Portland cement is a widely used cement type made up of limestone, iron ore, shale, silica, alumina, etc. These components are heated together in a kiln to form clinker. The clinker is shaped like marble-sized pellets, which is then finely grounded to form Portland cement.

Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC), Portland Slag Cement (PSC) and Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) are the commonly used grey cement types.

• OPC: Limestone, chalk, marl, clay and shale are mixed and heated at high temperatures. The resulting clinker is mixed with gypsum to form OPC.
• PPC: Portland clinker is ground with Pozzolana or fly ash to form PPC. Fly ash is a fine residue of burning coal.
• PSC: When Portland clinker is ground with slag, it forms PSC. Slag is essentially the by-product of smelting ores.

Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) are commonly used home construction cement. Also, OPC is typically used in the construction of larger structures. If, however, you wish to construct a house in coastal regions, you should consider Portland Slag Cement (PSC). It can resist chlorides and sulphates typically present in such areas. PSC is also used to build drainage systems.

So long as cement does not come in contact with moisture, it can stay for longer durations. Consider testing the grey cement if it’s more than 3 months old.

Cement can be used in various construction materials and activities, including:

1. Concrete
2. Mortar
3. Grout
4. Fire-resistant structures
5. Concrete roads
6. Cement concrete pipes

The Cost Calculator is a simple and intuitive tool that helps you estimate the cost of new construction. The calculator comprises the following fields:

• Location: Provide the location of your plot where your home will be constructed.
• Area: Enter the dimensions of your area in this field.
• Unit: Select square metre or square feet as your unit of your area.

Based on your location and plot area, the calculator will compute the approximate construction cost along with the detailed cost.