Tips to match mortar

[bokkie]

Hi all. So with social distancing, etc I am looking to do a few projects around the house, one of which is some repointing.
I have a few bags of ready mix light grey mortar, but the pointing is a slightly different colour. Any tips on how to get the right match? I have attached 2 pics showing the colour. Maybe some of that dye, guessing a yellowish colour? Also a dark grey might work?
Thanks for any help you can offer

 

[johnny2007]

Personally I hate readymix.
I would buy building sand and blue circle cement which seems to not make the mix too grey.
If you're repointing your own house I would go an inch deep into the old mortar with a grinding disc and then use a chaser to clean off the rest.
Compressor and hoover work perfectly to get rid of sand in the chase.
It's a messy job.
When I did mine I used to chase a couple of square metre, take all the spacesuit off, have a rinse and then attack the repointing.
Must be done in summer during dry and reasonably warm weather imo.

 

[bokkie]

Personally I hate readymix.
I would buy building sand and blue circle cement which seems to not make the mix too grey.
If you're repointing your own house I would go an inch deep into the old mortar with a grinding disc and then use a chaser to clean off the rest.
Compressor and hoover work perfectly to get rid of sand in the chase.
It's a messy job.
When I did mine I used to chase a couple of square metre, take all the spacesuit off, have a rinse and then attack the repointing.
Must be done in summer during dry and reasonably warm weather imo.

Thanks for your reply. Which colour building sand would you recommend with the blue circle cement? Yellowish maybe?
I don't expect it to be an exact match, but just so it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. I have a mortar routing bit,so just need the mortar mix correct. Should I add dye as well?

 

[^woody^]

Must be done in summer during dry and reasonably warm weather imo.

That dries the mortar too quickly risking shrinkage cracking.

Damp weather, low (but not freezing) temperatures is the best for pointing - winter, autumn and spring ... every season except summer. This gives maximum mortar strength due to slow cement hardening and maximum adhesion.

 

[^woody^]

It's hard to tell from the images, but generally red sand gives a greyer colour and buff sand lighter and less grey.

How you iron the joint also determines how dark it goes (ie shades of grey or buff), as does how quick the mortar sets.