What is Mortar for Brick Slips?

When it comes to brick slips, you may have heard the word mortar come up but have no idea what it means.

At J&A Tiling, we understand how important it is for our clients to understand each and every stage of the brick slip installation process, so they know what they are paying for and what to expect from the end result.

This is why in this blog update, we want to explain to you the relationship between brick and mortar and everything you will need to know about the use of a mortar.

What is Mortar?

When installing brick slips on your wall, a brick slip mortar is the sand and cement filler that fills in the empty space in between the brick slip tiles to help provide the wall with a more realistic brick facade.

How Does Mortar Work?

People often wonder, how do mortars work when it comes to brick slips installation and if they are really necessary.

There is a myth behind the use of brick wall tile mortar – that the mortar is necessary as it acts like a glue keeping the brick effect wall tiles more secure and stable. This is not the case.

Brick effect tiles simply have a mortar to make the wall look more realistic.

Additionally, mortar can be used to level out the wall when building and can also be used for decorative purposes.

What is Brick Pointing?

Brick pointing is the process in which the mortar gets inserted between the brick effect wall tiles.

This can be a long and tiresome process which is why it’s important to ensure you have the right tools at hand – what we would recommend if you were to do this kind of job yourself, is to ensure you have a pointer gun, as it helps to get the job done much quicker, easier and more efficiently in comparison to using other tools.

Do You Need Mortar?

The next question that we usually get asked when people realise that the mortar doesn’t structurally help their brick slip wall, is do I need a mortar?

In answer to you question, no, you don’t necessarily need a mortar, however if you want your quality brick slip wall to look as realistic as possible, then it is highly recommended.

Different Mortar Colours

What can also add another interesting feature to your brick and tile slip walls, is that your brick slip mortar can also come in different colours, depending on the style and appearance that you are aiming for with your reclaimed brick slips, modern brick slips, rustic brick slips or handmade brick slips.

With plenty of different types of brick slips and mortar colours, it is the perfect way to add a unique and individual feature to your property.

Get in contact with J&A Tiling for a free quote and advice on commercial tiling & brick slip installation!