What is concrete made of?

This is a question I asked myself when I started my business and I realize that many people, rightly so, do not know the difference between cement and concrete!

Let's talk about concrete powder!

Concrete powder is actually a mixture of several ingredients, such as cement, water, aggregates like sand, and additives. Other ingredients can be used, but here I'm talking about the basic, fairly general recipe.

Let's look at each of these elements together.

 

Cement

Cement is a hydraulic binder, meaning it hardens under the action of water. It is used in the preparation of my concrete. There are different types of cement, such as pure Portland cement, blended Portland cement, and blast furnace cement.

 

With cement alone, you can make small fillings and joints.

Aggregates

These are different mineral grains. Rocks are all different, so the size and shape of the aggregates vary greatly, so there are plenty of choices.

You can use sand or rocks, or even crush rocks. You can even recycle demolition concrete. You choose the ones you need based on their characteristics, such as diameter, moisture absorption, shape, frost resistance, etc.

Water

An essential element for human survival, but also essential in the composition of concrete. Without water, the concrete mix does not form anything solid and does not harden. This allows it to be handled and used. However, too much of it will harm the strength of your concrete.

Adjuvants

Can help increase the quality, strength, and performance of concrete. It is usually added in small doses to the recipe. Several conditions come into play when it comes to admixtures. The type of cement, the dosage, the method of mixing the products...

Other things like fibers and pigments can be added to our recipe, but I think with this information you understand that cement and concrete are not the same thing.

Stay tuned for more articles... leave us your comments.

THANKS!

 

Sources:

Infocement

Ciment Quebec