What brand of cement is suitable for pouring the foundation. Which cement is better? Proportions of components for concrete

Cement is one of the fundamental inorganic building materials. When combined with liquid, an astringent consistency is formed.

Manufacturers offer a large selection of cement varieties. Portland cement is considered the highest quality and durable material.

IN industrial ovens with heating up to one and a half thousand degrees, observing the proportions, limestone and clay are fired. After partial melting, the resulting substance is combined with gypsum, ground with the addition of substances according to the technology of the brand used.

The product is divided according to the type of strength with the designation of letters and numbers. “M” - brand, “PC” - Portland cement. The gradation is set in the range M200 - M600. M200 has the lowest strength, M600 the highest during compression.

Additives and impurities (D) affect the plasticity of the material. The percentage content is indicated: “D0” - no impurities, “D20” - 20% filler added. Cement is produced with special properties:

• N - normalized with the most solid characteristics;
• SS - sulfate-resistant is used in the construction of hydraulic structures;
• B - quick-hardening, used in high-speed construction and installation work;
• PL - plasticized used to increase resistance negative temperatures air;
• ShPC - Portland slag cement. Cement with slag from production waste is widely used. The result is a composition with exceptional cementing properties.

Choosing a brand for pouring the foundation

Basically, during the construction of the foundation, M-400 and M-500 with additives from 0 to 20% are consumed. In the construction of a private house or bathhouse, it is best to use the M400 brand. Industrial facilities are built on a foundation using cement material brand M500.

After choosing a brand, the tightness of the packaging is carefully checked. You should always pay attention to the release date. The shelf life is two months. After this period, the quality becomes lower by an average of 10-12%. A good quality cement pack has small holes to allow air and cement dust to escape.

If manufacturers do not affix a stamp with the date of manufacture, you must ask for documents. The accompanying papers always contain complete information. Due to the lack of a date, it is safer to purchase Russian cement. In specially equipped storage areas for materials, no time is wasted on delivery to customers.

Due to climatic conditions foreign countries, imported cement is not always suitable for Russian construction. The product does not meet the requirements for moisture and frost resistance. It is not recommended for use in foundation construction work in regions with active groundwater.

If you purchase bulk cement, the problem of replacing the required brand with a lower quality option cannot be ruled out.

Amount of cement per foundation

The finished concrete mixture has its own marking, different from cement. Calculations are made in four stages:

• The type of cement that will be required to provide the required grade of mortar is selected;
• by multiplying three numbers: thickness, length and width of the foundation;
• Based on the type of solution, the amount of 1 m3 of cement is determined. In a mixture using sand, the grade of cement is 2-3 times higher than the grade of mortar produced;
• The resulting number, corresponding to one cubic meter of solution, is multiplied by the total number of required material, taking into account 0.2 cubic meters per 1 cubic meter of masonry. In a block foundation - 0.05 cubic meters.

According to the recipe, to prepare 1 cubic meter of M300 concrete mixture you need M400 cement weighing 380 kg.

Component proportions

Concrete mortar To fill the foundation, they buy it ready-made from the factory or mix it themselves. To ensure that the quality of home-made concrete is not inferior to the manufacturer, clear proportions of the components are adhered to.

The basis is cement, sand, crushed stone (gravel), water and additives that enhance the strength and quality of the solution. For objective reasons, there are no strictly established proportions. Taken into account:

• Soil quality;
• Terrain;
• Types of components used;
• Type and purpose of the foundation;
• Climatic conditions and other indicators.

Approximate criteria for the mass of preparation of concrete grade M 100:

• Cement grade M400 - 1 part;
• Sand - 4.6 parts;
• Crushed stone - 7 parts.

Additives are used according to the manufacturer's recipe. The optimal volume of water is determined experimentally, depending on the proportions, brand of concrete, moisture content of sand and gravel.

M400 concrete requires approximately five liters of water per bucket of cement, while M100 solution requires 10-11 liters. Measurements are most often made with ordinary ten-liter buckets.

Mixing concrete

Factory ready-mixed concrete is used and delivered by automixer, or the batch is done in a household mobile concrete mixer. You can mix concrete by hand, but this method is difficult and takes longer. It will not be possible to mix the solution properly by hand. Therefore, mechanical or are used.

The material is easy to manufacture and provides strong connections. Half of the components are placed in a drum and filled with water. Kneading is carried out until a homogeneous plastic mass is obtained. Remains of cement and fillers are gradually added.

Liquid concrete solution is poured well, but excess water can further lead to deterioration in the quality of the entire foundation. The prepared mixture is laid in layers. Each part is compacted with a vibrator. After the final filling with reinforcing bars, air is released outside.

Additives to concrete

The main indicator is compressive strength. Masonry workers need the material to be easily applied to the surface and not lose consistency throughout the entire work shift, including downtime and technical breaks. Chemical additives help with this, which are introduced in small quantities into the mortar, changing the properties of the material.

Already at the production stage it is possible to influence the final strength of the masonry. The required ratio of the main components to the use of additives and impurities is ensured. An increase in the amount of binder element leads to an increase in strength.

Basic additives are used for the following purposes:

• Compaction of the solution composition;
• Protection from excess humidity;
• Increased plasticity and frost resistance;
• Acceleration or slowdown of the hardening process;
• When necessary, coloring or pigment additives are used.

Prices for concrete from manufacturers

The price of concrete depends on economic development, production method, brand of cement and plant equipment used. Taking into account the average statistical indicator, the selling price of cement has fallen noticeably since the beginning of the year. Accordingly, the cost of concrete decreased.

Watch the video:

Average price from the manufacturer in the Russian Federation:

When you have chosen cement and made sure that the material’s shelf life has not expired, do not forget to do a simple check. If you don’t feel any lumps or hardness to the touch, the entire composition is a homogeneous granular mass, which means the manufacturer is offering an excellent high-quality product.

The durability of a structure directly depends on the reliability of its foundation. The cost of laying the foundation of buildings is up to a fifth of all construction costs. Long-term operation of the structure, without unexpected repair work, can be ensured by the correct choice of cement brand.

The importance of the foundation during construction

The correct creation of foundation substrates is based on several criteria, these are:

• soil type and characteristics;
• freezing depths;
• elevation level groundwater;
• mass and design features buildings.

Having considered the set of parameters, a method of constructing the foundation that best meets safety requirements, its type and the appropriate grades of cement are selected.

Types of foundations

Building structures of foundations:

• tape;
• pile or columnar;
• from a monolithic slab.

In each type of base building structure, appropriate concrete mixing technologies are used. For each technology, cement grades that best meet the task are used.

Cement grades used in construction

The basis cement mixtures consists of limestone and natural clay or carbonate rocks. Clinker is prepared from these components, processed in a special way, and cement is obtained by grinding. The addition of additives shapes the properties of the mixture:

• curing time;
• frost resistance;
• moisture resistance;
• corrosion stability;
• durability;
• elasticity;
• mobility.

Indexes and grades of cement determine in what proportions the main components are taken and what plasticizing additives are added to the composition.

Designation of cement grades

Grades of cement mixtures indicate the amount of pressure per 1 cm² of area sufficient to destroy hardened concrete. Numbers from 100 to 700 show the pressure value in kilograms.

In addition to marking in numbers, indices are used in the designation of mixtures:

• mixtures without additives are designated by the index – D0;
• compositions with additives are designated as the percentage volume of inclusions - D5.

Letter values ​​of additives:

• mixtures with a high setting speed - B;
• resistant to low temperatures - PL;
• Portland cement - PC;
• compositions resistant to salt solutions - SS;
• Portland cement with a slag component - ShPC;
• mixtures are plastic and resistant to low temperatures and water - GF;
• non-water-absorbing, expanding cement - VRC;
• white cement for decorative works– BC.

Features of the structure of the supporting part of households

In order to avoid premature destruction of the building, you should take a responsible approach to the choice of its design and building materials.

Technologically accessible, popular and relatively inexpensive type foundation base. Regardless of the type of soil, a trench is built under all the supporting structures of the building, the depth of the trench depends on the mass of the building, and its width is taken slightly more sizes tapes.

The width of the foundation strip is taken within 0.5-0.8 m, depending on the thickness of the walls. To save the shape strip foundation, make a frame and reinforce it with reinforcement strapping. Increasing the strength of the base is achieved by adding crushed rubble stone or coarse crushed stone.

When constructing heavy buildings on soils prone to freezing or with a high groundwater level, it is recommended to make a footing 10-15 cm thick. The same work must be done when arranging basements in the building. In such cases:

• cements M100, M200 are used for the cushion;
• for foundation tape M500, M600.

In building projects without basements and with light walls, this type of foundation will be justified. Construction concrete pillars significantly reduces the construction time of a building and reduces its final price.

Foundation pillars are placed at significant nodes of the building and at least 2 m apart around the perimeter. Concrete mix It is prepared from M300 or M400 cement, reinforced with crushed stone, and poured into prepared formwork, tied with reinforcement. The base of the pillars, in area, should be at least 2 times the cross-section of the column. Beams are laid on top of the constructed pillars.

On loose soils subject to erosion, it is recommended to build slab foundations. This kind of foundation is also called “floating”.

A simple manufacturing sequence, at the same time, takes much more time and requires significant investment. But such a monolithic substrate can easily withstand both vertical and horizontal soil displacements.

Monolithic reinforced concrete slab requires high strength concrete and a grade of cement not lower than M500, M600.

Dependence of concrete strength in kg/cm² on water-cement ratio (graph)

Selecting a cement grade (Table)

Having determined which cement is best for the foundation of a structure, you need to pay attention to the manufacturer of the binding material, the shelf life of the mixture and find out the storage conditions before purchasing the product.

The basis of a reliable house is a strong foundation, and the strength of the foundation is largely determined by the sufficient safety margin of concrete, as well as its other characteristics: frost resistance, and high level groundwater - water permeability. In order for a house to stand for a long time and without problems, you need a correctly calculated grade of concrete for the foundation. What it is and how to define it will be discussed further.

Composition of concrete for the foundation

• Knitting. Most often it is cement (Portland cement). There is also non-cement concrete, but it is not used for foundations.
• Placeholders:
  • sand;
  • crushed stone or gravel.
• Water.

The grade of concrete is determined by the proportions of all these components, as well as the conditions of its hardening (setting). Optimal conditions for concrete to gain strength, it is created at a temperature of +20°C. Under such conditions, the process is very active in the first 7 days. During this time, concrete gains about 50% strength. With these parameters, it is already possible to continue construction further. The design strength, which is taken as 100% during design, under such conditions is achieved in 28-30 days. In reality, the process continues further, but at a very low speed. The strength gained after 30 days is not taken into account anywhere - it goes “in reserve”.

As the temperature decreases, the setting time increases significantly (at +15°C it takes about 14 days to achieve 50% strength). At a temperature of +5°C the process practically stops, and under such conditions winter concrete is needed - with appropriate additives and/or measures to increase the temperature (wrapped, heated in a mixer, using heating through the formwork or heating directly by attaching heating cables to the formwork from the inside ).

Cement

Portland cement is used to make concrete different types. The most common are:

Any of these types of binders can be used to prepare concrete. Only you will need to take into account the setting time of the solution - you need to lay it and vibrate it before hardening begins.

Fillers

The quality of concrete is also influenced by aggregates. It is necessary to adhere not only to the recommended proportions, but also to quality indicators - humidity and grain size.

Sand

Depending on the grain size, the following types of sand are distinguished:

For backfilling, they mainly use large and medium ones, less often small ones. The sand must be clean - not contain any foreign inclusions - roots, stones, plant debris, pieces of clay. Even the content of dust and silty substances is standardized - they should not exceed 5%. If you decide to “extract” the sand yourself, check the amount of pollutants.

To check 200 cc. centimeters of sand are poured into a half-liter container (jar, bottle), filled with water. After a minute and a half, the water is drained, poured in again and the sand is shaken. The procedure is repeated until the water is clear. If there are 185-190 cubic meters of sand left. cm, it can be used - its dust content does not exceed 5%.

You also need to pay attention to the moisture content of the sand. All proportions are based on dry ingredients. Even dry and loose sand has a moisture content of at least 1%, regular sand - 5%, wet - 10%. This must be taken into account when dosing water.

Crushed stone and gravel

Crushed stone is obtained by crushing rocks. Depending on the size of the fragments, the following fractions are distinguished:

To prepare concrete, several fractions are used - this way the distribution of crushed stone by volume is more uniform, and the strength increases. The size of the largest fragments is standardized: it should not be more than 1/3 of the smallest size of the structure. In relation to foundations, the distance between the reinforcement bars is taken into account. SNiP also determines the amount of small crushed stone: it must be at least 1/3 of the total volume.

Gravel has approximately the same fractions and sizes, but when used, the water-cement ratio (water/cement or w/c) increases by 0.05 (you need to pour 5% more water).

Water

Drinkable water is used to prepare and water concrete. Including the one you can drink after boiling. Sea water can be used with Portland and alumina cement. Any other process water is not suitable.

Concrete grade and its choice for strength

Depending on the characteristics of concrete, it is divided into compression classes and corresponding grades. This correspondence is shown in the table.

The compressive strength of concrete is determined by testing. This parameter reflects the load that this concrete can withstand without signs of destruction during prolonged exposure. Based on this characteristic, concrete is selected depending on the load that the house will create (it depends primarily on the weight of the walls and ceilings, but a lot of factors are also taken into account, including snow loads).

When designing the foundation and determining its dimensions, the load from the building is calculated. This figure is one of the parameters for choosing a brand. Find in the middle column of the table a value close to the calculated load and determine the brand.

The grade of concrete for the foundation depending on the materials of the walls and soils

Projects and calculations are not always carried out. When building dachas or bathhouses, developers prefer not to spend money and develop the structures themselves. And although there are many grades of concrete, in private housing construction, mainly three are used for foundations:

You also need to make adjustments that take into account the type of soil under the foundation and the level of groundwater. If the soil is sandy or rocky, and the water is below the freezing depth, then all recommendations remain valid. If the groundwater level is high and the soil is heaving, the grade of concrete is taken one step higher: the conditions are more difficult and a larger safety margin is required.

Selection based on foundation type

Other characteristics

In addition to the main characteristic - strength, concrete also has whole line indicators that may influence the choice of brand when special conditions construction or operation.

As for workability, it affects how comfortable you will be working with the solution. For foundations, concrete with characteristic P2 is most often used (for frequent reinforcement, P3 is used). It is permissible to use P1 when it is necessary to process concrete with a vibrator - it settles the solution well, making it more homogeneous.

Remember that during construction two-story house The grade of concrete increases by one step from those given in the table.

Proportions of components for concrete

In recipes, concrete compositions are given by weight or volume. Moreover, cement is always taken as 1, and all other components are taken in relation to it. The proportions for commonly used brands are shown in the table.

As you can see, the same concrete can be obtained using different brands of cement. Fall asleep as you have, only adhering to the recommended mass (or volume) portions. Mostly when pouring foundations, Portland cement M400 and M500 is used. When composing the mixture, remember that if gravel is used instead of crushed stone, 0.05 more water is added.

How to decipher the table instructions? For example, let’s take concrete grade M250, it will be made from Portland cement M400. We will focus on mass. Then select the corresponding line in the third column: 1/2,1/3,9. This means that for one kilogram of M400 cement, we take 2.1 kg of crushed stone and 3.9 kg of sand. The amount of water can be taken from the table below - it is 0.65 kg for crushed stone backfill.

If we compose the same concrete based on volume, for example a 10-liter bucket, then we take the proportions from the fourth column: 10/19/34. This means that for 1 bucket of cement, we put 1.9 buckets of sand, 3.4 buckets of crushed stone. The water/cement ratio remains the same: 0.65 buckets.

Proportions of concrete per cubic meter. The mass of the components is indicated in kilograms, parts are given in brackets.

Another table summarizes data on the consumption of M400 and M500 cement per cubic meter of the most popular grades of concrete during foundation construction.

The correct grade of concrete for the foundation is the key to its strength. But high-quality compounds are very expensive. If, according to all the recommendations given, you need to use M300 and higher, it is better to order one, which will confirm or refute your assumptions. This service costs about $100-$150, but can save you thousands if you want a lower grade.

The basis for any construction is the foundation. The quality and durability of the building directly depends on what materials are used for it. If you make the wrong choice, cracks will soon appear on the building, the walls will begin to move apart and sag. In this case, it is important to know which cement is best for the foundation so that the structure can withstand any load.

When choosing, you need to rely on several basic conditions. It is worth considering the type of soil in which the work is carried out. Be sure to take altitude into account future construction. In extreme climates, a special brand of cement for the foundation is also selected.

General physical criteria

You need to understand that foundation cement is a binding material. The manufacturer offers this product to consumers in powder or lump form. In the process of contact with water in a set proportion, the mass loses its plasticity and becomes hard. Fixation occurs on average after 7-8 hours. Next, the mass gets rid of excess moisture.

Materials such as clay, gypsum or lime have similar binding properties to cement, but to a different extent. In certain cases they are added to concrete mixtures.

Since 2003, the current GOST concerning cements has been in force. It implies a standard classification according to the name.

The most popular is Portland cement. It is necessary to select which brand of cement is needed for pouring the foundation not only by name, but also based on the markings. In the context of the construction of private houses or buildings, brands from “one hundredth” (100) to “seven hundredth” (700) are relevant.

The brand of cement (numerical designation) indicates how much weight in kilograms a square centimeter of hardened mortar can withstand.

The best brands of cement for foundations

On the packaging, the manufacturer indicates the brand in large font. Most often it is expressed by a letter and a three-digit number. To figure out which brand of cement is best for the foundation of a house, you need to understand the meaning.

The cement grade M400, for example, means that a square centimeter of surface can withstand a load of 400 kg

Using the value “M100” as an example, let’s look at these symbols. “100” in this case corresponds to the maximum permissible load in kg per 1 sq. cm of area. A higher value will lead to destruction of the material. In this case, concrete is prepared from cement and sand in a ratio of 1:3.

When solving the problem of which cement is best for the foundation of a house, pay attention to the number of floors. For low buildings, brands ranging from M200 to M400 are relevant. Materials with more powerful values ​​can also be used. They will also provide a powerful base.

When using denser grades for low-rise buildings, the proportion will be smaller - 0.5-0.8:3 in relation to river sand. The result will be similar.

What kind of cement is needed for the foundation can be decided by the owner himself. Either take a larger mass of low grades, or purchase a smaller mass with higher strength values. In the second case, the physical consumption of material will be obviously lower.

The most popular brand of cement for foundations is M400, but the M500 material is almost as good as it. The use of higher values ​​or the use of pozzolanic grades is in demand when constructing buildings under special conditions, for example, when water resistance is required. These parameters include significant moisture from groundwater located close to the surface.

VIDEO: How to choose cement

When are slag centes used in foundations?

For certain areas of the country, when choosing which cement is best for the foundation of a house, you should give preference to Portland slag cement or pozzolanic type. They have as additional materials part of slag, gypsum, etc. Excellent protection from fresh and mineral waters.

Slag cements differ from ordinary cement in the following characteristics:

• has a lower cost;
• has a lower degree of deformation;
• releases less heat during hardening;
• resistant to sulfate water.

The disadvantage is lower frost resistance compared to classical types of cementitious building materials. Enough long time complete hardening occurs with an increase in strength, up to several months. In this case, preference is given to their fast-hardening varieties.

To understand what kind of cement is needed for the foundation, you need to carefully study its parameters indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging. CEM I of all varieties has no additional components.

Based on the rate of hardening, the material is divided into two groups:

• normally hardening (N);
• quickly hardening (B).

The possible load is described in GOST 31108 2003. Compressive strength is differentiated by classes: 22.5; 32.5; 42.5:52.5. An example of marking according to this standard is the designation: TsEM I 42.5B GOST 31108-2003. This will be a fast-hardening class of Portland cement.

You can also find an older gradation (GOST 10178-85). According to it, the manufacturer designates its products as follows: PC400-D20-B. “Four hundredth” grade with mineral impurities of about 20%, and the class quickly hardens.

VIDEO: How to make concrete - proportions of ingredients in buckets

Making the right choice

If pure cement is needed, then you should choose by name, for example, M 500 D 0. “Zero” after “D” means the absence of additives in percentage terms. It is important to consider the date of manufacture, since most often bulk material It is produced in paper bags and certain conditions must be observed during its storage.

If you have doubts about the quality of the cement, you can touch it with your hands through the bag. It should not be a monolithic piece, but must always be free-flowing.

When a material has a certain degree of fossilization, it is not recommended for use in critical applications. Any lumps and clogged areas can be easily identified through the paper. Such material cannot be used in the foundation.

Temperature must be taken into account during the pouring process environment. The lower it is, the longer hardening will take.

High-quality cement has positive characteristics:

• sulfate resistance;
• frost resistance;
• water resistance;
• strength;
• anti-corrosion.

A five percent addition of gypsum helps manufacturers increase the transportability of the finished mixture. The prepared solution can be transported in a concrete mixer to the place of use without worrying that it will have time to harden ahead of time.

It is worth considering the amount of water poured into the mixture. Cement and water at self-cooking taken in approximately equal proportions. The amount of crushed stone or wedge does not affect the proportion of sand and cement.

In civilian one-story construction M400D0 grade is often used for concrete with crushed stone. It hardens quickly and tolerates temperature changes well. If you intend to insert from reinforcement, then you can use M400D20. It has increased moisture resistance. In a two-story building, you can choose the more durable material M500D0 or M500D20.

The quality of the finished product and the hardening time are affected by the degree of grinding.

Do right choice possible by taking into account all factors, which include the total mass of the building, the presence of a basement or ground floor, able to withstand groundwater. The hydraulic component of the area can be identified in the spring-summer period, starting with the melting of snow. In winter, their level drops significantly.

For sandy soil, you can save money by choosing less expensive brands, for example, M200 or M250. They are able to withstand buildings in dry climates. For loamy and clayey soils, it is worth choosing a higher grade.

The influence of foundation type on the choice of cement brand

Portland cement gains full strength characteristics after preparation for a month. IN living conditions They are used to fill foundations located deeper than the groundwater level. The disadvantages of the M 400 brand include the presence of shrinkage.

Adding plasticizers to the finished mass of cements can increase their pliability and plasticity. Such additives increase the ability of the mass to penetrate into all voids. Concrete with optimal physical parameters can be obtained with less labor in a concrete mixer. It can also be ordered from companies specializing in the production of such mixtures.

VIDEO: Mistakes of an inexperienced self-builder when self-construction foundation

The foundation of any structure, by definition, is subject to maximum loads, including compression. As a binder, cement is used to prepare various solutions when carrying out work related to the reconstruction or repair of buildings and structures, and is also used in the process of constructing new facilities, including for the arrangement of foundations of various types.

There are several types of cements, which differ in their compositions, characteristics and specific applications. Most often in construction, especially individual construction, Portland cements are used, which are made from finely ground clinker with a slight addition of gypsum (no more than 3.5%). Depending on the required properties of the final product, other substances called additives may be added to the mixture. They change individual characteristics of the material or give it the qualities required by the conditions of further operation.

To answer the question of what kind of cement is needed for the foundation, you need to know what will be built on it. As already noted, any building has a foundation. But it’s one thing to install a foundation under a building and quite another, for example, under garden gazebo, plank shed or light fence. In the latter case, there is no point in using expensive brands of cement, since the load on such foundations will be low.

What to consider when choosing a cement brand

What grade of concrete do you need? This depends on the expected load on the base.
Is it expected that the foundation will be finished in a high-quality manner? For example, insulation, waterproofing.
Soil characteristics at the construction site (configuration of subsoil water layers, freezing depth, structural composition soil).

For foundations, concrete mortars of grade no lower than “200” are used. Experts recommend preparing the mixture using cements of “300” or more. Brands “400” or “500” are also implied. There is no point in purchasing higher ones, since they are suitable for the construction of mainly various special objects (bunkers, underground storage facilities, breakwaters, dams, etc.). The best option for the preparation of cement mortar for the foundation, the M400 brand is considered, since, according to the craftsmen, it successfully combines both the quality of the final product (concrete) and the price of the material.

Almost any concrete solution can be prepared from such cement, so in the private sector this product is considered the most versatile. After all, even when building the foundation of a house, it is advisable, to save money, to use different grades of concrete. From the higher one, fill the tape around the perimeter of the building, and for the remaining parts (under interior walls, for arranging floors and the like) use, for example, not M300, but M150.

When calculating the amount of cement for the foundation, they are guided by the following ratio: binder - 1 part, sand - 3 parts, crushed stone - 5 parts. But here it is appropriate to pay attention to such a moment. If you look at various sites devoted to this issue, you can find some “inconsistencies”. For example, on some it is recommended to take sand not 3 parts, but at the rate of 2.8. It is easiest to attribute such inconsistencies to insufficient qualifications of the authors.

But main reason not this. Some features of the remaining components should also be taken into account:

What filler is used (gravel, crushed stone);
What are its fraction sizes?
hardness of water for preparing the solution.

When deciding what kind of cement is needed for the foundation, it is necessary to understand the individual additives contained in the material. What do they give to ready-made concrete, what properties? You can find out what substances are contained in cement from its marking, by the corresponding letter. Here are the most interesting ones for an individual developer.

"B"– fast-hardening. It is advisable to use it if it is necessary to reduce the duration of work at individual stages in order to immediately move on to the next one.

"PL"– frost-resistant products (plasticized).

"SS"– sulfate-resistant brand of cement for foundations. It is used when arranging the foundation in soils with the presence of aggressive chemical compounds.

"NC"– concrete based on it weakly absorbs moisture. This cement makes it possible to somewhat simplify the process of subsequent waterproofing of the foundation.

As noted, different brands of cement are used for different buildings.

Lightweight structures (prefabricated panels, country houses, fences, verandas, etc.) – M200;
for buildings made of wood, cellular concrete - M250, M300;
preparation of mortar for the foundations of more massive (for example, brick) structures is done using cements not lower than M350, M400.

Some tips

1. Any cement has a certain shelf life. This does not mean that it cannot be used later. But it is during this period that it will provide the properties of the final product guaranteed by the Manufacturer. But if the term is exceeded, the quality of the concrete monolith, primarily its strength, will be reduced.

According to some data, within six months, products can lose their properties by approximately 30–40% (depending on storage conditions). As a rule, people prepare for construction or renovation in advance and, therefore, purchase materials in advance. So it turns out that the brand of cement for the foundation “400” was purchased, but in fact it is already M250. Therefore, when composing the mixture, this factor must be taken into account, otherwise the required strength of the foundation will not be ensured.

2. Concrete mortar of the same brand can be prepared from different cements. Considering that prices for different kinds differ, in some cases a cheaper binder can be used. For example, instead of M300 take M200 or M150. But then you will have to change the recommended proportion of components, in particular, increase the percentage of cement. But if it has a large brand, then its share decreases.