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Cement prices continue rising after touching an all-time high in April. Most brands sell at above Rs. 270 a 50-kg bag in retail. The wholesale prices range between Rs. 265 and Rs. 270.

The real estate sector is thus facing a difficult situation. Also affected are families planning to build houses or those that have started construction.

States such as Tamil Nadu have devised mechanisms to ease the problem for individual home builders. The Tamil Nadu government has worked out a formula with cement companies to provide cement at affordable rates to individuals planning to build houses. Nearly 400 bags priced at Rs. 150 each are provided to anyone constructing a house having an area below 1,000 sq.ft and 200 bags at the same rate for a 500-sq.ft house.

This formula is unlikely to materialise in Kerala in the near future. One, the house of a middle-class family in the State exceeds 1,000 sq.ft in area. So, the best way is to scientifically use cement and check it for adulteration.

Cement is one of the most important materials in construction. It forms 12 to 15 per cent of the building cost. However, this can be brought down to less than 11 per cent through judicious use.

Cement is used in almost all elements of a house, such as roof slabs, beams, column, lintels, brickwork and flooring. It imparts strength and durability. But cement has to be thoroughly mixed, laid, compacted and cured to get strength and durability.

It is found that five to 10 per cent of the cement bought for construction gets lost owing to improper handling and storage and careless use by masons. Experts say that a house builder should be careful in buying cement. Cement normally is manufactured in modern computerised mills. The bag should carry an ISI certification and must be fresh. It should be bought from authorised dealers. Always insist on a bill.

T.G. Paul, marketing manager of UltraTech Cement, says that the batch number on the bag should be verified. Complaints, if any, can be registered with a consumer cell. The e-mail address and telephone numbers are provided on the cement bag.

Adulteration does not usually take place in cement. However, a few things can be done, such as checking the manufacturing date, getting one or two bags weighed and opening a bag to see whether the cement is in powder form or in lumps. Feel the cement between fingers. It should be cool, says Mohammed Koya, dealer of Chettinad, Malabar and ACC cements in Kozhikode.

Store the cement in a place without dampness. Cement and water can react fast, converting the most important construction material into chunks. Cement also has the capacity to absorb moisture from atmosphere.

Do not store cement directly on the floor. Use a wooden panel or polythene sheets. Do not stack up more than 15 bags together. Always adopt a “first come, first served” approach when opening the bags, Mr. Paul says.

Procurement of good aggregate and sand is essential to make the heterogeneous mix stronger and durable. Gravel should not contain impurities.

Water is another integral part in mixing and curing. It should be clean and free of impurities. Good water is necessary for use in mixing for making mortar or concrete. Ideally, 30 litres of water is required for a bag of cement.

The use of water should be controlled. More water makes it easier for the mason to lay the concrete but it is harmful for concrete or mortar.

P. Ganesh, architect, say that water can be used liberally during curing. Curing should start as soon as concrete hardens a little six to eight hours after laying. It should continue for a week.

Providing proper cover for steel rods is another important factor for the life of reinforced cement concrete (RCC). Steel rusts when it is left in the open or comes into contact with water.

Cement gives proper results only when it is accurately mixed. Always use a mechanical mixer. Workers tend to be careless if they are not supervised. Keep the plaster work towards the end and get cement mixed in a mixer for it. Do not allow workers to mix a quantity more than what they can lay in half an hour, Mr. Paul says.

Compaction is another factor. Insist on good tamping. If concrete is not compacted, it will have a lot of small holes in it. These holes may not be visible. One per cent void in concrete reduces strength by 4 per cent. Besides, voids allow water to enter the body of concrete causing corrosion in steel and developing cracks.

BIJU GOVIND

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