Rant: I tried a new fast set concrete mix on a small patio job and it was a disaster

Last week I had a 10x12 patio pour in Springfield and decided to try that 'Quick-Crete Pro' mix to save time. I usually use the standard stuff from the local yard. The fast set started to kick in about 20 minutes after we finished the pour, way faster than the 45 minutes we were used to. We barely got the bull float across it before it started to set up hard, and the finish was terrible, full of lines and rough spots. I had to grind down the whole surface the next day, which added 4 hours of work and cost me an extra $200 in rental fees. The time I thought I saved on the front end was totally lost on the back end fixing my mistakes. I'm sticking with the regular mix from now on unless it's a tiny repair. Has anyone else had a bad time with these fast setting mixes on a bigger flatwork job?

3 comments

3 Comments

eric7231mo ago

My crew used Fast-Set 5000 on a driveway apron last month. It hardened so fast we couldn't even edge it properly. That stuff is only good for post holes, not flatwork.

felixlee1mo ago

Remember when everyone said fast-set was the only way to go for big pours? I was totally on that train until we did a sidewalk section. The mix started setting before we could even get the bull float on it, left us with a terrible finish. Now I keep it strictly for fence posts and emergency patches where speed matters more than looks. Watching that sidewalk cure taught me to match the mix to the job, not just the clock.

alexc931mo ago

Wait, did you guys use any kind of accelerator or extra water in the mix? @felixlee was spot on about matching the mix to the job, and it sounds like you guys got burned by trying to force a fast set where it just doesn't work. What was your water-to-mix ratio looking like on that apron?