A Tale of Three Sands or What Type of Sand makes for Strong Mortars?

The right qualities of sand are crucial in lime mortar making and differ some from brickwork versus plaster and stucco. The increasing inclusion of crushed rock in sand mixes presents particular problems.

Understanding mortar sieve results and intro on improving imperfect sand

A skilled mechanic can make almost any aggregate work for most uses on historic buildings. But learning how to locate (or assemble from several sources) a better aggregate will make for better working characteristics and a more durable product.