Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Aug 19, 2009 9:04 pm Hi all, Our bricks will be the Boral Mist (light grey colour) and we wanted to have mortar that could add some contrast to the bricks. I asked my builder to use off-white assuming that it will add the contrast we need, but they add white sand with grey cement for the mortar. What's the difference between these two colours ? One more thing, is it better to get plain white mortar instead ? What are the advantages and disadvantages of it ? Cheers Re: Difference between off-white & 'white sand and grey cement ? 2Aug 20, 2009 11:41 am The difference is that they use white cement AND white sand to get a white mortar. Our builder uses 'off white' as their standard mortar colour- which is white sand with normal cement. Our bricks are Austral Nougat (which is a pale silvery grey) and originally I wanted a super white mortar to make them really stand out. But $$$ (as it was a fair bit more) stopped me. Now I don't think they look too bad with off white mortar. http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/megsyg/IMG_0377.jpg Building a Modified Lawson Modern 29 @ Botanic Ridge, Cranbourne South, Victoria Re: Difference between off-white & 'white sand and grey cement ? 3Aug 20, 2009 11:58 am My brickies used a pre-mixed cement and lime in 'off white', with a creamy coloured sand to get off white mortar. No grey at all. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Here is the sand pile: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Henley - Wilshire Mk 3 ... I love my house!! Site start: 4th Feb 09 Handover: 10th Sep 09 Blog: http://stormygirlscastle.blogspot.com/ Build Thread: viewtopic.php?t=7166 Re: Difference between off-white & 'white sand and grey cement ? 4Aug 20, 2009 1:59 pm Often to get a nice creamy colour like in the picture that Stormy shows, the brickie will use a cement called "Brighton Lite". If you use Brighton Lite plus yellow sand, you get creamy mortar. If you use it with white sand, you get a whiter mortar. We are using it with yellow sand and our builder is charging us $1,085 (for a house with about 10,000 bricks in it). But I think the amount charged by different builders varies alot. Re: Difference between off-white & 'white sand and grey cement ? 5Aug 20, 2009 5:27 pm Hi there, check out viewtopic.php?f=31&t=22258 for our off white mortar with the nougat bricks. I think brickies used yellow sand with white cement. Cheers. Re: Difference between off-white & 'white sand and grey cement ? 6Aug 20, 2009 9:58 pm meghan The difference is that they use white cement AND white sand to get a white mortar. Our builder uses 'off white' as their standard mortar colour- which is white sand with normal cement. [/img] My builder uses the same. White sand and grey cement for their standard range. The problem is, they have another choice called Off-white, which makes the statement above obsolete. Can anybody clarify please ? Re: Difference between off-white & 'white sand and grey cement ? 7Oct 11, 2009 4:25 pm Bringing this thread back to life because now I'm confused lol All a long I have won't off white mortar. At colours I said I wanted off white mortar and my admin person pointed to the one on my selections sheet and it says: " Grey - (Grey Cement & off white sand)" And I looked at her really dumb and said, ummm that says grey I want off white mortar. She said, yes its off white because they use off white mortar. Is she playing me??? Am I going to get off white mortar with that... or am I going to get grey mortar?? Can anyone help me? Deposits paid 29/4/09 Land settlement 12/08/09 Build contract signed 24/08/09 Colours done 28/09/09 BLOG-http://www.eljaysbuild.blogspot.com/ Re: Difference between off-white & 'white sand and grey cement ? 8Oct 12, 2009 6:45 am We have Off White mortar, Eljay. The brickies used grey cement and bright white sand. When they were done the wet mortar was dark grey but it dried up in a very light colour. Re: Difference between off-white & 'white sand and grey cement ? 9Oct 12, 2009 12:34 pm Annelies We have Off White mortar, Eljay. The brickies used grey cement and bright white sand. When they were done the wet mortar was dark grey but it dried up in a very light colour. Thanks Annelies, I have emailed my builder this morning to ask my admin girl to recheck what she told me at colours. I definately want off white, NOT grey!!! If I have to pay more for it, so be it. I just hope they don't try to sting me with a $500 variation fee for this, considering I did ask for it at colours. Lets see if I get a response from them. Deposits paid 29/4/09 Land settlement 12/08/09 Build contract signed 24/08/09 Colours done 28/09/09 BLOG-http://www.eljaysbuild.blogspot.com/ Re: Difference between off-white & 'white sand and grey cement ? 10Oct 12, 2009 12:41 pm 'Offwihte' refers to the cement type not the sand colour Grey cement will never be 'offwhite'. Creme cement or bright and light or white as far as I know are the only way to get 'not grey' colour. The cost is about 35-40% more expensive than grey. Grey cement and white sand just make dirty off white mortar. IMHO only. Onc Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: Difference between off-white & 'white sand and grey cement ? 11Oct 12, 2009 2:56 pm Thanks. I thought so and I did argue that point with her at my colours app. but she just made me feel like I'm an idiot and that I didn't know what I was talking about. And she wonders why I email her so much!! arrhhhhh Deposits paid 29/4/09 Land settlement 12/08/09 Build contract signed 24/08/09 Colours done 28/09/09 BLOG-http://www.eljaysbuild.blogspot.com/ Re: Difference between off-white & 'white sand and grey cement ? 12Oct 12, 2009 3:09 pm Sounds like another email is being typed as I post this comment Who is the idiot not you Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: Difference between off-white & 'white sand and grey cement ? 13Oct 12, 2009 7:21 pm onc_artisan 'Offwihte' refers to the cement type not the sand colour Grey cement will never be 'offwhite'. Creme cement or bright and light or white as far as I know are the only way to get 'not grey' colour. The cost is about 35-40% more expensive than grey. Grey cement and white sand just make dirty off white mortar. IMHO only. Onc Oh dear, sorry Eljay, I clearly might have misinformed you. The only cement I saw being used was the grey one, but that might have been used to lay the brick only. I have to dive in the skip in order to check on the cement colour then. Sorry, sorry. In regard to the colour lady, we were advised to organise the Off White with the Bricky and we payed him $500 for it. Until so far I haven't heard anything from Head Office about any other cost. 2 8874 Hi, Currently building, we are on a sloping block so we have from floor level to the roof in axon cladding. Below floor level to the ground I want to put brick facings /… 0 4480 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair All my inside walls are Fibre Cement & House has Steel frames... Tricky when one wants to hang pictures or do Wainscoating Paneling up the hallway. Those little nail… 0 3151 |