White cement choice.

[epsilonGreedy]

I am current getting a best price £8.95 per bag ex. VAT on Castle White Portland Cement 25k which comes from Hansen. So far in my build I have used Rugby grey cement because that is the default cement brand at the nearest BM however I am seeing a 15% cheaper price on Castle White and given that white cements are expensive and I will need 2 to 3 pallets of the stuff that 15% is significant.

 

Is Castle White a decent cement to work with? I will be aiming for a sandy mortar colour finish.

[PeterW]

They are much the same whatever brand. Used SnowCem and Rugby and both are fine.

 

Make sure its supplied as plastic bags not paper bags too

[epsilonGreedy]

21 minutes ago, PeterW said:

Make sure its supplied as plastic bags not paper bags too

 

 

I will go back to the BM and double check that point.

 

To date I have got my Rugby regular cement in plastic bags and have been impressed how well they cope with wet weather even when my own supplementary tarpaulin gets dislodged by the wind. Just a few tennis ball sized lumps in a few bags where presumably a pin prick hole let some water in.

 

I will build a plinth out of old blocks and get the BM delivery driver to drop the pallet on the block plinth to ensure the pallet is well clear of the ground, white cement is too costly to risk weather related losses!