice versa.
2. Grouting will protect the joints of the cement mortar from moisture, which will significantly improve its service life, as well as the house and walls in general.
3. The indicators of heat and sound insulation of walls made of bricks are significantly increased due to grouting.

Where can stitching be used? After all, it is not always possible to see houses with such decoration, which means that theoretically it is possible to do without it? Grouting is necessary if the walls of the brick house will not be further lined or plastered.

Advice! If the walls of the house will be made using grouting, then during the laying it is necessary to use only whole and neat bricks without flaws. And the seams between individual bricks should be of the same thickness, although some craftsmen make horizontal ones a little thicker than vertical ones - this is a kind of design move. In general, according to the requirements of SNIP, the thickness of the seam layer of brickwork should be as follows: vertical seams from 8 to 15 mm, horizontal - from 10 to 15 mm.

Grouting is suitable for any type of brick - building, facing. The main thing is that the bricks themselves should be beautiful if grouting work is planned specifically for an aesthetic purpose. It looks very good both on the facade walls of the house and inside the room. Also, grouting natural stone masonry can be an excellent option.

Grouting methods

Grouting brickwork can be done in several ways. The effect that will be given to the walls of the building will depend on this. Let's get acquainted with the most popular of these methods.

Table. Seam grouting methods.

What is used for grouting

What may be needed to grout joints between bricks? Not as much as it might seem. Firstly, you need the grouting solution itself, the creation of which we will talk about a little later. Secondly, we need the tools with which all the work will be done.

For grouting you will need:

• spatula (trowel);
• "Turntable" for a puncher or a construction mixer;
• the puncher itself is directly for working with the "turntable";
• fine sieve for sifting sand;
• container for mixing the solution;
• jointing of such a size that its width is equal to the width of the seam between two bricks. If the vertical and horizontal seams have different widths, then two types of this device will be needed.

Note that the main tools that may be used are listed here. But in some cases, they may not be useful at all. For example, if it is not planned to make a figured gap, then you can simply remove fresh excess cement during masonry with a trowel.

We prepare the solution

The color of the grout solution is determined after the masonry is fully completed. But in general, you can choose the color scheme even at the stage of choosing a brick. It is better to buy materials that are as close as possible to each other in color, they should be in harmony with each other, and not cause a desire to immediately look away from the wall of the house. But often designers experiment with a combination of two bright contrasting colors, and such experiments often look very impressive and beautiful.

On a note! If there was no color scheme of the desired color, then you can wipe the seams with an ordinary cement-sand mortar. In any case, it will look pretty, as it has a grayish natural color, in harmony with all other shades.

To prepare the mixture itself, with the help of which the joints on the brickwork will be grouted, the following components will be needed:

• high quality cement - 4 buckets;
• clean fine sand - 2 buckets;
• dry ready-mix for grouting;
• clean water - about 6 liters.

Note: The amounts of materials are approximate, but will allow you to roughly calculate the costs.

To prepare the solution, it is necessary to carefully sift the sand with a fine sieve, remove large fractions and possible debris from it. One part of the entire sifted material must then be mixed with two parts of dry cement, after which a little water is added to this composition and everything is mixed to a thick mixture of a homogeneous consistency with a construction mixer. Then the grout mixture, water is added, again everything is thoroughly mixed.

The finished mixture must be allowed to brew. After the solution swells a little, having absorbed the liquid, it is mixed again. Everything, the solution is ready for use.

Quick Mix series VK 01 — Masonry mortar with track for face brick

The process of grouting brickwork may be monotonous, but quite simple. Any person can carry it out, so the owner of a suburban area will be able to cope with this task on his own.

On a note! It is important to carry out grouting work only when the bricklaying is fully completed. Otherwise, there is a risk of ruining all your work. At the same time, it is important to take into account the weather conditions during the work, the humidity and the quality of the materials used for grouting - all this will significantly affect the quality of the entire work.

Step 1. Grouting of masonry joints should be carried out on a clean and prepared surface, it is even desirable that the cement mortar has already been dried. First of all, the surface of the seams is cleaned with a brush from debris.

Step 2 Then the seams are washed with ordinary clean water from a hose. In addition, this procedure will make it so that the brick itself does not draw water from the cement mixture.

Step 3 The solution for grouting is prepared according to all the rules.

Attention! If you use a ready-made mixture for grouting, then you need to prepare it as it is written on the package. The above instructions are only a rough guide.

Step 4 The prepared mixture is placed on a large spatula, which is then attached close to the seam. With the help of narrow jointing, the mixture is gently but quickly applied to horizontal seams, in the process, slightly pressing into the gap to remove air from the cavity.

Step 5 Vertical seams are easy to fill if you hold a little mixture in the palm of your hand. By the way, builders are advised to first fill the vertical seams and only then move on to the horizontal ones.

Step 6 After filling the joints with grout, its residues are removed with a brush. The work has been completed.

Attention! After applying the solution to the seams, it is important to immediately remove its excess, if any. Otherwise, they will freeze and spoil all the work. And you can form the shape of the seams when the solution grabs a little.

Video - Method for grouting brickwork

Grouting old masonry

Grouting can be done not only on fresh masonry. Using this method, you can improve the appearance of an old brick building. This is especially true if the solution in the gaps has already begun to collapse, which worsens the thermal insulation of the entire structure.

If grouting is done on old brickwork, then you must first remove part of the old mortar (about 1-2 cm). This is done with a chisel and a hammer. You can also wash out the remnants of the old solution using a special apparatus that acts on the masonry with a powerful jet of water (for example, a mini high-pressure cleaner).

Without understanding what kind of architectural element it is, when it is needed and what requirements are put forward for it. Only taking into account these data, it is possible to choose the optimal brick for the base, take into account all the parameters and performance characteristics.

And finally - a few tips and secrets that will help improve the quality of work performed.

Grouting brickwork is one of the most durable ways to design the appearance of a brick wall of the facade. It looks very impressive, and all the work is easy to carry out on your own, without resorting to the help of specialists. And this is undoubtedly a huge plus.

Brickwork is often used as a way of facing the walls of buildings for various purposes. For these purposes, a special facing brick with high aesthetic characteristics is used, however, the gray masonry mortar does not add beauty to the walls. To give the facade an impeccable look, it is advisable to arrange the seams between the bricks - make them colored! The white seam in the masonry is especially in demand. Let's take a look at a few ways to get this.

Basic Methods

Masonry mortar is a mixture of building components and water. As a rule, it is gray in color. Accordingly, to get a colored or white seam, you can go in two ways:

1. Color the solution itself in different ways.
2. Use colored grout for seams.

Both methods have their own characteristics that must be taken into account when making a decision.

Mortar coloring

This method is good in that it reduces the complexity of the work - a white seam in the brickwork is obtained directly during the construction of the facing structure.

In order for the cement mortar to turn white, it is necessary to add coloring components to it. They may be:

• slaked lime, which, as you know, increases the plasticity of the solution and improves its performance properties;
• colored masonry colors are one way to give the cement mortar any shade. The point is that expectations may not be met - strict observance of the proportions of the preparation of the mixture is required, the best effect is achieved when using special white cement, against which the color will be most visible;
• titanium oxide is a universal bleach that can perfectly lighten the cement mass.

The listed components will help to make a white seam during masonry, which will save time and labor costs, but you will have to pay for it - additives are needed in significant quantities, which increases the cost of the working material.

The best option is to use titanium oxide. This component is not washed out and does not affect the strength of the wall in any way. In addition, you will not have to wait for unpleasant surprises from the solution - delamination, the formation of efflorescence (as when lime is added).

Cooking and laying

To make the masonry mortar white and reduce material consumption, masons use 2 types of working mixture at the same time - classic and colored.

Cement-sand mortar of gray color is prepared according to traditional technology. It is placed on the invisible part of the masonry.

To make a white mixture, you need to prepare:

1. white cement brand M500 - 1 part;
2. titanium oxide (white) - no more than 10% of the amount of cement;
3. sand - 3 parts;
4. water as needed.

The dye is dissolved in water and sand is mixed with cement, or the dry component is mixed with a binder before mixing with liquid.

A house made of red or brown bricks with white joints can be tiled using exclusively white mortar or laid only on the outside of the masonry surface.

Grouting

The essence of this method is the processing of formed gray seams with colored compounds.

Grout Benefits:

• the possibility of giving the masonry any color;
• a wide selection of dry color mixes;
• protection of the seam from an aggressive external environment, waterproofing and strengthening;
• the seam can be updated, change the color of the grout;
• the cost of the material is much lower than the coloring of the solution itself.

The disadvantage is the complexity of the work, grouting is carried out separately after the construction of the structure.

You can make a brick seam white or colored using different mixtures:

• cement-based - the most common, suitable for indoor and outdoor use;
• on epoxy resin - grout for interior spaces. Such a coating can be washed, cleaned, it is not afraid of water and high humidity.

Cement grouts are sold as a dry mix. It is enough to dilute them with water in the proportion declared on the label to obtain a white or colored solution.

There is another way - the use of color, which is injected into the cement mixture.

How to make grout

A house made of brown bricks with white seams or red masonry cladding with jointing of the same color - there are many options for decorating the facade. But the difference is not only in the chosen color, but also in the shape of the seam created by the bricklayer. It depends on the shape of the tool used for decoration.

For stitching you will need:

• spatula long;
• narrow stitching.

Work algorithm:

1. The masonry is cleaned of dust and other contaminants.
2. The seams at the place of work are moistened - this will help to achieve high adhesion of the grout and the base.
3. Prepare the solution according to the instructions. The mixing of the components must be carried out using a metal sieve and a construction mixer.
4. A mortar is applied to the spatula along the entire length, the tool is pressed tightly against the edge of the lower brick.
5. Using a joint of the desired shape, push a small amount of grout into the joint and rub in the mixture.

Work should be carried out in sections, timely wetting the surface. It is important to immediately remove excess grout from the brick before it sets.

To paint or not

Dark brick with white seams looks solemn, this is a classic version of the design of the facade. And it doesn't matter if brown or red stone is used - a gray mortar of cement and sand definitely does not decorate the facade.

When choosing a method of staining seams, you should rely on 2 main factors:

• construction timeline. If they are tight, it is optimal to paint the masonry mortar;
• financial opportunities. In this case, you should calculate the amount of work on painting and grouting and choose the appropriate option.

It should be noted that mashing will require not only material, but also a labor resource. However, the work can be done independently, without using the services of specialists.