Q&A for How to Mix Mortar

A good mortar mix should have the same consistency as peanut butter, but that can change depending on the brand, as different manufacturers have different setting instructions.

Yes, you can! The process is rather simple, but most people ignore the instructions and estimate the proportions. Don't fall for that trap. Just follow the instructions on the bag and you should have no problems.

Dry mortar is itself a mix of Portland cement, lime, and sand. Adding more cement to that would change the properties of the final mortar. There's no need to add cement to a dry mortar mix—just buy the type of mix that you need for your project.

No, there isn't really a substitute for lime in masonry work. You don't have to use lime, but it's recommended to improve the workability of your mortar.

Add a little more dry mix to thicken it up. Always add water slowly to avoid adding too much.

Your recipe isn't the same every batch, or you're adding too much water.

A mortar of lime and sand will work well for practice, but doesn't have as much stickiness to it for a long term fix.

Use a double washed river sand available in 20kg bags from your local hardware store. If you've got a massive job on, river sand or "builder's sand" available for bulk delivery from many landscape supply companies will be cheaper.

A part in measurement varies, bricklayers use shovel fulls, 3 shovels sand to 1 shovel cement, but could be tablespoons or gallons, etc.

No. Mortar that has become hard has already been through the bonding process and is now unusable. It would be far too much hassle to break it down anyway. Just start again with a fresh batch.

The old mortar must be wet and clean for the new mortar to stick. Dry mortar will suck the water out and it will not have enough time to bond. Consider mixing some "cement all" into the mix because "cement all" sticks well to old cements and mortars.

Yes, the basecoat for plaster interior walls is mortar. It wouldn't hold up if it was an exterior wall.

I laid 40 bricks with a 60-pound bag of mortar and still had a little left in the bag, so shoot for 250 - 300 lbs.

Yes, the same rules for laying brick and block can be used for laying stone. Stone is harder than brick, supports more weight and is more durable.

Dry Mortar is normally gray and you have to buy the color separately and mix it in. Pre-mixed "wet" mortars that come in a plastic gallon pail come in different colors, but are acrylic and tend to take weeks to harden, shrink and crack and need to be protected from rain, so they are avoided by most professionals.

Yes, but you may be better off laying the pavers on sand alone. They can be bedded to a level and the sand helps with drainage. Brush sand into the joints, or leave them open to finish. Cement is very hard, and the way it forces water into more porous materials like stone can be damaging.

You can but it has to be kept completely dry. Even the moisture in the air can get into the mix and start setting it. I've had some success mixing batches and keeping it in rubble sacks but the mix won't last forever.