Spring is officially here and summer isn’t far behind. With temperatures on the rise, it’s important to keep in mind the differences of pouring concrete in hot versus cold weather.
Concrete poured on hot days with low humidity or high wind can suffer adverse effects if the right adjustments aren’t properly made. It’s vital to schedule the work during the coolest part of the day when you’re working in hot conditions.
What kind of problems can I face pouring concrete in hot weather?
Hot days are ahead and when you’re pouring concrete in hot weather, you need to be ready for some possible issues that can pop up if you don’t follow the right steps. These problems include:
- Increased risk of thermal cracking
- Increased risk of slumping
- The formation of cold joints
- Increased risk of finishing difficulties
- Reduced strength and durability
- Increased risk of drying shrinkage
How can I successfully pour concrete in hot weather?
Pouring concrete in hot weather can lead to substandard strength and accelerated curing. It’s important that you counteract the effects of hot weather on your concrete before, during, and after the pour to keep the problems mentioned above from happening.
Consider the following tips you can use for pouring concrete during these increasingly warm days.
- Make sure to plan ahead and plan carefully. You’ll need to incorporate special procedures when you’re operating on a hot day, so you’ll need to make a plan in advance. The concrete that’ll be mixed will need to be placed as quickly as possible, which means it’s crucial nothing impedes the delivery of your trucks.
- Increase your crew size. You need to work faster on hot days, which means you’ll need to increase the size of your team to finish quickly. Even small projects can benefit from some extra hands on deck.
- Block the wind and sun if you can. Sunlight can make a hot day even hotter and the wind can cause the slurry from losing moisture. It can be tricky to provide shade, but tenting an area and erecting wind barriers can help make the finishing process easier.
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