Bricklaying advice

[simmi]

Books are a good guide line and are very help full, been doing every day for the last 30years, hence my glass back, below ground and up to the damp course3 and 1 mix , above damp 5and 1mix. Red or yellow sand can be used , depends what you are blending into, red tends to dry a shade darker and is more workable. always cover up at night this time of year. Might pay to use a frost proofing agent but  be carefull the mortar sets sooner.

Happy building

Neil

[slater]

Through the development of next generation cements that include the addition of pulverised fuel ash (also called PFA or fly ash) to the mix, Lafarge Cement is reducing the carbon burden of its products and conserving natural resources.

A waste by-product of the power industry, fly ash is recycled by Lafarge Cement to replace a proportion of clinker in the cement. This reduces the embodied CO2 value of the cement product, typically by a third.

The development of these CEM II materials, creating products such as 'Phoenix Portland'-fly ash cement was recognised when its joint venture company with Scottish Power, ScotAsh, was awarded the BITC/TATA Market Place Innovation Award by HRH Prince Charles last year

Does this answer your question? CEM1 and Cem2 are the next generation cements and are needed to comply with part 3 carbon guidlines for new build houses in I think 2009 where all new build must be a certain percentage carbon neutral.

lewis

[John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison]

Sharp sand is also used mainly for laying slabs on

[Glen H]

Thanks Neil  

Lewis - Thanks also for your info - very informative. But do you know if one of the (CEM I or CEM II) is better than the other - or is 1 more suitable for a certain mix or something.

Basically why do they make 2 and which ones best for my application  

[slater]

CEM1 contains up to 5% of additives and CEM2 contains up to 35% of additives so CEM2 should require no additional placticisers ie to make the mixed mortar easier to use. So the choice is yours personally I like ordinary portland (CEM1) with blended sand. Dont use B&Q sand as it tends to make a very watery mix which if you are not used to using mortar will make the finished job look very stained.

lewis