One of the most dangerous and concerning aspects of the construction industry is concrete pouring.
Time is an incredibly important currency in construction, but when it comes to concrete it can’t be rushed.
It takes a certain amount of time to cure and there is no other way to skip it. Sometimes workers can be rushed to complete it, which in turn leads to mistakes and short cuts happening.
If you are a commercial property owner, you may have concrete pouring that needs to be done.
Concrete is a very effective and sturdy material that may be used for an entryway, staircase, driveway, and many other types of projects.
However, there are also common mistakes that need to be avoided when concrete is poured to ensure that you have a concreting experience that is successful.
Here are the top 4 mistakes to watch out for.
Mistake #1 – Ignoring the Conditions
Whenever you are planning to pour concrete at your commercial property, it is critical that you pay very close attention to the climate and weather conditions.
Mild weather is needed for a concrete project. On a really hot day, wet concrete may cure too fast, which may leave an uneven texture and bubbles. On the other hand, when it is too cold, it may take too long for the concrete to cure.
You also need to be careful on cloudy days when it may snow or rain and very humid days also need to be avoided.
If a contractor is handling your concrete project, then they will know to watch the weather patterns and tell you when a good day will be to do your project.
The driveway concreters from KJ Concreting are no strangers to being on a job site. Having been involved in a number of construction jobs they know the pitfalls and mistakes some customers make. They said: “We are usually involved in a property right from the planning stage and it is quite unfortunate when simple mistakes are made despite all the plans involved. The climate can factor in many stages of construction, but concrete is one that really feels the effects of it.”
Mistake #2 – Not Properly Mixing
If you are planning to pour the concrete on your own, then you need to make sure that the right concrete mix is used.
If too little or too much water is used in the mix, the final results will not be desirable. With too much water it can lead to the concrete being much weaker for example.
“I have seen some horrible concrete when ripping up flooring” says flooring professional Bilal Dundar. “A lot of thin, cracked concrete which obviously is a result of not mixing properly”.
The concrete package needs to have clear instructions on how it should be mixed, whether this is done with either a concrete mixer or manually.
A volumetric concrete mixer may be very useful for that purpose and help to avoid any mixing mistakes.
Mistake #3 – Not Using Reinforcements
Another mistake that is commonly made by people trying to pour concrete on their own is not using the right reinforcements. It is especially critical when slabs of concrete are being laid, like for a driveway, walkway, or patio.
If a new walkway is being installed that leads up to your commercial building, then most likely you will need reinforcement, like plastic and metal fibres, and add it to your concrete.
Concrete can lack tensile strength without this reinforcement. If the other fibres are not built in iit may not have as long a lifetime. This can be exacerbated further by nearby tree root systems.
“I see so much concrete cracking on the job and more often then not it is caused by reinforcement issues” says Plumber Paul Jennings. “It is devastating seeing home owners be put out thousands of dollars because the concrete wasn’t reinforced properly and the fix fee is huge”.
Mistake #4 – Not Allowing Enough Time to Cure
Be sure to give plenty of time for the concrete to cure before driving or walking on it. This time frame is usually between 24 and 48 hours, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
If you do not allow enough time for it to cure, then you might end up leaving footprints behind, or it might crack due to having heavy equipment put on the concrete too fast.
Construction supply specialists from Castle Supplies notes that generally for concrete to be cured to 70% of its full strength, it can take 7 days. It is not until after roughly 28 days that concrete is considered fully hardened.
With these 4 tips in mind you’ll be able to complete your concrete project without problems.
Do you have any concrete tips we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments!
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