You want to do some work and you need cement. This material is indeed very useful for a whole bunch of achievements. But do you know that there are different types of cement to meet different types of uses?
Cement consists of 80% limestone and 20% clay heated to a temperature of approximately 1500°C. The mixture obtained is then reduced to a fine powder. Then just use pure cement, concrete or mortar as needed. Before you get started, let’s take a look at the four shades of this multi-purpose product to help you choose the best formula for your project.
Gray cement, for masonry and structural work
Gray cement is the best known and most widely used form of cement. It is mainly used to make concrete with water and gravel, or mortar.
Gray cement is used for masonry and structural work. It is indeed used to make a cement screed, for laying breeze blocks, stones or bricks as mortar, or for your facade coating. There are several variations depending on your needs, some being able to resist more cold or humidity.
This cement is relatively easy to work with, but it is not recommended to use it at a temperature below 5°C.
White cement, an aesthetic mortar
White cement has the same properties as the different variants of gray cement in terms of strength, resistance and durability. Its white base is obtained thanks to a clever sorting work which aims to extract the ferrous components, which are gray in color, and to inject kaolin, a pure white clay which gives it its color. However, it is possible to tint this white cement to give it another color.
This type of white cement is used above all for its aesthetics. More expensive than traditional gray cement, it is used as a mortar for laying stone walls and for tiling, but also for door sills and French windows or exterior window sills.
Quick-setting cement, for specific works
As its name suggests, quick-setting cement is a separate product, the components of which allow it to harden very quickly. It is made by a simple process which consists of firing an argillaceous limestone at a lower temperature than for other cements, around 1,000 to 1,200°C.
This fast-setting cement is used for constructions that require almost immediate hardening, such as for the construction of fences, to fill holes, to renovate a facade, or to operate in an environment too humid to support traditional cement.
Refractory cement, for constructions under high heat
This other type of cement is composed of aluminum oxide. Like refractory concrete, refractory cement is able to withstand very high temperatures, that is to say above 1000°C thanks to this component.
It is a higher cost cement mainly used for constructions subject to high heat. This is the case for fireplaces and inserts, wood ovens, pizza ovens, hard barbecues, etc.