Difference Between Cement Vs Concrete
The following table shows show a comparison of Cement vs Concrete
Sr. No. | Cement | Concrete |
1. | Cement is manufactured by a chemical combination of calcium, silicon, aluminum, iron, and other ingredients. | It is a mixture of cement, sand, aggregate, and water to form a strong mass. |
2. | It is used as a bond agent in concrete, mortar. | Concrete is strong material used to cast structural components like columns, beams, and slabs, etc. |
3. | When water is added to cement it produces heat of hydration. | Cement within concrete produces heat to hydration which helps in gaining strength. |
4. | The strength of cement depends on the chemical composition of different ingredients used to make cement. | The strength of concrete depends on the water-cement ratio and concrete mix ratio of materials like cement, sand, aggregate, and water. |
5. | Cement manufacturing is a complex process only possible in manufacturing factories. | Concrete making is a simple process. It can be made on a construction site with decent skilled work. |
6. | Test of Cement: Fineness, Consistency, Initial and final cement time, soundness, specific gravity Test | Concrete Test: Compressive strength test, Slump test, Rebound hammer, Compaction factor test. |
Read More: 7 Tests on Aggregates You Need to Know Before Starting Your Project
What Is Cement?
Cement is a finely ground power material, which can work as a binder when water is added to it. It is a mixture of different compounds consisting mainly of silicates and aluminates of calcium formed out of silica, calcium oxide, aluminum oxide, and iron oxide.

It works is the same as the glue we use for sticking two objects together, but it can bind natural compounds like sand and aggregate. When water is added to cement the hydration process starts (hydration is the chemical process between water and cement) and produces a bond between sand and aggregate. That is the major difference between cement and concrete.
In concrete, the material sand and aggregate give the mass or body to the rete, while cement it functions is to bind the two materials together and fill the between them to make hard concrete.
There are different types of cement and its grade available in the market. Types of cement used to depend on the nature of work.
Types of Cement Available in USA
Classification as per ASTM C150
- Type I (Portland cement)
- Type II (Sulphate Resisting Cement)
- Type III (Rapid Hardening Cement)
Types of Cement Available in Europe
Classification as per Euro EN 197-1
- CEM I (Portland cement)
- CEM II (Portland-composite cement)
- CEM III (Blast furnace cement)
- CEM IV (Pozzolanic cement)
- CEM V (Composite cement)
- Type IV (Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC)
- Type V (Hydrophobic Cement)
Types of Cement Available in India
- Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)
- Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC)
- Rapid Hardening Cement
- Extra Rapid Hardening Cement
- Quick Setting Cement
- Low Heat Cement
- Sulphate Resisting Cement
- Portland Slag Cement (PSC)
- High Alumina Cement
- White Cement
- Coloured Cement
- Air Entraining Cement
- Hydrophobic Cement
- Masonry Cement
- Expansive Cement
- Oil Well Cement
Read More: Replacement of Coarse Aggregate In Concrete | Alternative Materials For Coarse Aggregate In Concrete
What Is Concrete?
Concrete is the most widely used and popular construction material, although no construction can be done without the use of concrete.
“Concrete is a composite material made by mixing different material like cement, sand, aggregate & water with or without admixture”

Concrete is the oldest and most used man-made material on earth. Its most common construction material is extensively used for buildings, bridges, roads, and dams. Its uses range from structural applications to sidewalk ways, curbs, pipes, and drains.
How to Make Concrete
Steps of making concrete are given below:
1) Decide ratio of concrete (1:1.5:3 or 1:2:4).
2) Take out the material as per ration like,
1 – For cement (take 50 kg)
1.5 – Sand (take 50 x 1.5 = 75 kg)
3 – Aggregate (take 50 x 3 = 150 kg)
3) These two methods of mixing are concrete mixing and machine mixing.
4) First, add coarse aggregate on the floor and over it add sand then spread cement over it. Mix this ingredient well at least for 2 minutes.
5) After that add water according to the water-cement ratio.
6) Mix all materials together for at least 2-4 min or up until all materials are well mixed and form a homogeneous mix.
Types of Concrete
- Normal Strength Concrete
- Plain or Ordinary Concrete
- Reinforced Concrete
- Prestressed Concrete
- Precast Concrete
- Light – Weight Concrete
- High-Density Concrete
- Air Entrained Concrete
- Ready Mix Concrete
- Polymer Concrete
- Polymer concrete
- Polymer cement concrete
- Polymer impregnated concrete
- High-Strength Concrete
- High-Performance Concrete
- Self – Consolidated Concrete
- Shotcrete Concrete
- Pervious Concrete
- Vacuum Concrete
- Pumped Concrete
- Stamped Concrete
- Limecrete
- Asphalt Concrete
- Roller Compacted Concrete
- Rapid Strength Concrete
- Glass Concrete
Advantages of Concrete
Following are the advantages of concrete,
- Availability of concrete ingredients easily.
- It can be easily handled and can be molded in any shape.
- It can be easily transported from one place to another place where it is required by truck mixer before the initial set takes place.
- Ability to pump/spray to fill into cracks and lining of tunnels.
- When reinforced, all types of structures are made possible from an ordinary lintel to massive flyovers
- Monolithic character gives a better appearance and much rigidity to the structure.
- The property of concrete to possess high compressive strength makes a concrete structure more economical than that of a steel structure.
Conclusion
There is a clear difference between cement and concrete. Cement and concrete are two different materials but they are used together to form a strong and durable mass called “concrete”. Cement is one of the main ingredients of concrete, without cement concrete cannot be made.
Cement works as a binding agent in concrete which binds all other ingredients of concrete together to form a strong mass. Concrete is a widely used construction material. In fact, no construction work can complete without the use of concrete nowadays.
Infographic: Cement Vs Concrete

Read More: All About Coarse Aggregate: Definition, Types, Properties, and Classification
FAQs:
What is the difference between cement and concrete?
Cement is a fine powder that acts as a binding agent in concrete. Concrete, on the other hand, is a mixture of cement, water, aggregates (such as sand or gravel), and sometimes other additives.
Is cement the same as concrete?
No, cement and concrete are not the same. Cement is an ingredient used to make concrete. It is a component of concrete but not the final product itself.
What are the main ingredients in concrete?
The main ingredients in concrete are cement, water, aggregates (such as sand or gravel), and sometimes additional additives or admixtures. These components are mixed together to form a paste that hardens over time and becomes solid.
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Sir,
i want to patch up and resurface cement flooring of my school.
Areas of floor is large so need a cost effective way to do this.
I see lot of chemicals / option of URP+Cement / etc.
Can you suggest cost-effective and lasting solution for this?