How to dilute cement with sand proportions. M400 cement, how to mix the proportions for the foundation in buckets. Which cement is best for screed

The main component of most building mixtures is cement; its grade, quality and activity have a direct impact on the main performance characteristics: strength, setting time, crack resistance, moisture and frost resistance. This binder is recommended to be mixed with sand in strict adherence to proportions, which in turn depend on the purpose of the composition. Properly prepared cement mortar has a homogeneous structure without lumps, unmixed dry areas, does not delaminate (except for heavy concrete) and remains plastic for 1 hour.

Features and nuances of breeding

To obtain a high-quality mixture or concrete, a number of requirements are met:

1. Only fresh binder is used. Portland cement, with or without additives, begins to lose activity after 2-3 months; after six months, its strength grade decreases even in packaged form. It is not recommended to mix fresh and crumpled or wet cement.

2. Sand and other types of filler are pre-prepared: washed to remove silt, dried, and sorted for large debris. When mixing small volumes of plaster or leveling compounds, it is recommended to mix sand and cement taking into account the selected proportions and sift them together.

3. All compositions can be diluted exclusively with clean water: from the water supply or collected precipitation. It is not recommended to use water from external sources due to possible siltation.

4. Cement and sand are combined without delay or pre-soaking. The recommended sequence of adding components depends on the mixing method. When using mixers or mixers - from the smallest grain to crushed stone (liquid is poured in first, then the size of the poured fractions increases), simultaneous input of binder and sand is allowed. When kneading by hand, all ingredients are first mixed in a container in dry form, then they should be diluted with water - thoroughly, in small portions, within the selected W/C ratio.

5. Mix the components until the air bubbles are completely expelled, but no longer than 15 minutes.

6. Plasticizers and similar additives require caution. Some of them (liquid soap, lime) must be diluted with water in advance, others are introduced in the last minutes of mixing. When using dissolvable impurities, it is important to leave some water for them from the total dose. It is not recommended to exceed the selected W/C ratio in any case.

To mix manually, you should choose a large container; diluting the ingredients in it will be easier. But the best results are achieved when using construction mixers or concrete mixers; the former are recommended when preparing small portions, the latter when working with concrete. Tools with a high speed of revolutions are not required; due to the rapid setting of cement, this is fraught with its overuse.

Component ratios depending on the type of mixtures

Classic proportions are 1:3 (C and P, respectively). There is a clear rule: the strength grade of the binder cannot be lower than the grade of the mortar. This requirement is key; all proportions are measured based on the proportion of Portland cement. In practice, this means that if it is necessary to prepare a composition with the M100 brand and use PC M400 as a binder, it will be necessary to dilute cement with sand in a ratio of no more than 1:4. For M200 they are 1:2 and so on. Permissible minimum depending on the purpose:

• M50-M100 - when preparing compositions for laying bricks and cinder blocks.
• M100-M200 - when mixing leveling mixtures for floor screed.
• M200 (more is better) – for concreting foundation structures of any type.
• M50-M100 – for plasters.

First, you should choose the brand of the required mortar. Binder is purchased 1-2 weeks before the start of work; sand and crushed stone can be purchased earlier (provided there is a suitable site for their storage). It is necessary to dilute the components with water after preparing all working surfaces; the resulting mixtures are consumed within an hour.

1. Rules for concrete.

Compositions based on Portland cement and sand with coarse filler are used when pouring building foundations, floors and load-bearing walls. Maximum demands are placed on concrete for foundations; this structure is subject to constant loads. The recommended proportions in this case are 1:2:4 or 1:3:5 when using M400 or M500 and the W/C ratio is within 0.5-0.7. To achieve plasticity, you can introduce a small amount of plasticizers (liquid soap - no more than 50-100 g per concrete mixer bowl, factory ones - according to the instructions), most of them need to be diluted with water.

In addition to the correctly chosen proportions for the foundation, the quality of the ingredients has a direct impact on the properties of concrete. This type of structure supports the weight of the entire building and is subject to freezing in winter and exposure to ground and atmospheric moisture. The minimum acceptable grade of crushed stone is M1200; sand needs to be clean and coarse (not artificial). The components and their ratios are selected taking into account not only the expected strength class, but also the required frost and moisture resistance, and if necessary, air-entraining additives are introduced.

2. Proportions for filling the floor.

To level the screed, it is recommended to dilute 1 part of Portland cement M400 with three sands, the minimum W/C ratio is 0.5, the final grade is M150. The resulting solution should be easily pulled by a spatula or trowel; it is important to achieve maximum homogeneity (impossible with manual mixing). Good results are observed when adding a small proportion of plasticizers; they do not affect strength, but improve ductility and adhesion, and the mixture is better distributed over the floor.

3. How to dilute the masonry composition?

When constructing brickwork, the optimal solution is considered to be DSP mixed with Portland cement M300 or M400 in a ratio of 1:4. The binder can be complex; slaked lime can be added - but not more than 20-30% of the total mass. Add little water, the recommended consistency is dough-like, the masonry mortar should not flow from the trowel or trowel when tilted up to 40°. When mixing by hand, it is recommended to sift the cement and sand together and only then dilute it with water or milk of lime.

4. Rules for working with plasters.

The selected recipes depend on several factors: the type of surfaces (interior or façade), the degree of exposure to moisture and the purpose of the solution itself (different consistencies are required for spraying, the base layer and the covering). When mixing plaster for exterior work, cement is used as a binder; a slight addition of lime is allowed. When preparing internal leveling mixtures for surfaces operated under normal humidity conditions, multicomponent ones are better suited; in addition to fluff, gypsum can be used in them.

The proportions of water depend on the purpose of the solution: spraying is carried out with liquid plaster, the main layer (soil) has a dough-like consistency, and the finishing leveling is creamy.

The most common material, without which almost no construction work can be done, is one of the types of cement mixture - concrete. An irreplaceable component of concrete is cement.

How to dilute cement?

The future strength of the foundation, the reliability of road surfaces, and the quality of brickwork and plastering depend on whether the cement mass was mixed correctly.

Surely, each of us has encountered concrete work at least once in our lives. Not everyone succeeded in preparing concrete mortar the first time, so you can often come across the following questions: “How to dilute cement without sand? What proportions of sand and cement should be observed? What is the solution consumption per 1 m2? etc.

So let's look at these nuances together.

How to prepare the solution?

I would like to immediately note that cement, as a means of bonding, is used exclusively as solutions and mixtures that determine the following nuances:

• brand of cement;
• “origin” of water (from the water supply, rain or melted snow);
• what filler is added (crushed stone, sand, slag or sawdust);
• area of ​​use of the substance (brick laying, plastering, foundation creation).

You can dilute cement and combine the necessary ingredients either in a plastic container or in a metal container. For these purposes you can use:

• buckets;
• basins;
• old cast iron bathtub;
• strikers made of wood.

The cement-sand mixture is prepared as follows:

1. sift sand through a sieve;
2. combine cement with sand and mix the substance until smooth;
3. Gradually add water a little at a time;
4. knead the mixture until smooth, so that the mass resembles sour cream in thickness.

To understand that the mixture is mixed according to all the rules and its consistency has the required viscosity, you need to do some manipulations. To do this, the mass is applied to the surface of a trowel or spatula and turned over with the solution facing down. If the substance does not flow down, but remains on the surface of the instrument, the solution is prepared correctly.

Pay attention to how long it takes for the cement to dry. The finished solution must be used within a maximum of 90 minutes.

Proportional ratio of ingredients

Sand and cement

So, let's look at how to prepare a mixture for the most popular jobs.

• Plastering

For plastering, it is best to use a proportion of 1:3 (where 1 is the amount of cement, and 3 is the amount of sand). Basically, water is used in the same quantity as cement, but it must be poured in small portions so that the density can be controlled. To prepare such a solution, you need cement powder of the following brands: M-150, M-200 (for interior work) and M-300 (for facade finishing). If you want to make the mass more flexible so that it lies evenly and smoothly on the surface, add lime to it. Its amount should be ½ part of sand.

• Bricklaying

For bricklaying, a ratio of 1:4 is used, and cement powder is required in grades such as M-300 and M-400. For viscosity, you can also add 0.2 or 0.3 parts of lime. Water is also poured into the dry substance until the required mass structure is formed. To ensure that the prepared solution is correct, throw it onto the surface at an angle of 40°. If it doesn’t drain, you did everything right.

• Forming a floor screed

For these purposes, the equation 1:3 is followed, and cement is selected at number 400. For mixing, you will need ½ part of the water from the amount of cement used. Try to control the consistency of the solution all the time, because the mass should stretch easily to fill all the gaps and cracks. As a result, you will get a solution labeled 150.

• Pouring a concrete foundation

To prepare such a polymer-cement composition, you will need more ingredients: cement powder, sand, gravel or crushed stone. Their proportional ratio is 1:2:4. If you are preparing a solution for pouring the foundation of a house, select cement number M-500. You will need half as much water as cement. Thus, you will get concrete of class M-350. This prepared mass must be consumed before 60 minutes have elapsed.

We make cement with our own hands

Please note that the cement-sand mass must have a grade higher than the grade of cement by 2.5-3 times.

What the approximate consumption of materials for plastering m2 of surface looks like can be seen in the table below.

Is it possible to “paint” the cement paste?

We dilute cement ourselves

Cement floors or walls are not a very attractive sight. But even such an unsightly mass can be easily transformed with the help of special means.

To add color to the gray mass, you can use:

• dry powders;
• concentrated paste;
• emulsion;
• microcapsules.

How to dilute such funds? In order for the cement dye to fulfill its “mission”, it will be enough to mix it into the finished solution, after which the result is a substance with the most durable color, which does not lose its brightness for many years.

This cement paint is widely used in the production of paving slabs, natural tiles or paving stones.

The pigment for cement must meet the following requirements:

• not lose its color for many years;
• do not succumb to the influence of water (i.e. do not wash off or dissolve under its influence);
• Resistant to alkali exposure;
• do not fade from exposure to sunlight.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in coloring and mixing cement, but you can get the desired shade: from the usual gray to pink, blue, yellow or green.

There are many cases in life when you need to mix real concrete at home. How to make it and what is required for this? At the very beginning, you need to purchase or already have certain building materials.

Required ingredients and components

To make high-quality concrete, you need important substances such as sand or screenings, crushed stone or gravel, cement and liquid. Here are the required components:

1. The most common cement among builders and ordinary workers is grade 500. It is sold in compact bags of 25 and 50 kg.
2. For concrete, river sand without clay admixture is well suited, which can burst the concrete when the temperature changes.
3. Granular substances of fraction 10 or 20 are perfect for filler; the smaller the better, since fine gravel or crushed stone is easier to mix.
4. Water, as the last ingredient for concrete, must be tap water or fresh from a lake or river.

How to dilute cement m500 - its proportions for concrete must be carefully measured, since a violation in the proportions often causes its deformation. If you pour more cement into the mixture than required, the concrete will turn out weak and not durable.

Cement dilution technique for concrete production

The most popular proportions for making concrete using M500 cement are the following ratios of cement, sand and crushed stone:

• Concrete grade 200 – proportions 1x3.5x5.6. The amount of concrete from 10 liters of cement is 62 liters.
• Concrete M300 – 1x2.4x4.3. Concrete yield – 47 liters.
• Concrete M400 – 1x1.6x3.2. The solution output is 36 liters.

The parameters indicated in the example are by weight and to produce, for example, grade 300 concrete, you need to take 10 kilograms of cement, 24 sand and 43 kg of crushed stone. Water is poured into the solution at the rate of ½ the mass of cement.

To get thick concrete, you should add less water, and if you need more fluid, then add more. But it should be borne in mind that a lot of liquid in concrete affects its strength: water evaporates from the structure over time and multiple small voids remain in its place.

There is one nuance that affects how to dilute M500 cement - if the bulk filler is dry, then the solution is diluted according to the standard proportion, but if the sand is wet, then slightly less water is added to the cement than according to ordinary ratios.

You will need

• To mix cement or cement mortar you will need: cement, sand, clay, water, a large metal container or mechanical concrete mixer, a shovel, a garden hoe.

Instructions

Let's consider the most commonly used type of binding material - cement. It is the main element of mortars and various concrete mixtures. The positive qualities of cement are its strength and drying speed. Cement is divided into two types: aluminous and Portland cement. The characteristic features of alumina cement include: heat resistance, quick drying and high water resistance. This group is mainly used in industrial construction. For private construction, various brands of Portland cement are used. Cement grades are classified according to their strength when hardening and can be: low-grade - below 300, so-called ordinary - 300-400. Brand 500 belongs to the category of increased strength, and 500-600 to high strength. It is not difficult to visually determine the strength of cement. The darker it is, the stronger it is. In everyday life, all brands of cement are called cement, and high-grade cement (500-600) is called Portland cement. Peculiarities of cement marking: PC or M - Portland cement;
D 0 - cement without additives;
D 20 - cement containing 20% ​​additives;
B - quick-hardening cement;
N - cement based on clinker of standardized composition (standardized cement);
ShPC - slag Portland cement;
PL - plasticization of cement.

To prepare cement, you need to find out for what purpose it will be used: for laying bricks, for pouring a path near a house, for plastering a wall. To lay bricks, you will need a solution in a ratio of 1 to 4, that is, you need to take and pour 1 bucket of cement and 4 buckets of sand into a container. Take a garden hoe and dry mix the ingredients in layers, stirring the mixture with the hoe every 5 centimeters. Stir until you get a homogeneous mixture. Then add a little water, stir, add water until the solution becomes viscous and sticky. Its consistency should be like thick semolina porridge. Now you can safely fasten bricks with it.

To prepare a solution for filling a garden path, make a solution with a ratio of 1 to 3, that is, 1 bucket of cement and 3 buckets of sand. Stir dry with a hoe, then add water until the solution is as thin as cream. Pour this solution into the pre-prepared formwork, breaking it into squares with thin boards. If you fill the path with one monolith, it will soon crack. After about 2 hours, prepare the laitance. To do this, take cement, add water to it until it becomes like milk. Pour this milk onto the path and spread it with a brush. This process is called "ironization", the track will become grey-green and very strong on the surface. To plaster the walls, it is enough to make a solution of 1 to 5 with the consistency of liquid semolina porridge.

One of the most versatile materials, without the use of which no construction can take place, is concrete mortar. The scope of application of such a tool extends to both capital structures and private facilities. It happens that a small amount of mortar is needed to perform independent construction work. It is quite possible to make such a volume yourself.

The proportions in which to dilute the cement depend on how and for what purposes the solution will be used.

Characteristics such as quality, strength, reliability directly depend on the ingredients and their ratio. The basis for any cement mortar is directly cement, water and filler (sand, crushed stone, sawdust, slag). In some cases, special additives are used to give the solution additional qualities (plasticity, frost resistance, etc.).

To complete the task you will need the following tools:

• electric drill or hammer drill (with special attachments);
• trowels;
• putty knife;
• shovel.

Mixing the components can be done in a plastic or metal container. For example, you can use an old cast-iron bathtub, buckets or basins, depending on the required volume of solution.

Before diluting cement, it must be sifted through a sieve along with sand, bringing this mixture to a homogeneous composition.

• If the sand used is not clean, it must be washed. To do this, it is soaked in water, where it is mixed, after which the water is drained.
• Clean sand should be dried in the sun or in a warm room. Clean water is gradually added to the sifted mixture of cement and sand. The finished mixture should have the consistency of thick sour cream. You can check whether the solution is thick enough by looking at how well it sticks to the spatula - it should stick well and not spread.
• The finished material must be used within the next hour and a half - that is how long it retains its viability. It is important to use only clean water without any impurities, much less large particles or debris. Rain or melt water is ideal.

Proportions and their features

Exactly what proportions of cement and sand, as well as other components, need to be used depends on the nature of the planned work.

Some examples of proportionality of ingredients:

• For plastering work there is a proven ratio: 1 part cement and 3 parts sand. As a rule, the volume of water is approximately equal to the volume of cement. During the mixing process, water should be added gradually, controlling the consistency.
• Cement should be taken M150 or M200 for interior work, and for facades you will need cement of a higher grade M300.
• Of the additional ingredients when preparing the mixture for plaster, lime is used in a ratio of 0.5-0.7 parts of the amount of sand. It gives the solution plasticity and allows it to be applied to the surface in a thinner layer.
• For brickwork, take 1 part cement (M300 - M400) to 1 part sand. Additionally, to improve the plasticity of the composition, you can use slaked lime in an amount of 0.2-0.3 parts per 1 part of cement.
• By gradually adding water, you need to form a composition of such a consistency that it does not drain if it is placed on a plane at an angle of 45 degrees.
• The floor is screeded using a mortar with a cement to sand ratio of 1:3. High grade cement M400 is used.
• For mixing, take water in an amount equal to half the volume of cement. When mixing, the amount of liquid may change slightly. As a result, you need to get a fairly rare, well-stretching solution that can fill all the surface voids.
• Concrete for the foundation of a house is made from cement, sand and crushed stone (or gravel) in a ratio of 1:2:4, respectively. Concrete grade M500 is used for the foundation of the house.
• It is important to use clean drinking water, without salts or impurities. Which tool to use for mixing depends on the volume. A small amount of mortar can be made with a shovel, but for large volumes you need to use a concrete mixer. Like any similar material, foundation mortar has a recommended period of use - 1 hour.

In addition to the main ingredients, you can make adjustments to the composition of the future solution, taking into account the necessary characteristics:

• frost resistance coefficient of the finished composition, which varies from 25 to 1000. This reflects the number of freezing and thawing cycles that concrete can withstand without losing quality. Hydrophobic and tensile cement has proven itself best.
• water resistance coefficient, which reflects the ability of the composition not to allow moisture to pass under pressure. This effect can be achieved by adding special hyphrophobic impurities during the manufacturing process of the solution.

Such an additive will allow you to avoid using additional measures for waterproofing; in addition, the resulting concrete will not be sensitive to frost and thawing.

Some characteristics

In order to accurately prepare a solution of a certain brand, you should resort to the following calculation:

• Divide the brand of industrial cement by the amount of sand. For example, mixing cement grade M400 in a ratio of 1 part cement to 4 parts sand, you will get a solution corresponding to grade 100.
• The brand of the prepared mortar must be the same as the brand of building material (bricks, blocks, etc.). However, there are exceptions. So, using brick grade 350, you do not need to prepare a mortar of the same quality; you can get by with M100.

The choice of components and their ratio in the process of preparing cement mortar depends on the specific task and characteristics of the work performed. The quality of strength and durability of structures erected with its help depends on how correctly the components of the solution are selected.