Learned the hard way why you shouldn't wet cure in direct sun

For about 2 years I always wet cured my garage slabs in July heat here in Phoenix. Last summer I had a 40x30 pour crack all the way across on day three. A older finisher walked by my site and pointed out my curing blankets were bone dry by noon because the sun was cooking the water right off. Now I switch to a liquid membrane curing compound for outdoor work in the summer, saves me the headache.

3 comments

3 Comments

jesse99420d ago

Did that old timer actually just point it out without being a jerk about it? Honestly, a lot of those guys have seen it all and they just want to help. I had a similar thing happen with a big patio I did in the summer. I was using wet burlap and keeping it damp, but it was like trying to water a sieve. The sun was just sucking the moisture right out before the concrete even had a chance to cure. I switched to a liquid membrane compound too, and it was night and day. No more babysitting the wet blankets all day, just spray it on and let it do its job.

gavinlopez18d ago

Right? The old timers who aren't jerks are basically unicorns. I had one guy watch me struggle with a sidewalk form for twenty minutes before he just walked over and said "son, that corner's gonna blow out, flip your stakes around." Didn't even say I told you so when I had to re-do it anyway. The liquid membrane is a lifesaver too, but I still feel like I'm cheating somehow. Like concrete curing is supposed to be a test of willpower, not something you just spray on and walk away from.

josephbutler21d ago

Doesn't it seem like the simplest things we overlook end up being the biggest problems? I've seen this same pattern with people skipping basic maintenance on their cars or homes because they think they already know it all. Sometimes the old timers have a good reason for doing things a certain way, even if it doesn't look like much on the surface.