A dry mix finish product, such as mortar, is ranked among the most versatile construction materials used in the modern construction industry. It is useful with masonry blocks or to lay bricks, as render and skim coat, and even to fix tiles and coat buildings.
Dry mix products are manufactured in factories that are equipped with specialized blending and batching facilities. These machines are crucial to producing top-quality dry mix products as it is a highly controlled process.
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Dry mix mortar and other compounds have incredibly useful properties that fulfil a wide range of construction requirements. Generally, dry mix products are made by mixing sand, cement, minerals, and additives, in the right proportion.
In this blog, we shall find out details about dry mix products, mainly focusing on dry mix mortar, its uses, benefits and more.
Advantages and Benefits of Dry Mix Mortar
Here are the express advantages of using dry mix mortar –
1. High Quality
Dry mix products are produced in factories with special manufacturing facilities and equipment under highly controlled conditions. This ensures that the product has consistently high-quality standards and provides the level of properties and performance expected by the customer.
2. Cost-Saving
The manufacturing process of dry mix mortar and other products is such that it eliminates wastage of materials. This is because the raw materials required for manufacturing dry mix products are taken in exact quantities as required by the formulation. Besides this, the application process of dry mix products is quicker and more efficient, which also helps reduce labor effort and costs.
3. Saves Time
Dry mix products need less preparation before being applied, as it can be spread directly on the substrate. This way, it allows users to save time, which is especially beneficial for large-scale construction projects.
4. Enhances Workability
Dry mix products are designed to offer consistency and expand workability. This reduces the risk of errors when applying and makes the application process more efficient too.
Apart from these advantages, there are other benefits of using dry mix products, such as –
- Offers consistent strength
- Reduces mixing time
- On-demand availability lowers downtime, improves productivity
- Contains no retardants
- Additives selected to ensure versatile workability
- Dries materials regardless of weather conditions
- Minimizes cement pilferage
- No special requirements for transporting
- Can be stirred, pumped, and applied by machine automatically
- Contains optimal sand-to-cement ratio
- Improves overall industrial working condition
Raw Materials for Manufacturing Dry Mix Products
Any dry mix finish product, such as dry mix mortar, tile adhesive, etc. only needs to be mixed with clean water. It produces top-quality fresh mortar when it is blended using a simple mixer.
Despite being easy to prepare and use, the varied dry mix mortars and other products have a slightly different formula and ingredients. Ultra-modern high-quality dry mix mortar was discovered after an extensive research and development process. Hence, it undergoes rigorous testing before being offered as a finished product, to ensure optimal workability and versatile functions.
In general, the raw materials used to manufacture dry mix mortar and other finished products are categorized into four groups –
Binders
- High Alumina Content (HAC)
- Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)
- Pulverized Fuel Ash (PFA)
- Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS)
- Gypsum
- Micro Silica
- Polymer
- Anhydrite
- Hydrated Lime
Fillers
- Quartz Sand
- Silica Powder
- Silica Sand
- Silica Powder
- Perlite
- Limestone Powder
- Expansion Clay
- Cellulose Fiber
- Bentonite
- Polystyrene
- Vermiculite
- Polypropylene Fiber
Chemical Additives
- Superplasticizers
- Thickening Agents
- Cellulose Esters
- Accelerating Agents
- Defoaming Agents
- Air Entraining Agents
- Retarding Agents
- Plasticizing Agents
- Hydrophobic Agents
- Shrinkage Compensation Agents
Pigments
- Organic Pigments
- Inorganic Pigments
Almost all dry mix products have a mineral cementitious binder, such as OPC, and a polymer binder, such as redispersible polymer powder (RDP).
The end-products are carefully packed in strong waterproof bags by leading manufacturers, such as Sakshi Chem Sciences, to extend their storage life and to retain their complete functionality. This is the reason that dry mix products are also called Pre-bagged, or Pre-Mixed Polymer Modified Cementitious Mortar.
Types of Dry Mix Finish Products
Below are the most common dry mix products available on the market –
- Thin joint mortar
- Stucco
- Plastering mortar (internal and external)
- Tile joint filler
- Tile adhesive
- Cement grout
- Waterproofing materials
- Floor screed
- Crack fillers
- Cement repair materials
Production Process of Dry Mix Products
Dry mix products are usually manufactured in specialized production plants. These factories are equipped with the proper mixing and packaging equipment required for making high-quality dry mix mortar and other similar products. This is a highly controlled process to reduce the risk of human error and ensure optimal quality of the product.
A dry mixing mortar plant, also called a dry mortar manufacturing unit, is needed to produce the desired dry mix finish product, such as wall putty, tile adhesive, plaster, and other similar construction materials.
The manufacturing process of dry mix product involves the following six stages –
1. Raw Material storing
The first step involves storing the necessary raw materials properly in storage tanks or silos. The raw materials used to manufacture dry mix products include cement, sand, and any other additives.
2. Batching process
The raw materials are then weighed and batched according to the individual formulae for different types of dry mix products, such as mortar, putty, grout, etc.
3. Mixing process
The segregated raw materials are then mixed carefully in the required proportion in a special mixing machine. This is necessary to ensure that all the ingredients are distributed evenly and mixed completely.
4. Packing stage
Next, the mixed product is properly packed into strong containers and durable bags, before being labeled appropriately, and prepared for shipping.
5. Quality Check
The next stage in manufacturing dry mix products is taking random samples of the finished product to test for quality. This step in the manufacturing process is crucial to ensure that all dry mix products are up to mark where quality control is concerned.
6. Storage and Transporting
Finally, the packed products are stored carefully in a warehouse till they are ready to be carted off to the customers.
Conclusion
Overall, dry mix finished products offer numerous benefits and advantages, including consistent quality, ease of use, cost-efficiency, reduced labor costs, etc. These are produced to be applied directly on the construction site and do not require special transportation methods.
Apart from this, the dry mix mortar and similar products are being increasingly sought-after globally, especially from renowned manufacturers, such as Sakshi Chem Sciences Pvt Ltd.