Amerimix Blog
The Importance of Sand and Mortar Consistency
Today’s topic is sand and mortar consistency. Achieving a successful mortar mix is all about maintaining consistency from batch to batch. Consistency equals success.
Understanding Sand Variability
You may have excellent sand, but its condition can vary greatly. It might be soaking wet, bone dry, or full of debris. These variables must be considered before mixing your mortar.
Think about sand at the beach or in a sandbox. You can clump it together because of the moisture content. This moisture varies, and while it might not be noticeable in everyday life, it’s critical on a construction site. Sand is a key component of masonry mortar, and its moisture content can fluctuate significantly. For example, sand might have 5% moisture one moment, and after a thunderstorm, it could jump to 10%.
Why Moisture Consistency Matters
You might wonder why this matters. The answer is simple: your wall cares. Inconsistent moisture in the sand can lead to visible issues in the finished mortar. Customers might notice variations in color, from light to dark, or even areas where the mortar crumbles easily. These issues often stem from varying moisture levels in the sand.
The Solution: Dried Sand
So, what can you do? You can’t control the weather or put a dome over your sand pile. The solution is to use dried sand. Dried sand pours out like sugar and doesn’t clump, ensuring consistent moisture levels.
At Amerimix, we pre-dry and blend our sands to create products like our Type S mortar. This means that when you get to the job site, you only need to add water. This consistency from bag to bag ensures reliable results every time.
Conclusion
In the end, it’s all in the sand. By using pre-dried sand, you can achieve consistent, high-quality mortar mixes that perform reliably on the job site.