Stopped pushing cream finish after a dryer season in Ohio

I used to always wait for the bleed water to show before I even thought about floating. Then last summer we poured a big slab in Dayton and it was so dry the surface crusted over before I got my bull float on it. I ended up with a dusty, weak top layer that spalled three weeks later. Now I check the concrete by pressing my boot toe into it every 15 minutes instead of going on time. If it leaves a print and closes back up, I float early and use a misting spray. Has anyone else changed their timing based on local weather like that?

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hugo23625d ago

I read a piece from a finisher down in Texas who said pretty much the same thing. He stopped going by the clock and started going by feel because the mix and the wind matter more than any schedule. What stuck with me was he said the old rule about waiting for bleed water was written back when mixes had more water in them, and now with lower slump mixes the bleed never really shows up the same way. He also mentioned the boot test, which is what you're doing, and said if your toe sinks in and the hole stays open you're still too early, but if it closes up you're right there. I've been meaning to try watching the sheen instead of the water, like when that wet shine goes flat but the surface still looks dark. Dayton in July will dry a slab out fast, so I get why you switched it up.

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