You're being ripped off. Call several places and get the cost of the bag of color you want.

I thought this was crazy, too! Fortunately, we wanted a painted brick house so could use grey mortar on the house itself...but for our porches, terrace, and steps we used taupe...I could not believe how much it cost! Made absolutely no sense to me. I would love if someone knew the reason, just to satisfy my curiousity.

Cement mortar colors are made by mixing different quantities of different pigment colors (natural or synthetic iron oxides). I assume the additional cost is due to some pigments being more expensive but also the fact that the color is premixed with the mortar cement to avoid mixing in the field. Also some of these colors are not in stock and are mixed and shipped as a special order involving additional labor and shipping costs.

Small portions of colourant are put into the mortar mixer at the building site as needed. A few small bags will usually do for even a 4,000-5,000 sf home.

A maximum mix-rate is typically 10%.

This post was edited by worthy on Wed, Nov 26, 14 at 11:28

We drove back over to the brick company to see what other colors they have. The guy told us that white grout is the most expensive because there are only a couple places in the country that make it. The base of our grout was white apparently making it more money. He also told us that sometime the minerals in the grout make it more expensive, too.

Anyway we were able to find another grout there that was close in color to the one I chose for only a few extra dollars per bag. So that was a relief.

Now I gotta figure out my trim paint color. Decisions decisions!

If white mortar were so rare, I couldn't pick it up at Home Depot for C$11 a bag.

Mortar and grout are not interchangeable terms. They are made of similar materials mixed differently for different purposes. Mortar adheres one material to another like bricks in a wall or tile to a wall. Grout is more fluid and fills joints & spaces between tiles, the cores of CMU, etc.

Normal cement is gray so normal mortar is gray. A bag of "white mortar mix" is not colored with a white pigment but made with white cement and white sand. Using tan or brown sand will result in a slight color difference.

If natural or synthetic iron oxides are added to these products, the white mortar mix will have brighter, stronger colors. This is important in order to create pale mortar colors. Mortar color is so sensitive to pigment content that proportioning is best accomplished with pre-pigmented cements rather than adding pigments in the field.

In any event never guess about mortar color; build a sample panel on site to establish what is acceptable for color and shape of the mortar joint.

This post was edited by Renovator8 on Thu, Nov 27, 14 at 20:00

PART 1 - PRODUCTS
1.1 COLORED MORTAR
A. Cement Color: [Gray.] [White.]
B. Sand Color: [Locally available natural sand.] [White.]
C. Mortar Colors:
1. Product: Davis Colors, True Tone [Sweet 16] [Select Series] Cement Colors.
a. Phone: 800-356-4848.
b. E-mail: info@daviscolors.com
c. Web Site: www.daviscolors.com.
2. Substitutions: [Comply with [Instructions to Bidders] [Division 01 Section “Product Requirements”] for substitution request procedures.] [Not Allowed.]
3. Materials: Mortar colors shall contain pure, concentrated mineral pigments especially processed for mixing into mortar and complying with ASTM C979.
4. Color: Provide color to be selected by [Architect] from manufacturer's standard colors.
5. Color: Provide True Tone [Color No.] at a dose rate of [___Lbs] per sack of cement or lime.
6. Color: Match [existing building.] [[Architect’s] sample.]
1.2 ACCESSORIES
A. Joint Sealants: Provide [type specified in Division 07 Section "Joint Sealants"]. Sealant shall [be color selected by [Architect] from manufacturer's full range to] match mortar color.
B. Cleaning Agents: Use products known to be compatible with colored mortar.
1.3 MORTAR MIXES
A. Mortar Color: Mix in accordance with manufacturer's instructions.
1. Thoroughly mix using mechanical mixer.
2. Sand shall be uniformly damp immediately before mixing.
3. Mix until color additives are uniformly dispersed throughout mixture.
B. Provide a consistent water-cement ratio. Do not retemper or add additional water to colored mortar.
PART 2 - EXECUTION
2.1 INSTALLATION
A. Use careful workmanship to minimize mortar splatters and smears on face of masonry.
B. Colored Mortar: Tool mortar joints at same degree of hardness and moisture content.
C. Cover tops of walls to prevent water penetration into wall during construction.
2.2 TOLERANCES
A. Minor variations in appearance of colored mortar that are similar to natural variations in appearance of uncolored mortar are acceptable.
2.3 CLEANING
A. Use least aggressive cleaning techniques possible. Verify cleaning procedure is consistent with recommendations of masonry unit and color manufacturers.
B. Excess Colored Mortar:
1. Let colored mortar splatters harden for 7 to 14 days, then remove with chisel, trowel, or stiff brush and water before splatters bond rigidly to masonry.
2. Prior to further cleaning, allow masonry to continue curing for at least three weeks in summer or four weeks in winter.
C. If proprietary cleaning agents are used, pre-wet wall, test cleaning agent on [mock-up] [a small, inconspicuous area], and check effects prior to proceeding. Begin cleaning at top and work down. Thoroughly rinse wall afterwards with clean water. Follow cleaner manufacturer's instructions.
D. Do not use muriatic (hydrochloric) acid on colored mortar.
E. Efflorescence: Remove efflorescence [as soon as practical after it appears] [and] [as part of final cleaning of building].

This is the usual way cement suppliers offer colored cement:
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STANDARD COLORS: There are 15 Standard Colors produced by Lehigh Cement. These colors are historically the most popular, especially in residential construction. They provide an excellent choice and variety to compliment brick and stone veneers. For added convenience, Standard Colors are routinely manufactured for inventories. Many of our building material dealers maintain our Standard Colors in various product types in their stock.

ARCHITECTURAL COLORS: There are 70 Architectural Colors produced by Lehigh Cement. These colors allow an Architect a broad color palette to choose from, when a Standard Color is not appropriate. Architectural Colors are custom manufactured for specific project quantities, and have minimum bag requirements for production.
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As you might imagine, if a cement order is not large enough, a color not normally stocked could be considerably more expensive.