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Reading an old concrete spec manual from the 80s changed my view on curing time.
Picked up a manual from a retired finisher in Tacoma that said to cure flatwork for a full 14 days, not the 7 everyone does now. He wrote in the margin that the 28-day strength gain is mostly in that second week. Are we all cutting corners because the schedule demands it?
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stellafisher8d ago
My grandpa's 1970s patio still looks new because they cured it for two full weeks.
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dakota_rivera1mo ago
What about the long term cost of fixing cracked slabs? I see so many driveways and sidewalks that fail after a few years (way before they should). That extra week of curing might feel slow now, but it's cheaper than a full tear out and replace in five years. We're basically trading a small delay now for a much bigger bill later, and calling it progress.
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karenw901mo ago
My old apartment complex redid the parking lot and cars were back on it in like three days. It was a mess of cracks within a year. You're totally right, @dakota_rivera, it's that same cheap now, pay way more later thing with everything.
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