Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Sep 08, 2010 9:26 pm Currently getting a brick house built, and it was agreed in the contract that they would use off-white mortar. Well they've just started putting the bricks up, and they certainly are using off-white mortar bags of cement, however the sand they are mixing with is decidedly grey. The bricks have only been up a few days, and the mortar so far appears to be on the darkish side of light grey - a lot darker than I expected, and a lot darker than the mortar used in their display area. I'm assuming because the mortar is only a few days old and still has quite a bit of moisture still, is why it is appearing dark. However my question is - how long will it take for the mortar to cure? How long will it take to get to it's full whiteness? I would like to know before I start complaining to the builder about it - because I paid a fair bit extra to get the off-white mortar. Re: Off-white mortar - how long to cure 2Sep 08, 2010 9:55 pm I know ours took a couple of weeks to settle to the light off-white colour. We had our bricking done in 2 stages, and I was convinced they'd used the wrong mortar second time round as initially is was as you described and quite a contrast to the first lot. After 2 weeks it all looked the same. Re: Off-white mortar - how long to cure 3Sep 08, 2010 10:05 pm upsydaisy I know ours took a couple of weeks to settle to the light off-white colour. We had our bricking done in 2 stages, and I was convinced they'd used the wrong mortar second time round as initially is was as you described and quite a contrast to the first lot. After 2 weeks it all looked the same. Okay, that's encouraging. I can see that a lot of the darkness is definitely due to moisture content. Will give it a few weeks - it can only get lighter. I have learn't something though with this exercise - if you really want a light coloured mortar, then you need to insist at contract time that they use white sand as well as the off-white cement. I can see with the greyish sand that they are using that it is never going to get to the really white mortar that I've seen on other houses, which I prefer. Re: Off-white mortar - how long to cure 4Sep 08, 2010 10:12 pm 21 days Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: Off-white mortar - how long to cure 5Sep 08, 2010 11:17 pm Like ⋅ 1 comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Mortar at the top is a few hours old, and a couple of weeks dried on the bottom. T&T Knockdown and rebuild - building Metr1con Nolan 41 (43) @ http://tim-and-tina.blogspot.com! http://www.verdantdental.com.au Re: Off-white mortar - how long to cure 7Sep 09, 2010 1:14 am Wow, that's a massive contrast! This thread is good for me to come across, as I'm getting off-white, and I probably would've had a MAJOR freak out if it looked grey like the first. Will make sure to remember to leave it for a couple of weeks before freaking out viewtopic.php?f=31&t=37229 - our Iris 4! Re: Off-white mortar - how long to cure 8Sep 09, 2010 3:01 pm Nawwww.... I was kind of happy with how my ohhwhite looks currently... hope it doesnt go too white!! Custom European Cabinets - Melbourne Kitchen Specialist PM for business details as website currently being updated! Our Crazy Owner Builder Journey! Re: Off-white mortar - how long to cure 9Sep 09, 2010 3:28 pm Be sure in your contract spec. it states they will use white sand, to get the best result. The fact we pay so much more for the white mortar you would think they would use the right colored sand. Im sure you will be happy when it drys out. KW............ “It's just as unpleasant to get more than you bargain for as to get less” George Bernard Shaw. Re: Off-white mortar - how long to cure 10Sep 09, 2010 7:56 pm King willy Be sure in your contract spec. it states they will use white sand, to get the best result. The fact we pay so much more for the white mortar you would think they would use the right colored sand. Im sure you will be happy when it drys out. KW............ The white sand is almost impossible to get here in Brisbane. Something to do with the banning of sand mining on Stradbroke Island. Dixon Homes, who I am using, do not offer the off-white mortar at all anymore. They only gave it to me because at the time of selecting colours etc, they hadn't taken it down from their display. But they said that I was the "very last" of their customers to get it. It might be true, because since I was last in their office they have in fact now taken the off-white mortar from their display. The sand they are using is light, but it could be a lot whiter. 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