Masonry Magazine June 2001 Page. 34
Designing with Colored Masonry
By Rich Solomon, Vice President of Salomon Colors
Choosing a mortar color to compliment the wide range of colors found in clay brick, colored block, and stone is a sure way to enhance the appeal of a masonry structure. Brick, colored block, and stone contain thousands of hues, which change throughout the day as the reflection of light is altered by brightness and angle. The same is true of colored mortar. Mortar color should be utilized as a design tool to create a totally different look depending upon the color shade selected. It is important to remember that mortar joints make up 18 to 20% of the wall surface. For this reason the utilization of colored mortar will dramatically change the overall appearance of the structure.
Most people are not aware of the normal variations in regular uncolored mortar. When color is used on a project, the expectations concerning the final outcome are generally heightened. There are many factors that directly impact the appearance of a colored mortar joint besides the addition of iron oxide pigments. Variations in cement, sand, water to cement ratio, rate of hydration, environmental conditions, tooling of the mortar joints, and cleaning procedures can change the appearance of colored mortar. The first step toward achieving a consistent mortar color is using the same ingredients and procedures throughout the job. The following criteria should be considered when specifying and producing a particular mortar shade:
* Cement Shade
* Mortar Mix Design
* Color Pigments
* Masonry Procedures