Color cement - positive qualities
Rarely, what construction does without cement, but few know what it is, or rather, how it is received, and how it works. It is made by mixing and heating to a temperature of 1450 degrees Celsius lime and clay. Also such material as gypsum is added to this mixture, then it is ground to the state of flour. That, in fact, the desired composition is ready.
It works as follows: when taking in moisture, a lot of physical and chemical reactions take place in it, which proceed until it dries completely. The result is a so-called cement stone, which becomes firmer and harder every year. Recently, the composition is gaining special popularity, which helps to give buildings and their individual designs the color that was conceived from the very beginning without the use of additional paints.
What are the features of this material?
The color of cement can be varied depending on the wishes, there are a number of advantages. At factories it is possible to produce only white, green, yellow and black colors of different saturation. At home, using a dye for cement, it can be given almost any color.
This has its advantages. Firstly, we do not paint the surface, but completely the entire mass of concrete, so that possible chips and other unpleasant surprises of exploitation will not be so noticeable. Secondly, you have unlimited possibilities in the design of the exterior and interior.
There are a lot of positive sides, but the so-called pigment for cement( paint) when pouring concrete will strengthen shrinkage. In addition, on colored concretes, loss of salts is possible, which will spoil the appearance.
To avoid all the above disadvantages, you need to use the colors for cement according to certain rules. Their observance gives a guarantee of obtaining an excellent composition, which in its properties does not differ from the usual, not colored.
Coal for cement - how to properly mix?
The first states this rule: no more than 5 percent. As you guessed, the percentage of finished cement in relation to the paint in the worst case looks like 95 to 5. In fact, this ratio is very rarely used in practice, usually it is 98: 2, which gives a rich and pleasant color.
The second rule: the perfect color cement with its own hands can only be done if we add less sand. This move allows you to get a more solid base for a bunch of cement, which after drying does not worry.
The third rule is careful mixing. Doing this manually, you will have to spend a huge amount of effort, a concrete mixer is suitable for this. It evenly mixes the solution, which will give the mass of concrete an exceptionally uniform color, which will be ideal in all parts of the future structure.
The fourth rule prohibits pouring a concrete layer onto a layer, or rather, when the bottom layer is still frozen, and you are already preparing a new one. There are only two ways out - either wait for the full drying of the lower layer, or fill the new portion as quickly as possible, within 2 hours after the first portion is poured. If you have large volumes, and you have filled more than three cubes, this time interval increases to three hours.
In general, it is quite easy to get high-quality cement of the desired color. Just take your time, calculate your strength and capabilities. Correct execution of all points guarantees to you concrete of the necessary color.