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  • What is the Difference Between Cement and Concrete?

General Chipping covers the difference between concrete and cement.

If you’ve ever pondered the difference between cement and concrete (or wondered if there was any difference at all), rest assured you aren’t alone. For some unbeknownst reason, the two words have become interchangeable in the English language — even though they are distinctly different things. In an effort to cut back on confusion, and to improve communication between concrete companies and those they serve, the General Chipping team decided it was time to get back to basics. Read on for a brief explainer of the difference between cement and concrete.

What Are Concrete and Cement?
Concrete and cement are two different things, but that’s not to say they aren’t closely linked. It can help to think about it in terms of baking, where cement is one ingredient of the overall concrete “recipe”. Let’s break things down a bit further:

  • Cement: A key component in any concrete blend, Portland cement (the most common type in use today) is a powder created by repeatedly crushing materials such as limestone and clay. It is heated up and blended with gypsum and limestone. When combined with water during concrete and construction work, it forms a sticky paste.
  • Concrete: Concrete is an amalgamation of a few key ingredients — cement, water and aggregates such as crushed rock or sand. The ratios and types of ingredients will vary somewhat, based on the durability required of the finished product and even aesthetic preferences. Once the ingredients are combined, however, the thick material’s uses are virtually endless. It’s used in everything from roadways and sidewalks, to 3D-printed homes, countertops and more.

General Chipping Tip: Looking to learn more about these key ingredients of the trade? We have blog posts focused specifically on what Portland cement is, concrete’s makeup and the science behind concrete setting. Click to read up!

Funny enough, this confusion between concrete and cement isn’t our industry’s only anomaly. We also seem to have trouble settling on the proper spelling of redi mix (or ready mix) concrete. But maybe that’s just one of the things that makes concrete work so unique.

Whether you’re a curious DIYer looking to better understand your available building components or a construction pro looking for a place you can direct friends and clients with questions about the difference between cement and concrete, we hope this blog post helped. If you have questions, or if you’re interested in learning how our team might be able to help with your concrete chipping, cement silo cleaning and central mixer cleaning needs, please feel free to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you!

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