Concrete and Cement are Not the Same

jobs in construction
jobs in construction

You may have heard people calling cement concrete and vice versa. Even though these two terms are often used interchangeably, they are different. People that have jobs in construction will confirm that cement is an ingredient of concrete. In order to have concrete, you have to mix cement with other compounds such as aggregates and paste. Aggregates can be gravel and sand or even crushed stone. The paste includes water and cement.

What Is Cement?

Cement is a binding agent in creating concrete. It is to stick (bind) multiple building materials together. Some of the most common types of cement in the construction industry include Portland Cement and Asphalt Cement. Portland Cement is regarded as the most critical ingredient in making concrete. It can be used in various forms, either as a dry powder before adding water or as a paste/mortar to harden and bind the materials it is mixed with. Portland Cement is a compound made by mixing various primary elements such as sand or clay, limestone, iron ore, and bauxite. People with jobs in the construction industry may add other substances to make Portland Cement, including chalk, slag, slate, marl, shells, and shale. These components are mixed and heated to form a clinker. Afterward, the clinker is ground to form a powder that is mixed with water, forming paste.

What is Concrete?

Concrete is one of the most important building materials. The primary ingredients for making concrete include stone, cement, water, and sand. To secure some great jobs in construction, you should be aware that adding less water to the mixture makes the concrete stronger.

Water is used in concrete to activate the cement, which in turn becomes the binding agent. Coarse and fine aggregates are bound together in the mixture by the cement. Mixtures using larger aggregates are stronger than those that use the finer aggregates.

For more information about concretes and cement or interest in jobs in construction, visit KilgoreCompanies.com. Our experts are always willing and ready to assist.