WHY CURING CONCRETE IS A MUST BEFORE COATING
Whether it’s for residential or commercial flooring, curing is a vital step before coating application. Premature or improper coating often leads to various flooring issues, forcing you to spend more money on intensive reinstallations. Fortunately, these problems can be avoided by simply evaluating the condition of your garage’s concrete floor before applying a coating.
Continue reading as Guardian Garage Floors discusses the reasons why curing is an integral part of the concreting process.
MOISTURE AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL
Concrete curing is crucial to the initial stages and completion of cement hydration, which contributes to the setting and hardening of floor coating. For cement hydration to progress, the on-site concrete must have sufficient moisture and a constant temperature.
Careful management of moisture and temperature of your on-site concrete during curing will allow you to ensure quality control and assurance of your structure. You’ll also be able to keep your on-site concrete from shrinking and cracking, which can negatively impact the concrete’s performance.
STANDARD CURING TIME
Generally, curing concrete takes several days to complete. If you notice your freshly poured concrete mix starting to set, give it more time to rest because it’s not fully cured yet. This stage is called “green concrete,” which takes about 28 days before a floor coating can be applied. However, the waiting time still depends on various factors, such as the composition of the concrete mix, air temperatures and level of humidity.
Moreover, constant monitoring of concrete curing conditions should be conducted within seven days. This is to ensure that there’s enough water to hydrate the cement, which will help the concrete attain maximum compressive strength. During significant weather events, keeping an eye on your concrete’s curing status will help protect it from the effects of outside elements.
Turn to Guardian Garage Floors for your concrete curing and floor coating needs. To request a quote, call us at (615) 645-3696 or fill out our contact form.
