Used to think wet curing was overkill until a job in Phoenix last August

I been finishing concrete for about 8 years and always thought wet curing was just extra work for no reason. Figured as long as it looked good when I left that was enough. Then I got a driveway job in Phoenix last August where the temp hit 115 and I didnt do any wet cure at all. Came back 3 days later and the whole thing was cracked to hell like a dried up river bed. The homeowner was not happy and I had to eat the cost to tear it out and redo it. On the second go I used wet burlap and kept it damp for a full week. That slab came out smooth as glass and still looks perfect today. Has anyone else learned this lesson the hard way with hot weather pours?

3 comments

3 Comments

simonp4728d ago

Ha! Yeah nothing like a 115 degree reality check to make a believer out of you. That's one expensive way to learn about moisture loss and surface tension. My first hot pour looked like a Jackson Pollock painting after three days. Left it uncovered in July and thought "she'll be fine I used the good mix." Came back to find a slab that looked like a jigsaw puzzle missing half the pieces. Always wet cure now. Even if it means sleeping in the truck with a hose running all night. Call me crazy but at least I don't have to explain to a client why their new driveway looks like a map of the Interstate system.

paigem4528d ago

Sleeping in the truck with a hose running all night" - WAIT what?? You actually slept in your truck just to keep a driveway wet? That is some next level dedication man. I can't even get myself to water my lawn for 15 minutes without complaining.

barbara_baker5727d ago

and @paigem45 i feel called out because same, legit same. i'll complain about watering my basil plant for 2 minutes but i'd also prob sleep in my truck for a slab. that's just how it goes sometimes i guess. my first hot pour i did the exact same thing but it was august in texas so i came back to a slab that looked like a topographical map of the grand canyon. had to grind it all down and redo it. lesson learned the hard way i guess.