Glossary: W
Water-Cement Ratio – The ratio of the amount of water to the amount of cement in a concrete mixture. The key to producing high-quality decorative concrete is to keep the water-cement ratio as low as possible without sacrificing workability.
Water Plug – A hydraulic cement used to fill cracks and to prevent the migration of moisture.
Water Reducer – An admixturethat either increases the slump of freshly mixed concrete without increasing water content or maintains workability with a reduced amount of water without affecting the strength.
Welded Wire Mesh – A woven mesh of wire strands, welded at each intersection, used to reinforce concrete slabs. Also called welded wire fabric.
Wet Polishing – A method for polished concrete that uses water to cool the diamond abrasives and eliminate grinding dust. Not as commonly used as dry polishing, because the process creates a tremendous amount of slurry (a soupy mixture of water and cement dust) that must be collected and disposed of.
White Cement – A portland cement with a low iron content that hydrates to a white paste. Often used in integrally colored concrete to produce pure, bright color tones, especially pastels.
Workability – The ease with which concrete or other cementitious materials can be mixed, placed, and finished.
Working Time – The amount of time available for placing and finishing a cement-based material before it begins to set. Often depends on the ambient temperature and substrate temperature.
Tags: cement dust, cement ratio, cementitious materials, color tones, concrete mixture, concrete slabs, diamond abrasives, hydraulic cement, iron content, low iron, polished concrete, portland cement, slump of freshly mixed concrete, substrate temperature, water plug, white cement, wire fabric, wire mesh, wire strands, woven mesh