Sustainable construction site using recycled materials.

Trash to Treasure: How Self-Leveling Mortars Can Pave the Way for Sustainable Construction

Samir D’Costa in Climate & Environment December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover how innovative uses of porcelain and ceramic wastes are transforming the building industry, creating stronger, eco-friendly mortars."

In the world of construction, efficiency and sustainability are becoming increasingly vital. Self-leveling mortar (SLM) offers a significant advantage over traditional methods, particularly when speed and productivity are essential. Imagine being able to quickly and easily create a perfectly level surface, ready for flooring, without the hassle of extensive manual leveling. That's the promise of SLM.

While Europe has embraced SLM for decades, its adoption in other regions is still growing. However, the environmental benefits of recycling waste materials are gaining traction worldwide. What if we could combine these two trends, using waste to create high-performing construction materials? This is where innovative research into using porcelain and ceramic wastes in SLM comes into play.

Every year, tons of electrical porcelain and red ceramic waste are generated. Instead of ending up in landfills, these materials, rich in amorphous silicates and aluminosilicates, can be repurposed as cement replacements. This not only reduces waste but also leverages the pozzolanic properties of these materials, leading to stronger and more durable mortars.

Turning Waste into Wonder: The Science Behind Sustainable Mortars

Sustainable construction site using recycled materials.

Researchers have been exploring the feasibility of incorporating porcelain and red ceramic wastes into SLM, examining both the fresh and hardened properties of the resulting mortars. The goal is to create a mortar that not only levels itself efficiently but also boasts excellent strength and durability, all while reducing environmental impact.

The process involves carefully grinding and sieving the porcelain and ceramic wastes to ensure a fine particle size, which enhances their reactivity and integration into the mortar mix. These wastes then partially replace traditional cement, offering a dual benefit: reducing cement consumption and utilizing recycled materials.

Fresh State Analysis: Researchers evaluate the fluidity, segregation, bleeding, outflow rate, outflow time, and temperature kinetics of the fresh mortar.
Hardened State Analysis: The hardened mortar is assessed for compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, capillary water absorption, water penetration height, and air permeability.

The results of these studies are promising. While the addition of porcelain or ceramic waste may slightly decrease the initial flow of the mortar and increase setting time, the resulting compressive strength often exceeds the minimum requirements for subfloors. Furthermore, the incorporation of porcelain waste can significantly reduce water absorption and permeability, leading to more durable and resilient structures.

Building a Greener Future, One Mortar at a Time

The research demonstrates the potential of using porcelain and ceramic wastes to create high-performance, sustainable self-leveling mortars. By embracing these innovative approaches, the construction industry can reduce its environmental footprint, conserve resources, and build stronger, more durable structures for the future. As research continues and best practices evolve, we can expect to see even wider adoption of these eco-friendly materials, paving the way for a truly sustainable built environment.

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Everything You Need To Know

What makes self-leveling mortar (SLM) a better choice than traditional methods in construction?

Self-leveling mortar, or SLM, is preferred because it offers significant advantages in terms of speed and productivity. It allows for the creation of perfectly level surfaces quickly and easily, which is particularly beneficial when time is of the essence and reduces the manual labor involved in traditional leveling methods. Its growing adoption stems from the increasing importance of efficiency and sustainability in modern construction.

How does the use of porcelain and ceramic wastes in self-leveling mortar (SLM) contribute to sustainability?

The incorporation of porcelain and ceramic wastes into self-leveling mortar provides a dual environmental benefit. First, it repurposes tons of waste materials, like electrical porcelain and red ceramic waste, diverting them from landfills. Second, these materials, rich in amorphous silicates and aluminosilicates, act as cement replacements, reducing the consumption of traditional cement. This reduces waste, conserves resources, and leads to stronger, more durable mortars due to the pozzolanic properties of the waste materials.

What properties are evaluated in fresh and hardened self-leveling mortars (SLM) containing recycled porcelain and ceramic wastes?

When evaluating self-leveling mortars (SLM) with porcelain and ceramic wastes, both fresh and hardened properties are rigorously examined. In the fresh state, researchers analyze fluidity, segregation, bleeding, outflow rate, outflow time, and temperature kinetics. For the hardened state, the mortar is assessed for compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, capillary water absorption, water penetration height, and air permeability. These tests ensure the mortar meets performance standards while utilizing recycled materials.

What are the potential drawbacks of adding porcelain or ceramic waste to self-leveling mortar (SLM) and how are they addressed?

Adding porcelain or ceramic waste to self-leveling mortar may slightly decrease the initial flow of the mortar and increase setting time. However, this is often counteracted by the resulting compressive strength, which frequently exceeds the minimum requirements for subfloors. Furthermore, the incorporation of porcelain waste can significantly reduce water absorption and permeability, enhancing the overall durability and resilience of the structures. Careful balancing of the mix proportions is crucial to optimize performance.

How does incorporating porcelain waste into self-leveling mortars (SLM) improve the durability and longevity of structures?

Porcelain waste incorporation enhances the durability of structures primarily by reducing water absorption and permeability in the self-leveling mortars (SLM). Lower water absorption minimizes the risk of water damage, such as cracking and spalling, caused by freeze-thaw cycles or chemical attacks. This leads to more resilient structures that can withstand environmental stressors, extending their lifespan and reducing maintenance needs. The improved durability directly contributes to the long-term sustainability of the built environment.