Cement vs. Concrete: Understanding the Difference
Cement is a binding material used to complete small repairs or make concrete. Take a closer look at the differences between the two and when to use them.
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Concrete and cement are valuable for construction and many do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvement projects. Whether starting a new project or developing your DIY skills, it’s easy to confuse them. As a result, you may buy the wrong supplies or mix materials incorrectly.
Think of cement as flour and concrete as bread, with cement holding together additives to form concrete mixtures. Cement is an adhesive substance for repairs and combining materials, and concrete is a sturdy, solid building material. Take a closer look at the differences and learn when to use them.
What Is Cement?
Cement is a chemical adhesive or binding agent. It’s a fine powder of chemicals such as calcium, aluminum, iron, silicon, limestone, and more. Some cement formulas include chalks and shells, while others include clay, slate, or silica sand.
For example, ordinary Portland cement, or OPC, is often used for general home improvement projects because of the formula’s reliable strength. Alternatively, Portland pozzolana cement (PPC) might be used for a heavy-duty project because it has even more strength due to the addition of fly ash or calcined clay.
Manufacturers grind the raw materials for their unique cement formulations and then cook, or sinter, the raw meal at high temperatures up to 1450 degrees Celsius in a kiln, generating a chemical reaction. The mixture, now called “clinker,” gets even more finely ground and mixed with a gypsum powder. This industry is becoming increasingly regulated due to its significant pollution source.
Cement is made and stored as a dry powder. But once you add water, it starts to set and harden. A cement-based filler can repair minor cracks or be used as an ingredient in concrete to create outdoor surfaces or decorative goods.
What Is Concrete?
Concrete is the construction material in slab foundations, concrete patios, active construction sites, and surfaces such as sidewalks and roadways. It’s made from a precise combination of cement, liquid, and aggregate material that sets and hardens into a solid, long-lasting surface.
Aggregates are the larger solids that comprise concrete, such as crushed stone, gravel, and sand. Various types of concrete feature different aggregate materials, ratios, and particles. Aggregate is mixed with wet, activated cement to create a pliable slurry.
Construction teams, artists, and DIY homeowners use concrete to create different products. For example, it can be poured into a mold to make planters or crafts or poured into premade wooden forms to create patios or pathway slabs.
Comparing Cement and Concrete
An easy way to remember the difference between concrete and cement is to think of concrete as bread and cement as flour. Flour is used in different recipes but is most commonly used for baking bread.
Some people and DIY videos will use the terms interchangeably. But if you know their differences, you can complete the steps correctly to get your desired results.
One common misconception is that concrete is wet cement, but that’s untrue. Wet cement can be a helpful adhesive, filler, or binder, but it’s not as strong as concrete.
The concrete mixture must include aggregates, such as gravel, sand, and even ground-up cement. Your composition will significantly affect the mixture’s smoothness, longevity, and durability.
Uses of Cement
Cement is helpful in various applications, from commercial projects to DIY repairs and home improvement projects. Cement becomes a strong binding agent that holds things together after it’s activated with water and sets.
The most common use of a mixture of cement is in concrete. Sometimes, a thin slurry is made of wet cement to fill in shallow cracks or smooth out the surface of landscaping or hardscaping elements. However, using a thin concrete-like slurry made of cement, sand, and water is better. Then, the binding agent has something to grab onto. Another common use of cement is in fiber cement siding, a fire-resistant, pest-resistant material used for long-lasting house siding.
Uses of Concrete
Concrete is the second most commonly used substance worldwide, behind water. It’s used across dozens of construction applications, from building large support beams for skyscrapers and interstate highways to custom bookends and vases. Typical applications around your home might include:
- Concrete pots and accessories
- Concrete roof tiles
- Hardscaping elements, such as retaining walls and built-in seating
- Outdoor patios and driveways
- The foundation under your flooring
With the right concrete, tools, molds, or framing structures, concrete’s possibilities are endless.
Cement vs. Concrete: Strength and Durability
Concrete is stronger than cement, but that strength relies on the quality of the cement mixture used in the concrete formula. Keep reading to learn about the differing strengths so you can create the right concrete mixture for your projects.
Cement Strength
By itself, cement is not strong. It’s brittle and easily crumbles under pressure, even if it gets wet and sets into a hardened mass. Different types of cement formulas have varying strength metrics.
Concrete Strength
Concrete can be strong if it’s mixed and set correctly. The strength level of different formulas will vary based on the particulates. The water-to-cement ratio also matters, as less water will result in stronger compressive strength and resilience against vibrations or manual impact.
Some easy ways to improve the strength of concrete include:
- Adding more cement relative to the amount of sand and gravel in your recipe
- Choosing the strongest cement formula, which is generally Portland pozzolana cement (PPC)
- Mixing in air-entrapment admixtures to produce air bubbles throughout the cured concrete makes it able to withstand freezing temperatures
- Using rebar as structural supports in large concrete slabs or pieces
However, even high-quality concrete surfaces can crack and crumble over time. Adding a surface layer of coating or sealant will protect it.
Our Conclusion
Cement and concrete are used for intermediate and advanced DIY projects around your home. Cement is a component of concrete. Concrete mixtures are created by adding different aggregate and cement ratios to make a concrete slurry. We recommend researching what concrete mixtures work best in your climate and for your construction projects.
FAQ About Cement vs. Concrete
Are sidewalks concrete or cement?
Sidewalks are concrete. They’re composed of a concrete mix of cement, water, and aggregate, such as sand and gravel. Many sidewalk pavements also have rebar or wire mesh inside for stability and resilience.
Is it less costly to buy cement or concrete?
It is less costly to buy cement than concrete. Buying dry concrete and adding water is more affordable than purchasing a premade concrete slurry in a concrete mixer.
Is cement stronger than concrete?
Cement is not stronger than concrete, although it’s the critical binding agent in concrete formulas. Still, concrete gets its compressive strength from the sand and gravel aggregates rather than the cement itself.
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