Portland cement is the manufactured binding powder, made by heating limestone and clay, that gives modern mortar, grout, and concrete their strength and structural hardness.
Portland cement is a manufactured binding powder made by heating limestone and clay to a high temperature and grinding the resulting material into fine dust. Mixed with water, it forms a paste that hardens through a chemical reaction rather than simple drying, which is why cured cement products keep gaining strength for weeks after they're placed. It's the base ingredient in modern Type N, S, and M mortars, in grout, and in poured concrete footings and slabs.
Portland cement mortar is harder and less forgiving than lime mortar, which makes it the right choice for most modern brick, block, and stonework but the wrong choice for repairing pre-1930s soft brick. On new construction and standard repairs around Hillsville, Wytheville, and Fancy Gap, Portland cement based mortars hold up well against our freeze-thaw winters as long as the type is matched to what the wall is actually doing structurally.
More masonry vocabulary from the glossary.
The services where this term comes up.
Chelo's Brick & Stone serves Hillsville, Galax, Wytheville, Fancy Gap, and Independence, VA. Call for a straight answer and a free on-site estimate.
