It’s not surprising that many people consider cement and concrete the same materials, but while they look alike, there are solid differences between the both. While cement can be used on its own as a material for construction, concrete cannot be made without cement. Concrete itself contains a considerable amount of cement. 


Here is a concise yet clear difference between both the construction materials to let you understand the better one. 

Cement

Cement is a fine powder comprises of limestone, calcium, silicon, iron and aluminum. There is a long process of manufacturing cement from raw materials to transform it into a fine powder. After heating the ingredients in large kilns, a marble-like product is formed called clinkers. The product is grounded to produce a fine powder which is then mixed with gypsum and cement is produced in a powdery form. At this stage, water is added to harden the cement. 


Cement is used in a variety of application. From manufacturing of mortar to making pipe and drain joints, cement is used to create a hard protective surface layer. Cement also assists the preparation of construction structures like wells, tunnels, roads, dams, culverts, and bridges.

Concrete

Now talking about the concrete, it is made of cement. Not only the cement but also the aggregate of crushed stones, sand and rocks. To bind these ingredients together, cement is used. To harden the mixture, water is added in a considerable proportion. The durability of concrete depends upon the amount of cement paste. The ratio of cement, aggregate, and water affects the properties of the concrete being made. The concrete which does not have enough paste will be more likely to crack. Concrete is typically used to build decks, sidewalks, roads, driveways, swimming pools, and buildings.


Cement vs. Concrete

Although these both materials look alike, there exist very clear differences between the both. While cement is made of calcium and silica rich ingredients, concrete is manufactured with a right amount of cement and aggregates.

The unique adhesive properties of cement make it an excellent binding material but at the same time, cement is prone to cracking. Comparing it to concrete, cement is not much durable. Concrete can last hundreds of years because of its strong binding capability. 


While concrete is used to construct buildings, bridges and countless giant structures, cement is mainly used in smaller jobs such as healing cracked concrete. The materials in both cement and concrete are rich and can be recycled. Due to the high amount of energy required in the cement production, these resources are not renewable. 

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