How to Make Sidewalk Mortar

Proper ingredient proportions ensure a stable sidewalk mortar.

Brick sidewalks have old world charm. Some homeowners dry-lay their masonry walkways, butting the bricks tightly together without mortar. Due to the lack of structure and solidity that mortar provides, mortarless sidewalks can, however, grow uneven and bumpy. The unjoined seams also invite the growth of weeds up through the sidewalk. Ensure a solid sidewalk by laying the bricks with a strong mortar mix that, once cured, will endure for many years.

Things You'll Need

• Wet mixing container
• Cement
• Hydrated lime
• Building sand

Instructions

1. Measure the dry ingredients and place them in wet mixing container, such as a large bucket, wheelbarrow, mortar box or cement mixer. Add two parts cement, one part hydrated lime and nine parts building sand. Add concrete pigment to the mortar mix for colored mortar.

2. Stir the dry ingredients until well mixed.

3. Add a small amount of water to the dry ingredients, continuing to mix. Stir in additional small amounts of water gradually until a thick but consistently moistened mixture is achieved. The thickness should have a consistency just slightly less thick than peanut butter. If any dry, crumbly bits remain, add another small amount of water.

Tips & Warnings

• For larger projects, work with small, successive batches of mortar. Do not make more mortar than is usable within approximately 60 minutes, as it will begin to cure in the container.

• Only work with mortar on a day that is cool. Extremely cold or hot weather will compromise the curing process, resulting in inferior mortar.

References

• Masonryworktools.com: Mortar and Cement Details - Type S Mortar
• Ask the Builder: Mortar Mix for Flagstone and Paving Brick