How do I get pointing a yellow colour like the bricks

[jgkgolf]

I'm building a retaining wall in my garden using some old yellow stock bricks. I'd like to have the pointing a yellowish colour but I'm not sure how to get this.

I have put some air vents in at the back of my house and the pointing has turned a very nice golden yellow colour. However I've also put in some air bricks and the pointing has stayed grey.

On both occasions I think I've used Wickes building sand(which looks quite yellow) and their Portland cement. I'm not sure why the colour has turned out different. I may have used plasticiser when fitting the air vent, could this have made the difference?

Any suggestions gratefully received.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Building sand and white cement comes out a nice yellow, although it depends how strong a pigment the sand forms, and this varies (seems to be a feature which depends on the amount of find sand dust in the sand).

You can get mortar dies from builder's merchants. I've only used black, and I suspect colours like yellow would only work with white cement.

[Rusty]

Some Wickes do black and beige cement dye. But in my limited experience you have to try with your own cement brand and it dries to a different colour altogether as the cement cures so initial appearance is not a good guide. Then outdoors it weathers to a paler colour over the course of a year or so.

In some sensitive parts of the country the councill planning dept will specify what type of sand to use.

rusty

[The Natural Philosopher]

White cement is a good start, and the yellowest sand you can find.

[jgkgolf]

Thanks for your suggestions. Any idea if any of the big diy sheds (wickes,b&q, homebase, travis perkins etc) sell white cement or where I might find it?

[jgkgolf]

Thanks for your suggestions. Any idea if any of the big diy sheds (wickes,b&q, homebase, travis perkins etc) sell white cement or where I might find it?

[The Natural Philosopher]

Most BM's stock it.

[Christian McArdle]

My local B&Q warehouse certainly stocks it.

Christian.

[bigcat]

Yellow or ceam mortar is usually lime and sand. Get a bag of lime and mix it to a gloopy paste, store it in airtight container for 3 weeks, and mix 3:1 with sand to use.

Lime lasts longer, has a cream-white-pink-yellow color, depending on the sand used with it, and is self healing. When cracked it regrows hard crystals across the gap to self heal.

The downside with lime is it takes ages to set. Put sheeting over it to keep hard rain off until set.

NT

[holkingers]

Any use -

[bigcat]

how old ar the bricks? If theyre old soft bricks, your wall will last much better if you use lime mortar.

Whatever you do, I'd avoid cement dyes, as the colour often washes out after a while, usually very unevenely.

NT

[Stuart Noble]

Cement colours are not true dyes. They are pigments, which behave no differently from sand, or any other solid material, once the mortar has set. I think oxides also act as a pozzolan in lime, with the darker colours having a more pronounced effect. Gold ochre would probably be a better bet. Less chemical reaction if you're using lime, and a more appropriate colour for old brickwork. Search for Kremer Pigments.

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[bigcat]

Maybe there are different types then, as colour loss is a real world problem, common with coloured cement products.

NT

[Rick]

In my experience "Castle" cement is lighter, and the sand coluor tends to remain more.

Rick

[Rick]

B&Q, its about twice the price of normal stuff.

[jgkgolf]

I got a bag in Travis Perkins for =A311.70 which is a bit steep but one bag should do. I've tried a little with the wickes sand and it looks good.Thanks for all your help.