Had a slab crack because I refused to wet cure it last August

Job in Nashville, 95 degrees, everyone told me to spray it down every few hours. I stuck by my methods and let it dry natural. Crack showed up on day 3 - cost me a $400 callback to patch it. Anyone else think wet curing is overrated or am I just stubborn?

2 comments

2 Comments

holly_flores7911d ago

Man, are you me or what? I tried the same thing last August on a driveway pour in Memphis, same kind of heat, and I was dead set that wet curing was just some old timer superstition. Figured the concrete would set up fine with just the mix's water content and maybe a little morning dew. I ended up with a hairline crack running the whole length of the slab by day two, and let me tell you, patching that mess in 95 degree heat was a nightmare. I spent more time and gas mixing up patch and driving back to the site than it would've taken to just hit it with a hose a few times. I still think there's a line where too much water can mess up the surface, but I've learned my lesson the hard way.

elizabeth_chen11d ago

Switched to damp burlap and plastic sheeting, kept the slab moist without overdoing it and no cracks.