Pro tip: That old timer who told me to wet the subgrade before pouring was absolutely right and I learned the hard way after a 40 foot driveway cracked in 3 places near the expansion joints.

I skipped it on a job in Phoenix last July thinking I knew better, and now I'm grinding out those cracks for a warranty fix next week. Has anyone else had a tip from a crusty finisher that saved your ass once you actually listened?

2 comments

2 Comments

simon_black13d ago

Held off on compacting the base once and watched a slab sink like a damn boat.

oscarwilliams13d ago

Wait, did you just let it sit without packing it down at all? That's like skipping the foundation on a house and hoping the walls hold up on their own. I learned that lesson once too, but it was with a retaining wall that split open like a cracked egg after the first hard rain. Now I compact every inch of anything I pour, even if it takes twice as long. It's a pain in the ass but way cheaper than ripping out a slab that's already sunk six inches into the mud. Some things you just have to learn the hard way, I guess.