Historic Mortar Testing
Call AMR Labs for pricing/details
817-366-8376
AMR Mortar Testing Labs provides mortar testing and matching services for newer masonry mortar and historic lime mortar restorations.
The most important part in any masonry restoration is the mortar used. The replacement mortar needs to match the original mortar in mortar type and crushing pressures. We also match the color and the sand to provide a complete mortar match.
Mortar Testing/Testing Historic Masonry
AMR Labs is a mortar testing lab dedicated to the analysis of mortar for matching new mortar to the existing historic mortar of masonry through a variety of mortar analysis and historic mortar testing methods. Our tests are all for the analysis and matching of hardened historic mortars, and follow the ASTM testing standards for testing historic mortar. Our full mortar analysis provides the most detailed report about the sample mortars, and provides the most reliable results for determining the historic mortar composition and formula of any historic mortar testing procedure available. We get the most reliable results by collecting more data about the mortar being tested. This is done through the combination of multiple testing methods. Some of the tests of mortar include testing compressive strength of mortar, chemical analysis or acid digestion test of mortar, microscopic examination or magnification of mortar samples, and analysis of the sand. Then we use some scientific mortar analysis in the use and interpretation of testing results to narrow the range of results. This portion uses things like the weight loss during analysis with the specific gravity of the identified binder materials of the mortar and allows us to provide more reliable interpretations and recommendations for matching old mortar. You may also be interested in our custom mortar color matching services and bags of pre-matched mortar.
Mortar Matching is a detailed process of mortar analysis whereby you get a complete match of the mortar from its composition and formula of binders and sand to the proportions of types and colors of sand, pigments, and other factors that effect the color of mortar.
Mortar Composition is acquired through Mortar Analysis and determines the mortar formula, part of the base tones of the mortar color, performance of the mortar, and the color and graded particles of the sand. It also identifies contaminates in the mortar. These are often called fines.
From this point in the analysis and testing of the mortar, we have a good starting point and references to guide us in matching the color. This is done by adjusting base tones then pigments and testing the color until a suitable mortar color match is made and confirmed to match the samples provided. This formula completely matches the old mortar type, composition, and color and from this formula we can produce bags of custom mortar or you can mix the proportions on location.
Some of the services
we offer are:
Mortar Testing - Mortar Analysis - Mortar Matching and Mortar Composition Testing -
Pennsylvania Major Cities: