Terms: cement lime sand mortar grout thinset concrete

>> If you are buying concrete, why do you want sand and rock?

>> I'm not sure if I'm using the words right. > I'm getting rather confused here. > You want something to hold it to the slab, right? > That something is mortar. Could be Type N mortar... > could be Type S mortar...could be thinset

In another thread, I confused everyone by being wholly ignorant about the terms concrete vs cement vs mortar vs grout.

So how's this first pass at clarifying:

Cement --> aka "Portland cement" - it's the sticky gray glue. Lime --> aka white "hydrated lime" - prevents sand & cement separation. Sand --> mixed with cement - I think it gives strength to cement. Mortar --> cement + lime + (rough) sand (rougher mix for stone & brick) Grout --> cement + lime + (smoother) sand (finer mixture for tile) Concrete: --> cement + lime + sand + gravel (courser mixture)

Reply to
Chuck Banshee
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Not sticky until wateris added.

Makes the mix more plastic

Grout --> cement + lime + (smoother) sand (finer mixture for

Concrete: --> cement + lime + sand + gravel (courser mixture)

Gravel is pebbles. Water rounded pebbles. For concrete, you want crushed rock...stuff with angles in a variety of sizes; AKA "aggregate".

OK with minor addendums :)

Reply to
dadiOH

As a kid, I was raised calling concrete "cement", as in "a cement sidewalk". While in construction terms, this is not the correct word, a lot of people call it CEMENT. It's just one of those slang terms that we all have to live with. Heck, I often see real estate ads that state something like "home has a cement driveway".

Using the correct wording, cement is actually portland cement. (which is a dry powder and not sticky at all until it's wettened). But the word cement is used for other types of glues too. Model airplane cement was a common phrase in the 1960's. (Do they still sell model airplane kits?). Flooring adhesives have been labelled as "cement" too, as are other glues........

It's just one of those english words that has gotten twisted and turned, and may require asking the speaker exactly what they are saying. Yet, sometimes it's just common sense. Model airplanes are assembled using portland cement or concrete, so it's obvious what is being stated.

Reply to
jw

I think you really need to get yourself down to the local library and get a good book. It's pointless troubling your head about these matters without a basic grounding. If you find something in the book you don't understand get on here

Or go to Wikipedia which is good on technical topics.

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Reply to
harryagain

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