Selecting a Tan Mortar Color
The right tan mortar can sit quietly with the masonry units or step forward as a design feature in its own right. Lighter shades — such as Bisque, Sand, Champagne and Wheat — are often specified where a soft, low-contrast joint is desired, and frequently serve as a buff mortar selection for limestone or light-brick façades. Midrange tans like Birch, Riverstone, Buckskin and Olde Colony are professional choices for traditional brick and stone palettes. Deeper, more saturated tans such as Curry, Malt and Ridge add warmth and depth to contemporary façades and feature walls.
Because joint color is influenced by sand source, tooling technique, curing conditions and ambient lighting, a sand color mortar mix can read differently throughout the day as the lighting angle and brightness change on the wall. Joint profile (concave, V, raked or weathered) further affects the perceived tone by changing shadow lines along the joint. For larger projects, we recommend building a job-specific sample panel before final specification.Â
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Explore More Color Families
Proper mortar color selection is critical to achieving the intended appearance of a structure. Workrite offers 60 standard colors to meet the needs of virtually any project.
If the right match still isn’t available, our sales team can assist with the formulation of a custom color tailored to your design requirements. Reach out to our sales staff to learn about formulating a custom color.
Frequently Asked Questions
Review these common questions to help guide your selection of the right tan mortar for your project.
What’s the Difference Between Tan Mortar, Buff Mortar and Beige Mortar?
The terms are often used interchangeably in masonry specification. Within WORKRITE®‘s Tans Color Family, you’ll find shades that designers and masons describe as tan, beige, buff, sand, and wheat — all produced from the same integrally blended, ASTM-compliant system.
What Masonry Units Pair Well With a Tan or Buff Mortar?
Tan and buff mortars are commonly specified with buff and tan brick, limestone, sandstone, light architectural CMU, and warm-toned manufactured stone. The final pairing should always be confirmed against a physical sample of both the unit and the mortar.
Can I Get a Custom Sand Color Mortar Mix?
Yes. If none of our standard tans deliver the sand color mortar mix you need, contact our sales team to develop a bespoke custom color formulation.
