Cement Australia Bagged Products

Cement Australia bagged products cover most small concrete, mortar and render jobs around a Melbourne home or building site, from setting a fence post to laying a few courses of brick. Most of the range comes in 20kg bags. We supply Cement Australia cements and pre-mixes from our Watsonia yard to builders, bricklayers, landscapers and DIYers.

Cements

General Purpose (GP) Cement is straight cement, made from Portland cement clinker, gypsum and limestone, and complies with AS 3972 for Type GP cement. It’s the all-rounder for concrete, grout, mortar and render.

Builders Cement is a uniform blend of Portland cement and fly ash that meets AS 3972 for Type GB (general blend) cement. Concrete made with it is more workable and has better later-age strength, with improved durability and a lower carbon footprint. Early strength can be lower than GP, so curing matters more; Cement Australia suggests keeping the job moist for 7 days.

Off-White Cement conforms to AS 3972 Type HE and gives a lighter finish for decorative work, tiling, mortar and render. Add a Cement Australia oxide for a coloured finish. Colour can vary slightly because of natural differences in the raw materials.

Concrete and mortar mixes

• Concrete Mix: pre-blended cement, sand and aggregate for garden edges, mower strips, paths, garden slabs, foundations, footings and pergola posts. Add 1.75 litres of clean water per 20kg bag. About 110 bags make a cubic metre.
• Rapid Set Concrete: starts to harden within 15 minutes of adding water, and goes straight into clean water in the hole rather than a wheelbarrow. For fence posts, clothes hoists and other non-structural uprights; not recommended below 10°C.
• High-strength concrete: Cement Australia’s PROSTRENGTH Extra Strength Concrete Mix is rated at 50 MPa (laboratory conditions at 23°C), twice the strength of its standard Concrete Mix.
• Mortar Mix: cement, sand and additives for laying bricks, blocks and stone. A 20kg bag lays about 20 house bricks or 10 masonry blocks with a 10mm joint. Use it within an hour and don’t re-temper with water.
• Sand and Cement: a pre-mixed mortar for patching, rendering and bricklaying, also recommended for paving gaps wider than 3mm. Add 3.5 litres of clean water per bag.
• Hydrated Lime: blended with sand and cement to improve the workability and bond strength of mortar and render. Follow the mix proportions printed on the bag.

How to choose

Setting a post? Rapid Set. A path or garden slab? Concrete Mix. Concrete repairs or support posts? Step up to the high-strength mix. Bricklaying needs Mortar Mix, or GP or Builders cement with your own sand and lime. Honestly, once a job passes a cubic metre or so, a ready-mix truck usually beats 110 bags and a sore back.

Storage and shelf life

Keep bags off the ground, indoors and fully protected from the weather, with the pallet wrap intact, and use the oldest stock first. Grey cement and lime last about 6 months from the date of manufacture, and off-white cement should be used within 3 months. Once a bag is opened, use it that day and discard whatever is left. A bag that has gone hard has reacted with moisture and should be replaced.

Delivery across Melbourne

Bagged cement is heavy, so it’s delivered by our own trucks across Melbourne, or collect from the Watsonia yard; call us for a delivery price. Our trucks run 6 days a week, from a trailer load to a semi load, usually within 2 days. Building a garden wall? Add retaining wall sleepers and steel sections and read our tips on using sleepers in your garden. Our cement sheet products are on the same truck if you need them. Call (03) 9435 2555 or use our quote request page. Product details are in Cement Australia’s product FAQs.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between GP and Builders cement?

GP is straight cement. Builders cement is GP blended with fly ash, which improves workability and later-age strength but can gain early strength more slowly.

How many bags of Concrete Mix do I need?

About 110 x 20kg bags per cubic metre. Send us your measurements and we’ll work it out.

Can I use Rapid Set for a pergola?

Only for non-load-bearing pergola posts. Cement Australia says it isn’t designed for structural use.