PSA: I started adding a bit of dish soap to my finishing mix and it worked

Everyone on my crew said I was nuts for even trying it. We had a big pour for a patio in Tempe last month, and the mix felt too sticky, making it hard to get a smooth finish. I remembered an old timer mentioning a drop of plain blue dish soap could act as a plasticizer. I added maybe half a cup to a full truckload, mixed it in good. The workability was way better, and we closed the surface without a single crack showing up after a week. Has anyone else tried this trick, or am I the only one willing to test the weird advice?

3 comments

3 Comments

ericmason26d ago

Old timers know their stuff. That soap trick works because it breaks the surface tension of the water, letting it spread through the mix better. Just gotta be careful not to overdo it or you'll weaken the final product. A little goes a long way, especially in hot weather like Tempe.

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lindamartin26d agoTop Commenter

So, is that why my homemade birdbath keeps dissolving in the rain?

the_ryan20d ago

Yeah, the soap thing is more for getting concrete to flow into molds evenly, not for making it last outside. If your birdbath is dissolving, it's probably not sealed right. You need a concrete sealer or even just a few coats of exterior paint to keep the rain from eating away at it.