# Mortar or Grout?



## spencer186 (Apr 23, 2010)

Non-mason installing a new hearth and stone veneer over brick. I laid the hearth stones in a mortar bed, but not sure what to do about the joints.  They are about 1/2" wide or less.  The hearth stones are an earth color so I got colored grout.  I'm thinking maybe tinting the mortar and going with that instead.  Any ideas?  Any real difference betwen mortar and grout? Thanks!


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## benjamin (Apr 23, 2010)

spencer186 said:
			
		

> Any real difference betwen mortar and grout?



Usually about $20, plus grout seems to have a much sharper more uniform aggregate, some latex additives and generally designed to do the job.  Mortar will work fine, I'd be careful not to make it too soupy and use it the same way you would use grout.  It might tend to set up unevenly if the joints vary in size and the stone is porous enough to pull water out of the mortar.


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## woodracerx (Apr 24, 2010)

spencer186 said:
			
		

> Non-mason installing a new hearth and stone veneer over brick. I laid the hearth stones in a mortar bed, but not sure what to do about the joints.  They are about 1/2" wide or less.  The hearth stones are an earth color so I got colored grout.  I'm thinking maybe tinting the mortar and going with that instead.  Any ideas?  Any real difference between mortar and grout? Thanks!


I used mortar with color added with joints that wide Worked good.Spray joints with water from spray bottle so mortar does not dry out to fast.Get a grout bag lowes has them for about 5 bucks.


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## SteveKG (Apr 24, 2010)

I used "field stone" on my hearth, just a lot of rocks I picked up around the property and as thin as I could find. I set them into a bed of mortar and then "grouted" them with the same stuff. In my case, I didn't care that the color was gonna be "concrete," but one could certainly add color. My hearth [fireplace] has been there and in use for 25 years and is in perfect condition. I made my mortar with "mortar sand" mixed 4:1 with Portland cement. Cost=almost nothing.

If you haven't done this [work with Portland mortar], you should clean off the face of the stones afterwards, while the smears and dribbles are still wet, as the Portland will stain the rock. Muriatic acid may clean it off, I haven't tried that as I didn't need to. It is easier to clean up as you go. Which is what you do with regular grout anyway after it dries to a haze. I did this with a sponge and clean water, then drying the stones off a bit with an old towel. As it dried, I checked several times and re-sponged if needed. If you use Portland, wear some tight-fitting nitrile gloves or something similar as the Portland will eat some of the skin on your hands.


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