What is white portland cement?

White portland cement has essentially the same properties as gray cement, except for color, which is a very important quality control issue in the industry. It is readily available throughout North America.

The color of white cement depends on raw materials and the manufacturing process. It is the metal oxides (primarily iron and manganese) that influence the whiteness and undertone of the material. White cement is manufactured to conform to ASTM C 150, Specification for Portland Cement. Although Types I, II, III, and V white cements are produced, Types I and III are the most common. More about white cement.

How is white cement specified?

A key advantage of using white cement for decorative and architectural concrete is that it provides a neutral tinting base and consistent color results. Every color option is possible with it, from pure whites to bright and pastel colors. White cement is available everywhere in North America, though you won’t find a separate specification for it. It can be specified via a number of different standards—portland cements, masonry cements, and plastic (stucco) cements. More about specifying white cement.

I’ve never heard of white cement. Is it new?

White cement was first made in the United States in York, Pennsylvania, in 1907. One reason it may be less familiar to people than gray cement is that it only represents about 1% of total cement usage in the U.S. Annual consumption of gray cement is around 120 million metric tons, and white cement is slightly over 1 million metric tons.

Can high-performance concrete be made with white cement?

It is possible to formulate high-performance white and colored concrete to achieve various improved properties such as high strength or very low permeability. By incorporating materials like calcined clay (such as metakaolin), slag, or white silica fume into the mix design along with white cement, concrete properties can be modified while still maintaining the white base color.

Applications for HPC include any structures that benefit from increased performance attributes, such as high-rise buildings made with high-strength concrete, and bridges and parking structures made with very low permeability concrete to protect against freeze-thaw and deicer attack.

Can self-consolidating concrete be made with white cement?

Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) provides good form filling characteristics and a good quality finish. That makes it well suited to any type of concrete that will be exposed to view, where appearance is important. For instance, many precast concrete members are used architecturally. Using white cement in SCC offers an additional opportunity to create attractive surfaces for exposed concrete. More about SCC and white cement.

Can pervious concrete be made with white cement?

The growing popularity of pervious concrete is being driven by many factors: environmental concerns like recharging groundwater, performance aspects like free-draining pavements (no surface puddles), and reduced costs for roadway appurtenances like stormwater control systems.

White cement allows not only for aesthetic improvement of the surface appearance, but can even be used to improve functionality (traffic control) or pedestrian safety of the paved area. More about architectural pervious concrete.

What are some of the the techniques people are using to create attractive concrete surfaces?

In 2008, the World of Concrete located its decorative exhibits in the Silver Lot adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center South Hall. Called “Artistry in Decorative Concrete,” the sixth annual demonstration brought together twelve artists and numerous vendors with varying techniques and products. From stamped, polished, stained, and sprinkled varieties, flatwork continues to receive a lot of attention. In addition, vertical decorative concrete has seen a growth in both interest and techniques. One artist even has life imitating art imitating…concrete construction, his preferred subject matter for painting, from jobsites to equipment to workers. More.

 
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