It is difficult to imagine modern construction without such a material as cement. It has a wide scope of application: it begins the laying of the foundation and ends the interior decoration of the room. Cement has been known for a long time, and no analogues or replacements have been found for it so far.
The material is not an independent and ready-to-use product, but it is considered an important component in the manufacture of any construction mix. When it hardens, it becomes as strong as stone, and its wear resistance exceeds that of some natural materials.
Areas of cement application
Portland cement is a building material used for performing the following works::
- production of concrete of different brands;
- foundation and floor filling;
- production of various mixtures for construction, repair and finishing works;
- production of reinforced concrete products (curbs, road slabs, paving stones, etc.) and warehouses for creating various objects of decorative and applied art.
Cement serves as a binding component and is used to bond individual parts of structures or brickwork. In order for the finished product to have the declared strength, the mixture must be prepared correctly and in the traditional way.
Basic rules for preparing the solution
1 method of dilution of cement: water is poured into ready-made containers, to which it is gradually necessary to add sand and cement in the right proportions. Then the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, and if necessary, you can add water until a homogeneous mass with the desired consistency is obtained (the solution should not be liquid).
Method 2 is based on a different principle: dry components are put in buckets, and first you need to mix cement with sand, and then gradually add the right amount of water in small portions – a plastic solution is obtained.
Important! In both cases, before mixing cement with water, it is necessary to get rid of possible impurities. To do this, take a sieve and sift building materials. Only clean water should be used to dilute the cement-sand sifting solution!
In what proportions should I mix cement with sand?
It is recommended to dilute cement with sand in the proportion indicated on the packaging of the building material, because the technical and operational characteristics of the finished concrete or mortar depend on it. The grade of cement, as well as the content of gravel or crushed stone, are the initial data for forming the grade of mortar or concrete. The quality of future work depends on the quality and quantity of sifted sand. Dilute the cement mortar better with a concrete mixer.
The proportions of cement mortar may differ and have small features depending on the project and purpose. So, the mixture for plastering walls is prepared in the proportion: 1 part of cement and 3 parts of sand are mixed, then 1 part of water is added in portions until the desired consistency is obtained, which can be determined using a spatula: if it is tilted at an angle of 40 degrees and the solution does not drain or drip,the required ratio of sand, cement and water is achieved. The plaster will be smooth and smooth.
Bricklaying mortar is made using 1 part cement and 4 parts sand. The cement must be of the M300 and M400 grades. It is allowed to use other fillers and plasticizers, such as lime.
For concrete production, the ratio of cement to sand is 1:2. in this case, 4 parts of gravel will be added, and the amount of water is enough for half of the volume of cement. Dilute the cement mortar and fill the molds within one hour!
Why do I need to know the cement label?
Do you want to prepare the solution efficiently? Pay attention to the cement used and its brand. It indicates the compressive strength of the hardened compound and, as a result, affects the durability and wear resistance of the finished product or building. The higher the number on the label, the more reliable and stronger the cement mixture will be.
For the production of masonry mix, usually take material from M100. For facade plastering, cement M200 is suitable, and for interior walls M150.
Cement of the M300 brand is used for the construction of objects that have a heavy load: for screed floors, pedestrian paths, paving slabs and other surfaces that have heavy loads during operation. From this composition, we also fill in the foundation and produce load-bearing elements of structures.
M500 is used for the preparation of particularly strong solutions that are used in harsh operating conditions.
For self-mixing of cement mortar with your own hands, you will need tools: a container of the required size, buckets, a shovel, a drill with a mixing nozzle (construction mixer) and sometimes a concrete mixer. Its use is often justified, since manual kneading can not boast of a uniform distribution of components.
Various construction organizations offer to purchase ready-made cement mixes with delivery to the construction site. In order to save time and effort, and sometimes even finances, there is no reason to refuse such offers, and many developers choose this option. In this case, we recommend that you carefully study the documentation in order to determine the ratio of materials used and study their quality characteristics. Please note that the cement mortar is mixed at the factory and delivered ready-made to the buyer’s site. Given the fact that the mortar loses its quality and hardens after a few hours, it is necessary to think about both the method of transportation, using the services of a concrete mixer truck, and the start time of construction work.