A beautiful facade can make it a joy to come home every day, and it can also dramatically improve the value of your home. In fact, great curb appeal can help you get a 10% higher offer when selling your house!
As you look at projects to upgrade the outside of your home, you’ll want to make sure your stonework or brick is in good repair. You may even want to change it entirely. But choosing the right exterior isn’t the end of the project. You also have to choose a mortar that will complement the look.
Here are some ways to choose the right mortar color every time.
Why is Mortar Color Important?
You know that mortar is the glue that holds the stone on your home together, but you may not realize that it’s important for more than structure. The mortar you choose can affect how your home looks overall, including influencing the appearance of your stones.
For instance, the color of the mortar can bring contrast to make the stones stand out, or it can help your home have an even, single-color look. It’s completely up to you.
Set Your Goals
The first step in choosing the best mortar color is to know what you’re going for. Here are some things that mortar can do:
- Make individual bricks or stones “pop” with color
- Create a uniform appearance
- Give a home a traditional or modern look
- Highlight light or dark tones in a varied facade
So, what are you trying to accomplish? It might help to look at examples. A white mortar can bring out cool tones, while a gray mortar may look dated. A red mortar can give a uniform look to red brick, whereas a lighter color with red brick gives a traditional feel.
Test in Several Light Levels
It’s important to remember that as the sun moves across the sky each day, the light on your home will change. Don’t choose a mortar color based only on the early-afternoon look of your home. Instead, try a test area that you can look at several times a day. In fact, you can even try it in the dark with your car’s headlights. You’d hate for the nighttime look to be terrible when you come home from a late dinner!
Choose the Right Mortar and Color it Yourself
Having the right mortar is essential. For instance:
- You need to make sure it stands up to the weather conditions in your area.
- You should check to make sure it will hold up over time.
- It should work well for the type and condition of your stone or brick.
What if you’ve found the perfect mortar but it doesn’t come in the right color? Get a white mix and add a dye pack! You can make your mortar color as light or dark as you care to. Just remember that the final color will be the color of the dry mix. It will look darker when wet, but don’t worry—once it dries, it will be perfect.
Get Started with Your Brickwork Today!
We know how important it is to have the right brick or stone for your home. You want a home that stands the test of time, both in terms of quality and style. And we’re here to help that happen.
Champion Brick is your Milwaukee area brick and mortar experts. If you have questions about residential brick applications or want to see samples in person, stop by our showroom in New Berlin or contact us today!
