Can anyone advise me on how to mix-up some "black ash" mortar to fill in
the hole around my recently renewed soil pipe. The previous owners of
the house used normal sand mortar to fill in holes which looks really
bad and obviously stands out from the rest of the mortar which is 1906
black ash stuff.

What can I add to normal mortar that will give it a permanent black colour?

On 2006-10-04, thankyousam wrote:
Can anyone advise me on how to mix-up some "black ash" mortar to fill in
the hole around my recently renewed soil pipe. The previous owners of
the house used normal sand mortar to fill in holes which looks really
bad and obviously stands out from the rest of the mortar which is 1906
black ash stuff.

What can I add to normal mortar that will give it a permanent black colour?

I haven't tried it and don't know if it would look *exactly* like ash
mortar, but at Wickes I've seen "cement dye" in black and other
colours for use in mortar, concrete, etc.

thankyousam wrote:
Can anyone advise me on how to mix-up some "black ash" mortar to fill
in the hole around my recently renewed soil pipe. The previous
owners of the house used normal sand mortar to fill in holes which looks
really
bad and obviously stands out from the rest of the mortar which is 1906
black ash stuff.

What can I add to normal mortar that will give it a permanent black
colour?

black mortar dye?

You can get it from any of the sheds or a BM

Adam Funk wrote:
On 2006-10-04, thankyousam wrote:
Can anyone advise me on how to mix-up some "black ash" mortar to fill in
the hole around my recently renewed soil pipe. The previous owners of
the house used normal sand mortar to fill in holes which looks really
bad and obviously stands out from the rest of the mortar which is 1906
black ash stuff.

What can I add to normal mortar that will give it a permanent black colour?

I haven't tried it and don't know if it would look *exactly* like ash
mortar, but at Wickes I've seen "cement dye" in black and other
colours for use in mortar, concrete, etc.
Thanks guys. I had no idea such a dye existed. I'll have a look next
time I go into my local store.

thankyousam wrote:
Adam Funk wrote:
On 2006-10-04, thankyousam wrote:
Can anyone advise me on how to mix-up some "black ash" mortar to
fill in the hole around my recently renewed soil pipe. The
previous owners of the house used normal sand mortar to fill in holes
which looks
really bad and obviously stands out from the rest of the mortar which is
1906 black ash stuff.

What can I add to normal mortar that will give it a permanent black
colour?

I haven't tried it and don't know if it would look *exactly* like ash
mortar, but at Wickes I've seen "cement dye" in black and other
colours for use in mortar, concrete, etc.
Thanks guys. I had no idea such a dye existed. I'll have a look next
time I go into my local store.



TIP: - if you go to B&Q, open the tub and make sure there's something inside
it, people are notorious for taking the bag out of one tub and putting it
into another, hey presto - double dye! .. or half price if you like ;-)

On 2006-10-04, thankyousam wrote:

I haven't tried it and don't know if it would look *exactly* like ash
mortar, but at Wickes I've seen "cement dye" in black and other
colours for use in mortar, concrete, etc.

Thanks guys. I had no idea such a dye existed. I'll have a look next
time I go into my local store.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/153711

"For colouring mortar mixes concrete or cement mixes such as
renderings"

but as I said, I've never tried it. I'd be curious to know how it
works though!

thankyousam wrote:
Can anyone advise me on how to mix-up some "black ash" mortar to fill in
the hole around my recently renewed soil pipe. The previous owners of
the house used normal sand mortar to fill in holes which looks really
bad and obviously stands out from the rest of the mortar which is 1906
black ash stuff.

What can I add to normal mortar that will give it a permanent black colour?

Black ash?

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
thankyousam wrote:
Can anyone advise me on how to mix-up some "black ash" mortar to fill
in the hole around my recently renewed soil pipe. The previous owners
of the house used normal sand mortar to fill in holes which looks
really bad and obviously stands out from the rest of the mortar which
is 1906 black ash stuff.

What can I add to normal mortar that will give it a permanent black
colour?

Black ash?
Are you querying the almost oxymoron of black ash - i.e. what other
colour would ash be?

Or the concept of black ash itself? My understanding is that the left
overs from industrial coal burning was used in place of sand in the
mortar since it was cheap and readily available. 'Tis horrible stuff to
work with 100 years later, it gets /everywhere/ whenever it's disturbed!

Adam Funk wrote:
On 2006-10-04, thankyousam wrote:

I haven't tried it and don't know if it would look *exactly* like ash
mortar, but at Wickes I've seen "cement dye" in black and other
colours for use in mortar, concrete, etc.

Thanks guys. I had no idea such a dye existed. I'll have a look next
time I go into my local store.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/153711

"For colouring mortar mixes concrete or cement mixes such as
renderings"

but as I said, I've never tried it. I'd be curious to know how it
works though!
Hoping to block up the hole and the draft this weekend, so will post
back when I finish the job

thankyousam wrote:

Can anyone advise me on how to mix-up some "black ash" mortar to fill in
the hole around my recently renewed soil pipe. The previous owners of
the house used normal sand mortar to fill in holes which looks really
bad and obviously stands out from the rest of the mortar which is 1906
black ash stuff.

What can I add to normal mortar that will give it a permanent black colour?

Dyed cement looks crap once the colour has faded/streaked. The obvious
answer is to use the same recipe as the existing mortar. Cant tell you
what that is offhand, but shouldnt be hard to find.


NT

The message
from thankyousam contains these words:

Are you querying the almost oxymoron of black ash - i.e. what other
colour would ash be?

Grey, white, all sorts of colours.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

thankyousam wrote:

Are you querying the almost oxymoron of black ash - i.e. what other
colour would ash be?

Most of my ash is wood ash and almost white. I've also got a
freshly-made slate box here filled with Cremains (dreadful word!) that
are a sort of mid-grey.

Or the concept of black ash itself? My understanding is that the left
overs from industrial coal burning was used in place of sand in the
mortar since it was cheap and readily available.

A house I used to own (1903 Newcastle) had a covenant in the deeds
specifically stating that such mortars wouldn't be used to build it.
It also used the term "jerry built", which is etymologically
interesting in its own right. Of course when I stripped some plaster
off a previously hidden inside wall, you can imagine what I found
holding the inner leaf together...

thankyousam wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
thankyousam wrote:
Can anyone advise me on how to mix-up some "black ash" mortar to fill
in the hole around my recently renewed soil pipe. The previous
owners of the house used normal sand mortar to fill in holes which
looks really bad and obviously stands out from the rest of the mortar
which is 1906 black ash stuff.

What can I add to normal mortar that will give it a permanent black
colour?

Black ash?
Are you querying the almost oxymoron of black ash - i.e. what other
colour would ash be?

Or the concept of black ash itself? My understanding is that the left
overs from industrial coal burning was used in place of sand in the
mortar since it was cheap and readily available. 'Tis horrible stuff to
work with 100 years later, it gets /everywhere/ whenever it's disturbed!

I was just suggesting that he mix black ash into the mortar. Available
in quantities from every open fire flue..otherwise known as 'soot'

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
thankyousam wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
thankyousam wrote:
Can anyone advise me on how to mix-up some "black ash" mortar to
fill in the hole around my recently renewed soil pipe. The previous
owners of the house used normal sand mortar to fill in holes which
looks really bad and obviously stands out from the rest of the
mortar which is 1906 black ash stuff.

What can I add to normal mortar that will give it a permanent black
colour?

Black ash?
Are you querying the almost oxymoron of black ash - i.e. what other
colour would ash be?

Or the concept of black ash itself? My understanding is that the left
overs from industrial coal burning was used in place of sand in the
mortar since it was cheap and readily available. 'Tis horrible stuff
to work with 100 years later, it gets /everywhere/ whenever it's
disturbed!

I was just suggesting that he mix black ash into the mortar. Available
in quantities from every open fire flue..otherwise known as 'soot'

Even soot comes in a range of colours :-)
Vegetable black, bone black, lamp black etc.

Dyed cement looks crap once the colour has faded/streaked. The obvious
answer is to use the same recipe as the existing mortar. Cant tell you
what that is offhand, but shouldnt be hard to find.


NT


I agree. My roof tiles were bedded with black dye in the sand and it
all washed out after a few years.