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Heard a foreman in Tulsa say he never floats less than 45 minutes after screeding, now I'm second guessing my whole pour
I was grabbing coffee at a supply yard in Tulsa a few days ago and overheard a foreman telling a younger guy on his crew that he never starts floating a slab any sooner than 45 minutes after screeding, no matter how hot it is outside. I have been running closer to 20 or 25 minutes on most of my pours because the sun here dries the surface fast and I get nervous about it setting up on me. This guy was working a big commercial job and he was dead serious about waiting, which got me thinking about a slab I did back in May where I floated early and ended up with a rough finish on one corner. I keep going back and forth on whether this is a real rule or just something that works for his mix and his weather. My gut says it depends on slump, wind, and how much retarder is in the load, but I'm not sure I'm reading the surface right. What signs do you all look for to know the bleed water is gone and the concrete is ready for the float?
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lilyp3716d ago
Oh man, 45 minutes is way too long for most pours. The real tell is when the bleed water sheen goes away and the surface stops looking wet, not some set clock time. If you wait 45 minutes when it's hot and windy out, you're gonna be floating crust over mush underneath.
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