Once you have decided to place an order for a MERCOL dry silo mortar system, we will need to know your required mix, tonnage required and the power and water options available onsite.
Our silo’s require both power and water to operate.
3 Phase Electrical Supply (Mains or Generator) 415 Volts
32 Amp 5 Pin Female Socket (Industrial) – the socket must be within 10 metres of the silo
If using 3 Phase generators, the unit must have a minimum capacity of 12 kva per silo.
A ¾” water hose connected to a standard tap with a ¾” external thread must be provided within 5 metres of the silo. Water pressure must be a minimum of 2 bar working pressure. In the event that the working pressure is less than 2 bar, a pump will be required to increase the pressure to the appropriate level.
Where mains water is unavailable, it is possible to operate the silo mixer unit from a water storage tank. The tank must be located directly alongside the silo, the base of the tank being at least 6″ above ground level. The water feed must be through a ¾” hose running directly downwards to the silo base. Approximately 150 litres of water are used per ton of mortar produced.
Each different mix required onsite require a separate silo. Our mortars are designed for use with all types of bricks and masonry units, above and below damp-proof course. Please contact us should you require advice on the appropriate mortar designation for specific applications.
The number of bricks and blocks that can be laid per ton vary. One ton of MERCOL dry mortar is sufficient to lay approximately 700 bricks (the actual number may however vary between 550 and 1000 this depends upon the size of brick, depth of frog, size of perforations, site practice and other factors etc.). These factors need to be considered when finalising the quantity of mortar you require.
Before delivery, a MERCOL site representative will conduct a site visit to advise on suitable locations for the silos. Provisional delivery date will also be agreed. See the Preparation section below, as well as the Power and Water Requirements sections, for preparations needed prior to delivery being made.
Once the location of the silo has been agreed upon, clear unobstructed access must be provided to the silo base on a firm, level surface, which is capable of carrying trucks weighing up to 24 tons.
Consideration must be given to the location of soak wells, buildings, scaffolding, power lines, and material storage points, etc., when deciding where to place your silo.
MERCOL Trucks are rigid and require a minimum headroom of 6 metres and a minimum width of 3 metres.
The silo must be positioned on firm level ground, consolidated and protected from flooding and subsidence. Safe clear access to and around the silo base must be maintained at all times.
If you are in any doubt regarding your site conditions, MERCOL will do an on-site inspection and we also have the option to consult with structural engineers.
MERCOL Trucks are rigid and require a minimum headroom of 6 metres and a minimum width of 3 metres.
Once the silo has been delivered, a MERCOL team member will connect the silo to the power and water services, ensuring that it is fully operational, before demonstrating its use.
MERCOL provides on-site training for the nominated users and a Certificate of Training will be issued on completion of the training. Only the personnel holding a Certificate of Training are permitted to operate the silo’s. Training will include standard usage, operations, trouble shooting and cleaning – where necessary it also includes refilling the silo.
Do not attempt to set up or operate the MERCOL silo prior to our representative visiting site to test and commission the silo, control panel and mixer units.
Dry Silo Mortar has 5 significant advantages over on-site mixing:
| Method | Mixing Time per 100 kg | Total Mixing Time | Labour Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Hand Mixing |
6 minutes |
646 minutes |
10.8 hrs |
|
Silo Mixing |
1 minute |
108 minutes |
1.8 hrs |
Time saved using silo = 9 hours (Labourer could be laying the beds or jointing up)
| Method | Tonnes Needed | Cost per Tonne | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Silo (2.5%) |
11.04 t |
$255 |
$2,815 |
|
Manual (15%) |
12.38 t |
$210 |
$2,599 |
|
Manual (30%) |
14.00 t |
$210 |
$2,940 |
| Method | Material | Labour | Total | Cost per 1,000 bricks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Manual (15% waste) |
$2,599 |
$432 |
$3,031 |
$433 |
|
Manual (30% waste) |
$2,940 |
$432 |
$3,372 |
$482 |
|
Silo (2.5% waste) |
$2,815 |
$72 |
$2,887 |
$412 |
One 8-ton mortar silo removes the need for:
More than 115 bags of waste eliminated, along with fewer deliveries and reduced site traffic Save money on cleaning the site. Reduce the workers exposure to silica.
It’s simple: factory-produced dry mortar, stored in a compact silo. At the push of a button, it’s automatically blended with water to your desired consistency. No more guesswork, no more mess – just perfect mortar, every time.
Once you have connected our silo to power and water – you’ll get instant mortar at the push of a button. It couldn’t be easier.
Contact us for a quote – we’ll work out your project requirements in consultation with you and help you create an order.
Once you have connected our silo to power and water – you’ll get instant mortar at the push of a button. It couldn’t be easier.
MERCOL dry mortar is produced in a State-of-the-Art Production facility. Our manufacturing facility produces 100 tons of dry mortar a day, meeting the Australian standards. We blend our own dry mortar, core fill and tiler’s screed using high quality constituent materials under rigorously quality controlled conditions.
Contact us for a chat – give us a quick summary of your project and we will recommend the most convenient and efficient silo size for you.
Our smallest silo (the Piccolo) is 1m3 and holds 1.2 tons dry = 0.8 m³ wet mortar
Our 3m3 silo holds 4 tons dry = 2.8 m³ wet mortar
Our largest silo (at the moment – we have plans for a few larger sizes) is 6m3 and holds 8 tons dry = 5.6 m³ wet mortar
