Cement and mortar are common and crucial materials to most masonry projects, but they have key differences. Often confused with concrete, cement is a key mineral powder ingredient used to make concrete. When the need comes to making concrete or mortar at a jobsite, bags of material are needed for ease. Portland Stone Ware partners with Heidelberg Materials to distribute their portland cement and types of mortar in bags. In addition, Portland Stone Ware also offers a few ProMasonry products.
Bagged cement is needed for versatility on a job site, but the process of manufacturing cement no longer needs to be harmful to the planet.
When bag contents are mixed with water, cement acts as a glue to bind together the sand, gravel and crushed stone to form concrete, one of the most durable and widely used construction materials in the world. Adding the aggregates (ex. sand, gravel, and crushed stone) to cement will make cement stronger for structural projects.
Mortar acts in a similar way to cement without gravel and crushed stone, but instead, bag contents are added to a mixture of sand and water. A binder can be added for extra strength. Mixed properly, mortar will be thicker, making it a better bonding element. Masonry cement Types N and S are covered by ASTM C91 which defines masonry cement by physical requirements and performance properties rather than ingredients.
Type N is used for interior walls and exterior walls above grade, while Type S is recommended for higher strength in load bearing or below grade walls. Type N bags are 70 lbs bags, and Type S bags are 75 lbs bags.
For further information on Masonry Cement, please see the PDF, the Safety Data Sheet, or Click Here
Due to popularity in the masonry industry, we offer a second line of cement and mortar known as TCC Material’s ProMasonry products.
For further information on these products, please click here.
