This document discusses methods for mixing tiling materials. It describes mixing mortar by volume using gauge boxes to measure sand and cement, and mixing by weight using a weight batch mixer or dry silo mortar system. It also lists typical mortar ingredients like sand, cement, lime, and water and notes the strength of the mortar should match that of the brick or block being used.

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Mixing mortar
Unit 129: Mix Tiling Materials

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Mixing Proportions
Before mixing any materials the separate ingredients must be measured out.
They can be proportioned either by volume or by weight.
Mixing by volume can be carried out by hand or machine, while mixing by
weight must be done by machine only.
The most basic method of mixing by volume is by the shovel-full.
However, this can be inaccurate as a shovel of sand
may be larger than a shovel of aggregate or cement.
For more control over quantities a bucket can be used.

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Volume Mixing
Gauge boxes
Volume mixing by hand can be done using gauge boxes. Two boxes are
made to the correct volumes. They have no bottom, so material can
flow out onto the mixing board.
The first gauge box is placed onto the mixing board, filled with sand and
levelled off. The second gauge box is placed on top, filled with cement
and levelled off. The two boxes are then removed, leaving the correct
volumes of material on the board ready to be mixed.
Volume to weight conversions
Cement: 1 cubic metre = 1.4 tonnes
Sand: 1 cubic metre = 1.7 tonnes
Lime: 1 cubic metre = 0.7 tonnes

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Weight Batching
Traditional weight batching involves a weight batch mixer. The weight of
the material is recorded as it is shovelled into a hopper.
A more recent version of weight batching is the Dry Silo Mortar System.
A silo containing a correctly proportioned mix of ingredients is delivered
to the site. The correct volume of water is then automatically
measured and added by a trained operator.

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Mortar Mixes
Typical mortar mixes involve the following ingredients in various
combinations.
• Sand, cement and water
• Sand, lime and water
• Sand, lime, cement and water
• Sand, cement, plasticiser and water
The desired strength of the mortar should be determined by the strength
of the brick/block which is to be bedded in. The mortar strength should
roughly match that of the brick/block and never be stronger.

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