Pro tip: stop floating your driveways when it's too hot out

I was on a job in Phoenix last July, air temp was 104, and this other crew poured right at noon. They started finishing and by the time they hit the second pass the surface was already crusting over. Ended up with a dusty, weak surface that looked terrible and they had to tear out 30 yards. I always wet down my forms and subgrade first, then start my pour early like 6am or wait until evening. Has anyone else dealt with surface crusting from high heat or am I the only one who sees this?

2 comments

2 Comments

alice_hart11d ago

104 degrees in Phoenix and you picked noon to pour? That’s not a pro tip, that’s a suicide mission. I’ve seen guys try that and end up with a surface that looks like a dried up mud puddle in a parking lot. You basically cooked the concrete before it even had a chance to set right. Tearing out 30 yards is a real expensive way to learn that the sun doesn't give a crap about your schedule.

charles44211d ago

Man, you're exactly right - it's like people forget that timing matters in everything, not just concrete. We rush through life thinking we can beat the system, but the system always wins.