Out of date cement - is it important

[KAMIKAZEE DIY]

Got my delivery today and was putting cement in garden hut for storage. Noticed cement has use by date and the use by date on my cement is 11/3/14.

Does cement really need a use by date or is it not that important like dates on batteries?

If it's not that important will just use it, I ain't doing any grand designs stuff - just a fence and edging between neighbours.


Cheers

[lutonlagerlout]

I think you will find that is probably the made on date

most cement has this date and you have 3 months to use it

after that it goes off very fast,which is probably what you want anyway

LLL

[Brucieboy]

Be careful with this as by law cement has to have a "use by" date to control the release of Chromium (VI) - a nasty that can cause allergic contact dermatitis. Manufacturers have to add a reducing agent, the effect of which diminishes with time. I suggest you double check the information on the bag.

[KAMIKAZEE DIY]

Bag says:

PK 10/12/13
USE BY 11/3/14

I imagine the PK date is the packaging date.

The USE BY date is clear so it hasn't been misread, the PK date is not as clear but it's not the important date.

Other than dermatitis risk what's the cement science behind it? Crap concrete?

Will maybe ring them or pop in and see if they will change it.


Thanks again for help.


Cheers

[KAMIKAZEE DIY]

It's Lafarge cement, but it's supplier who's wrong

[Brucieboy]

Yes, the supplier is at fault, not Lafarge. Use at your risk, not just in terms of health and safety but, as LLL says, cement can become air set and go off quite quickly. It's your choice, but personally I'd want it changed - I presume you've paid full price for an out of date product?

[lutonlagerlout]

agree with brucie they are out of order unless it was cheap
LLL

[KAMIKAZEE DIY]

Yes, paid full price. Taking it back. They maybe thought I'm not contractor, account holder etc just joe public so try pass it off to me because I won't know better.

PAVING EXPERT TO THE RESCUE!!!!!

Cheers

[higgness]

Strange.
What kind of BM would have standard cement for longer than 3 months. When I worked in one, cement was never over a week old. Great in the winter to sit on if it was really fresh. I would be wary of buying anything with a date in this BM, they have no controls in place. Out of date cement!!!!!
Joke

[r896neo]

I bought a pallet of mastercrete at 1 pound a bag from my local b&q it was out of date by 3 months

They have 7 more pallets but wont sell any more as its too much of a mark down???

Fecking ejits it'll sit around until they have to pay someone to dump it as it can't exactly go to landfill.

[dig dug dan]

I bought a pallet of mastercrete at 1 pound a bag from my local b&q it was out of date by 3 months

They have 7 more pallets but wont sell any more as its too much of a mark down???

Fecking ejits it'll sit around until they have to pay someone to dump it as it can't exactly go to landfill.

i have some bags in the yard about two years old. I use them with ballast for post holes, and i have to say, i have not had a problem, but as they tend to be a bit "lumpy" i wouldnt use it for paving or walling!!

[lutonlagerlout]

i know lads that have bought out of date multifinish for a pound a bag
but it goes off like lightning
as higgness says most cement we buy is still warm from the kilns
LLL

[Mikey_C]

"What kind of BM would have standard cement for longer than 3 months."

not a BM probably B&Q, every time I go in there they have a pallet of OOD cement.

[Bob_A]

OK it's not good when you buy out of date cement, it just shouldn't happen but is 11/3/14 so out of date that it will be a problem?
Reason I say this is don't manufacturers give shorter shelf lives than necessary just to cover themselves?

The BM should still get a good bollocking though

[mike builder/landscaper]

I got a pallet of out of date cement from one of my suppliers,only just out of date mind, £1.50 per bag, nothing wrong with it, used it and no problems, just be careful how much out of date it is.