Cement is one of the most common building materials. Only steel can compete with it. Cement production in the world is very large. Before building a house, you need to understand the markings and types of materials in order to choose the best option. To determine which cement is best for the foundation, it is also recommended to carefully read the regulatory documentation.
The situation with cement is similar to what happens with other common building materials, such as reinforcement and concrete. New regulations obligated to use markings that differ from the old ones. At the same time, many manufacturing plants and builders continue to use outdated names, and young specialists are studying new regulatory documents. Confusion ensues. To understand it, you need to compare the markings offered by the new and old GOSTs.
Marking according to GOST 10178-85 (1985)
According to this regulatory document, the 5 most used brands can be cited:
- ShPTs-300 was used for the production of low-quality concrete, foundation concrete blocks (FBC), trays and rings;
- PC-400 D20 was the most common cement for construction;
- PC-500 D0;
- PC-550 D0;
- PC-600 D0.
Marking PTs means Portland cement, ShPTs means slag Portland cement. For ShPC, the additive (slag) content is standardized within the range of 20-80%. If the labeling indicates the designation D0, this means that the composition contains no more than 20% additives. D0 - additive-free cements (used for the production of high-strength concrete). The number in the marking is the strength grade, the value is given in kgf per cm2.
Marking according to GOST 31108-2003 (2003)
This document is designed to bring the marks into compliance with the European standard EN-197-1:2000. The designations in these two documents are similar, therefore, knowing domestic standards, you can guess the brand of products of foreign companies. The difference lies in the letter abbreviation; in one case the Cyrillic alphabet is used, and in the other the Latin alphabet.
The label describes the product in more detail, which is its undoubted advantage. You can create labels by moving along the columns of the table.
| Group | Subgroup | Additive labeling | Strength class* | Hardening speed | |
|
(common designation for all brands) |
(additive-free Portland cement) |
— | — |
(normally hardening) (fast-hardening) |
|
|
(Portland cement with active mineral additives) |
and (lime) mk (microsilica) |
||||
|
(21-35% additives) |
|||||
|
Portland cement) |
|||||
|
(pozzolanic cement) |
— | — | |||
|
(composite cement) |
— | — |
*Unlike the old GOST, the new one uses not a strength grade in kgf/cm², but a strength class in MPa.
When designating between a group and a subgroup (if there is one), it is necessary to put a fractional line. The last two groups are extremely rarely used in construction.
Comparison of old and new markings
When purchasing, it is important to know the compliance of cement grades, so as not to make a mistake with the choice if the manufacturer still uses outdated regulatory documents. It is important to remember that the comparison in terms of strength is approximate, since the brand and class do not match the values in MPa. For convenience, you can use the following table of the most common cements.
Marking according to GOST 2003 is more accurate, but has one important drawback: the strength values of the materials do not coincide exactly. The following comparisons can be made.
The table shows that the corresponding values are lower than in the old document; this must be taken into account when designing foundations.
When pouring the foundation, it is necessary to use the correct binder. The brand required by the joint venture “Concrete and reinforced concrete structures" can be determined from the table.
For private construction, it is wiser to choose CEM II/A-sh32.5 or CEM I 32.5 (PTs-400 D0). This brand will become the most optimal solution in terms of price/quality ratio. If you want to get a foundation of increased strength for a heavy house, it is better to use TsEM l 42.5 (PTs-500 D0).
Additives to concrete
To improve the characteristics of the mixture or finished structure, in addition to cement, special modifiers are added to concrete. The most common ones include:
- Plasticizers and superplasticizers. Allows you to reduce the amount of water for mixing. This increases the strength and frost resistance of the finished structure, reduces the likelihood of cracks, and reduces shrinkage. In addition, water resistance increases.
- Antifreeze additives. They are used if it is necessary to fill at low temperatures. Allows you to perform work down to -15 degrees Celsius.
- Self-compacting additives. If you plan to fill thin-walled structures, these substances are introduced into the solution.
- Additives to accelerate strength gain. They are used to increase strength in the first day after pouring.
- Additives to slow hardening. Used if it is necessary to maintain the mobility of the mixture for a sufficiently long time.
Most often in modern construction plasticizers are used. The use of complex additives for concrete mixture.
Important points when purchasing
When purchasing material yourself, you must carefully examine the product. This will avoid problems during the construction and operation of the building. A few tips to help when purchasing cement for pouring a foundation:
- The origin of the material has a very big influence. Cement is produced in many countries, but it is better to give preference domestic brands. Climatic conditions V different regions The requirements for concrete are different. You should be especially careful about material from Turkey, Iran and other countries with warm climates. This cement does not meet Russian standards for frost resistance and moisture resistance due to differences in conditions external environment. It is better to use raw materials that are produced specifically for the northern regions.
- To make sure that the manufacturer indicated on the packaging really is one, you need a special document - a sanitary-epidemiological report, which indicates the address of the manufacturer. The seller is obliged to provide this document upon the buyer's request. The absence of a conclusion should raise suspicion about the quality of the product.
- A careful inspection of the packaging will also ensure quality. It should have small holes designed to remove excess moisture.
- It is not recommended to use cement that was manufactured more than 2 months before the construction date. The quality of the material may be unsatisfactory. When purchasing, pay attention to the production date. Old cement can develop stones and hardened areas.
- Even if the manufacturing date meets the requirements, the bag is probed for stones and seals. If the contents of the package are loose, buy cement without fear.
- The standard weight of a bag of cement is 50 kg, tolerance in both directions - 1 kg. If the condition is not met, the material is poured into the bag manually in a small factory, which cannot guarantee quality.
To avoid problems when pouring, it is recommended to buy one test bag of material and knead concrete mortar. If it works out good quality, you can purchase material for the entire scope of work. But it is very important to buy material from the same batch. For one manufacturer, the quality may vary from batch to batch.
A competent choice of binder for a concrete mixture will guarantee high reliability of the structure while complying with the technology.
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When purchasing cement from a store, most people have no idea which cement is best to choose. First of all, you should ask yourself what role it will play - will it be laid as a foundation or. Incorrect selection of material can lead to the fact that under the influence external factors and heavy load frozen cement mortar will begin to deteriorate and crack.
Types of cement
In order to use cement most rationally and economically, it is important to know the specifics of working with a particular brand and manufacturer. On this moment There are a great many manufacturers of the material, so it is not easy for the average consumer to independently understand its numerous classifications.
General concept
Initially, the material is a powder containing clinker binders, filler and other additives. When combined with water, it becomes a plastic mixture called cement paste.
Initially the material is a powder gray By waiting for it to completely harden, you will see how a liquid solution can turn into durable stone.
Types of cement
Today, Portland cement is in great demand among builders. Another type of cement mass - slag Portland cement (SPC) - has the following properties:
- withstands contact with river and sulfate water, which is groundwater;
- poorly preserved at sub-zero temperatures;
- the characteristics of the required strength appear only after 4 weeks;
- perfectly withstands maximum temperatures, up to 600-800 degrees Celsius.
ShPC is not suitable for creating concrete that is regularly exposed to low temperatures. However, this type of building material is ideal for installation in rooms where heating is carried out.
None special conditions ShPC is not needed for storage; the material is stored longer than Portland cement. Complete hardening occurs within 6 hours, taking into account the air temperature of +18...+22 degrees, while for Portland cement 2–3 hours are enough. All work with ShPC must be completed within the first 3 hours, after which it loses its elasticity and may begin to crack with further processing.
Popular manufacturers in the CIS countries
Cement produced in the CIS countries shows good characteristics.
Consumers leaving reviews on relevant forums regularly mention Ambrosievsky cement in a positive context, obvious advantages which are the rapid hardening of the solution and convenient packaging of 25 kg packages in a bag, which greatly facilitates the work process.
Regarding the Balakleyevsky plant, you should pay attention to the various brands in the classification of cement mass, which has also proven itself to be good, which cannot be said about the Kiev manufacturer - a complete discrepancy between the type of products stated on the bag labels.
Conclusion
Now you know what you need to pay attention to when buying cement, how to determine the quality of the material and not fall for a scammer.
Practice has shown that it is impossible to single out one manufacturer or brand of mixture that is suitable for both finishing and major repair and construction work. Reliable assistants when choosing, a reputable hardware store and manufacturing plant will be chosen.
Any construction involving pouring concrete cannot be done without a substance such as cement. However, it is used virtually everywhere (on finishing, masonry, plastering works etc.).
High demand has led to a great abundance of goods on the market. Now it differs not only in characteristics and manufacturers, but also in composition.
But, as you know, not all of them are of high quality and suitable for use. Due to incorrectly selected material, the structure may soon begin to collapse.
To avoid this, you need to know which cement is best to choose for certain purposes. Labeling will help us with this.
What is cement marking?
The brand on the package is a description by which you can choose best cement for one type of activity or another. It is determined after laboratory tests. They are not relevant for all types of material.
Aluminous, Portland slag and quick-hardening cements are tested using a different technology. For the experiment, a sample is created from sand and, accordingly, substances in a ratio of 3:1, giving it the shape of a parallelepiped with sides of 40 × 40 × 160 mm. Then, over the course of 28 days, the specimen is compressed with increasing force.
It is marked according to two parameters: composition and ability to withstand load. For example, “M” and the number next to it (M200) indicates the weight that it can withstand kg/cm2, the letter “D” and the number (D20, D30, D40) means the percentage of additives.
Cement with strength classes M400 and M500 is suitable for the foundation; it is the most durable among the others. The most popular are the M350-500. For the final phase of repair it is customary to use M200-M300.
Decoding markings
- SS – does not break down in an aggressive salty environment. Suitable for hydraulic structures.
- ShPC – contains more than 20% additives (gypsum no more than 5%, clinker minerals with 6% magnesium, blast furnace slag). It has good heat resistance and resistance to sulfate water.
- VRC - mainly used in wet conditions, as it is waterproof. Its main advantage is rapid hardening.
- PC is the main binder in construction (Portland cement).
- BC – white (for finishing or restoration).
- B (fast-acting) - used to create reinforced concrete structures.
- PL – has increased frost resistance and plasticity.
- GF - combines the qualities of the WRC and PL.
- N - prepared on the basis of clinker containing tricalcium aluminate (C3A) in an amount of no more than 8%.
First you need to decide on a supplier. It is recommended to carefully study the reviews about the seller.
Select country of origin. The best option there will be a domestic company. Its products will be fresher than those of a foreign trader, which is very important.
The product can be purchased by weight and in packaged form. Of course, it is better to give preference to the second one, since you will know what is being offered to you.
When purchasing, carefully study appearance products. According to GOST 2226, a paper bag must be three-layer or four-layer, high-quality stitched (glued) with a sealed neck and stamp valve. Below is a photo of cement (packaging) that complies with GOST.
Carefully read all the information on it, this will help you make your choice.
Ask the sellers to look at all certificates and passports. Without these documents, you risk being deceived. For example, some unscrupulous traders mix classes, add sand to the mixture, or even pour out several kilograms.
Don't waste your money. Of course, everyone wants to save money, but in this case this is the most wrong decision. After all, if you buy poor quality material, it can greatly affect the durability of the building.
The price largely depends on the amount of impurities. The more there are, the cheaper and poorer the quality of the products. In addition, manufacturers can reduce the price due to transportation.
Pay attention to the expiration date (60 days) and storage conditions. If the product becomes damp, it becomes unusable. Be extremely careful when buying in bulk. Carefully check each package for the parameters you need, weight and date of packaging.
Make sure the mixture is crumbly and not soggy by simply tapping the corners of the bag. The sensation should not resemble hitting a stone.
Photo of cement
The requirements for the binder when preparing concrete for pouring or assembling a foundation are high: the cement must have the correct strength grade, be suitable for reinforced concrete structures, be fresh and of high quality. Much depends on the type and weight of the building; for the foundations of residential buildings, PC M400 is considered the minimum; for temporary and lighter ones, a reduction in requirements is allowed. Checking the certificate and expiration date is mandatory in any case; preference is given to cement produced no later than 3 months; the material is not purchased in advance. Important technology standards include precise adherence to proportions, preparation and correct sequence loading components into the mixer, compacting concrete after pouring.
Preference is given to Portland cement; concretes with it have the necessary strength and resistance to external influences. The choice of brand for foundations directly depends on the type and purpose of the mixture construction staff. To fill the drainage base, it is allowed to use cement with a low strength grade (the final concrete is from M75 to M150), in all other cases the rule applies: the grade of binder must be twice as high as the expected grade of the concrete mixture. Taking into account the minimum allowable for foundation structures M200, the solution is mixed with Portland cement with a strength of M400 (about this brand of cement).
The maximum proportion of foreign impurities in the binder is 20%; their introduction reduces the cost, slightly reducing frost and water resistance. As a consequence, to suitable types cement for pouring the foundation include:
- PC M400 D0 – can withstand loads of up to 400 kg/cm2 after curing, providing good durability, water resistance and frost resistance. Concrete based on it tolerates well low temperatures, contacts with ground and atmospheric moisture and exposure aggressive environments. Cement M400 D0 is suitable for any type of foundation, including reinforced and prefabricated (it is used for mixing masonry mortar).
- PC M400 D20 - combining fairly good resistance to moisture and freezing and a reasonable price. The best option for the construction of foundations for light residential buildings in the absence of serious soil requirements.
- PC M500 D0 is recommended to be chosen when constructing critical objects; this brand consists only of cement clinker, the share of foreign additives (in this case, gypsum) does not exceed 1%. This has a positive effect on frost and moisture resistance; the variety is considered elite. Its use when mixing concrete for the foundation will pay off economically during construction in problem areas (in particular, flooded areas).
- PC M500 D20 is a similar brand of cement to the previous one, slightly inferior in terms of resistance to moisture and freezing (but not in strength), but in its characteristics it still surpasses M400.
Slag or pozzolanic based cements withstand the effects of sulfates dissolved in ground moisture well, but for laying monolithic or prefabricated foundations it is better to choose a different type. main reason– slow strength gain and low frost resistance. As a result, their use is permissible only on the recommendation of professionals and with the adoption of additional measures to protect foundation structures from frost heaving of soils. If there is the slightest doubt, it is better to choose Portland cement without impurities or specialized brands:
- B is a fast-hardening binder, which is recommended for limited time carrying out work.
- PL is a plasticized variety with increased frost resistance. Its introduction allows you to save up to 8-10% of cement, but it is important to remember that it cannot be used with any other types except PC.
- SS – special sulfate-resistant PCs.
- NC – tensile cement. Concrete based on it has a compacted structure after hardening, preventing moisture from entering. NC is recommended to be chosen when laying the foundation of a house with a basement or erecting a monolith on flooded soils. They are also well suited for repairing and restoring existing structures.
Cements below M400 are allowed to be used in the construction of bathhouses and light panel or wooden one-story buildings on dry and stable soils. To eliminate mistakes, they start from the concrete grade; when selecting it, such criteria as the expected weight load (mass) must be taken into account load-bearing structures, including the foundation itself, roofing system, snow cover and objects in the house) and soil parameters (level of freezing, rising water, structural composition and soil homogeneity), timing of filling and hardening conditions.
Cooking proportions
The minimum acceptable grade of concrete for pouring a foundation is considered to be M200 (more is better); when concreting the foundations of residential buildings within 1-2 floors, M250 is most often chosen. The recommended proportions of components when preparing the M250 solution are 1:3:5 (cement, sand, gravel or granite crushed stone, respectively). The W/C ratio does not exceed 0.65, it depends on the expected grade of concrete: the higher it is, the lower the volume of introduced water, minimum 0.4.
| Concrete grade | Ratio (C:P:SH) | Volumetric composition per 10 liters of cement for sand and crushed stone, l | Concrete yield per 10 liters of cement, l |
| PC M400 | |||
| M100 | 1:4,1:6,1 | 41:61 | 78 |
| M150 | 1:3,2:5 | 32:50 | 54 |
| M200 | 1:2,5:4,2 | 25:42 | 64 |
| M250 | 1:1,9:3,4 | 19:34 | 43 |
| M300 | 1:1,7:3,2 | 17:32 | 41 |
| M400 | 1:1,1:2,4 | 11:24 | 31 |
| M450 | 1:1:2,2 | 10:22 | 29 |
| When using PC M500 | |||
| M100 | 1:5,3:7,1 | 53:71 | 90 |
| M150 | 1:4:5,8 | 40:58 | 73 |
| M200 | 1:3,2:4,9 | 32:49 | 62 |
| M250 | 1:2,4:3,9 | 24:39 | 50 |
| M300 | 1:2,2:3,7 | 22:37 | 47 |
| M400 | 1:1,4:2,8 | 14:28 | 36 |
| M450 | 1:1,2:2,5 | 12:25 | 32 |
The indicated proportions are relevant when using the right components: clean and dry quartz sand with a fraction size of at least 2 mm, washed and dried crushed stone with a strength grade of at least M1200. Important role The activity of the binder plays a role, reviews in this regard are clear: for the foundation of a house it is better to take cement no earlier than 1-2 weeks before the start of work, checking the release date and certificate is mandatory. Fresh powder has no lumps and is easily passed through your fingers.
If you doubt the integrity of the supplier, it is worth checking the quality of the material in advance: the correct cement sets well within 45 minutes.
In addition to using components of the required quality, the sequence of their loading into the concrete mixer is observed. Recommended scheme: 80% of the total share of water → crushed stone → sifted cement and sand → the rest of the water in small portions. Most plasticizers or hardeners are added at the end with strict adherence to proportions. These include liquid soap(added along with the main portion of water), factory specialized additives, fiber, inhibitors, substances that affect the setting time of concrete. Their use requires caution; exceeding their proportion worsens the structure of the artificial stone.
Material cost
Products are sold in bags, big bags and in bulk; wholesale purchases are the cheapest. The prices in this case are:
| Cement marking | Manufacturer | Price for 1 ton, rubles | |
| With delivery within Moscow by cement truck | pickup | ||
| PC M500 D0 | JSC Lipetskcement CJSC Belarusian Cement Plant |
4500 | 4250 |
| PC M500 D20 | JSC Maltsovsky Portland Cement | 4350 | 4100 |
| PC M500 D0B (fast-hardening) | |||
| PC M500 D0N (standardized clinker) | 4650 | 4450 | |
| PC M400 D0 | JSC Maltsovsky Portland Cement JSC Mikhailovcement JSC Lipetskcement |
4300 | 4150 |
| PC M400 D20 | 4200 | 3950 | |
When building a foundation on your own and delivering it using your own transport, it is more convenient to use bags (the proportions are easier to adjust to the measured weight). High-quality cement is offered by many domestic factories and manufacturers of dry cement. building mixtures: Novgorod Central Plant, Borshchevsky Central Plant (Lafarge), Mikhailovcement, Maltsovsky Portland Cement, OJSC Voskresenskcement, Mordovcement, Sebryakovcement, Rusean. The cost when purchasing it in packaged form is.