Mortar Mixture

Mortar is used to hold building materials such as brick or stone together. It is

composed of a thick mixture of water, sand, and cement. The water is used to
hydrate the cement and hold the mix together. The water to cement ratio is higher
inmortar than in concrete in order to form its bonding element.

Plaster
Plaster is a mixture of suitable plaster, sand, portland cement and water which is
normally applied to masonry interiors and exteriors to achieve a smooth surface.
Interior surfaces sometimes receive a final layer of gypsum plaster. Walls
constructed with stock bricks are normally plastered while face brick walls are not
plastered. Various cement-based plasters are also used as proprietary
spray fireproofing products. These usually use vermiculite as lightweight aggregate.
Heavy versions of such plasters are also in use for exterior fireproofing, to protect
LPG vessels, pipe bridges and vessel skirts.

Cement plaster was first introduced in America around 1909 and was often called by
the generic name adamant plaster after a prominent manufacturer of the time. The
advantages of cement plaster noted at that time were its strength, hardness, quick
setting time and durability.

Cement
To make concrete there are four basic materials you need: portland cement, sand,
aggregate (stone), and water. The ratio of aggregate to sand to cement is an
important factor in determining the compressive strength of the concrete mixture.
 A basic mixture of mortar can be made using the volume proportions of 1
water : 2 cement : 3 sand. Most of the student activities can be conducted using this
basic mixture. Another "old rule of thumb" for mixing concrete is 1 cement : 2 sand :
3 gravel by volume. Mix the dry ingredients and slowly add water until the concrete is
workable. This mixture may need to be modified depending on the aggregate used to
provide a concrete of the right workability. The mix should not be too stiff or too
sloppy. It is difficult to form good test specimens if it is too stiff. If it is too sloppy,
water may separate (bleed) from the mixture.