The mortar mix you choose for your project will greatly affect the finished look of your building. Whether it’s creating a new building or repairing existing mortar, it’s important to find the right mortar mix to match. 

If you’re struggling with picking the right mortar for reclaimed or new brickwork, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we cover everything you need to know about choosing mortar. 

What Brick Colours are Available? 

Reclaimed bricks come in a variety of different shades, so choosing the right one for your project can be a massive task. Since the brick colour is the first consideration when building a house, it’s important to take your time. 

Generally speaking, bricks can be divided into the following colour families: 

  • Red
  • Orange
  • Cream
  • Brown
  • Blue 
  • Black 
  • Gray

Clay bricks have a natural colour variation between production batches. Mixing bricks from different batches will give you a nice variation of colours within your façade. 

How to Match Your Mortar Colour to Your Brickwork? 

Depending on the bond pattern, mortar accounts for up to 17% of the visible brickwork on your walls. The colour of mortar will determine the overall appearance of your building. 

The same bricks will look completely different when paired with different mortar colours. If you’re planning an extension project or repointing existing brickwork, it’s important to consider that your mortar matches the surrounding environment. 

Here are some of the common mortar colours and how to pair them with different coloured bricks. 

Off-White

If you want to emphasise the true colour of your bricks when building with darker bricks, off-white mortar can be a very attractive option. The white to dark contrast will add an interesting visual element to your building. Especially if you’re using reclaimed bricks which have a natural variation in colours. 

When using light bricks, off-white mortar can give a consistent, uniform look throughout the facade of your home. 

Natural

Natural or grey is by far the most common mortar colour. Because of its simplicity it works well with pretty much all brick colours. If you want your new brick home to blend in with the other houses in the area.

Grey mortar is also the most economical choice if you’re building on a tighter budget. 

Cream

Cream or brown mortar is perfect when building with brown coloured bricks allowing you to achieve a seamless look throughout the building. While not visually contrasting, it does provide a contrast in texture, helping you add a visually interesting element to your façade. 

Charcoal/Black

Charcoal, black or dark grey mortar has been a rapidly growing trend for a while because of the unique look it creates. When paired with dark or black brick, charcoal mortar brings a distinct modern, dramatic character to a wall. But it can just as effectively be combined with lighter brickwork to create a sense of contrast in a more intriguing way. 

Tips for Choosing the Right Colour of Mortar

  • There are different types of building sand and the ratios at which you mix them with the cement or lime, will affect the mortar colour as well as the strength of the bond. 
  • When you have found a ratio that gives you the result you’re after, you must stick to it throughout the whole project to avoid inconsistencies. 
  • Colours can vary between different manufacturers, so make sure you can source enough materials for the full project. This will avoid having to look for alternatives halfway through the building process and ending up with inconsistent colouring. 

How to Pick the Right Mortar Mix for Restoration Projects? 

If you’re faced with a brickwork restoration project, just like picking the right bricks, finding the correct mortar to match can be tricky. 

Solid walls need to breathe, especially in older buildings. For this reason cement-based mortar mixes are often unsuitable for restoration. You can damage not only the aesthetic, but also the integrity of the building if you try to repoint brickwork originally built with lime mortar using cement. 

If the existing mortar is in good condition, consult a specialist to find a premixed mortar to match the original one in colour and texture. However, if the old mortar is in poor condition and you need to choose a different one, it’s essential to use one that matches the old one in composition. 

Reclaimed and Restoration Bricks from Cawarden

If you want to find the perfect bricks to match your project, Cawarden can help. With our massive selection of reclaimed and new restoration bricks, you’re guaranteed to have plenty of choice. 

To estimate how many bricks you will need, use our handy brick calculator. And if you have to find a specific type of brick, ask our team for our brick matching service. 

Visit our reclamation yard today where you will find over 2 million bricks for sale.