So the objective is to keep our young and impressionable concrete damp and at the right temperature ideally between 50 and 85 F. The most frequently overlooked curing aspect is keeping exposed concrete surfaces moist while they are hydrating. Most concrete, especially most decorative concrete, will have plenty of water initially in the mix to completely hydrate the cement. The problem is that if the exposed surfaces dry out then the concrete can't hydrate and our young concrete ends up with very sensitive skin-easily scratched and sometimes actually dusty.
There are three phases of curing and the length of time each lasts depends on the concrete and the environmental conditions. Check out Figure 1. Keeping the concrete surface wet for 7 days is still the best way to cure concrete.
PNA Construction Technologies. During initial set, the rate at which the bleed water evaporates depends on a combination of factors: air temperature and humidity, concrete temperature, and wind velocity. So you use these methods to figure out how fast the bleed water is evaporating--if it's greater than 0. In the next section we'll discuss how to do initial curing. After initial set, the concrete surface still needs moisture and now there's no bleed water.
This is when you really need to cure the concrete. You need to assume that your concrete needs to be cured-it does! You don't want your perfect baby concrete to turn into a juvenile delinquent, do you? Now let's narrow this conversation down a bit. Let's talk only about horizontal concrete and only about the moisture part of curing. Let's also narrow things down to curing of colored concrete. The test uses sensors — inserted into the concrete at specific depths — to measure the relative humidity of the air trapped in the concrete.
The single-use L6 sensors are factory calibrated and easy to use. Unlike reusable probes, the L6 sensors never need recalibration. At some point, the slab will be dry enough to receive the floor covering. Of course, this is an unpredictable process and because of that schedules can slip and costs can mount up. If you go this route make sure you choose a high-quality product that will adequately seal the moisture into the slab.
Shop Rapid RH L6. The only way to know if a concrete slab is dry is to test it. The most accurate test for doing this is the in situ relative humidity test.
Data logging throughout the drying process allows you to detect drying problems early, correct them, and will aid you to determine what is responsible for slow drying. This protects you from liability. Trend analysis helps you make accurate projections and create tighter schedules. This saves you both time and money. In addition to the particulars of the concrete mix, there are a number of other factors that influence how long Quikrete takes to dry.
Temperature is a major factor to consider when mixing and pouring concrete. The hotter it is outside, the faster your concrete will dry. Alternatively, the colder it is out there, the longer the drying process will take. Varying temperatures can have a major effect on the final product. High levels of heat not only cause faster drying but can also cause the concrete to dehydrate , which leads to a weaker final product. Because of this, in the hotter summer months, mixing and pouring concrete early in the morning or late in the afternoon makes sense.
This will ensure the chemical reaction takes place at the right temp, and the concrete has dried significantly by the time the mid-day sun hits. On the flip side, using concrete in cold weather comes with its own set of challenges. For example, how long before you can walk on it without leaving footprints, drive or park on it without sinking into it, etc.
The answer is that your concrete will be ready in a surprisingly short time. Your concrete should be solid enough to walk on, without leaving footprints, after anything from 24 to 48 hours. By seven days, your concrete should be cured to at least 70 percent of its full strength.
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