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1. Difference between Mortar and Cement
Many people think that cement, mortar and concrete are same material and differs only by
name which is not true. The fact is that cement, concrete and mortar are three different
compositions but using same or similar materials. In this article we will discuss difference
between cement and mortar.
Cement is one of the oldest construction materials and is used widely in the modern
construction world. The demand for this building material will see a great increase in the
future as there is a strong need to find wood replacements. This construction material is
reputed for its strength and hence it is used widely in constructions for strength and
durability. It stays strong when bonded with other elements such as gravel and sand under
compression and can hold lot of weight on it when laid. There is a huge difference between
mortar and cement.
Cement is manufactured by heating a mixture of powdered lime stone and clay in a rotary
kiln. Then the mixture is crushed and gypsum is added to slow down the hardening process of
cement when used. It is gray color fine powder that is used in making of concrete and mortar.
Cement is used for many different purposes in the construction industry and can be termed as
one of the widely used construction material. . Cement acts as a binding agent for concrete,
mortar and grout. There are many types of cements available on the market. Masonry,
Portland and quick drying are few of them.
Cement is activated with water to bind it with other elements such as sand and lime. Cement
when mixed or bonded with other elements to form mixtures enables the mixture to become
hard through chemical reaction. The main difference between mortar and cement is cement is
the main bonding material in preparing mortar and cannot be used alone in building
structures. Gravel, cement, sand and water are used to make concrete. Building structures
with cement is easy when compared to mixture of limestone and sand.
On the other hand mortar is a mixture of cement, sand, lime and water. The word ‘Mortar’ is
derived from the Latin word ‘mortarium’ which means crushed. Mortar is used to bind bricks
or stones in building walls and for covering walls made of brick and stones. It is widely used
to bind bricks, fill the gaps between stones and bricks and to prevent water absorption.
Different colors of mortar can be formed using different color material; terracotta and white
are two popular colors used widely in the construction industry.
One more difference between mortar and cement is the mortar can only bind bricks or stones
together but is not strong alone unlike cement which is a good bonding material. Adding lime
to the mixture for making mortar, keeps it workable longer and also helps the walls little
breathable. It is used for laying bricks, stones and other masonry units and acts as adhesive.
Mortar for binding bricks is prepared by mixing one portion of cement with 5 parts of soft
sand and 2 parts of lime. Strength of mortar is quite low when compared to concrete.
Durability is achieved by mortar through finesse but not strength. Low strength is the only
reason for not using it in thicker applications. But one positive point of mortar is longer
workability which concrete lacks. Traditionally mortar is prepared using mud and clay. But in
the modern world there are two ways to prepare mortar. Mixing Portland cement, hydrated

2. lime and soft sand is the old method of preparing mortar; mixing masonry cement and sand is
the modern method. But both ways quality of the mortar remains the same.
Cement mortar results in rigid and strong structure as it hardens when it is cured. There are
different types of mortar; ancient mortar, Portland cement mortar, lime mortar, polymer
cement mortar and fire stop mortar are just a few to name. Although there is a great
difference in mortar and cement, both the materials are interdependent as mortar cannot be
prepared without cement and the later cannot be used without binding with other materials.
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