What Does
Cementitious Mortar Mean?
Cementitious mortar is a cement-based binding material used to stick building blocks such as bricks, stones and other similar building materials together. It is composed of sand, a cement binder, water and possibly other additives. Upon setting, the cementitious mortar becomes hard and seals the gaps between building components.
Most commonly, cementitious mortar is used when constructing walls, fences and walkways. It is also useful when repairing these structures. Cement mortars can also repair pipes internally or provide protective coatings on the exterior of metallic materials. Anti-corrosion additives are sometimes added to the mortar.
Corrosionpedia Explains Cementitious Mortar
Building blocks such as cinder blocks and bricks don’t seal together when connected, so a mortar is required to add structural stability and seal gaps. Cementitious mortar is one type of sealant, which uses a cement binder. The mortar is inherently weaker than the building blocks, and therefore is a common place where future repairs are needed. Cement mortar provides a cheap material to make these repairs when old mortar breaks down over time.
Cementitious mortar is also used to create smooth surfaces over walls. These surfaces adhere strongly to the underlying brick or other building materials. The surface can then be covered with a top coat for the desired aesthetic appearance.
Beyond the typical sand, cement binder and water mixture, modified cement mortars have been formulated. Polymers are added to increase the flexibility of the material, decrease permeability and reduce drying shrinkage cracking. These polymer cement mortars can be conveniently applied with various application methods (including spraying), making repair work convenient.
Other various additives can add anti-corrosion properties to mortar, inhibiting oxidative damage to the underlying metal surface or preventing microbiologically influenced corrosion in sewer pipes.