One of the basic needs for the human is shelter; people build a house for the purpose. it is a basic need and also it is necessary to build them strongly to avoid any of the disasters in the future. For the purpose, you have to be careful with the qualities of various materials. Among them, cement is also one of the factors that you must have high care on. Here are certain tips to measure the quality of cement.
Packaging
Cement is the materials that should not be left in air for a longer time. So make sure the pack is intact and the bag does not have holes in them. like certification for other materials the cement also need to be certified, look for the CE or ISI marks in the bag and the presence of those marks will confirm the manufacturing the standards. Look at the manufacturing time of the cement; it has to be used within the first 90 days since only till that strength remains at 100% and reduces to 70-80% after the 3 months and 60-70% after 6 months and 50-60% after 12 months.
Appearance and feel
Good quality cement will be lump and dust free and also feel cool to touch; this indicates not hydration reaction is taking place. Now come for the appearance the color for the cement used in the construction should be greenish-grey and cement used in the decorative purposes will be white in color.
Test using water
If the quality is good and they are free from impurities when you put cement in the bucket of water it will float for some time and they sink. When you need to ensure that the cement is hardened correctly take some cement mix with water and make as a paste with your hand. Place them in the bucket for 24 hours and they need to be settling. If it is a good quality it will harden and retain in its shape.
Smell the cement
Smell is also one of the factors that determine the quality of the cement. Smell them, if you feel the earthy smell it means that there is the much of clay and silt is mixed in it and thus it becomes poor in quality.
Tips to purchase the good quality of cement
Since cement is one of the important factors that determine the quality and strength of the building it is important to have a good quality of cement. Here are certain tips to select them.
- Choose the reputed manufacturer
- Check whether the BIS certification mark is present
- The bag should be sealed by the machine and should not be hand stitched
- Look for the manufacturer mark or the trademark in the bag
- Avoid the cement bags that is 6 months older than the manufacturing date
Take intense care on all of the products that you use in your building. When it comes to cement you have to add more care since they are should not leave in the air, water and the manufacturing date is important to have good strength.
