How to Make Cement in the Wild

Co-authored by Doug Flinders

Last Updated: April 19, 2025 References

If you're living off-grid, you might want to build a permanent structure, like a shelter, that will stand up to the elements. Fortunately, there are plenty of natural materials you can use to make your own cement!

Steps

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1
Find your cement source. You can use many different items to make cement, such as:^{[1]
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- Clay or sand. These materials can act as binder to prevent crumbling.^{[2]
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  Expert Source
  
  Doug Flinders
  Wilderness and Survival Expert
  
  Expert Interview}
- A soft rock named limestone.
- Many easy to recognize and find items such as sea shells including oyster, sea stars, reef corals and mollusks, crab shells.
- Bones of animals, fish, birds, etc.
- Chalk.
2
Find large rocks to make a kiln with, and wood to make a fire with.^{[3]
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- Make a strong fire.
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Stack rocks on top of each other around the fire with an opening on the front and top (make it look like a fireplace).^{[4]
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4
Fill a metal container such as a bucket with your shells or other cement items.
- Be sure that the metal container is not your food container. You can't reuse this container for anything else. It will only serve as a trash bid after this process.
- If you don't have any metal containers, place your items on a large flat rock.
5
Heat your shells or other cement items (see step 1) for 4-7 hours, or until they start to become brittle and start to crumble in to sand like dust. To help make your shells or other cement into a more consistent sand, stir it every 30 minutes by mixing the shells (just like cooking).
- Important: If some of your shells or other raw materials do not break down to the size of sand or smaller, remove them before sealing the cement inside an airtight container.
- You can reheat them in the next batch.
6
Wait for the cement to cool before using.
- Hide the cement in a dry airtight bucket with a lid. Store at room temperature in a dry location.

Community Q&A

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Question

What quantity of the raw materials can we use? Do I need it either in percentage or in weight?

Elijah Franco

Community Answer

The universal formula for a good concrete is one part cement, two parts sand, and three parts gravel. To answer your question, you would need to do it by proportion, and this can be achieved by weight. Often, many find themselves without a scale to weigh the ingredients, but it can come in handy when making the concrete.

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Tips

To save and use this cement to make concrete in a wild or wilderness situation, store the cement in a sealed airtight dry location such as a container with a lid under shelter.

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Warnings

The smoke and dust can cause severe discomfort and pain.

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Wear a mask or a damp rag while you are heating your shells.

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Wait a minimum of 40 minutes for the shells to cool before handling. It will be hot!

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Don't use the metal container to cook or boil water after this process. Cleaning the metal container will not make it safe to use for cooking!

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