morter too grey colour for pointing

[Speedy471]

I need to repair some pointing that had been damaged by ivy over the years but just cant seem to get a sandy colour to match existing morter.

Here is a pic of the existing morter

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• Speedy471
• 4 Sep 2013
• 1

I have used a 1:5 mastercrete building sand mix which gives this colour when dry for 24 hours

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• Speedy471
• 4 Sep 2013
• 1

Here is the sand I am currently experimenting with. This is quite course, however I have tried B&Q building sand.

Untitled

• Speedy471
• 4 Sep 2013
• 1

Obviously the 1:5 mix is way off a sandy colour. I read that mastercrete contains lime may this be the cause? Should I be using OPC? Also the existing morter looks like it is sharp sand - It is quite soft morter and can be scraped quite easily with your finger nail.

Any ideas would be appreciated

 

[^woody^]

Mortar dries a different colour when just left and when drying between bricks and pointed

 

[limerockconstruction]

Mortar dries a different colour when just left and when drying between bricks and pointed

Woody is right, you'll need to do a test panel on the wall itself, also, have you tried white cement?

 

[Speedy471]

Have not tried white cement. Is that snowcrete? Might give it a go. Does the same mixing ratios apply?

 

[^woody^]

White cement is white cement, not grey

Have you tried a yellow sand 1:4, or a red sand with lime ie 1:1:8

 

[noseall]

Have you tried grilled sea bass with a wedge of lemon, it's delicious.

It sometimes helps to actually wet the existing masonry to see what it would look like in a non-dry state also and compare this to your wet pug.