What is the difference between mortar and cement?

These terms are widely used in the construction sector and although they may seem very similar, as they both constitute or are the basis of construction processes, they are totally different in their use, production and characteristics. In this article, we will explain the difference between mortar and cement.

What is cement?

Cement is a fine powder obtained by calcining a mixture of limestone, clay and iron ore at a very high temperature. It is a paste that sets and hardens through reactions and hydration processes.

It is a building material suitable for filling or filling voids. It is also used as a binder in concrete blocks and precast beams.

It is the most widely used binder in the construction sector today in the manufacture of all types of concrete and mortar.

What is a mortar?

Mortar is a product obtained from a homogeneous mixture of water, sand and an inorganic binder, which can be gypsum, lime, clay or cement. It is used in construction to fill in the spaces between bricks or blocks, to flatten walls or as a wall covering.

Types of mortar

There are several types of mortars that are obtained by adding water to a mixture of sand and a binding material, which hardens and binds the particles together. Below we are going to see what they are and what their essential characteristics are.

Clay Mortar

Earth or clay mortar is one of the first mortars to be used in construction by mankind. The ease of obtaining this raw material and its rapid hardening made it very useful for joining stones and forming walls of high consistency. Many of these constructions have survived to the present day, thousands of years old.

Lime mortar

Lime mortar is one of the most common mortars used in rehabilitation and restoration works. They are made with lime, sand and water.

They are characterised by their high breathability and low modulus of elasticity.

On the market you can find air lime mortars (the predominant binder is pure hydrated lime that hardens due to environmental CO2) or hydraulic lime mortars (the predominant binder is a type of lime that contains some by-products that harden by hydration).

It is an excellent material for dealing with problems associated with damp or for giving an antique effect style to exterior or interior walls of dwellings. It is also a highly regarded product in terms of sustainability as it captures CO2 from the environment.

Gypsum mortar

To make gypsum mortar, we must mix gypsum with sand and various additives. This material has high adhesion, is not easily pulverised or cracked, is easy to use and saves costs.

It is ideal for solving problems where there are interior gaps and cracks or where the plaster layer has peeled off and needs to be repaired. At the same time, it is used to provide fire resistance, acoustic insulation and to conserve heat in buildings.

It is not a resistant product, it is very sensitive to humidity and its use is limited to interiors.

Cement mortar

This mortar is a mixture of water and sand. It is the most widely used mortar nowadays, suitable for setting heavy construction elements such as bricks, stones, concrete blocks…

But not only that, there is a multitude of specialised products that emerged from the technification of mortars. The use of additives and resins revolutionised cement mortars, giving them unique characteristics suitable for their intended use.

This gives rise to families such as cement glue mortars, waterproofing mortars, screed mortars or self-levelling mortars, repair mortars, refractory mortars, quick-setting mortars, single-layer mortars, etc.

Related Molins products

At Molins we know about cement and mortars, we are specialists in solving each of the problems that our customers have to face. That is why we have the best experts and the right products to achieve the complete satisfaction of our customers.

Among the waterproofing mortars, we highlight PROPAM® IMPE FLEX, a flexible single-component mortar for waterproofing most of the situations frequently encountered on site. It is universal, adjustable by brush or trowel and easy to use.

Other outstanding repair products are the PROPAM® REPAR TECHNO range, thixotropic mortars of high resistance reinforced with fibres for the structural repair of concrete, as well as having, some of them, fast hardening or flowing qualities for use by pouring.

Featured products:

Do you want more information?