Fort Worth Brick Repair

AMR Labs - 817-366-8376

MortarLab@gmail.com  Contact Form

We are making brick mortar cracks disappear. - AMR

Do you need quality brick mortar repair services or products? We provide mortar matching, mortar testing, and other products and services.

The most important part in any mortar 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.

The testing report and formula is better for projects using a lot of mortar, but requires you to match the color if needed. The mortar analysis with color matching makes it quick and easy.

Click on one of the following two types of mortar testing to place an order, pay for testing, and get shipping details and procedures.

• Mortar Testing Report and Formula <- Click For More Information

  • This test is commonly used by contractors who need to match mortar types/crushing pressures and compositions for commercial and historic restorations. With this option, you will get the mortar formula for making the matching mortar type and a sample of your sand cleaned from one of the samples tested.

   

• Mortar Analysis/Color Matching <- Click For More Information

  • This test is used by home owners and contractors to make brick mortar repairs quick and easy. We perform many of the same tests for this option, but the formula is not provided nor a report sent. We collect the information from these tests required to match mortar and apply our proprietary formulas and mortar matching system to get you a perfect mortar color match.

  • From this formula match, we produce bags of mortar for your project. This is required for pre-matched mortars. This test is best as an addition to the other testing to provide a more complete match.

AMR Labs is dedicated to providing quality brick and mortar repair products and services. Among these Services, we offer mortar analysis and mortar testing. These are part of our mortar matching services.

One of the most commonly used testing methods for testing hardened mortars is the ASTM C1324-96 testing procedure. As with any testing method for testing hardened mortars, there are variables and assumptions made in the interpretation of testing results. These interpretations allow for variance and error in the results provided. This is why AMR tests hardened mortar using more than one testing method. The more information collected about a mortar, the better and more accurate the results can be for the final test result interpretation.

Our testing procedures follow several of the ASTM testing methods for testing hardened mortars, and are accepted for use on new and historic mortar restoration projects.

We start the testing of mortars using a visual examination under magnification and microscope. This is repeated at various points of testing to acquire more information from each stage of testing including before and after the sample is crushed. This portion of the test helps to identify binder composition and contaminates.

We also test the crushing pressure of the hardened mortar to help identify the mortar type and how the replacement mortar must perform to coexist with the original mortar. Crushing pressure is relative at best due to the size, age, and shape of samples being tested. This is why multiple samples must be tested to narrow the range of variance.

The crushed samples are then re-examined under magnification and through other chemical analysis including acid digestion and reaction.

The resulting weight loss of testing is another useful tip in understanding the mortar testing results. At this point, further examination of the sand provides useful information about the mortar composition and what color, texture, and gradation of sand will be required to properly match the original mortar.

With all of these results, we can narrow the variance and limit the interpreted results more accurately than any one standard testing method provides. In order to more accurately interpret the testing results and provide a mortar formula for matching existing mortar, the results must be interpreted with an understanding of masonry. Knowing the history of, and how masonry works in the field provides crucial information about the mortar and how to interpret the test results.

With this starting point, we match the grey tone of your mortar to our color charts, and begin adjusting pigments as needed.

After, your mortar color is matched, AMR Labs can produce custom bags of pre-matched brick repair mortar for your brick repair project.

We have put together many brick repair training tools to help you complete the brick repairs around your home. Among these are "The Brick Repair Guide" and various brick and mortar repair training videos.

Mortar matching is achieved through a number of tests of samples from your mortar. The first test in our mortar analysis is a crushing pressure test to determine the mortar type. Different mortar types will crush at higher pressures. At this point, your crushed mortar sample is washed through a hydrochloric test from which we derive various details about your mortar including the color and gradation of the sand used. Only after we have obtained all of these details about your mortar, can we even begin to match the color of your mortar.