How long will it take for concrete to cure.

[Mario123]

Hi,

I just poured standard concrete around 6,5 cubic meters or 229.5453ft³ . The concrete is about 15 cm 5,9 inches deep, 4 meters wide or 13,1 feet and long 8 meters or 26,2 feet. Where we placed concrete temperature ranges from -2 celsius or 28.4 degrees Fahrenheit to 1 degres celsius or 33.8 degrees Fahrenheit. I live in central Europe so humidity in January is around 80%. So do you know how long will it take for concreate to cure, so I can step on it and then place a small wooden house on it???

Many thanks,

 

[herman]

Hi,

I just poured standard concrete around 6,5 cubic meters or 229.5453ft³ . The concrete is about 15 cm 5,9 inches deep, 4 meters wide or 13,1 feet and long 8 meters or 26,2 feet. Where we placed concrete temperature ranges from -2 celsius or 28.4 degrees Fahrenheit to 1 degres celsius or 33.8 degrees Fahrenheit. I live in central Europe so humidity in January is around 80%. So do you know how long will it take for concreate to cure, so I can step on it and then place a small wooden house on it???

Many thanks,

I'm no expert !! but I would leave i a couple of days before you tread on it and a couple of weeks before building on it.
If it was the summer it would be a different story.
It takes it a long time to harden in cold weather. I would also think it would be a good idea to cover it with some hessian or similar to try and insulate it with some loose straw on top.
Depending on the finish it might loose the top couple of millimetres if it freezes.

 

[br jones]

Set in a couple of days enough to walk on ,leave it a week ,it takes around 28 days to cure

 

[bobk]

Tomorrow

 

[Lincsman]

Takes 28 days to get to the strength you bought.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

1 inch per week

 

[Wisconsonian]

28 days is the standard that concrete is tested by, but that depends on temperature also. keeping it cool and damp is great for curing, but it will cure slow. Keep something on it if it drops below freezing, a layer of plastic and a couple inches of hay or straw would be plenty with those temps. You can walk on it tomorrow, you might scuff the surface. Building on it should be fine in a week, but you still might scuff the surface. What finish is it? troweled smooth, or broom finish?

 

[onesiedale]

Your in central Europe. Weather could easily be cold there. I would put a sheet over it for 10 days before walking on it. Any work like drilling or fixing to it, or machinery on it then leave it 28 days.

 

[puppet]

I would have laid it next week

 

[radar]

Always amazed that frost/snow always thaws quicker on concrete that has been laid several months ago, than older stuff. Still some curing heat there 6 months later.

 

[Barleycorn]

At college we were told concrete takes 20 years to fully cure!

 

[Frodo]

They claim the concrete in the hoover dam is still curing.

 

[puppet]

That's worrying as I walked over it in 2011. Don't think I left any footprints.

 

[Farma Parma]

That's worrying as I walked over it in 2011. Don't think I left any footprints.

i was there is 2014 & seemed ok, what a fluke the state line is right thru the middle of it & a time change either side of it.

 

[harrow]

At college we were told concrete takes 20 years to fully cure!

Someone told me it gets better for 50 years !

 

[Richy12]

The answer to this question depends massively on if you used cem1 or blended mix

 

[FonterraFarmer]

That's worrying as I walked over it in 2011. Don't think I left any footprints.

But did the cat or dogs?

 

[pellow]

If the temperature gets below freezing it is important to insulate it to stop the water in it freezing and breaking up the surface