The White Stuff — White Cement

By Stacey Enesey Klemenc
White cement lets the color in concrete shine through.

White cement concrete. The name pretty much says it all.

According the the Portland Cement Association, white portland cement has essentially the same properties as gray cement, expect for when it comes to color.

The color comes from the raw materials and the manufacturing process, explains Tina McIntyre, Western states marketing manager for Texas Industries Inc. Metal oxides influence the whiteness and undertone of cement, she says. “And there are less iron and manganese in white compared to gray.”

White cement was first produced in the United States back in 1907, the PCA reports, in York, Pa. Still the specialty product remains an anomaly, representing only 1 percent of the cement used throughout the country. The lion’s share still belongs to gray.

But observers in the industry say that white cement is strengthening its position in the marketplace as more and more contractors discover its potential. They credit this to the rise in popularity of decorative concrete and the green building movement. “Concrete is one of the most green products out there,” McIntyre notes.