“But what to do with it,” the majority will say, “throw it away, that's all.” After all, 350-400 rubles a bag is a small loss, is there any point in reinventing the wheel? But do you know what distinguishes zealous owners from those whose family budget is slipping through their fingers? Right! The ability to make sure that nothing is wasted in vain, even trifles, let alone a whole bag of cement. So how can you use it?
Read in the article
- 1 First, how to prevent petrification
- 2 Is it possible to return the properties of petrified cement
- 3 How to use stone cement
First, how to prevent petrification
It is customary to take cement for a construction site with a margin, because it is better to leave it than you will rush after it to retail outlets at an inopportune time. And yet this building material drops significantly in price in the fall. And the reason for this is simple - the demand for it comes to naught at this time, and sellers strive to sell this product as soon as possible, since to preserve its qualities, specific storage conditions are needed, and if they are not observed, then it will no longer be worth anything good.
Cement has the ability to draw moisture even from the air, so it cannot be stored outdoors.
Only one thing is not clear: why do manufacturers not bother to make packaging for this building material with hermetically sealed polyethylene? It would be so, how many problems could have been avoided! But the question hangs in the air, and we are left alone with a paper bag.
To preserve the cement, you must first of all exclude the contact of the package with any surface: soil, wall. The bags should be stored on a pallet under a roof, preferably in a locked room with good ventilation. Bags can be wrapped in stretch wrap for greater security. If you don't have much cement left, use a practical tip: pour it into plastic bottles, of course, completely dry.
These simple guidelines will help you preserve the cement, but remember that it gradually loses its properties over time.
Is it possible to return the properties of petrified cement
So, you could not or did not have time to apply the storage recommendations, and the fact remains: the cement has turned into a stone block. How hopeless is it?
First of all, you need to try to return the material to its original appearance.
This is usually done on a construction site. If the cement has not completely petrified, but only the upper crust has seized, this is quite enough. Then you only need to sift the material to remove large pieces and you can use it. Some recommend trying to roll the petrified bag on the ground. This is also not so simple: 50 kg is a considerable weight.
How to use stone cement
You can also use a completely petrified lump of cement. First of all - as an aggregate for pouring with concrete. But again with a caveat - not in a very important area. For example, fence posts are fine.
The cement falls straight into the pit in a lump, breaks it into small pieces with a sledgehammer, sand is added to it, water is poured. It remains only to tamp this mass - and you will be convinced that such a patch will last longer than the asphalt around.
Broken Petrified Cement can be used to create garden sculptures. It is believed that such cement can be used as a soil deoxidizer. Small crumbs are added to the soil and dug up. The cement will gradually dissolve into the ground. There are some doubts about this idea, but it is quite possible to try.
Have you encountered such a problem? How was it solved? What happened? Share your experience in the comments!
