White cement – where appearance matters

Colored concretes give architects freedom of expression.

 “White has always been a symbol of perfection, purity, clarity. On a white surface, the play of light and shadow, planes and recesses is best understood,” stated architect Richard Meier about his work, whose buildings represent the pinnacle in the application of white exposed concrete. Bright white concrete can only be created by using a special white cement. This also becomes the basic base for creating colored concretes, in which it highlights subtle pastel or bright vibrant colors. The company Českomoravský cement, a. s. began offering white cement on the Czech market this year.

While the differences in chemical and physical properties between classic gray Portland cement and white cement are minimal, it is precisely the aesthetic conditions that are the main reason for the increasing use of white cement in architecture. For these reasons, the most common areas of its use are versatile surface finishes, exposed concretes, all kinds of prefabricated elements including pavements or facade panels, street furniture, as well as monolithic terrazzo or stucco plaster.

Residential complex 12 Lofts in Prague. White cement was used here for creating facade panels.

For outdoor applications, the reasons for using white cement (in addition to highlighting architectural intention) include its reflective properties, allowing it to be used on bridges, in tunnels, or at curbs. Increasingly common are also interior applications of white or colored concrete, especially for decorative floors, kitchen countertops, or even furniture. The use of white and light-colored concrete interiors then carries advantages in the form of natural lighting of spaces. Thanks to the choice of concrete as a surface material, the need for further surface treatments is eliminated. It is also characterized by long-lasting durability, integrity, color fastness, wear resistance, and low maintenance costs.

The use of white and colored concretes gives architects a tool with unlimited options for choosing color and texture. White concrete is achieved by mixing white cement with white sand. The use of various types of coarse aggregates opens up options to work with the structure and texture of concrete. Colored concretes are created by mixing with varying amounts of color pigments. COLORCRETE® branded colored concretes are offered directly on the Czech market by the group Českomoravský beton. These are mass-colored concretes, produced in concrete plants, ranging from very thick consistencies to self-compacting consistencies. In production, due to the high demands for aesthetics and color fastness of concrete surfaces, the selection of the best concrete components and pigments is closely monitored.

The curves of the Dives in Misericordia church in Rome by architect Richard Meier stand out precisely due to the beauty of white exposed concrete.

The company Českomoravský cement, a. s., expanded its existing wide range of offered cements to include white cement. It is imported from the cement plant in Harmignies, Belgium, where very pure chalk, supplemented with clay and kaolin, is used as the main raw material for its production. The difference in the production of white cement lies in the minimization of oxides (particularly iron and manganese), which lend the gray color typical of classic Portland cement. Českomoravský cement imports class 52.5 R white Portland cement in 25 kg bags or in tanker trucks to the Czech market. For more information, visit www.cmcem.cz.