Found out the hard way that concrete cures differently in winter

I was pouring a sidewalk in Denver last December and didn't realize that below 40 degrees, the hydration process slows down by more than half. The supplier mentioned it when I called about the mix, and now I always check the forecast at least 3 days ahead. Has anyone else had a cold weather pour fail on them?

3 comments

3 Comments

theamason6d ago

@lucas972 has a point but hot water just buys you a little time, not a cure for cold ground.

lucas9727d ago

I mean, 40 degrees is cold but I've poured in the 30s with no issues using hot water.

schmidt.blake6d agoMost Upvoted

Hot water is my go-to trick too (mostly because I forget to plan ahead and end up rush-mixing at the last second). 40 degrees is actually balmy compared to the time I tried pouring at 32 and my wheelbarrow turned into a popsicle halfway across the yard. Let's just say that slab ended up looking like a topographical map of the Rockies.