We often forget about the basic materials that are used for making the construction durable and sturdy. One such material that is quite frequently overlooked by people is cement. In modern-day construction, as many people focus on the outlook of the home, building, or office, we usually miss upon the fact of using the materials that can give the needed strength and framework to the construction. There are several types of cement grades available in the market for different purposes. One should have a board understanding of its types and use for better construction.
If you are planning to hire an architect and contractor for building or renovation of your house, office, commercial complex, or any other such place, then it is better to know the grades of cement to make the right choices and make your investment worth it.
Different Grades of Cement
Cement differs in the quality depending upon the materials used to manufacture it. These differences lead to the variable strength that is generally measured as the compressive strength of the cement. Different grade of cement is required for the construction depending upon several factors such as durability, the structure of the construction, its future use, environmental factors, and others. Let us go through the most commonly used cement grades in a range of construction.
OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement)
OPC is one of the popular cement grade used in residential construction. This cement is further classified into two types:
OPC 43: This grade of cement is used in constructing houses as it is suitable for plastering, precast items, brickwork, finishing work, etc. The grade OPC 33 is also available, but this grade is more preferable for building houses.
OPC 53: Cement of this grade has vast uses in structural purposes of the construction. This OPC grade has the characteristic of developing strength fast and is primarily used in the reinforced cement construction ad pre-stressed concrete for higher grades. OPC 53 is used in the constructions with the requirement of high-grade concrete.
Portland Pozzolona Cement (PPC)
PPC is produced by using gypsum and pozzolanic materials, and that is where its name has been derived. PPC cement has more strength than the OPC grade, which is used in residential construction. It has a relatively higher degree of fineness and is also resistant to corrosion. PPC grade takes more time to adhere and set, but it starts gaining strength with time while settling, thus providing a firm structure and foundation to the construction.
Due to its such properties, PPC is widely used in heavy constructions such as bridges, dams, etc. where the requirement of strength and resistivity is high. PCC also offers a smooth finish to the surface.
Portland Slag Cement (PSC)
This grade of cement is usually preferred over the OPC grade in many construction works where the structures can be more exposed to sulfates and chlorides. Due to its excellent corrosion resistant property, it can be used in the construction of marine structures as well as in coastal regions, water treatment plants, sewage disposal, and much more. This grade of cement can also be used in mass construction work. It works better than regular cement and is also economical.
White Cement
Another popular type of cement used in residential and commercial construction is white cement. It is named after the color of the cement and is widely used in filling the gaps between the tiles, bathroom fixtures, decor, and other purposes in the construction. The manufacturing process of white cement is different from the ordinary portland cement.
Super grade Cement
Lastly, there is one more category that is seeing a rise and demand for the construction, which is known as super grade cement. This type of cement has high strength as compared to the other types of cement. Companies like Ultratech, Ramco, etc. are the leading producers of super cement in India.
Apart from these common types of cement, there are other grades too, which are used for specific functions. These different types of cement are:
Rapid Hardening Cement:
As this cement has the property of setting up quickly, it can be used in the quick construction or when there are time constraints.
Hydrophobic Portland Cement:
This cement, as the name suggests, has water-repelling properties and can be used in the construction areas, which is more prone to rainfall. It is not affected by humidity, too, and hence can be used for these reasons.
Concluding Remarks
One can get a variety of cement for every type of construction work, depending on the requirements. Still, it is vital to know the differences, characteristics and uses of such different grades of cement. This blog can help you learn about the fundamental differences so that you can make an informed decision about the type of cement you want to use in further projects. You can also discuss it with your contractors or architects as they will also guide you through selecting the ideal cement option for your construction work.