Builderz Focus

HOW TO CALCULATE AMOUNT OF  MORTAR  PER S.Q.M FOR BLOCK WALL The amount of cement paste required as mortar per square meter can be calculated through the following steps 1.       Knowing the dimension of the blocks to be used for construction. Here, let’s say we use the cement concrete block of size 150 x230 x450 where by 150 s the thickness of the wall. These dimension s (all dimension are in mm) help to find the area of one block forming wall surface as follows Area of one block = 230 x 450                              = 103,500mm 2 2.        Knowing the new dimension of blocks with cement mortar. New dimension of concrete block means the height and length of a block with the thickness of mortar which is 15m, then the new height id 245mm and new length is 265mm From these new dimensions we can get new area of one cement concrete block as follows Area of one block = 245 x 465                              = 113,925mm 2                              =1.14 x

WHY DO WE CURE CONCRETE BY POURING WATER? Curing of concrete is the process that is done for a certain time in order that the concrete can attain the required strength, all we have to know is how water pouring functions on curing?, what happens if we do not pour water on concrete as curing method?, are there any other methods of curing out of pouring water? WATER POURING AS CURING METHOD Pouring water as curing method is the most common and traditional method which can be done by either of the following methods Ponding   This is the most common and inexpensive method of curing flat surfaces such as floor slabs, flat roofs, pavements and other horizontal surfaces. Sprinkling, fogging & mist curing : Using a fine spray or fog or mist of water can be an efficient method of supplying water to the concrete surface especially during hot weather, which helps to reduce the temperature of concrete, eventually conserving moisture inside the body of concrete.

SETTING TIME OF CEMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION USE Cement is a hydraulic binder, i.e. a finely ground inorganic material which, when mixed with water, forms cement paste, cement paste has a plasticity property, get   hardened and to achieve strength within a short period of a time. It is therefore very important for us to know in how much time cement will lose its plasticity and start hardening, and how much time we will have to use the cement in concrete mixing and casting   during construction before hardening, this early time of the hardening of cement paste is known as setting time. Setting time of cement is defined as a specified time required for cement paste to change from liquid state to plastic state and plastic state to solid state so that surface becomes sufficiently rigid to withstand an external pressure onto it. Setting time of cement is the one which bring setting time of cement concrete, the type of cement you are using for concrete preparation and mixing determine

TYPES OF CEMENT AND THEIR USES Cement is a hydraulic binder, i.e. a finely ground inorganic material which, when mixed with water,  forms a paste which sets and hardens by means of hydration reactions and processes and which,  after hardening, retains its strength and stability even under water. There are various types of cement used in construction projects. Each type of cement has its own properties which are caused by composition materials used during its manufacture. Difference in cement properties causes the cement to have different uses and advantages. The following are 13 types of cement and their uses and their brief descriptions. Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) Ordinary Portland cement is most widely produced and used type of cement which is suitable for all general construction purposes such as brick works, plaster works and or usual concrete works. Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) This cement has high resistance to various chemical attacks on concrete

The terms ‘sand’ and ‘soil’ are often interchanged and used synonymous with one another. Many people consider them the same, but when scrutinized, they are quite different from each other. What is Sand? Sand  is a granular  material made of finely disintegrated rock  and mineral  particles, sand is the type of soil which is  formed when rocks break down from weathering and eroding over thousands and even millions of years.   Depending on the location, sand will have different texture and color from one location to another. Sand  is made of silica, calcium carbonate and other minerals. Sand does not hold water because it  has large spaces between the particles  which allow air and water to pass through more freely. Heap of sand SOURCES OF SAND Below are the sources of sand 1.  Pit sand River obtained from pits formed in the soil, this sand are excavated to a depth of 1m to 2m to avoid entering to other strata of earth’s crust, this sand are found as deposit