Concrete Curing and Why

Concrete Curing is a process used for retaining moisture in concrete, for the purpose of enhancing the properties of Concrete. It assists the concrete in gaining early strength, better durability, water tightness and resistance to dusting and plastic shrinkage cracking.

What Is The Importance of Concrete Curing?

When cement is mixed with water, a chemical reaction takes place between the cement powder sand, lime and other additives to form a concrete matrix. Once this concrete matrix has been placed within the bound of form boards, moisture loss through the surface of the concrete slab in the form of hydration takes place.As concrete hydrates, the strength and the durability of concrete increase. The slower the hydration is, the more durable the concrete becomes.The most critical time for a concrete slab after placement is 72 hours and every effort should be made to apply some type of cover over that slab as quickly as possible so as to retain as much moisture in that slab after final finishing.

Methods Of Concrete Curing

Ways in which Concrete Curing can be performed:

Wet Curing: Through wet curing, you can keep the concrete wet for a minimum of 7 days. This process usually includes ponding, wet hessian, spraying or fogging a Concrete.

Sheet Covering : In this process, sheets of industrial plastic (black for winter, clear for summer) are placed over the slab with over lapping edges and held in place using construction timbers or other onsite construction materials.

Sealing: In this method, the surface of the concrete slap is coated with a liquid film forming membrane leaving a seamless coating over the entire treated surface.

All these curing methods have certain advantages and disadvantages, with the liquid applied membrane becoming the more common due to its economical advantage and ease of use.

How To Cure Concrete

The process of Curing Concrete is extremely simple and effective. Here are the sequential steps to the curing of the concrete:

Ponding: In ponding method,: With form boards around the edges still in place, a wall of soil or moisture retaining sand (about 150mm high) placed around the extreme edges of the slab forming a dam. Water is poured into this dam, sufficient enough to cover the entire slab of concrete. It is checked constantly so as to be sure the pond does not empety out for at least 7 days. A big disadvantage of ponding is that if soil or clay is used, there always exists a chance of staining of the concrete, it is very labour intensive time consuming which equates to expensive.

OTHER WETTING METHODS: Keeping wet with a water sprinkler or hose, wet hessian. Disadvantages: wind blows the water from the sprinkler away from the required area, same with the hose, some person is required on site for 7 days at least, wet hessian needs to be kept wet some person on site for 7 days, then you need to roll the hessian up (once it has dried) and then store it some where. Time consuming and labour intensive.

Use Of Plastic Sheeting: Plastic sheeting was the perfered way of Curing Concrete. Once water has been spread evenly on the concrete, plastic sheets is placed over the wet slab, and held in place using on site construction timbers and other like objects, and held in place for 7 days. DISADVANTAGES – slippery to walk on – many trip hazards, winds can separate the sheeting overlapping leaving places for moisture to escape, holes can be torn in plastic sheeting with up to 75% of curing efficiency being lost, required to be removed prior to further activity – need to store it or dispose of ---TOO DANGEROUS –bad for the environment--- labour intensive –time consuming and too costly.

WHY USE A CONCRETE CURING LIQUID MEMBRANE

CONCRETE REPAIR PRODUCTS concrete curing compounds when applied to a concrete surface in accordance to the directions on our data sheet have a moisture curing efficiency of 90% or greater.

The curing compounds are applied by low pressure airless spray, roller or brush so as to leave a seamless membrane coating over the entire treated surface.

1000 meter square of area using the correct spraying equipment can be applied in 30 minutes Or less depending on the operator.

The applied curing compound is generally ready to be walked on in 4 hours or better, depending weather conditions.

ADVANTAGES --- INEXPENSIVE --- back on the job more quickly, no trip hazards, no plastic to take up or dispose of, no hessian to roll up and store, no dirt to remove, and more.

CHOOSE THE CORRECT CURING COMPOUND FOR THE JOB---- If you are not sure, we are here to help, contact us and ask your questions.

WE HAVE THE RIGHT CURING COMPOUND FOR YOUR JOB.

Based in Victoria (Australia), Concrete Repair Products is rated amongst the most distinguished Manufacturers, Exporters and Suppliers of Concrete Repair Products and Concrete Curing Products. It provides Concrete Repair Products including CRP AC, CRP BRP, CRP C30, CRP D30, CRP EC20, CRP EC30, CRP EcoCure and CRP MER. For more information about the company, visit http://www.concreterepairproducts.info/.

Concrete Repair Products is counted amongst the distinguished Manufacturers, Exporters and Suppliers of Concrete Repair Products, Concrete Curing Compound in Australia. We bring forth an extensive assortment of Concrete Repair Products.