If machine-made sand is used for ordinary dry-mixed plastering mortar and masonry mortar, what is the appropriate fineness modulus of the sand?

[Roy]

If machine-made sand is used for ordinary dry-mixed plastering mortar and masonry mortar, what is the appropriate fineness modulus of the sand?

 

[Allen]

The sand used for plastering mortar is finer compared with the sand for masonry mortar which is coarser. Generally, the fineness modulus of river sand is about 2.6.

 

[Cassie]

The reasons like different rock materials in various places, other sand-making line configurations, different sand-making machines, different feed particle sizes and feed volumes will all lead to differences in the gradation of machine-made sand, which will cause sand easily to use but sometimes not. Generally, the content below 0.15 is controlled not to exceed 20%, and the one below 0.08 does not exceed 10%. Therefore, machine-made sand of 2.3-2.5 is acceptable, and 2.6 is also acceptable if the gradation is good.

 

[Scott Kaplan]

The maximum particle size of ordinary plastering mortar can be up to 2.5MM.
The masonry mortar can be more significant according to the actual situation.

 

[Luis]

The construction of machine-made sand is not much worse. However, according to the test done by my friend, the bonding with the board is better, and the load-bearing and compressive resistance are not as good as quartz sand.