keeping new concrete damp

[JohnD]

For my car-port, I have laid concrete pads that the steel post supports are bolted to. We have had plenty of wet weather, and I have watered them on the occasional dry day, so they have nearly had their week of wet curing. it was raining while I was trowelling, so the top got a bit too runny before I covered them. I did not overtrowel.

I would like the tops of the pads to harden as much as possible, as they will get walked or driven over. Is there a convenient way to stop them drying out once the rain stops? I was thinking of wrapping them with polythene taped round, but that will only slow the drying a bit, and the top surface will be the bit that dries out first. With the posts now in place it is difficult to wrap tightly. Is there something I can paint on?

 

[^woody^]

Are you being too scientific with this?

Whilst it is a requirement to prevent concrete from drying too quickly, you wont get any advantage in keeping the pads wet - in fact you will end up with a softer perimeter and delayed hardening

 

[themiddleagedun]

You can chuck some wet sand over if you wish, but in these cool & damp conditions it's not necessary.

 

[noseall]

Conditions at the mo' are a few degrees cooler than perfect so i would not worry too much about the curing process regards drying too quickly.

We once left a dust sheet on one slab that was only partially covering the slab. The covered bit turned out to be the best surface of the lot.

 

[Tipper]

Surely being December and going to be the wettest I've ever known, you don't need to do anything.

Damping curing concrete is only done when it's hot and dry and sunny outside. Protecting it from frost whilst curing is more essential surely?

This is rainy Britain you know!

 

[joinerjohn]

I reckon the way the weather has been this past few months,,, you'll have no problem with concrete "drying " out.

 

[JohnD]

View media item 5710

 

[^woody^]

I've been watching a 12 storey and 10 storey block being built since August, and concrete is being poured almost daily. Non of it is covered

 

[JohnD]

'appen it'll fall down sooner than my carport.