Cement or Concrete?

Q: I'm interested in having my backyard covered with cement about the size of a medium patio. Is there a difference between cement and concrete?

A: Technically, cement is the major ingredient (along with sand, gravel, water and other possible additives) used to make concrete. So when you refer to the finished product, "concrete" is the proper term, though people often say "cement" to mean the same thing.

There are many different types of concrete as well as ways to finish it.

Standard gray concrete can be finished in a variety of ways, including broom-brushed (the most common), smooth-troweled and salt-finished (leaving holes in the concrete where rock salt was applied).

Exposed aggregate, which leaves a top layer of multi-colored rocks, is often available in several different colors.

They can also mix colors into the concrete and/or apply colored stain and/or glazes over the top after it is poured. Concrete can also be "etched" with acid or stamped and colored to look like other materials such as tile, granite, brick, or cobblestone.

Kathy Maynard has been matching homeowners with home improvement contractors since 1990 and has written scores of articles advising homeowners how to find, hire and work with reputable service professionals. She also authors Weekend Warrior, a weekly home improvement column in The Sacramento Bee.