# Mortar mix for exterior stone cladding



## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

Type N or S are both fine for cultured (manufactured) stone, while Type S is better for natural thin veneer. You can find both in pre-mix bags relatively easily, and will be far more consistent than site mixed, or you can shoot for a 3:1 ratio or so..........


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## Tham (May 27, 2012)

I've just done this. I used Kerabond thinset, Mixed with keralactic additive instead of water. It seemed to be a 2:1 mix ratio.

Tham


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## Itishree (Aug 29, 2012)

jomama45 said:


> Type N or S are both fine for cultured (manufactured) stone, while Type S is better for natural thin veneer. You can find both in pre-mix bags relatively easily, and will be far more consistent than site mixed, or you can shoot for a 3:1 ratio or so..........


3 part cement and 1 part sand...? Is this for S-type...?
I'm doing manufactured stone cladding. Which type will be good in terms of strength and economical?


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## Itishree (Aug 29, 2012)

Tham said:


> I've just done this. I used Kerabond thinset, Mixed with keralactic additive instead of water. It seemed to be a 2:1 mix ratio.
> 
> Tham


Thanks for your reply.
I'm thinking to use Latapoxy 300 stone adhesive of LATICRETE. Will it be fine?


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## Itishree (Aug 29, 2012)

Tham said:


> I've just done this. I used Kerabond thinset, Mixed with keralactic additive instead of water. It seemed to be a 2:1 mix ratio.
> 
> Tham


Thanks for your reply.
I'm doing manufactured stone cladding and using Latapoxy 300 stone adhesive of MYK LATICRETE. Will it be fine?
Can you suggest something else which will be more economical?


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## Tham (May 27, 2012)

I don't know sorry. We ended up calling the manufacture. (Kerabond)

Tham


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

Itishree said:


> 3 part cement and 1 part sand...? Is this for S-type...?
> I'm doing manufactured stone cladding. Which type will be good in terms of strength and economical?


You can use either S or N, and use the same ratio for either one. The most important part is to make sure you roughen the scratchcoat. Professionally, I see no reason to use expensive, messy, high strength thin-set when the cultured stone are typically less than 1500 psi in compressive strength and typically offer plenty of adhesion............


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## concretemasonry (Oct 10, 2006)

Itishree -

Actually there is not a lot of difference between Types N and S. There is a gradual difference and some overlapping. As a reference, look at the ASTM C270 proportion specifications (based on volumes) for all types of mortar. The major ingredient is the sand that can vary widely in properties and the amount used (somewhere between 2-1/4 to 3 times the volume of other materials.

You can easily go with an expensive premixed or pre-proportioned mix and there are many available.

Although I have been in India many times, I don't know about the specific materials available to you. There is a very fine masonry structure near you in Agra (the Taj Mahal) that is brick and beautiful natural marble veneer that has been there for hundreds of years and built with local materials and did not need other glamorous high-tech materials.

For a smal job, you can buy the expensive materials (many different brands) or just use the basic materials of cement, lime and water.

To show the required proportions of the materials, these are the basic proportions to make either Types S and N mortars:

Type S is 1 part Portland cement, 1/4 to 1/2 parts hydrated lime and 2-1/4 to 3 parts sand (all by volume, except the sand is measured as a ratio of the volumes of cement and lime used).
Type N is 1 part portland cement, 1/2 to 1-1/4 parts hydrated lime and 2-1/4 to 3 parts sand (all by volume, except the sand is measured as a ratio of the volumes of cement and lime used).

As you see, it is a gradual range with the amount and type of sand being important. Note that this example does not show anything except Portland cement and the various different type of masonry cements are quite variable. Your sand seems to usually be a little fine as far as sizing.

If it is a small project, just go to the local building materials store and buy a few separate plastic bags of of Portland cement and lime in the proportions you need. Many contractors there buy the cement and lime in separate bags of different sizes and blend the Portland and lime in advance and then just add the appropriate amount of the sand available.

As jomama mentioned, the key is to have a good scratch-coat and then work with the amount of sand and water in the mortar needed for the type and absorption of the manufactured stone you have available.

Make sure you go the the Formula 1 race in New Delhi on October 28.

Dick


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