Carpentry & Masonry Trade Knowledge — Practice
Masonry: mortar: practice questions
Our Carpentry & Masonry bank has 13 questions on this topic. Here are 5 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.
Question 1 · Masonry
What is the approximate compressive strength of Type S mortar?
- 350 psi
- 750 psi
- 1,800 psi
- 5,000 psi
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C. 1,800 psi — NPS Preservation Brief 2.
Question 2 · Masonry
Which mortar type is strongest?
- Type M
- Type N
- Type O
- Type K
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A. Type M — Approximate strengths: M 2,500, S 1,800, N 750, O 350, K 75 psi.
Question 3 · Masonry
What is grout in masonry?
- A sealant for tile only
- The same as mortar
- A dry-packed mortar used only to set stone veneer on walls
- A fluid mix of cement, aggregate and water used to fill cells and cavities
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D. A fluid mix of cement, aggregate and water used to fill cells and cavities — Grout bonds reinforcing to the masonry.
Question 4 · Masonry
What are the basic ingredients of portland cement-lime mortar?
- Masonry cement, crushed stone, gypsum and an accelerator
- Portland cement and gravel only
- Sand and water only
- Portland cement, hydrated lime, sand and water
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D. Portland cement, hydrated lime, sand and water — Proportions set the type.
Question 5 · Masonry
For repointing older masonry, how should the new mortar compare with the masonry units?
- It should be pure portland cement
- It should be softer and more vapor permeable than the units
- It should match the strength of modern Type M mortar for durability
- It should be harder than the bricks
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B. It should be softer and more vapor permeable than the units — Hard mortar can damage softer brick (NPS Brief 2).