What Is the Difference Between Lime & Cement?
Wednesday, February 20, 2019 IST
Lime has been used in construction for thousands of years, and can be used as a strong, durable mortar that enhances the home and reduces environmental impact. However, cement may be needed for situations where curing time is of the essence. Concrete applications often include both cement and lime in order to take advantage of the special properties of each.
Chemical Composition
Lime is produced from natural limestone by burning the stone in a kiln until only quicklime -- calcium oxide -- is left behind. The quicklime is then mixed with small amounts of water to create hydrated lime, which may be included in cement or mixed with water for use as mortar. Lime hardens by slowly absorbing carbon dioxide and turning back to limestone over time. Cement consists of highly reactive silica-containing compounds -- when mixed with water, they harden quickly.
Physical Properties
Lime hardens much more slowly than cement-containing mortars, making it much more workable. Lime is also less brittle and less prone to cracking, and any cracked areas can absorb carbon dioxide and mend over time. Cement hardens very quickly, but may be too strong for some applications, e.g., working with old bricks. Cement is also prone to cracking as a structure settles, and may eventually require repair.
Vapor Barrier
Lime is also breathable, allowing vapors to pass through, which can reduce moisture and improve the environment of the home. Cement creates a waterproof barrier that does not allow vapors to escape, and can absorb water, causing moisture to accumulate -- especially in basements.
Environmental Concerns
Lime production results in release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but lime mortar absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over its lifetime. As a result, lime mortar is considered by environmentalists to be "carbon neutral." In contrast, cement production contributes greatly to global warming, as copious amounts of carbon dioxide are released during its production.
Related Topics
Trending News & Articles
More in
WhatsApp’s latest feature allows users to directly share Status updates as Facebook Story. Here’s how you can use this feature.
Recently posted. 807 views . 0 min read
The Pulsar 150 gets new neon colour options and it’s amongst the cheapest 150cc motorcycles on sale currently.
Recently posted. 1K views . 0 min read
This latest extension comes despite claims that 90 million cable and DTH subscribers had already moved to the new tariff regime.
Recently posted. 796 views . 0 min read
Recently posted . 956 views
Recently posted . 992 views
Recently posted . 2K views
Recently posted . 2K views
Recently posted . 1K views . 117 min read
Recently posted . 2K views . 78 min read
Xiaomi now controls 23.5% of the Indian smartphone market, which ties it with Samsung as the leading smartphone vendor in the country.
...
Recently posted. 837 views . 1 min read
Signalling the end of the standoff between Apple and India's telecom regulator, the TRAI DND app is finally available for download via Apple's App Store. Li...
Recently posted. 1K views . 2 min read