mortar Help

[ycart]

What kind of mortar should I use because I cannot find fire clay ? Is there another solution
thanks

[david s]

Probably any powdered clay will suffice if you can't get fire clay.

[david s]

I should qualify my reasons for advising that "any powdered clay should suffice". In the poor mans mortar there is only1/6 by volume of fireclay and at the temps we fire to that fireclay will not melt so it is a bit doubtful whether using any powdered clay would make a significant difference. The lime does a pretty good job on it's own after the Portland has given up the ghost.

[dmun]

That said, the kind of place where you would get powdered clay, a ceramics supply, would most likely have fireclay, and it's likely to be your cheapest powdered clay option.

[david s]

it is also very abundant almost anywhere. Has been used for centuries as a building material making mud bricks.,but you will have to process it to. Remove any foreign material like course aggregate if you use it to make mortar. Quite a bit of work to pulverize it and pass it through a sieve (don't strain yourself)