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The Natural Philosopher

Bruce wrote:
wrote:
It should be fine, it'll have turned to lumps or one big lump if it
isnt.

Alas untrue. It can hydrate from the moisture in the air and lose
most of its strength while still appearing powdery.

If in doubt, mix a spoonful with 3 of sand and let it set overnight,
check its ok.

That won't tell you very much.

After such a short time in storage, there will still be enough
unhydrated cement to obtain a set. The question is, how much has
already hydrated? The answer is, you can have no idea.

You obviously can't. Anyone else can, just by the feel. It goes crunchy
when partly hydrated. So use a little more..the rest has just turned
into an expensive sand..;-)

All cement does is top the sand grains moving around. All the sand does
is stop the aggregate moving around.

If this was a prestressed concrete beam holding up a nuclear shelter,
I'd be worried. For fence posts in the ground? heck you can set them in
pure fresh soil rammed down...