It’s okay; you can admit it. You’ve referred to cement at one point or another, thinking it was concrete or vice versa. That’s not your fault. The materials have a very integral relationship, and concrete and cement are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation, but they are not the same material. So when you say you “scraped your knee on the cement driveway,” you’re not technically wrong, but you’re also not correct other than the fact that your knee hurts.
Understanding the differences between concrete and cement is important, especially for those working in construction, home improvement, or engineering. While cement is a key ingredient in concrete, the two have definite nuances. Below, we will take a look at concrete vs. cement and how that impacts Ready Mix Concrete.
What is Concrete?
Concrete State, a coalition of The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), defines concrete as “a mixture of paste and aggregates. The paste, composed of Portland cement and water, coats the surface of the fine and coarse aggregates.”
For concrete, and Ready Mix Concrete specifically, ratios reign supreme and different proportions of concrete ingredients influence the finished product’s strength and durability. The mixture of cement and water creates a paste that coats the aggregates and binds them together as it hardens.
Aggregates are typically rock and sand. NRMCA explains a good mixture as “about 10 to 15 percent cement, 60 to 75 percent aggregates, and 15 to 20 percent water. Entrained air bubbles in many concrete mixtures may also take up another 5 to 8 percent.”
Concrete is one of the oldest and most versatile building materials, used for anything from driveways to skyscrapers. The invention of Ready Mix Concrete has changed the game. Ready Mix Concrete’s ability to be manufactured in a controlled environment with mixtures crafted specifically for your project has revolutionized concrete construction’s efficiency, durability, and functionality.
What is Cement?
Cement is the key ingredient in concrete. In layman’s terms, it is a fine powder made primarily of limestone, clay, shells, and silica sand. The journey for cement begins in a quarry where the raw materials are sourced. After they go through a series of crushers and hammer mills, the crushed rock is paired with iron ore or fly ash. This mixture goes to a kiln, where it is heated to 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit. The material moves through the kiln and eventually clumps together, creating clinker. Clinker is then ground into powder and viola! Cement is born.
The most common type of cement is Portland cement, and we have Joseph Aspdin of Leeds to thank for it. Joseph, an English bricklayer in the 19th century, created the first cement by burning limestone and clay on a kitchen stove.
Cement is essentially a binding material. It is used to make various construction products, such as mortar and, most importantly, Ready Mix Concrete. When mixed with water, cement undergoes a chemical reaction known as hydration, which causes it to harden and gain strength over time. However, cement on its own is rarely used for construction projects because it lacks the strength and versatility required for large structures.
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So, what’s the difference between concrete and cement? Concrete is a mixture of materials, including cement, that form one of the most dependable building materials in the world. Meanwhile, cement is a fine powder that serves as a binding agent. With Ready Mix Concrete, we have the ability to tinker with concrete mixtures to ensure that you have the strongest and highest-performing product needed for your project.
Now, it’s time to talk about your next project. Ready Mix Concrete is measured in volume, and as the leading Ready Mix Concrete supplier in Northern Texas, we have taken the guesswork out of it. Using our concrete calculator, you can determine how much concrete you need for your project.