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Finally got a clean finish on that sloped driveway in the rain
Had a pour scheduled for a steep driveway in Tacoma yesterday, and the forecast called for showers. The choice was to postpone or try a faster set mix with a plastic sheet ready. We went with the fast mix and kept moving. Finished the bull float work just as the drizzle started, then got the plastic down quick. Anyone have a go-to mix for wet weather pours on a grade?
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margaret_lane25d ago
Honestly, the "plastic sheet ready" part makes me nervous. I mean, on a slope in the rain, that seems like asking for trouble with runoff getting under it. Maybe it's just me, but I've seen fast set mixes get really weird with timing when the weather's changing. I'd have probably rescheduled, a wet surface can mess with the finish way later.
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robinmason25d agoMost Upvoted
Yeah, I was reading a forum for concrete guys last week and they were going off about this exact thing. One guy said he tried to tarp a sloped driveway pour when a storm rolled in, and water just channeled right under the plastic and washed out the base. Had to tear out a whole section after it cured all weak and crumbly. They said if the ground isn't dry, you're just trapping moisture against the slab and asking for cracks later.
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oscarm2425d ago
Oh man, "trapping moisture against the slab" is such a perfect way to describe that special kind of contractor panic. You're basically making a concrete soup under there. Next thing you know, you're chipping out a section that looks like wet gravel and trying to explain it to the homeowner. The plastic just turns into a giant water slide for runoff right into your fresh pour.
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