White cement - properties and differences from the traditional solution
In the construction market, cement is presented quite widely. Each species is characterized by one or another composition that determines the quality of the material. Refers to them and slowly but surely gaining popularity is white cement, which "came into being", rather, for aesthetic reasons. It differs from the traditional analogue of the composition responsible for giving the widely known solution a gray-green color.
White cement contains clinker, distinguished by whiteness due to lack or minimal content of iron oxides!
Specialists note that this building material is superior to the traditional gray analog in many respects. First, it is much quicker to gain strength at the initial stage of drying and hardening, which is due to its chemical and mineralogical composition.
After 16 hours after laying the mortar, it hardens 60%.The gray composition reaches this figure only for 28 days!
Secondly, products from such a solution are characterized by a greater degree of strength and resistance to atmospheric phenomena. They keep the original color for a long time, do not turn yellow even in the rain and direct sunlight, do not crack. All these properties allow to avoid additional expenses for repair and painting. Thirdly, thanks to whiteness, cement has a high light reflection coefficient, which makes the finished product of it more attractive. Moreover, the addition of coloring agents to the white composition makes it possible to obtain a brighter and more saturated color.
White cement - application in various areas of construction
Cement is one of the main materials widely used in construction. However, white cement, the application of which began not so long ago, is still "new" in this area. Specialists note that its share in the construction materials market is only 1-2%.However, this does not prevent from getting surprisingly beautiful architectural elements from it.
Excellent aesthetic and performance properties have made this material an ideal raw material for the production of decorative brick and stone, a variety of molded parts. Cement of white color is one of the components of dry glue mixtures and an excellent basis for obtaining colored concrete. It is suitable for the device of self-leveling floors and the creation of small architectural forms, for example, garden sculptures or flowerpots. White solution is widely used for the manufacture of steps, balconies, paving slabs or curbs.
Features of the use of white cement
If after the acquisition you are thinking about how to dilute the cement of white color, then you can strongly not be puzzled. The solution is prepared in the same way as the analogous gray compound. However, we can focus on some features of its use. So:
- All tools that, in one way or another, come into contact with fresh mortar, must be perfectly clean. They should be free of rust or mold. This nuance is of paramount importance, because you have to work with white.
- The form in which the solution is poured or the surface on which it is applied should also be clean. For this, dust and all visible dirt are previously removed.
- If you use any placeholders, they must necessarily have a white color, and the size of the fractions should be the smallest. No admixture of clay, silt and other substances is allowed.
- If reinforcement or other metal elements are poured with concrete, they must be pre-protected from corrosion processes. The thickness of the solution applied on them should exceed 3 cm.
- To mix this type of cement, it is necessary to use only pure water.
- To meet the strength class of 1m3, there must be at least 350 kg of solution.
Thus, white cement is an excellent material for a wide variety of construction areas. However, to make products from it pleased your look, you must follow the rules of its use.