Are the terms “concrete” and “cement” interchangeable?
No. Although often used interchangeably even by some construction professionals cement is not concrete nor is concrete cement. This Old House’s general contractor, Tom Silva, knows better and drives us interchangeably crazy! CEMENT is one of the basic ingredients used to make CONCRETE … just as FLOUR is one of the basic ingredients used to make CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES. When cement is mixed with other basic ingredients — sand, gravel or crushed stone, and water– the cement and water react to form a paste that glues the remaining ingredients into a rock-like mass which is known as concrete.
