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Colored and textured mortars

Alan

Alan

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Mortar’s not just gray anymore, have you noticed? The new designs are tinted joints and textured finishes are trending for decorative work.

These adds visual depth and can make patterns pop. But long term... Matching color batches later on can be tough, and some pigments fade with UV exposure. So I think if they are interior work, it'll be easier but exterior work will be more difficult in the future.
 
Alan said:
Matching color batches later on can be tough, and some pigments fade with UV exposure.
Click to expand...
oh tell me about it! getting a consistent color across different batches during the initial construction can be difficult, bcsthe final shade is affected by the cement source, sand color, water to cement ratio, environmental conditions, and tooling methods
aaand, matching it later for repairs is even tougher, usually requiring a lab analysis of the original mortar to get close. but the result can be amazing, though
 
Dusting off this thread - shortly I'll be adding a front walkway to my house (new porch went over the top of the old one). The house faces due south, so it gets a lot of sun in the summer. Should I expect a significant fade problem due to UV and heat?
 
Alan said:
Mortar’s not just gray anymore, have you noticed? The new designs are tinted joints and textured finishes are trending for decorative work.

These adds visual depth and can make patterns pop. But long term... Matching color batches later on can be tough, and some pigments fade with UV exposure. So I think if they are interior work, it'll be easier but exterior work will be more difficult in the future.
Click to expand...
I agree, they can look fantastic when done right, especially on decorative brickwork. The long-term color matching outdoors would be my biggest concern too.
 

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