Abstract The cement sheath is exposed to several loadings, which can possibly harm its key properties and impede its functions. These loadings become more significant at the early age of forming the cement sheath in which the properties of the cement are not completely developed. The objective of this work is to evaluate the changes in the cement matrix properties at the early stages of the hydration process for the cement containing laponite particles and compare it with the base cement. Laponite is a natural inorganic source containing mainly silicate. It is used as an additive to modify and enhance the rheological properties of many products. Several cement samples with and without laponite were prepared and evaluated at four different curing times of 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours. Several cement properties such as porosity, Young's modulus, density variation and compressive strength were evaluated at each time. The results showed that the porosity of both cement samples increased with curing time, and the addition of laponite decreased the porosity of the cement samples. The addition of laponite particles also improves the elasticity of the cement as indicated by the decrease in Young's modulus. The early density variation of the cement was minimized when the laponite is used. The results of compressive strength indicated that the compressive strength of both cement systems increased with the increase of the curing time and the laponite-based sample had higher strength than base cement.