Stop troweling while the slab is still bleeding, I learned that the hard way

I did a 900 square foot patio in Phoenix back in June. Hot day, concrete setting fast, so I started the final trowel pass while water was still pooling on top. Looked perfect when I left. Next morning it was nothing but dust and fine cracks across the whole surface. A guy I sub for walked up and said "you just sealed the bleed water into the finish." That hit me hard. I'd been doing that same move for 8 years on every pour. Misting the surface and waiting the extra 20 minutes fixed it completely. Has anyone else had a finish fail because they rushed the bleed stage, or am I the only one who was that dumb?

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olivia_rivera8818d ago

Used to think the timing was all about feel, not science. Then I watched a buddy of mine do the exact same thing on a driveway and it turned to powder in a week. Made me go back and check every slab I'd poured that summer. Waiting for that water to soak back in or evaporate is the difference between a finish that lasts and one that's just for looks. You're not dumb, you just learned what a lot of guys learn too late.