Building or renovating a house requires careful calculations, including the amount of cement needed for the construction. Therefore, knowing how to calculate cement requirements is crucial.
Cement is a basic yet essential material in the construction process. Therefore, knowing how to calculate cement requirements can help you save on building material costs and avoid shortages or excess materials.
Interested to learn more about how to calculate the right amount of cement you need? Check out the complete guide in this article!
Why is Calculating Cement Requirements Important?
Building a house or doing renovations requires a lot of considerations, especially when it comes to measuring the materials. Cement is one of the most important materials to consider. There are several benefits to estimating the right cement requirements, including:
1. Cost Savings
The first reason why you need to know how to calculate cement requirements is to save on construction or renovation costs. This helps you avoid purchasing excess cement.
2. Achieving Better cement Texture
To get a good cement texture, it is important to pay attention to the right proportion in the cement mixture. In the case of foundations, using the right amount of cement will ensure a sturdy structure.
Likewise, using the right amount of cement for wall plastering will result in better density. This is helpful to avoid bricks that feel hollow and are prone to collapse.
3. Time Savings
The next reason why you need to know how to calculate cement requirements is to save time. Shortages of cement during the project can hinder the construction process, ultimately leading to delays and project extensions.
Read also: 5 Ways to Store Cement to Keep It Durable and Not Easily Damaged
How to Calculate Cement Requirements
As explained earlier, calculating the right amount of cement requirements can help save cost and time, and ensure the construction process goes as planned. Here is a complete guide on how to calculate cement requirements.
1. Calculating Cement Requirements for the Foundations
In calculating cement requirements for foundations, you need to consider the volume of the foundation. The calculation involves various factors, such as thickness, depth, and dimensions.
For example, if you want to build a foundation with specific dimensions, calculating the proportions of cement, sand, and concrete is essential. Let's say you want to make a foundation with a length of 38 meters, thickness of 25 cm, and width of 25 cm, the calculation is as follows:
Length = 38 m
Thickness = 25 cm (0.25 m)
Width = 25 cm (0.25 m)
Reinforced Concrete Density = 2.400 kg/m³
With the above requirements, the volume can be calculated using the following formula:
Volume = Length x Width x Thickness
Volume = 38 m x 0.25 m x 0.25 m
Volume = 2,375 m³
Next, multiply the foundation volume by the reinforced concrete density to determine the cement requirement:
Cement Requirement = Foundation Volume x Reinforced Concrete Density
Cement Requirement = 2,375 m³ x 2.400 kg/m³
Cement Requirement = 5.700.000 kg
After that, you can calculate how many cement bags are needed. For example, each bag contains 40 kg of cement, the calculation is:
Cement Bag Requirement = Cement Requirement / Cement Bag Weight
Cement Requirement = 1/6,5 x 5.700.000 kg = 876,9 kg
Cement Bag Requirement = 876,9 kg/40 kg = 22 bags
That said, it is estimated that you need 22 cement bags to create a foundation with a length of 38 meters, thickness of 25 cm, and width of 25 cm.
Read also: 3 Things that Can Affect the Quality of Cement Mortar
2. Calculating Cement Requirements for Wall Plastering
Calculating cement requirements for wall plastering can be done in three steps. Here are the steps to follow:
A. Measuring Room Area
The first step in calculating cement requirements for plastering is to measure the room area. Start by checking the project blueprint, which lists the length and width of each room in the building.
From that information, cement requirements for each room can be calculated based on the stated dimensions. The next step is to use a concrete calculator to ensure accuracy.
If the purpose is wall repair or tile installation, re-measure the room to obtain accurate values. Using tools such as a measuring tape and calculator to obtain accurate results.
It's important to measure each side of the room accurately, especially if the room has a square or rectangular shape. Multiplying the length and width of the room will help calculate the required room area.
B. Calculating Cement Requirement Per Square Meter
After determining the cement requirements for the room, the next step is to estimate the cement requirement per square meter. This is done by multiplying the cement requirement by the required room area.
For example, if you need 10 kg of cement for 1 square meter of room and the total area of the room to be worked on is 20 square meters, then the total cement requirement is 200 kg.
C. Calculating Total Cement Requirements
Cement is usually sold in bags with varying weights, such as 40 kg or 50 kg per bag. If the cement requirement is 200 kg, then you need 4 bags of 40 kg cement. This calculation can be done by dividing the total required cement by the weight of cement in one bag.
3. Calculating Cement Requirements for Floors
The next is a method to calculate the cement requirements for floor casting. Following the standardized construction in Indonesia, it typically requires 10 kg of cement for every 1 m² of floor. For example, this is the calculation for a floor with a length of 4 m and a width of 3 m:
Floor Area = Length x Width
Floor Area = 4 m x 3 m = 12 m²
Cement Requirement = Floor Area x 10 kg
Cement Requirement = 12 m² x 10 kg = 120 kg
Cement Bag Requirement = Cement Requirement / Cement Bag Weight
Cement Bag Requirement = 120 kg / 40 kg = 3 bags
So, it requires 3 cement bags for a room with an area of 12 m².
That's the complete guide to help you understand how to calculate cement requirements. After learning the right way to decide on how much cement you need, make sure to choose high-quality cement.
For that reason, Semen Merah Putih offers various types of high-quality cement, such as Composite Portland Cement, Bulk Cement, and Precast Concrete that can be tailored to your project needs. Contact us for more information about Semen Merah Putih products and get the best offer now!
Read also: Introducing 2 Easy Techniques for Cement Wall Finishing
