Excellent, concise introduction to understanding (1) what differences exist in mortars, and (2) why those different grades of mortar exist in the first place. Well done.

Detailed and down-to-the-earth explanations! Thank you!

Want to learn how to make my own stone wall. You are a great teacher! Thank you.

Great video. Just trying to build a 1 ft by 8 ft sandstone wall but this answered a lot of questions no other videos answered. You got a great presentation style.

Clear and concise ! Thanks for sharing.

Worth more than the price of admission! This site is another B.S. free zone. Love it. Thanks Mr. Tharpe!

Thank you again for sharing your knowledge.

What a great explanation! Thank you.

Great advise a lot of details showing well done

Thank you Cowboy!

Super helpful. Thanks so much!

wow! insane! thanks for all these answers, i search everywhere and it was never clear like your video, thanks a lot chief!

Yes!!!!!! Good lesson. I especially wanted to know what S type cement was. I want to make fake rocks. This is the one I will try first! LOL Thank you.

Very nice instruction video.

Hey thanks for the info.

I compared this with the European (German) Standard with the PSI strength an I got the following: 1. Mortar S = 1800psi (about 12 N/mm2) this could be 1 portion portland cement : 4 portion sand - Name: cement mortar 2. Mortar N = 750psi (about 5N/mm2) this could be 1 portion portland cement : 1 portion slaked lime : 6 portion sand - Called lime-cement mortar type a 3. Mortar O = 350 psi (about 2.5N/mm2) this could be 1 portion portland cement : 2 portion slaked lime : 8 portion sand - Called lime-cement mortar or improved lime mortar 4. Mortar K = 75 psi this could be 1 portion slaked lime : 4 portion sand - This called lime mortar If someone makes himself a mixed mortar, the N , O and K is easy to work with. The Type S needs some mortar oil or plasticiser, that makes the mortar easy to handle. The ready made Mortar S probably contains the plasticiser. Important to know, that slaked lime cures with the precense of carbon-dioxide with help of water. Without CO2 from outside air, nothing happens. That's why here in Europe if you look some old middle age fortress buildings from 15th century, between some stones are still uncure lime mortar (which equals to type K). The portland cement can cure only with precense of water. The curing process slows down without water, sometime also stops on sunny and dry days. Anyway if you make concrete with portland cement, the given strength is reached after 28 days. Without reference to the low strength of Mortar K, because if the bond material which is slaked lime - it needs a certain time to cure and also wet environment. It is possible to accelerate inside a room with burned charcoal, which produces CO2. So making a BBQ party inside the building, can help to accelerate the curing process of lime. Nowdays no mason has time to wait for curing, because the carpenter is going to come soon, to make the roofing, because the future owner of the house wants to move in. Best regards from Hungary

Thanks COOP ...

Great video! Any suggestions on an easy way to properly proportion Type O mortar, starting from a premixed type N premixed mortar bag?

This is a SUPERLIKE video

Very Informative.

Useful, keep going!

Thank you !!!

If my basement below grade is concrete (1920-30s) with lots of gravel/cement and above grade is brick. What would you recommend that I parge my walls with? Seems the mortar/cement they covered the walls with are chipping away along with the lime/portland paint over the foundation. I keep reading conflicting articles about what materials to use and how to start. Some say to get rid of all the mortar, some say to chip away any that is loose. Some say to use type s because its medium strength. Some say that type s mortar is too hard and may crack the bricks and not allow them to breathe. So use a type o/k lime based mortar to allow breathability. What is the right answer? I just want my walls to look nice and flat. And repaint the walls white again

This is the very best explanation I have ever come across!!! Thanks for much that Mason Works pneumonic is super useful. Even the legal warning at the end was good. Happy trails mr Cowboy

What would you recommend for a concrete table that you don’t want aggregate in like most concrete mixes?

Howdy Triple-C! I reside in Fayetteville, North Carolina by way of Dallas, TX, and am eager to embark on my first masonry projects in the backyard. The first project involves creating a potting station for my wife, while the second project entails constructing a brick housing wood box for storing fire pit wood, using existing bricks for both projects. As a novice in masonry, I lack knowledge in this field. I am seeking guidance on the appropriate concrete mixture for the subsurface foundation, considering the local climate. Additionally, I would appreciate recommendations for the mortar mixture suitable for bricklaying. If you have instructional videos on both topics, I would be grateful for the information. Thank you, and I thoroughly enjoy your educational content!

I live in south carolina. What would be a good mix to use for a chimney cap?

I want to dry pour and stamp or mold some concrete stepping stones and don't want the rocks to show through. What is the best smooth concrete to use?

What do you recommend for a loose stone in a rock wall in the front yard? Type s? Thank you for your time sir you are awesome! God bless you!

I've been looking everywhere i can find an affirmative answer. What type would you use for a shower pan quick and pre slope? Every video says a 4/1 mix of Portland cement and sand, but never the type.

thanks dirk tharpe

Thank you god bless you.can I add sand to spec mix mortal typ S please

Can I use Type M for in top of old concrete slab that need to be level about 2" tick? for ceramic tile installation.

To make concrete mixture planters: I read to mix 1:1 (portland and mortar). Is N, S or O mortar type the right one?

Thank you for posting and sharing, but isn't psi compressive strength?, not holding power for hurricane tiles, I'm not picking on you, this is a very informative video

In type n or s it says on the bag to just add water. But others in you tube add sand to those mortar. Why?