Wall Putty VS White Cement: What’s the Best Choice for Your Project?

Wall putty is a thick, paste-like substance used to prepare surfaces before painting. It helps fill in any holes, cracks, or rough spots on the walls, making them smooth and even. This creates a better base for spray paint or decorative finishes, ensuring that the final paint job looks neat and professional.

 

White cement, officially known as white Portland cement, is a type of hydraulic binding material made from white Portland cement clinker mixed with gypsum and finely ground. It is mostly used for decorative purposes, such as filling up white porcelain tile seams.

 

Wall Putty vs White Cement – Similarities

 

1. Surface Smoothing: Both wall putty and white cement are used to create smooth surfaces. They provide a fine finish that can be painted or decorated over, ensuring that walls are even and free of imperfections.

 

2. Aesthetic Improvement: Both materials improve the aesthetics of the surface. Whether it’s wall putty used before painting or white cement applied as a final layer, they both contribute to enhancing the appearance of the wall by giving it a clean, refined look.

 

3. Chemical Additives: Wall putty and white cement both require chemical additives during their production. These additives enhance performance characteristics such as bonding strength, drying time, and overall durability, making them more efficient for construction purposes. You can refer to the below table for details.

 

Wall Putty vs White Cement – Differences

 

1. Differences in main components

 

White cement is a type of cement to which limestone is added during grinding at no more than 5% of the weight of the cement. White cement is mainly composed of minerals such as calcium carbonate.

Wall putty is generally composed of base material, filler, additives, and solvents.

 

2. Difference in use

 

Wall putty is an essential product before paint spray or art paint, generally for the bottom. It is applied on finished surfaces to prepare walls for painting.

White cement is mainly for decorative construction work. It is usually applied on raw surfaces to create a strong, smooth base for construction.

3. Differences in construction effect

4. Difference in waterproofing

Wall Putty: Although some types of wall putty have added water-repellent properties (especially exterior-grade putty), it is generally less water-resistant than white cement. Wall putty is typically used indoors or on surfaces that will be painted over to provide extra protection. However, you can overcome this shortcoming by adding a waterproofing agent.

White Cement: Naturally more water-resistant because it is a cement-based material. When fully cured, it forms a strong, durable surface that resists moisture penetration, making it suitable for exterior applications or areas exposed to moisture.

5. Wall Putty vs White Cement – Method of Application:

 Wall putty: It is usually spread over the surface in a thick layer via a putty knife.

White cement: It is usually spread over the surface in a thin layer with a trowel or a sprayer.

6. Wall Putty vs White Cement – Cost

 

Wall putty: It is designed for interior applications and is a cost-effective solution for leveling and preparing walls before painting. It is more cost-effective.

White cement: Higher cost due to its purity, production process, and application quality.

 

7. Wall Putty vs White Cement – Characteristic

 

Wall putty is easy to apply and dries quickly.

White cement requires more time and effort to apply.