Frequenty Asked Questions

Please find some frequently asked questions for your information. Should your technical query not be displayed please contact our technical department on:

Telephone: (08) 9411 1033

Q.1 What type of cement should be used for pizza oven, fireplace or any other high temperature applications?
Q.2Can I use 50/50 Creme 0 to 1km from the coast for external brickwork?
Q.3 How do I make Whitewash?
Q.4 What is Efflorescence?
Q.5 What cement content (mixes) should I use?
Q6 What are the classes of normal concrete?
Q7 What are the variable criteria for normal class concrete?
Q8 What class of concrete would commonly be used for domestic footings and on ground slabs?
Q9 What would be the class of concrete for exposed cantilevered balcony, within 1 km of coastline or 100m of a non-surf coastline?

 

 

Q What type of cement should be used for pizza oven, fireplace or any other high temperature applications?
A TopA refractory cement made by LAFARGE called Fondu Cement.
Contact Mowatt Refactories on (08) 9419 7399 or Farinosi (Mitre 10) on (08) 9328 7311 for further information


Q Can I use 50/50 Cream (or Grey) 0 to 1km from the coast for external brickwork?
A TopNo. Masonry code requires that you use a M4 mortar.


Q How do I make Whitewash?
A TopDownload our Easy Whitewash brochure


Q What is Efflorescence?
A TopDownload our Efflorescence Information Sheet


Q What cement content (mixes) should I use?
A TopSee our Ready Reckoner



Q What are the classes of normal concrete?
A Top  There are 5 classes of concrete in common circulation.
N20, N25, N32, N40 and N50
The "N" stands for normal and the number following stands for the compressive strength rating, measured in MPa (Mega Pascals).
For further information please refer to AS3600.



Q What are the variable criteria for normal class concrete?
A

Top  To specify a normal class concrete you must supply three variable cirteria.
1) The compressive strength rating in Mega Pascals
2) The workability slump in millimetres
3) The maximum diameter of the coarse aggregate in millimetres

So a specification might look something like:

N32/80/20 (N for normal, 32 for 32 MPa, 80 for 80mm slup and 20 for 20mm max diameter coarse aggreate)

For further information please refer to AS3600.



Q What class of concrete would commonly be used for domestic footings and on ground slabs?
A TopN20



Q What would be the class of concrete that must be used for an exposed cantilevered balcony to a house that will be situated within 1 km of a surf coastline or 100m from a non-surf coastline?
A Top  The minimum compressive strength rating would be 40MPa, cured in accordance with AS3600 guidelines for exposure classification B2.  The "B2" relates to the use of a specific curing practice, with the concrete reaching a minimum compressive strength after 7 days of continuous curing.  Also the reinforcement steel must have a minimum of 45mm of effective concrete cover.

For further information please refer to AS3600 section 4 "Design for Durability"