Re: Brick colored paint

A big thanks to everyone who responded to my question about painting bricks. Lots of good ideas and techniques! DanK

The colour of brick is dependent on the colour of the local clay used to make them plus a little on the means of firing. From there, brick buildings tend to last a long time so the weathering can vary from almost none through to no original colour visible. In addition, the colour of the mortar has an effect on the overall appearance, varying from pristine white through to completely weathered. This weathering lets down the initial white much quicker than it does the brick. I tend to spray with red-oxide automotive spray (I spray almost everything with red oxide =8^) then wash with a mix of white and burnt sienna acrylic for the mortar, then wipe it partially off and finally lock it on with an artist's matt varnish spray.

Regards, Greg.P.

White mortar was very common for brickwork on the "old days"

Generally it was a lime mortar, and sometimes only used for "pointing" the exterior joints.

You're not trying to do a Mark Newton on me, are you? Some places here in New Zealand we have pure white/opaic sand and the mortar made with it turns out as near white as damit. The length of time that it would remain "white" would be from about the third day of drying until the first Diesel truck drove past. I agree, pure white and pure black don't exist in nature.

Regards, Greg.P.

OK. Just goes to show that NZ is weird in more than one way... :-)

Weird because we have white sand? Now that's a weird concept.

Lots of buildings with white mortar. Check out some of the new buildings built with white brick. There are many old buildings with white mortar and...Oh , almost forgot , some of the buildings on my layout have white mortar.

Ken

Like I said, I've never seen a white mortar - light grey, yes, but most mortar is medium grey and even darker. In fact, many mortars are coloured to harmonise with the brick, a practice that goes back many years AFAICT. That would account for the white mortar - white brick combination (or is it a very light grey?). But so far, I've not seen a bight (not even light grey) mortar combined with dark bricks. The lightest Ive seen is medium grey with blue bricks (actually, blue/dark brown variegated.)

I have seen mortar that's been _painted_ white. (I checked.) Looked ghastly, but hey, it wasn't my building.

Greg says in NZ they use a bright white sand to make mortar. I have no reason to disbelieve him. I wouldn't be surprised if some people used it with dark bricks, too. There's no accounting for taste.

Oh, I still haven't been given photographic evidence. :-)

Wolf likes to disagree with anything I write!

Regards, Greg.P.

Careful what you wish for. Never know when an architect or masonry contractor may be lurking around.

This structure is very new and it has white mortar.

Very creamy white that one, but nos 20 and 23 in the gallery are much closer to white. Keith

Which structure? The three pix show brown and beige mortars. Just where should I click to find the building you're talking about?

Not that I doubt that some architect has specified brilliant white mortar for some building somewhere... :-)

A practice known here in Australia as "tuckpointing". Very popular on California bungalow-style houses built just after WW1. It worked well on them but not on many other styles of dwelling I've seen it applied to.

I wouldn't hold my breath while waiting for it, either.

OK, I found it (I had javascript turned off). Do you mean the "rose tudor" brick house? The mortar isn't white - it's light beige or cream.

OK, who's next? I still want to see nice, bright white mortar. Or even very, very light grey mortar. :-)

Maybe I should offer a prize?

Or maybe we should form a club of mortar hunters. We'll go out every weekend and photograph brick wall, carefully lit (we'll bring along portable lights) to bring out the full splendor of the colours of the bricks and mortar. We could even a form a new newsgroup: alt.rec.insane.brick.and.mortar.kooks, anybody?

Hah!

Go to the "Face Brick" page on the same site. Plenty of close up examples there.

fl@liner

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OK, did that. The closest to pure white is Alpine White Antique, pale grey brick and matching mortar. Probably looks white in the right light, at least compared to nearby buildings.

Still not white.

Greg, do you have a photo of a NZ building with pure white mortar? If so, please post url, or post to alt.binaries.pictures.rail, as an OT post. Thanks.

At what temperature Kelvin do you want the lighting? However you want to pick the nit, the mortar is (some shade of) white. Live with it...

fl@liner This tagline has been certified to contain no political rants.

Here's a picture with a little text from the people who built the house in the picture. Is the light good enough ? I've drawn many plans for people who have used white brick and mortar, especially in the south.

Incidentally, most suppliers carry white mortar. Also made with white sand here in the states just as it is anywhere else. Can't make white mortar with brown sand.

Ken

Ken Day wrote: [...]

OK, that's white enough. :-)

Now, anyone have a pic of white mortar with red or other dark brick?