Had a slab crack on me last month. Changed how I mix forever.

I was pouring a 4x6 patio for a guy near Fresno. Mixed it dry like I always did. Owner watched and said 'you sure that's wet enough?' I brushed him off. Two weeks later I came back to a hairline crack running corner to corner. Looked up the slump specs online that night. Been adding an extra quart of water per batch since. No cracks. Anyone else get stubborn about mix and pay for it later?

2 comments

2 Comments

black.margaret1mo ago

Overwatering makes concrete weaker, not stronger.

the_seth1mo ago

Yeah, you're really right about that @black.margaret. I've seen people dump way too much water on their concrete thinking it helps it cure better and it just turns into a crumbly mess. It's frustrating because it's such a simple thing to get wrong but messes up the whole slab. I've had friends who were so proud of their pour and then a month later it's all cracked and dusty from overwatering. It's like they think more is better when really you just want to keep it damp not soaking wet. Wish more people understood this before they ruin a good concrete job.