Concrete versus cement: what’s the difference anyway?

In a world that becomes more modern everyday, a few of the things that were once modern and new have fallen by the wayside and we now tend to take them for granted. AIrplanes, cell phones, the internet, even concrete. Concrete, if you live in any city around the world, makes up most of the buildings you see and sidewalks that you walk on. And it’s been like that for decades. Yet, there’s still an age-old misconception between concrete and cement. What’s the difference?

The Process

It’s always good to know the difference between concrete and cement before going out and hiring full service concrete contractors. And it’s true, for the most part the names are used interchangeably. And that can be okay, but there is actually a difference. Because cement is an ingredient within concrete. Concrete isn’t a material derived in one state, it’s a mixture. That mixture holds the element of cement but more importantly it’s a mix of aggregates and paste. And the cement falls under the paste side of the mix. 

Portland Cement

When manufacturing concrete, a good name to know is something called portant cement. Because that’s the main general name for cement. And this type is primarily used in most concrete. It may be a little tricky to understand, so for example think of wood. There are many different types of wood used in products but usually instead of saying maple or oak, people tend to just say wood. That’s the same for cement. The proper name is Portland cement, but it’s usually shortened. 

Recommended Mix Portions

No matter what job your contractors are doing from mixing cement to Excavation, making that cement is just like cooking in the way that every ingredient matters. And with that in mind, every portion matters as well. Cement requires a certain level of everything when mixing and that’s why there are some recommended mix portions to know. To eliminate any confusion, most contractors recommend remembering the rule of six: six bags per cubic yard of concrete; six gallons of water per bag; a curing period of six days;leave six percent air. 

Are you in need of a job involving concrete or even something like paving repair? Leave it up to the professionals with years of experience in the business and give Red Star Construction a call at 817-238-3447 today.