Curing Concrete With Plastic Sheeting

The use of waterproof building papers or plastic film polyethylene sheeting will also prevent the evaporation of moisture from concrete.

Curing concrete with plastic sheeting.

Condensed water pools wherever the plastic touches the slab but the concrete under the air pockets remains dry. While plastic sheeting is highly effective in helping concrete cure without cracks there is a downside. If the temperature is below 60 f use dark colored plastic sheets to absorb more light and boost the temperature. Shading concrete work covering concrete surfaces with hessian or gunny bags sprinkling of water ponding method.

The adoption of a particular method will depend upon the nature of work and the climatic conditions. Non cured concrete is susceptible to cracking and collapses so always cure new concrete. Advertisement do pond cure concrete slabs. The concrete will be discolored anywhere the plastic touches it.

Plastic sheeting also has the advantage of flexibility. The curing of such concrete cannot be properly supervised and sometimes it is entirely left to the unskilled workmen who do not. There are 2 main methods of curing. The curing concrete with plastic sheeting after a short spell of water curing for one or two days is sometimes beneficial.

When plastic sheeting or curing blankets are placed atop a concrete slab much of the blanket is in direct contact with the concrete but there are also wrinkles and air pockets where the plastic remains suspended just above the slab. If not tent the plastic so it doesn t come into direct contact with the concrete. This technique can also be used for upright concrete columns and walls by wetting them down and wrapping them with a curing blanket or plastic sheeting. When plastic sheeting is used over flat surfaces such as pavements or slabs it should extend beyond the edges of the slab by a length of at least twice the thickness of the slab.

If you plan on using an opaque stain on your concrete after it cures this doesn t matter. Curing is the process of keeping new concrete moist so it develops its maximum strength. Methods used for curing of concrete there are various methods of curing. When temperatures are higher than 85 f reflective white colored sheets help to keep the concrete cool as it cures.

The following methods of curing of concrete are generally adopted. A plastic polyethylene covering retains moisture in the concrete and improves temperature control.