So, I decided to use black mortar for my brick project. It was something I’d been wanting to try for a while, figured it would give the whole thing a really unique look. I got all my supplies ready and started mixing the mortar, but I quickly realized this wasn’t like the usual stuff.
First off, getting that deep black color was a bit of a challenge. I did some reading online and saw people talking about using carbon black. Some forums mentioned it might fade because of the sun, but I thought, “How bad could it be?” So, I mixed some in, following the instructions I found, but it still took a few tries to get the shade just right. This part was a bit messy, not gonna lie. Had to be really careful not to spill the black pigment everywhere.
Then came the actual bricklaying. I started laying the bricks, making sure to get a nice, even layer of this black mortar between each one. I chose to go with flush mortar joints because my bricks were kind of irregular, and I thought it would help mask some of that wonkiness. Filling the gaps took some patience. You gotta make sure you get the mortar in there just right, and then I used a brick joint tool to finish it off and give it that neat, professional look.
- Mixed the mortar with carbon black.
- Laid the bricks, applying the mortar carefully.
- Used a brick joint tool to smooth out the joints.
After finishing a section, I stepped back to take a look. The black mortar really made the bricks pop, but it also highlighted any little mistake I made. Some of the joints weren’t as clean as I wanted, and there were a few spots where the mortar had smeared onto the brick faces. That was a pain to clean up. Had to scrub those spots pretty carefully without messing up the joints.
I saw some posts online saying that ready-mix with a retarder might be better, especially if you’re not super quick with laying the bricks. Didn’t use that this time, but it’s something I’ll keep in mind for next time. Maybe it would’ve given me more time to work before the mortar set.
As I kept working, I started getting the hang of it. My joints got cleaner, and I figured out a good rhythm for laying the bricks and applying the mortar. But I definitely learned that using black mortar is a whole different ball game. It’s less forgiving than the regular stuff, and you gotta be extra precise with everything you do.
What I Learned
In the end, the project turned out pretty good. The black mortar gave it that unique look I was going for, but it was a lot more work than I expected. I learned a ton about working with colored mortar, dealing with fading issues, and the importance of taking your time to get those joints just right. If I do this again, I’ll probably try that ready-mix with a retarder and maybe do a few more practice runs before tackling the main project. It’s a learning process, you know? But hey, that’s how you get better at this stuff.
