# Forum Home Renovation Concreting  Can I Use An Old Bag Of Cement?

## abrogard

I've got an opened bag of cement must be about three or four months old now.  It has spoiled - the loose stuff has turned into little balls and the bulk of it feels very hard to the touch. 
 I guess I shouldn't use it for making concrete but I wondered if there's any use I could put it to? 
 We've got no driveway where it crosses the council's footpath (just dirt)  out to the road.  So the end of our concrete driveway makes a step because the dirt on the council's bit gets dug out by car wheels. 
 It'd be good if I could somehow use it there to kinda solidify that bit. 
 I've got some road base to hand and some cracker dust if mixing it with any of that stuff would do any good. 
 Or any other use that anyone knows of.  After all, it is a hassle to dispose of it.... can't put it in the garbage can... can't see burying it in the garden.... 
 regards, 
 ab  :Smilie:

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## autogenous

Shake it through some old fly screen if you wish to reuse it.  Yes concrete that doesnt require a grano finish should be ok 
Just dont use t for anything highly structural such as a concrete beam.

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## abrogard

Oh, okay, it is still usable to make stock standard concrete, then, given that I first sieve it? 
 I read somewhere something like 'never use...' and I thought it was in some way completely buggered. 
 I guess I'm not just sieving out the lumps and discarding them? I can break them up by forcing them through the mesh?  Actually all the 'lumps' are little balls about maybe 3mm diameter. 
 In that case I guess I can use it for the column footings I've got to pour. 
 Thanks. 
 ab  :Smilie:

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## GeoffW1

> Oh, okay, it is still usable to make stock standard concrete, then, given that I first sieve it? 
> I read somewhere something like 'never use...' and I thought it was in some way completely buggered. 
> I guess I'm not just sieving out the lumps and discarding them? I can break them up by forcing them through the mesh? Actually all the 'lumps' are little balls about maybe 3mm diameter. 
> In that case I guess I can use it for the column footings I've got to pour. 
> Thanks. 
> ab

  Hi, 
I read once in the Scientific American that Portland Cement that has gone off can be reused once and even again (although the stuff is cheap enough I'd only do it the once I think), by pulverising and sieving it repeatedly. 
This is because the chemical reaction does not proceed to completion right throughout the first time. 
I have tried it a few times (being a lousy) and it has worked OK. 
Cheers

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## Bleedin Thumb

What a bunch of tightarses!

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## GeoffW1

> What a bunch of tightarses!

  No, no, green, GREEN  :Biggrin:  :Biggrin:  :Biggrin:  :Biggrin:

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## abrogard

Actually googling around a bit I read stuff this way and that way and I finished up thinking it is better not to use it. 
 I did use an old bag on one mixer load in the corner of a slab and that corner is already very soft looking, rounded corners, etc...  I can see the time coming when I'll have to dig it out and redo it. 
 It's not just 'el cheapo', it's what the hell to do with it and why throw it away if it is a perfectly useful material for some purpose or other. 
 But I think it is not worth worrying about and I plan to dump mine in our household waste garbage bin. 
 Actually it is the dustiness finally persuaded me.  I might be theoretically in favor of or prepared to sieve the stuff, but in practice there's too much dust in the air when I'm simply scooping it out of the bag for my liking. No. Minimum interaction, me and cement, I reckon is the best thing.  
 I do notice that a lot of the 'new' cement I buy seems to form into little balls the minute I open the pack and start digging into it.  
 That's from three different vendors, too. Wonder how fresh that is.   :Smilie:

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## Pulpo

Concrete does go off. 
Over a year old unlikely to use it. 
I always store it off the floor or concrete floor, seems to make a difference. 
If placing in a hole would not be too worried. 
Had a few lumps in bags over the years but in the mixer often breaks down. 
Would never consider sifting. 
Cheers 
Pulpo

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