I'm in Michigan with temperatures expected to be 10 - 20 deg. F when they pour the garage floor concrete. They say they will use an additive to aid in the cold weather curing of the concrete and will have the garage heated. What are the symptoms of improperly cured concrete ? Crumbling ? Cracking ? Should I tell them not to do it yet ? What is the acceptable temperature range ?
2007-01-26 09:27:37 · 7 answers · asked by Judy M 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
i have placed alot of cold weather concrete.. it the temps in the area remain above 50 F you will be fine..but you need to maintian this temp for 72 hours..ask the contractor to use concrete blankets if he does not know what they are,find another contractor.
2007-01-26 09:35:03 · answer #1 · answered by Tommy C 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Everyone's talking about the concrete, the mix, etc.
The real trick is making sure the ground doesn't have frost in it. Running a heater in the garage will not completely insure that the frost is out of the ground...
Whoever is pouring the concrete will dig down in areas furthest away from the heater (heating it up several days before pouring the concrete) to test the ground.
If you have a company pouring it make sure they're licensed and bonded... Most companies would have a clause in the contract stating their obligation to fix anything if anything went wrong and it would be at their expense.
Heat must remain in the room for a few days to follow so the floor doesn't heave or swell... Which could happen if the frost isn't out of the ground before pouring.
2007-01-26 13:26:25 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the garage is heated, I would have less concern. My garage is not heated and it has been colder than your area for over 24 hours. Its temperature was 34 this afternoon. It was 7 outside.
Concrete gives off a lot of heat as it sets and cures due to the chemical reactions in it. Your garage might actually get warmer during the process. I assume that you are looking at about a 4 inch layer.
2007-01-26 09:40:29 · answer #3 · answered by sternsheets 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
While concrete cures, it warms itself... it is a chemical reaction and not a 'drying' process. If they toss some insulated tarps on the top, it will keep the heat in the concrete. If they close the door and put on a heater, this will work too.
I have done concrete at -20C in Toronto and had it go fine using tarps (gas station apron around the pump islands for a large petroleum company)... Yes there is an additive you put in the mix to protect it from freezing by setting it off faster... an accelerant of sorts...
When it doesn't work; it freezes... the top of the concrete freezes and will "spall" or flake off next spring... easy to check for though... see if the top of the concrete is "dry" or frozen...
Good luck!
2007-01-26 09:43:33 · answer #4 · answered by 6kidsANDalwaysFIXINGsomething 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The cement company will use hot water in the batch and they'll add Calcium Chrolride to the mix.
When the concrete is "Floated" out. The contractor may cover it with Vis-queen (Plastic sheeting) to keep the heat in.
2007-01-27 03:53:19 · answer #5 · answered by roseofsharons2002 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Concrete poured in low temperatures can crack when the weather heats up. Presumably your contractor knows this and will take steps accordingly, but....
2007-01-26 09:35:49 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
With the correct amount of additive, no problems. Range varies by concrete mix and the additive used - I can't answer this for your exact situation.
2007-01-26 09:43:03 · answer #7 · answered by KirksWorld 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋