That week we poured a 40-yard slab in 100-degree heat

It was in Phoenix last July, and I thought the job was doomed. The truck showed up late, and the mix was already starting to set up in the chute. My crew of three had to move fast, but the heat was pulling the water out before we could even get it flat. I remembered an old timer telling me to keep a garden sprayer filled with water and a splash of white vinegar nearby to mist the surface just before the final trowel pass. We did that, and it bought us just enough time to get a glass-smooth finish without the top skin drying out and crazing. We went through four sprayers that day, but it saved the pour. Has anyone else used a trick like that in extreme heat, or do you have a different method?

2 comments

2 Comments

drew8055d ago

Used to think all those old-timer tricks were just superstition. But I saw a guy once mix a little liquid dish soap into his finishing water on a scorching bridge deck pour, said it helped it stay workable. Figured he was nuts until I tried it myself on a hot patio job and it actually bought us a good twenty minutes before the crust set up.

tessa_schmidt195d ago

Heard a plumber swear by adding a capful of fabric softener to his mortar mix for winter tuckpointing. Said it kept it from freezing too fast and gave a better bond.