Basic Use

CEMEX’s Richcolor Masonry Cement is a manufactured colored masonry cement for use in brick, block and stone masonry construction.

Composition and materials

CEMEX’s Richcolor Masonry Cement is manufactured by blending CEMEX’s Richmortar Masonry Cement, colored pigments, and white masonry cement when necessary. The blending of these materials is closely controlled by our laboratory during manufacturing to assure the finest quality colored masonry cement. Iron oxide pigments are used to minimize fading.

Type

Both Type N and Type S are available in most colors. These products, when mixed in specified proportions with masonry sand (ASTM Specification C-144), will comply with requirements for Type N or S Mortar of ASTM Specification C-270 (Mortar for Unit Masonry). Type N is shipped in 70 pound (32kg) bags; Type S is shipped in 75 pound (34kg) bags.

Colors

Color selection may be made from CEMEX’s Richcolor Masonry Cement sample kit. The mortar strips in this kit are actual samples of Richcolor and are the thickness of a normal masonry joint.

A sample panel with CEMEX’s Richcolor Masonry Cement should be constructed before the start of a job for inspection and approved by the architect/owner. This sample panel should be constructed using masonry sand that is to be used on the job. Richcolor for this sample panel is available through your CEMEX representative.

Additional uses

CEMEX’s Richcolor Masonry Cement is also recommended for use as a stucco cement.

Applicable standards

The following standards apply to CEMEX’s Richcolor Masonry Cements:

Colored Masonry Cement: CEMEX’s Richcolor Masonry Cement complies with Federal Specification SS-C-1960/1 or ASTM Specification C-91.

Sand: All sand should conform to ASTM Specification C-144.

Water: All water should be clean and free from organic material and deleterious amounts of dissolved acids, alkalies and salts.

Preparation

CEMEX’s Richcolor Masonry Cement proportioned with sand meeting ASTM C-144 will produce mortar meeting the requirements of ASTM C-270 under the proportion specifications. Under the property requirements of ASTM C-270, however, cement-to-sand proportions for the job mixed mortar are to be in the range of 1:2¼ to 1:3½, and the mortar must be pretested in the laboratory before the job begins.

Machine mixing should be used whenever possible. First, with mixer running, add most of the water and half the sand. Next, add the masonry cement and the rest of the sand. After one minute of continuous mixing, slowly add the rest of the water. Mixing should continue for at least three minutes; extending mixing up to five minutes improves mortar.

Application

Use CEMEX’s Richcolor Masonry Cement as soon as possible after mixing. Retempering should be held to a minimum.

CEMEX’s Richcolor Masonry joints must be properly tooled for good color appearance and compactness in the wall. Joints should be tooled at the same degree of stiffness and moisture. If joints are tooled too early, excess water will be drawn to the surface, producing lighter joints. The joints will appear dark and discolored if tooling is done after stiffening has started.

CEMEX’s Richcolor Masonry walls should be cleaned by using a mild detergent or solvent-type cleaner. Cleaning materials should be used in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations. Test cleaning materials on sample panel before uses.

The use of acid in cleaning the finished wall should be avoided. Acid penetrates the Richcolor surface, causing the colored pigments to be washed away, exposing sand particles. If excess mortar is brushed off as the wall is constructed, cleaning can be held to a minimum.

Hot Weather and Retempering: Mortars exposed to hot winds and full sun will tend to lose workability due to the evaporation of water. Common sense precautions should be taken to protect the mortar such as shading the mixer, wetting mortar boards, covering wheelbarrows and tubs, and balancing mortar production to meet demand.

If it is necessary to restore workability, mortar may be retempered by adding water and remixing. No mortar should be used or retempered beyond 2½ hours after the initial mixing.

Cold Weather Precautions: Mortar should be maintained at a minimum temperature of 40° F as prescribed by standard cold weather masonry specifications. Cold weather admixtures should be approved by the architect.

Admixtures

CEMEX’s richcolor is a complete masonry cement. The use of admixtures should be approved by the architect.

Availability

CEMEX’s Portland Cements can be ordered by contacting at CEMEX Customer Care at:

Customer Care  |   1-800-992-3639

Warranty

CEMEX warrants that the products identified are in accordance with the appropriate current ASTM and Federal Specifications. No one is authorized to make any modifications or addition to this warranty. CEMEX makes no warranty or representation, either expressed or implied, with respect to this product and disclaims any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

As CEMEX has no control over the other ingredients mixed with this product or the final application, CEMEX does not and cannot warrant the finished work.

In no event shall CEMEX be liable for direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use of this product, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. In no case shall CEMEX’s liability exceed the purchase price of this product.