Old timer told me to wet the ground before pouring and I thought he was nuts

Back in 2005 I had this guy Jerry, must have been 65, who kept saying to spray down the subgrade before you pour. I figured he was just being old school and wasting time. First big job I did without doing it, the slab cracked right down the middle in under a week. Ever had a simple piece of advice come back to bite you because you thought you knew better?

2 comments

2 Comments

sean78210d ago

Started ignoring an oldtimer about mixing a little sand into the clay soil before pouring a patio. Thought I knew better since I had a brand new mixer and all the fancy tools. That whole pour just kind of sunk and shifted over the winter, ended up having to rip it all out and redo it the next spring. Now I listen to every piece of advice from the guys who have been doing this since before I was born. Funny how fast you learn that experience beats new gear every time.

hugomurray10d ago

Turns out that wetting it helps the concrete bond instead of just sitting on top of dry dirt.