Different Grades of Cement for Quality Construction An attractive building isn’t just sufficient to fulfill the desire of owning a home that is durable. Apart from the fancy structures, focus has to be given on the functional things that make the home to be lasting. One of such that affect the strength of any structure of building is the cement. It is important for the right cement quality is used during construction. The quality of cement used can be used in accessing the quality of the builder. Read through this write-up to know what constitute the best quality for different grades of cement. Different grades of cement The kind of cement used during construction is dependent on the purpose of the building. There are some factors that affect the selections of cement for any suitable application and they include functional requirement of structure, durability characteristics, design parameters and environmental conditions. In spite of the various types of cements available in the market, Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is mostly used in residential building construction. In determining the quality of cement, the first thing to check is its grade. The grade of cement determines the strength of the cement after 28 days of its application. In India, there are three grades of OPC; 33 grade, 43 grade and 53 grade.
Grade 33 cements signify that the compressive strength is 33N/mm2 under standard conditions when tested as per the Indian Standards. This grade of cement is normally used for general construction works such as finishing works and plastering. It is phased out in this current time.
43 Grade OPC among the other grades of cement is widely used for home construction. It can be used for precast items, compound walls, brick work, foundations, finishing and plastering walls. It has more compressive strength development when compared with 33 grade cement.
53 grade OPC among other grades develop faster strength. Construction buildings that are high make use of the 53 grade cement. It is also used in places where high grade concretes are needed.
The other feature of the quality of cement product is its color. Cement comes in different colors such as white and gray. Residential buildings make use of the gray cement while the white cement is mostly used for decoration (interior and exterior) and architectural beauty. Checking the quality of cement Every home requires the use of the best quality cement. For most individuals, they aren’t aware of the quality and type of cement required by builders during construction. Particular features such as fineness, soundness, compressive strength and setting time of cement are normally checked in a laboratory. Apart from this, there are other things that require verification. The following factors will help in this verification process for the quality of cement.
In color, the cement should be greenish gray
It should give a cool feeling when you insert your hand in a cement big
There shouldn’t be dust or lumps in the cement.
Cement should float if you throw some quantity in a pale of water. If there are impurities, it will sink immediately.
When you take a pinch of cement in your hands and rub between the fingers, it should give a smooth finish.
Author’s Bio James Moss inform his passionate readers on the quality of cement in construction and looked at the various grades of cements such as 33 grade, 43 grade cement and 53 grade cements.