If you’re in the process of building your own home, you need to prepare a lot of things. As much as budget and timeline are important, you also need to think of your design and theme. All your preparations, however, may become futile if you don’t have the right materials, such as roofing and cement. Cement is particularly important as it usually composes around 70% to 90% of your home. Thus, you need to ensure that your cement is the right choice for you and sourced it from a reliable cement manufacturer in the Philippines.
When looking for cement to use for your home construction projects or any construction project for that matter, it is especially important to consider several factors. You may say, “Can’t I just let my contractor find the right cement for me?” Yes, you can, but it is still better for you to be familiar with the qualities of good cement because, after all, it is your home, and you want to ensure that it’s going to be a safe place for you and your family. Let’s find out the factors to consider in choosing the right cement today!
Factors to Consider in Choosing the Right Cement
Cement Type
There are various types of cement for certain applications. For example, when constructing structures underwater, Quick Setting Cement is the right one to use. For pavement construction, Rapid Hardening Cement is recommended because it hardens fast and is highly durable. For structures that will be exposed to hot temperatures, High Alumina Cement is recommended since Alumina has high thermal conductivity and resistance to chemicals at elevated temperatures.
When constructing bridges, piers, dams, and sewage work, Portland Pozzolan Cement, or PPC, is commonly used. PPC is also used in decorative structures because of its excellent surface finish. For home construction, Ordinary Portland Cement, also known as Type 1 cement, can be used. You can also use its blended variants: Types 1P, P, IS, IL, and IT. For Type 1P cement options, you may check Union Super Strength 40.
While cement color is usually gray, other colors are actually available. An example is a White Cement, which is similar to Type 1 cement except for its color. White Cement is ideal for decorative construction.
Compressive Strength
Compressive strength refers to the ability of the cement to hold load once it mixes with standard sand and water. You would want cement products with high compressive strength to ensure that they will not break under heavy pressure.
In the Philippines, cement testing centers are available to determine the compressive strength of cement. Strength is measured in megapascal or MPa. The higher the MPa, the better. This test is done on the 3rd, 7th, and 28th days after they are mixed.
If you’re looking for a cement product with high MPa, check Union Ultra Strength 50. This high-strength cement can achieve a compressive strength of up to 50MPa after 28 days.
Workability
Workability describes how cement can be easily mixed, placed, and finished when mixed with other materials, like sand and water. Cement workability is important as you want your cement to turn into paste at the right time, not too early or too late. Other adverse effects of cement with low workability are poor compaction, honeycomb formation, and handling difficulty.
Additional Considerations:
Price
For most Filipinos on a tight budget, price is a crucial factor when buying anything, and the same goes for cement. However, don’t just go and buy the cheapest cement bag price you can buy, as cheaper is not always better. One way to save on cement costs is by buying in bulk.
Source
Where is the cement sourced? Is it local, or imported? Some tend to have a bias when it comes to sources of materials, thinking that imported goods are better than local ones. However, there are locally sourced cement brands in the Philippines that are on par with global standards. As Filipino brands tend to challenge themselves and try their best to compete with international brands, they produce high-quality products. The same goes for cement.
Another advantage of having locally sourced cement is more efficient logistics. For example, Union Cement offers multi-modal transport options, allowing the local cement brand to transport products wherever you are, by land or sea.
Brand
Just like when we buy food products or anything that can affect our health and safety, we should ensure that we only go for reputable brands. This applies when buying cement for our home, as we don’t want to use cement that has obscure origins. Aside from brand familiarity, also check if the cement brand utilizes the most modern equipment used by the world’s leading cement manufacturers, as this is a sign that their cement is also of high quality.
Cement Manufacturers in the Philippines
Union Cement is a cement brand in the Philippines you can rely on. Behind this brand is a team composed of some of the most experienced professionals in the cement industry. With unparalleled knowledge of the market, technologies, and trends in the cement business, Union Cement produces top-notch cement products, be it for residential or industrial construction needs.
A product of Union Cement that we recommend is the Union Extra Strength ES. This blended cement type 1P Portland-Pozzolan Cement is suited for concrete applications. It can achieve a compressive strength of up to 50 MPa after 28 days, which simply means that it is high strength. It also has high workability, early compressive strength, and consistency that exceed both Philippine and international standards. What’s best about this product is that Union Cement proudly sources this cement locally, providing local jobs.
Union Super Strength 40 is cement with superb mineral additives. This blended cement Type 1P Portland with Tuff Cement can achieve a compressive strength of up to 40 MPa after 28 days. It is used in general concrete construction.
Another high-quality cement product is Union Ultra Strength 50, which is imported cement with compressive strength of up to 50 MPa after 28 days, just like the Union Extra Strength ES. No need to worry about running out of cement as this is available in 40kg kraft and Bags and 1-ton jumbo bags.
Now that you know the factors in choosing the right cement for your home construction, you are ready to shop for cement. If you’re looking for the best cement company in the Philippines, just remember this: Basta semento, i-Union Cement mo! Call us on (02) 8870 0100 or 0917 189 9791 or visit Contact Us page or follow us on our Facebook Page for inquiries.
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