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FAQ

What is the difference between concrete and cement?

It’s a common misconception that concrete and cement are the same thing. While the two are related, they are nowhere near the same thing!

Cement is a fine grey powder that looks almost like grey flour. Most people have never seen cement
Concrete is a mixture of cement, sand, rock, water and small amounts of additives. Concrete is the material we encounter in our everyday lives

The relationship between cement and concrete is similar to the relationship between flour and cake. While neither cake nor concrete can be made without the “flour,” they are definitely not flour. And like a cake, when the concrete has finished “cooking,” the flour is nowhere to be seen.

You can also think of cement as the “glue” in the concrete that holds the sand and stone together. Like many glues, cement doesn't dry. Instead, it hardens through a process called hydration.

Did you know?: The term “cement” is an abbreviation of the correct name, “Portland cement.”

Why are there different kinds of concrete?

Different applications call for different types of concrete. While basic concrete can be made at home, most concrete today can only be made by your local ready-mixed concrete manufacturer and delivered ready to use in a ready mixed-concrete truck.

There are as many different concrete mixes as there are applications for concrete. For example, the design mixture used for a parking ramp differs radically from the mix used for a basement floor.

Also, the material and procedures used to construct a concrete driveway in a warm climate like California are completely different from the requirements needed to build a durable driveway in British Columbia. Freeze and thaw cycles, coupled with exposure to chemical de-icers can cause the wrong mix of concrete to crack, shrink or scale.

So whether you are surfacing a driveway, creating a pool deck, building a walkway, or pouring a basement floor, trust our expert team to help you make the right choice.

What is fly ash?

Fly ash is a by-product from coal-fired electric power generating plants. The inorganic or mineral constituents of the coal, such as clay, quartz and shale, fuse and chemically recombine during burning to produce various crystalline and glassy phases of fly ash. The fly ash is entrained in the flue gas and cools into spherical, usually hollow shaped particles. These particles are collected in electrostatic precipitators or bag houses and the gradation, or fineness, of the fly ash can be controlled by how and where the particles are collected. Fly ash reacts with the free lime generated by cement hydration to form cement-like compounds, which increase the strength and reduce the permeability of concrete.

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Products Precast Products Ready Mix Concrete Aggregate & Gravel Logix Insulated Forms Rentals Panel Forms & Accessories Trucks & Equipment Installations Installation Overview Septic Systems Projects Projects Support Calculators FAQ	What is the difference between concrete and cement? It’s a common misconception that concrete and cement are the same thing. While the two are related, they are nowhere near the same thing! Cement is a fine grey powder that looks almost like grey flour. Most people have never seen cement Concrete is a mixture of cement, sand, rock, water and small amounts of additives. Concrete is the material we encounter in our everyday lives The relationship between cement and concrete is similar to the relationship between flour and cake. While neither cake nor concrete can be made without the “flour,” they are definitely not flour. And like a cake, when the concrete has finished “cooking,” the flour is nowhere to be seen. You can also think of cement as the “glue” in the concrete that holds the sand and stone together. Like many glues, cement doesn't dry. Instead, it hardens through a process called hydration. Did you know?: The term “cement” is an abbreviation of the correct name, “Portland cement.” Why are there different kinds of concrete? Different applications call for different types of concrete. While basic concrete can be made at home, most concrete today can only be made by your local ready-mixed concrete manufacturer and delivered ready to use in a ready mixed-concrete truck. There are as many different concrete mixes as there are applications for concrete. For example, the design mixture used for a parking ramp differs radically from the mix used for a basement floor. Also, the material and procedures used to construct a concrete driveway in a warm climate like California are completely different from the requirements needed to build a durable driveway in British Columbia. Freeze and thaw cycles, coupled with exposure to chemical de-icers can cause the wrong mix of concrete to crack, shrink or scale. So whether you are surfacing a driveway, creating a pool deck, building a walkway, or pouring a basement floor, trust our expert team to help you make the right choice. What is fly ash? Fly ash is a by-product from coal-fired electric power generating plants. The inorganic or mineral constituents of the coal, such as clay, quartz and shale, fuse and chemically recombine during burning to produce various crystalline and glassy phases of fly ash. The fly ash is entrained in the flue gas and cools into spherical, usually hollow shaped particles. These particles are collected in electrostatic precipitators or bag houses and the gradation, or fineness, of the fly ash can be controlled by how and where the particles are collected. Fly ash reacts with the free lime generated by cement hydration to form cement-like compounds, which increase the strength and reduce the permeability of concrete.