What are the characteristics of white cement? What advantages does white cement have over standard cement? Is the higher cost of white cement the only drawback compared to standard cement? Why is white cement more challenging to work with?
White cement is certainly not among the most popular building materials, but it could be argued that this is unfair. This is a special type of cement that, thanks to changes in the production process, gives the final concrete structure a distinctive white color.
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The characteristic gray color of standard cement is influenced by elements such as iron, chromium, and manganese. To produce white cement, these elements must be minimized during production. Different raw materials and energy sources are used in the process to achieve the necessary temperatures and reduce the appearance of oxidation.
All these factors contribute to the higher price of white cement compared to standard cement. This higher price is likely a key reason for its lower popularity. Additionally, the availability of various products on the market today that allow for quality and lasting white coloring of all surfaces may have also led to its reduced usage.
However, it should be noted that in all other characteristics, white cement is just as good as standard cement and even surpasses it in some aspects. It has high resistance to frost and moisture, and objects and products made from it can withstand very low temperatures and numerous freeze-thaw cycles. One of its significant features is faster curing, which speeds up work processes.
Despite fulfilling all the conditions for use in all areas of construction, including for load-bearing structures, white cement is typically used only when its decorative properties can be highlighted due to its higher price.
White cement is used to create staircases, walls, fences, parts, or prefabricated components of facades, and it is also suitable for casting planters, flowerpots, fountains, and other decorative concrete items. It is especially suitable for creating concrete components where subsequent painting in white would not yield satisfactory quality, such as staircases.
Nevertheless, white cement has some drawbacks beyond its higher price. One is that it requires additional experience during the work process. All tools used must be perfectly clean, free of traces of soil or corrosion. The same applies to molds and formwork used for casting.
Due to the many factors that can affect color, when undertaking larger projects, all the cement used should come from the same factory, preferably the same batch. Different types of white cement can easily affect the final color, leading to inconsistent shades in different sections of the final product.
It is also crucial to ensure consistent quality in the mixture of other aggregates (gravel, sand) and water during the casting process of a single section, along with using the same type of cement. Any deviation in the proportions of cement, gravel, sand, and water can influence the color and texture of the concrete. When working with white cement, the focus is often on aesthetics.
Lastly, one advantage of white cement is its suitability for tinting into other shades. Due to the absence of the characteristic gray color of regular cement, the addition of pigments can produce much more attractive tinted concrete structures.
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